Contest

Winner of Your Best Thanksgiving Turkey

by:
November 14, 2012

  

Congratulations to aargersi, whose Bacon Bird with Turkey Neck Gravy won this week's contest for Your Best Thanksgiving Turkey!

1. Describe an early food experience that has influenced the way you think about food and/or cooking. 
I grew up in a large family -- holidays were always loads of family, aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents and friends gathered together for a giant feast of one sort or another. I married into a large family as well, so cooking, food, fun, and big gatherings go hand in hand in heart.

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2. What's your least favorite food? 
This is perfect timing for this question. That godforsaken canned green bean, canned mushroom soup, and canned onion glop that shows it's ugly face this time of year. I KNOW people love it but really, when I am appointed supreme ruler of everything, it will be banned from the face of the earth.

3. What is the best thing you've made so far this year? 
My vote is one of those things that came together just right: we were in Maine in September and of course gorging on lobster to the point where we had leftover(!!) grilled lobster in the fridge. I made a chowder with things on hand, bacon, potatoes, onions, cream - you get the idea. It was fantastic. That said, my husband says it's the brined chicken thighs roasted with balsamic and rosemary that I have made a couple times recently.

4. Describe your most spectacular kitchen disaster.  
I don't really have one giant burned-down-the-kitchen story, but I certainly have a string of non fatal ones, like beef and mushroom stir fry that I accidentally used vanilla instead of tamari in (in my defense - they were in similar generic bulk bottles). 

5. What is your idea of comfort food? 
I reliably turn to Italian -- the tomatoey, cheesy kind -- in times of need.

6. Apron or no apron? 
Apron on occasion, when I am doing big project cooking, and when I remember (really it SHOULD be all of the time - I am a Spill Master).

7. What's your favorite food-related scene in a movie? 
Oh there are lots: noodle slurping in Tampopo, the mayor in Chocolat waking up all strung out on chocolate in the shop window, Ratatouille "driving" the chef from under the hat to name a few.  Also I have never seen Babette's Feast, which I think could get me thrown out of some kitchens.

8. If you could make a show-stopping dinner for one person, living or dead, who would it be? 
My Grandma Segal, who would make me a butterscotch cake every birthday, and sneak us PB&Js on passover, and drink tea and have cookies while we played cards in her kitchen.

9. You prefer to cook: a) alone; b) with others; c) it depends on your mood.
With others -- when we get together and cook in Ginger's Kitchen, or gather to Cook What Scares Us, or can things, it is SO fun.

10: When it comes to tidying up, you usually: a) clean as you cook; b) do all the dishes once you've finished cooking; c) leave the kitchen a shambles for your spouse/roommate/kids to clean.
Clean as I go, as much as possible, although I am the master of disaster and get food and trimmings everywhere -- and there is always more to clean after we eat. 

 

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Midge
    Midge
  • EmilyC
    EmilyC
  • BoulderGalinTokyo
    BoulderGalinTokyo
  • Madhuja
    Madhuja
  • nannydeb
    nannydeb
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18 Comments

Midge November 26, 2012
Congrats aargersi! Beautiful bowls, and I'm with you on the green bean glop.
 
aargersi November 26, 2012
I maybe might have bought another bowl at the farmer's market Saturday ...
 
EmilyC November 20, 2012
Congrats Abbey on your big win! Bet there will be lots of bacon birds across the country this Thanksgiving thanks to you! : )
 
EmilyC November 20, 2012
Oops, sorry, I meant Abbie!
 
aargersi November 26, 2012
:-) a spike in bacon sales maybe?
 
BoulderGalinTokyo November 20, 2012
Congrats aagersi! Not mentioned but should have been, I just made it again and out of 4 appetizers the first to go was your Ban(g)kokamole!!!!
 
aargersi November 26, 2012
:-) Thanks! The Bangkokamole is actually Hardlikearmour's recipe though ... she's amazing!
 
BoulderGalinTokyo November 27, 2012
Whoops, my bad! I was trying recipes from both of you at the same time. Now I have your pretty face to connect to your name, and a collection of interesting dishes in common (mine's platters)
 
Madhuja November 16, 2012
Congratulations! That lobster chowder sounds amazing! Oh, and those bowls with the cute bees on it are adorable!
 
nannydeb November 16, 2012
Congratulations you nutty bowl collector!!!
 
hardlikearmour November 16, 2012
Congratulations! I wish I had a big bowl of that chowder!
 
QueenSashy November 15, 2012
Congratulations, it is a terrific recipe! And the bowls are terrific as well!
 
drbabs November 15, 2012
Congratulations, my friend! Hoping to join you in Ginger's Kitchen one of these days!
 
Blissful B. November 15, 2012
Congratulations! PS - any chance you'll post the chicken thigh recipe? Sounds delish!
 
aargersi November 15, 2012
Thanks! I will write down quantities and times next time so I can post - right now I just sort of wing it :-) it's a good weeknight dish if you can get the thighs in the brine in the morning or even the night before
 
aargersi November 15, 2012
Thanks you guys! That's not even all of the bowl - I am obsessed :-)
 
Bevi November 14, 2012
Mazel Tov! I love your bowls too!
 
arielleclementine November 14, 2012
congratulations Abbie!! love the photo showcasing your 4 million bowls!