Brining: the Verdict

Well, I can't say I was blown away with the difference, but it was a tasty turkey and now that I have the perfect container to use for brining, I will probably do it again next year.

My Thanksgiving started at 5 a.m., 3 hours after I went to sleep (hint: don't try to watch The Color Purple the night before Thanksgiving!).   I got the turkey out of the brine, washed, and into a water bath, made the stuffing, and packed things up ready to go to my mother's.

We got a late start and there was heavy traffic.  My plan had been to serve dinner around 4 or 5, but we got to my mother's house so late that it was 6 before Walt was carving the turkey.  Ned, Marta and Marta's mother (arrived the previous night from Hawaii, where she lives) were already there noshing on cheese and crackers.  We sat around and had a nice visit.  

Tom sent a picture of Lacie and Laurel.  I responded with a picture of Ned and Grandma.

When it was getting close to dinnertime, Ned, as usual, peeled the potatoes.

Whenever we can't all be together, whoever is not there usually calls and the telephone gets passed around the room so everyone can talk to the caller.  Tom and Jeri called within 5 minutes of each other, Tom on my cell phone, Jeri on my mother's phone.  Both phones got passed around until the only person who hadn't talked to either of them was Marta.  She got the phones and let the two of them talk to each other...

...and I ended up talking to both of them at the same time.

The turkey was beautiful.

Walt couldn't find an apron, so donned a bib before he started carving

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And a wonderful feast was enjoyed by all.

I fell asleep in the car going home and slept the whole way, staggering into the house to feed the dogs and then collapse on the couch and fall immediately back to sleep.  I slept until 5 a.m., when I got up to start writing this entry (after pumpkin pie for breakfast, of course!)