On Friday I was asked to teach a cooking class at the village club. The theme was thanksgiving dinner. I have included the recipes so if you want to wow your friends this year you need only to buy the ingredients and follow along.
Honey Brined Turkey with Bacon-Herb and Cider Gravy
Ingredients
Bacon, dijon, and herb butter:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces applewood-smoked bacon slices, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or coarse
• kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Cider gravy base:
• Neck reserved from 18- to 19-pound heritage turkey
• 1/4 cup fat reserved from turkey cavities
• 1 turkey leg and thigh
• 2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped celery
• 2 cups coarsely chopped onions
• 6 large fresh thyme sprigs
• 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 8 cups chicken/turkey stock or low-salt chicken broth
• 4 whole sage leaves

Turkey:
• 1 18- to 19-pound turkey, neck and 1/4 cup fat from cavities reserved for cider gravy base
• 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or coarse kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2 cups coarsely chopped onions
• 2 cups coarsely chopped celery
• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh fennel bulbs
• 2 cups coarsely chopped peeled carrots
• 2 cups coarsely chopped unpeeled apples
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (wondra or roux)

Preparation
For bacon, dijon, and herb butter:
Blend all ingredients in processor until bacon is finely chopped. Transfer to sheet of plastic wrap. Using plastic wrap as aid, roll butter mixture into 2-inch-diameter log; chill until firm. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.
For cider gravy base:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine turkey neck, 1/4 cup turkey fat, and turkey leg in heavy large ovenproof pot. Place in oven; roast uncovered until turkey parts are deep, dark brown, turning once, about 1 1/2 hours. Drain, reserving fat from pot. Reserve 1/4 cup fat for gravy; return 1 tablespoon fat to pot. Return turkey parts to pot; stir in celery, onions, thyme sprigs, and peppercorns. Return pot to oven; roast uncovered 10 minutes. Add apple cider and vinegar; roast 10 minutes longer. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Add 8 cups stock and sage to pot; cook in oven uncovered 1 1/2 hours. Strain gravy base through fine strainer; discard solids in strainer (there will be about 5 cups gravy base). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
For turkey:
Cut bacon butter into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Starting at neck end, carefully slide hand between skin and breast meat, then slide hand between skin and thigh meat. Carefully slide butter slices between skin and leg, thigh, and breast meat to cover (there will be a generous amount of butter mixture). Sprinkle 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1 teaspoon pepper over turkey, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in main cavity of turkey. Place turkey on rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and keep chilled until ready to bake.
Set rack at lowest position in oven; preheat to 350°F. Mix onions, celery, fennel, carrots, apples, oil, and bay leaves in large roasting pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place turkey atop vegetable mixture. Tuck wings under; tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Place turkey in oven; roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 160°F, basting with pan drippings every 30 minutes and tenting loosely with foil if browning too quickly, about 4 hours total. Transfer turkey to platter (internal temperature of turkey will increase 5 to 10 degrees).
Pour vegetable mixture and pan drippings into large strainer set over large bowl; press on solids to extract liquid. Discard solids in strainer. Spoon off fat from pan drippings; discard (there will be a large amount of fat in pan drippings). Reserve degreased pan drippings for gravy (about 1 cup). Remove fat from surface of gravy base; reserve 1/4 cup fat. Rewarm cider gravy base.
Melt reserved 1/4 cup fat in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; stir 3 minutes. Gradually add warm cider gravy base and degreased pan drippings. Simmer until smooth, thickened, and reduced to 51/2 cups, whisking frequently, about 5 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper.
Serve turkey with gravy.
Bourbon-Walnut Sweet Potato Mash
Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
• 4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 cup) butter
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Roast potatoes on rimmed baking sheet until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool slightly. Scoop flesh into large bowl; discard skins. Mash hot potatoes until coarse puree forms.
Heat cream and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until butter melts, stirring occasionally. Gradually stir hot cream mixture into hot potatoes. Stir in syrup, bourbon, and all spices. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm with heavy cream. Sprinkle nuts over and serve.

Sautéed Parsnips and Carrots with Honey and Rosemary
To add richness, sauté three ounces sliced pancetta until crisp; crumble over before serving. Varietal honeys are available at specialty foods…
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound carrots (about 4 large), peeled, cut into 3×1/4×1/4-inch sticks
• 1 pound large parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, cored, cut into 3×1/4×1/4-inch sticks
• Coarse kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey (such as heather, chestnut, or wildflower)
Preparation
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and parsnips. Sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are beginning to brown at edges, about 12 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Add butter, rosemary, and honey to vegetables. Toss over medium heat until heated through and vegetables are glazed, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if desired.
Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Wild Mushroom
Ingredients
For brussel sprouts
• 3 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
For shallots
• 1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 lb large shallots (about 6), cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices and separated into rings (2 1/2 cups)
For mushrooms
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 lb mixed fresh wild mushrooms such as chanterelle and oyster, trimmed, quartered if large
• 1/4 cup dry white wine and ¼ cup of madera
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Juice from one lemon
• Special equipment: a deep-fat thermometer
Preparation
Roast brussel sprouts:
Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.
Toss Brussels sprouts with oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, then spread out in 1 layer in 2 large shallow baking pans (17 by 12 inches). Roast, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until tender and browned, 25 to 35 minutes.
Fry shallots while brussels sprouts roast:
Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until temperature measures 250°F (see cooks’ note, below), then fry shallots in 3 batches, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per batch (watch closely, as shallots can burn easily). Quickly transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, spreading in a single layer. (Shallots will crisp as they cool.) Pour off oil from skillet (do not clean).
Roasted Garlic Stuffing
Ingredients
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 medium onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 3 cups)
• 6 stalks celery with leaves, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 loaf of roasted garlic bread from Give thanks bakery diced into cubes
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh sage, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups hot Homemade Turkey Stock or canned turkey stock, plus 1/2 cup more if baking all of stuffing outside of turkey(which is the only way to do it!)

Preparation
• In 12-inch, heavy skillet over moderate heat, heat butter until hot but not smoking. Stir in onion and celery, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 15 to 20 minutes. (Vegetables can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat before continuing: In 12-inch, heavy skillet over moderately high heat, sauté, stirring often, until heated through, about 5 minutes.)
• Transfer to large bowl and add stuffing cubes, parsley, celery salt, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir in 1 1/4 cups hot stock.
• Preheat oven to 350°F and butter 3-quart casserole or 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Transfer stuffing to dish and drizzle with 1/2 cup hot stock. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

He was known as Yankee.

He was looking for work and heard The Townsend Hotel was hiring. His friend worked there and encouraged him to apply.

He did so and started promptly. His mom was so excited she too, thanked the friend. He excelled at his position and when a full time opportunity was offered he accepted, happily.

An Army Veteran with experience in sharp shooting and hand-to-hand combat, yet, gentle in every way. He was a fireball of energy living on gummy bears and red bull. He didn’t move he sprinted, he didn’t have a bad word he complimented, and he was kind and giving; interested in everyone he would engage in conversation he didn’t discriminate. He played the guitar as if he channeled Jimi Hendricks and some of the greatest guitarists from the past. He knew every word to every song whether rock, hip hop, country etc. and would sing out loud every day all day. He rode BMX and excelled at that as well. He loved roller skating, the Cider Mill, hiking, spending time with his friends and his mother, loved anything physical, he was a an excellent athlete with crazy skills, a fabulous artist, he also loved martial arts. Always willing to help anyone. Honest and caring, kind to all. He loved animals and animals loved him. He was crazy about his new girlfriend and looking forward to their time together.

He was in a position that allowed him to come in to contact with many employees and guests of the hotel. Everyone knew him and liked him. He really was something. More energy than anyone, he would spin, jump and leap while singing and that was just in his regular stride. He was one of the happiest people you would ever have the opportunity of knowing. Always positive and smiling, he loved his job, his friends, co-workers, family and pets. He lived a happy life and was a great friend to many.

Christopher Allen Yankee will be remembered smiling, missed and never forgotten.

Knowing him made me a better person, I think of him and smile.

“Every human being is intended to have a character of his own; to be what no other is, and to do what no other can do”–William Channing

The obvious answer is that most of my employees act like children. But the real answer is that we can split our focus. Multitasking is the only way we get anything done; if I don’t have at least 3 things going at any one time then I will spend 18 hours a day in the kitchen. My wife is an absolutely brilliant mother and professional but she has a rather hard time with this splitting her focus. She has laser beam focus, the kind you need when starting out in my profession. As a cook progresses through the ranks that laser beam must widen. You start by watching your station, then you move to your station and the one you hope to take over, you must be ready because at some point that cook will call off and if you can jump in you just earned a promotion. Next you’re a sous chef (second in command) and you need to watch your station plus the shift you are working. Finally you’re the chef, now you watch everything and everybody including the wait staff (biggest group of babies in the bunch) plus the numbers and owners.
I don’t believe that splitting your focus in a natural trait I feel that it is a learned behavior. The better you are at it the faster you excel to the top. It is the ability to split your focus that helps in rearing children. Anybody who’s a parent can relate to 20 things going on at once. Last night we took our son and dog for a walk. Teddy (the dog) can be a handful but my wife took the leash and I took the stroller. As we discussed events of the day and what is to come she lost control of him and off he went, in her defense he can be a real a–hole, but still she couldn’t think talk and train him at the same time. While working on a project at home the rest of the world disappears and she gets engrossed in the task at hand. Nothing wrong with it but it makes for a challenging day when the baby starts to cry and you have to keep stopping. The funniest story I have heard was my wife’s friend out grocery shopping with her then 2 year old. She ran into a friend in the produce section and began discussing a recipe. She was so entranced by the conversation she failed to realize that her daughter grabbed a plastic bag and put it over her head and faked breathing hard. It wasn’t until a gentleman tapped her on the shoulder and without saying a word pointed sternly at the child. She pulled the bag off and both women knowing that the child was playing around began to laugh.
I know I’m not the greatest dad in the world but I also know that by keeping a wide gaze I will be more aware of what is going on, whether I know what to do or not is yet to be seen.
“The secret to a good memory is attention, and attention to a subject depends upon our interest in it. We rarely forget that which has made a deep impression on our minds”. — Tryon Edwards

As you approach the front doors, the custom laid granite is eye catching. A bellman in a pressed uniform along with gloves and hat begin the experience you are about to have. The door is held open and your eyes are instantly drawn to the fresh flowers and beautiful Waterford chandelier. The rich Mahogany wood and marble floors along with the Italian marble fireplace make for a world-class experience. A voice is heard…”Are you joining us for afternoon tea today?” As you are escorted to your table you pass by ladies with hats, gloves and pearls celebrating a birthday. The beautifully set tables have fine white linens; fine china and silver vases with fresh roses. The scent of raspberry tea fills the room. You are seated at a perfect table under a Waterford chandelier in front of a brightly lit fireplace. You and your party are comfortable and feel relaxed amongst the warm welcoming ambience. A server welcomes you as another offers steeping hot tea. The cubed sugar is tempting; you put two cubes into your teacup. The table is now full with a silver tray of mouth-watering finger sandwiches. The server explains the selection…freshly made orange cranberry scones with homemade lemon curd and mascarpone cheese begin the meal. Shrimp canapé, smoked salmon, cucumber and dill, curry chicken tartlet, pear, walnut and blue cheese and roast beef with horseradish cream sauce. Served hot French style – vegetarian quiche and spinach and feta cheese wrapped in phyllo dough. You enjoy every bite and before you know it the dessert course has arrived. Four miniature pastries; fresh fruit flan, a chocolate mousse cup, a chocolate covered strawberry and a cheesecake with a raspberry garnish complete the afternoon. You have had an afternoon of indulgence and delight, pleased with the food and service – you now have that special place. Afternoon Tea at The Townsend Hotel. www.townsendhotel.com

I am often asked “How do you do it? How has the Townsend been recognized for world class service for so long?”
The short answer is that we have always placed the right people, in the right position at the right time to take the hotel and everything we do to the next level.
It is the people of The Townsend who create the “Wow” experience for the guest and it is the people that create the “Wow” experience for the owner and investor. “Wow” comes from the heart and “Good” comes from the brain. We select people to work at the Townsend who have heart and are smart. We teach them to be good but they choose to be great.
The other thing we do is recognize that “Wow” to day is not going to be “Wow” tomorrow. What this means, to use an analogy, is that we needed Rough- Carpenters yesterday to lay the foundations and make it strong but we need Finishing- Carpenters tomorrow to make it look beautiful. It also means that we work really hard to understand what tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities will be so that we can always be working in the future and at the head of the curve.
We believe that smart people with big hearts, if given the freedom to do so, become highly motivated people aspiring to excellence. We find that the greater the expectation and the greater the achievement, beyond what is expected; the greater the pride people have in themselves and their accomplishments. The more people we have with this motivation and skill, the more often we get it right the first time. The greater the achievement the less the cost…..and. the better everyone feels about themselves. Go figure.
One more thing; Managers can’t make this happen but leaders can…

This Article Written By Peter Wilde, Managing Director of The Townsend Hotel

Last monday I had the honor of eating at the James Beard House. For those of you who don’t know James Andrew Beard (May 5, 1903 – January 21, 1985) was an American chef and food writer. The central figure in the story of the establishment of a gourmet American food identity, Beard was an eccentric personality who brought French cooking to the American middle and upper classes in the 1950s. Many consider him the father of American-style gourmet cooking. His legacy lives on in twenty books, numerous writings, his own foundation, and his foundation’s annual Beard awards in various culinary genres (I plagiarized the last part from Wikipedia). A great friend of mine invited me to New York for the dinner. The beard foundation hosts dinners many times a week celebrating great food and friendships while doing charitable work. It all started when James Beard pasted away. He had a large mortgage left on the house so his friends’ started hosting dinners to pay it off and viola you have a foundation. The first notable chef (although not at the time) was Wolfgang Puck in 1988. He traveled from the west coast to do the dinner; now the foundation had legs. Chefs from around the world cling to the hope that one day they will be asked to cook in the original kitchen of James Beard yes the whole dinner is actually in his home). I was lucky enough to taste the passion of Aaron Butts executive chef of Joseph Decuis(Roanoke, Indiana). While we were enjoying our 5 course meal from heirloom tomato salad to the waygu short ribs I was able to talk with the owners of the property as well as the director of programs at the beard house. In a nut shell we were asked to do a dinner there.
Ahhh but there is a catch, we have to pay for everything, and I mean everything. According to the owners it cost about 20k. All the travel, labor, and food expense add up quickly. The big question” is it worth it”. From my perspective hell yes!!! From an owner’s perspective, where is my return on investment? A legitimate question, but how to you touch the intangible? I was told the Joseph Decuis had a huge surge in business due to all the extra press. But it was more of a feeling of pride that they had doing the dinner, the whole staff was beaming with pride over the success they had that night. When is the last time you beamed with pride at work??? I have to find a way to go, if not for me for the boost it would give my staff and the entire hotel. I want it, the Beard foundation wants it now I need the funds. Any thoughts?
“There is absolutely no substitute for the best. Good food cannot be made of inferior ingredients masked with high flavor. It is true thrift to use the best ingredients available and to waste nothing.” James Beard

Last Thursday evening Hour magazine hosted and event with DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS), a night of cocktails and appetizers all set to raise money for a noteworthy cause. They asked 25 top area restaurants to provide appetizers or dessert for the 600 guest that were attending. They promised to have judging of best table and best app. I can tell you from past experience that such a promise rarely comes true. Sometimes they judge but it’s rare to get a true to life food critic (I guess that gives the first place a little more credibility). Molly Abraham went around having great discussions with all the chefs and tasting the food. My thanks to Ryan Esker my Banquet chef for filling in as I had a last minute emergency. So after all the fun we ended up on top, best app!!! The best thing about it is that we just took one of the apps of our new menu and served it to 600ppl (we actually ran out with 15 minutes to go, I guess people came back for seconds). I knew that our food was first rate and now it’s been judged and proven!
-“A leader must know, must know that he knows and must be able to make it abundantly clear to those about him that he knows.”-Clarence B. Randall
As Hour posts Information about the event I will add it to the Blog.

You wear a lot of masks as a chef; one of the most critical is to be innovative. I am referring to a chef and not a cook. Anyone can cook, it ain’t hard. But to be a chef you must stay ahead of the competition, be the best, always. The moment you rest on your laurels the competition swoops in and steals your business away. If you are on top of your game the customers will come back if not they are gone and wondering why you closed your doors. It’s the same for the dining room as well. In fact it is even more important for them. We all eat out, we know what we like and dislike but one universal truth exists; if the service sucks we are not going back. Whether you’re out on the town, getting a burger, or having an intimate dinner with someone special the service has to meet or exceed your expectations. In a way the dining room or general manager is in the same boat as the chef. “What can I do to make this a memorable experience”? It’s a question that is answered in sweat and tears. We all work hard in the industry to bring a plate of food to the table and every plate has to be better than the last. It is always the last meal at a restaurant that we remember. I remember chefs telling me “you only as good as the last meal”! And that’s what I mean by chefs make it better. Every day at work I try to make something better. I don’t work a 9-5 job 40 hours a week I work weird hours and my brain never shuts off (just ask my wife). I am always thinking about the food, the staff or the customers. It simply is never good enough. I may be happy with a dish but that will change and something new will arise. As humans who are we if we don’t try to make it better?
“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them”. – Denis Waitley

Asian Braised Short Ribs
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup Chinese oyster sauce
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sake (Japanese rice wine), Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 piece (1 inch) peeled fresh ginger, minced
• 2 scallions, white parts minced, green parts thinly sliced
• About 3 pounds bone-in individual beef short ribs

1. Place the sugar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sake, garlic, ginger, and scallion whites in a large, nonreactive mixing bowl and whisk to mix. Stir in the short ribs. Cover the bowl and let the ribs marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
2. Place the short ribs on the grill until sizzling and darkly browned on the outside
3. Remove from grill and place in roasting pan. Braise short ribs in Veal Stock and Sherry till tender. About 2 hours.
Reduce marinade until thick and use as a glaze for the short ribs.
Reduce the braising liquid by ½ and use for a broth to keep ribs moist.

Quinoa Cakes Yield = 12ea
• 1cup red quinoa
• 1 cup quinoa
• 4 cups water
• 2 oz G.O.G. (garlic, onion, ginger)
• 3oz hoisin
• Soy sauce to taste
• ½ tablespoon siracha
• 2 eggs
• 2 oz A.P. Flour
1. Cook the quinoa with water in a rice cooker.
2. Cool quinoa slightly
3. Sauté GOG in sesame oil
4. Mix all ingredients together in moon bowl
5. Portion with ice cream scoop and sauté in a Teflon pan

To Assemble:

After you sear the quinoa cake place in a bottom of a bowl, pour in the broth and then place the short rib on top of the cake. Glaze the ribs with the reduced marinade.
Enjoy