Smoked turkey vs. oven-roasted turkey: Have It Your Way

Thanksgiving is the time when people favor traditions, whether it is in the side dishes that are served or what time the meal occurs to how should the turkey be prepared.

Two books that are available at the Sullivan University Library in Lexington give those celebrating the Thanksgiving feast unique and delicious ways to prepare both the turkey and the fixings.

How to Cook a Turkey and All the Other Trimmings by the editors of Fine Cooking magazine

The Butterball hotline may have some stiff competition with this how-to guide that has tips for purchasing and cooking a turkey and for fixing all of the sides and desserts. This book is available in the library, call number 641.6659 H847.

Cooking with Fire: From Roasting on a Spit to Baking in a Tannur, Rediscovered Techniques and Recipes that Capture the Flavors of Wood-Fired Cooking by Paula Marcoux

Fire is good according to author Paula Marcoux, and in her book she shares how to smoke a turkey. A smoked turkey certainly brings something a little unique to the Thanksgiving table. This book is available in the library, call number 641.58 M333c.

Both of these titles are available now, but as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches we can't guarantee that they will be here much longer. Stop by the library today and one of the librarians will be glad to assist you in locating one of these titles or any of the other titles highlighted this month. 

What I am Thankful for?

What am I (Wendell) thankful for? Let me begin by introducing this guy:

J. Wellington Wimpy

If you know of or have seen the old Popeye cartoons, then you may know J. Wellington Wimpy. Wimpy, as he is usually known, is a lover of hamburgers. And that is what I have in common with Wimpy. I love hamburgers. Homemade, White Castle, Wendy's, Rally's, McDonald's, Burger King, Smashburger, 5 Guys, you name it, they have a burger that I love. To celebrate the burger, here are some resources to help you learn about this "American creation on which I feed!"*

*Thanks to Jimmy Buffet, "Cheeseburger in Paradise".

The Hamburger: a History by Josh Ozersky.

Beginning in the nineteenth century and going to our own era, this book recounts how the German “Hamburg steak” evolved into hamburgers for the rising class of urban factory workers and how the innovations of the White Castle System and the McDonald’s Corporation turned the burger into an American icon. The hamburger played an important role in America’s transformation into a mobile, suburban culture, and is a huge cultural force.  (adapted from the publisher's description)  This book is available in the library, call number 641.84 O99.

Hamburger America: One Man's Cross-Country Odyssey to find the Best Burgers in the Nation by George Motz

Whether you're a serious hamburger connoisseur or a curious adventurer up for a road trip, Hamburger America will be your guide to discovering this piece of Americana. With possible exception of the hot dog, no other food says "America" like the hamburger. Motz has traveled across the USA in search of our nation's best burger joints, and he documents their histories and one-of-a-kind tastes. Eight of these places found their way into a documentary that accompanies the book. (adapted from the publisher's description) This book is available in the library, call number 641.662 M923h.

Finally, if you would like to make your own burger creations, you may take inspiration from this book: Wicked Good Burgers: Fearless recipes and Uncompromising Techniques for the Ultimate Patty by Andy Husbands.

Making a decent burger is pretty easy, but when making a "wicked good" burger, the kind of burger that hits the sweet spot you need guidance from an expert. In Wicked Good Burgers, award-winning chefs Andy Husbands and Chris Hart reveal their secrets for mouthwatering burgers, including techniques for grinding your own meat and cooking it to juicy perfection, as well as recipes for killer toppings, side dishes, and burger accompaniments. With their trademark fearless approach, Husbands and Hart bring excitement and edge to all things between the bun. (adapted from the publisher's description) This book is available in the library, call number 641.84 H968w.

The Little Things

While the library staff is thankful for many serious things this Thanksgiving, our families, our health, and our faith, we are thankful for little things too. Here are two books we have in the library that I, Hilary, am thankful for this year.

Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes

By Sally Mavor

Call #: JF M

The nursery rhymes of my childhood are paired with incomparable hand-sewn characters and pieces to make a lovely book for children. I’m thankful for the creativity that Ms. Mavor shows as she illustrates this book.  

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

By Eric Carle

Call #: JF C

The hungry caterpillar wormed its way into my heart when I was a girl, and I am thankful that children today can still enjoy it. 

Let's Talk Turkey: Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

What do we mean when we use the phrase "talk turkey"? You can find out in this book, Let’s Talk Turkey: The Stories Behind America’s Favorite Expressions by Rosemarie Ostler. This title is available in the Library and Learning Resource Center, call number R 427.973 O85l.

While the the above book may be stretching the relevance to Thanksgiving, it does reflect the idea that we want to seriously recommend some books about this grand old American holiday. That's not to say we won't have a light-hearted post or two along the way.

Today, we'll start with a couple of books that not only will give us some recipes, but also some history of the holiday and the foods associated with it.

First up is Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History, from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie, by Kathleen Curtin. Call number: 641.568 C798g

Kathleen Curtin expands readers’ views, and waistlines, if they try the 80 recipes that she shares, about the dishes served at Thanksgiving by highlighting the variety that can be found at Thanksgiving tables around the United States. Ms. Curtin also shares the history of the holiday in the United States. The one near-constant in the long history of Thanksgiving is the turkey.

Given that the turkey has had a role from the first Thanksgiving in 1621 to today, let's celebrate the turkey with this book:

The Turkey: An American Story, by Andrew F. Smith. Call number: 641.3659 S642t

Here turkey, turkey. Smith fills his turkey book with one part history and one part recipes, over 100 of them, to tell the story of the turkey’s place in American culture.