29 November Tuesday

Deep golden broth gently rolling, tossing little colorful pieces of celery and carrot around. A small mountain of rich turkey thigh and leg, and long pieces of fusilli. Turkey Noodle Soup. Eat well, that’s what I do.

Days later, we are in December. The 6th to precise. The turkey noodle soup was wonderful, as was the dish I made last night with the very last of the turkey. You probably have never heard of it, I found it in a cookbook from 1951 called French Country Cooking by the great Elizabeth David. It is intended to be made with the “old and cold” end of the turkey, its final bow. I cooked the bones and veg to make a stock, cooked some vegetables in a pan added whatever meat I managed to scrape off the bones which had also been finely minced. Then, add the sauce ladle by ladle full. It thickens. Yes indeedy yes, it thickens. Then take a pot of cooked rice and make a ring of it in a dish, then fill the center with the turkey. In a final dash, add a handful of crisp cooked bacon, and a scattering of parsley. The dish is called Turkey a la Chevalerie. I can’t find any recipes online or anywhere. I found it in my collection by typing “old turkey” in the subject line of the database.

Now the fridge is emptying out again, getting ready for the next big festival. Where Thanksgiving is somewhat rigid in its food traditions, Christmas is anything goes.