Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-11-17
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
on topics Of interest to the Adie
IL solicited. Address: Editor HonkHAKERs'
COLUMN, Oxford Democrat, Paris, Maine.
THANKSGIVING Turkey and Things.

good judgment fails us In selecting q
turkey, or we may have to cook one OF
unusual size, or we cannot have the time
needed to bake one successfully. If so,
why not try this method of cooking the
bird at our next national festival?
First, see that the turkey is thorough
" cleaned, and by that mean that every
thing which cannot be eaten Except the
bones) is removed. Pin feathers and
the oil bag are often left in by careless
workers, thus spelling the skin and
this tid-bit for those who like
its sweet, crisp flavor. Bits of the lights,
and sometimes quite large bits, and alas,
part of the crop, have been found in
birds which the cook pronounced clean.
Stuff it with any preferred stuffing,
tie, and truss it into good shape, making
it as small and compact as possible, and
draw the legs up close and firm, so they
will not be too prominent when the bird
is served.
An oval boiler, one that is suitable for
fish, hams, or turkey, is almost neces-
sity in family of any size, and is par
ticularly convenient at this time, when
boiled hams, steamed fowls, ETC., are
needed. Possibly you may have regu-
lar steamer where the bird may hang
from the top plate. Put only enough
water in the boiler to cover the rack, but
be careful to have a supply in another
kettle for the frequent replenishing nee
essary to avoid any possibility of its
boiling dry. Let the water boil steadily,
but not furiously, for two hours, or
until the bird begins to show signs OF
tenderness. By this time the bird will
be plump, with all the tissues full of
moisture, much of the fat drawn out,
and the cooking process nearly cOmplet-
ed. All that is needed now is quick
browning to give richer flavor than
can be obtained from the steaming.
Remove the turkey to baking pan.
If you have drainer in the boiler on
which to lift it out, you will accomplish
it successfully. Rub it all over with soft
butter, and dredge it with flour mixed
with salt and little finely powdered
thyme. Put it into hot oven and bake
it until brown, and the joints will sepa-
rate easily. 1t will take an hour and
perhaps longer if the bird is very large.
Let the flour get we'll Drowned and then
begin the basting, using the top of the
water from the steamer. Continue this
basting at intervals of ten minutes, keep
ing the water for the purpose hot on the
back of the stove. Occasionally dredge
it with flour after the basting, and turn
the pan, or the bird in the pan, so all
parts may be equally Drowned. Do not
use so much water at each basting that
there will be no chance for the glaze to
form on the pan, nor so little that the
fat will be in danger of burning. Your
undivided attention will be needed until
you have acquired sufficient judgment to
know just how the bird is doing from
the hints which the odors and sounds
during the cooking process give to one
who has learned how to interpret them.
We need to keep all our senses on the
alert when we are cooking, especially a
Thanksgiving dinner.
When the turkey is done to just the
right degree of tenderness, crispuess,
and BROWNIES, remove it to hot platter
and pull out the strings, skewers, etc.
Pour off the fat from the pan, leaving
about two tablespoons if you wish a
pint of gravy. Put in two tablespoons
of flour and let them brown together,
then pour in one pint of water, using
that which is left of the steaming water.
Stir as it thickens and add salt and pep
per to taste. Let it cook at least five
minutes, longer will improve it, then
strain it into the gravy dish. Sometimes
| it is better not to wait for the turkey to
be done, but dip out some of the gravy
from the pan, the fat particularly, before
the last basting, and make the gravy in
a separate and smaller pan. This will
save time and ensure it's thorough cook.
ing. Then another portion may be
made later from that remaining in the
pan. Turkey gravy is always useful
with the remainder of the bird, and it is
well to have plentiful supply.
If you wish to make giblet gravy,
cook these portions in water to cover
until very tender, chop them fine and
stir them into half of the made gravy
sTUFFING FOR THE TURKEY.
Remove the crust from a loaf of bakers
bread and break it into small portions
cover with milk and soak it until soft
Then squeeze out the milk and mix this
soaked crust with the crumbs from the
inside of the loaf. There should be
about one quart of the crumbs, add one
third of a cup of melted butter, one tea
spoon of mixed sweet herbs, two tea
spoons of salt, the grated rind of one
lemon, and one small boiled onion
mashed Mix well and fiji the crop and
the body.
| GLAZED ONIONS.
| ponr ho;l;nc ,yotar QUAR- ona nnart nj
small onions, remove the skins, put them
close together in baking pan with
brown stock enough to half cover them
Sprinkle uniformly with sugar and lay g
bit of butter about the size of a pea or
each onion. Cover closely and cook in a
moderate oven until tender. Basic them
frequently with the water. This may bt
done the day before and then they may
be quickly reheated for the dinner. Re
move them from the pan and strain &
little of the gravy over them, JUS
enough to moisten them.
POTATOES.
Potatoes for this dinner should bt
boiled and seasoned slightly, then mash
ed and beaten to light, frOthy mass.
THE THANKSGIVING PUDDING.
The formula of the one best known il
New England is as follows:
Roll six crackers fine and soak then
in three pints of new milk. Mix one
fourth cup of butter with one cup Of
sugar, add one-half teaspoon of salt
one teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, and
mace, mixed in about equal proportions
and six well-beaten eggs. Stir this
mixture into the milk and add two cups
of the best raisins, half of them seeded
for those that are left whole will have q
particularly fine flavor as they burst in
eating. Butter deep pudding disf
thickly with cold butter, turn in the
pudding and bake very slowly in a
moderate oven three or four hours. SET
the dish in pan of water to prevent toe
rapid cooking. Stir several times, from
the bottom up through the middle, to
keep the raisins from settling, but de-
not stir from the sides, otherwise it will
not turn out nicely. Let it stand while
after it is done and then invert on 9
deep pudding dish. The whey makes q
delicious sauce, but some will like q
hard sauce also.
Those who do not care for anything
so rich as the plum pudding, and cannot
eat pastry, may prefer to have the pump
kin in a pudding instead of within a
crust.
PUMPKIN PUDDING.
Cut small sugar pumpkin into quar-.