Gobble...

So there it is...this year our Thanksgiving feast involved a full program of poultry....

Thanks to my cousin and his wife, the feast was amazing, and I don't think anyone ( of the 17 of us!) went home empty, or sober really, but that's another story...

Here I am preparing the deep fried goodness for the evening. The 16 lb. happily raised, and appropriately thanked for his role in our meal, birdie was brined for 24 hrs. in salt, a bit o' brown sugar, some spices and other yums....then injected with a mix of butter, Worcestershire,  herbs and spices. He sat for an hour or so, then I dried him off, and slowly dropped him into the oil. In 45 minutes, he was golden and delicious....wicked good.

After a chat with their local butcher in Kensington, my cousins decided a Turducken would fit into the mix nicely as well...another 16 lb. poultry fiesta was added to the menu! They had the butcher bone out a turkey, duck, and chicken. Then Erin made 3 stuffings - cornbread, sausage, and wild rice - un-freking-believable! The birds were carefully layered with stuffings, then reformed, and sewn together to create the following....

What you are seeing is the aftermath - it was roasted, and carved like a giant meatloaf, but wings and legs remained intact...wow.so.good.                                  

Needless to say, the next day was a full on poultry coma, but we diligently hopped into the boat and headed down the freezing lake to join more family for lunch - the islands are amazing right now! I couldn't face closing up the cabin, so I have left it open until this coming weekend, just so I can have one more visit. It is really cold out there though, so I guess I'll bite the bullet and git 'er done....
With all the feasting, I had to counter balance the excess with some great fall rides after in Palgrave, Albion, Copeland, and bit n' pieces in between - back on the wagon!! This weekend also brings the Bike Show, and  the Hardwood Singletrack Challenge, and I am feeling it may happen...or may not...it's not looking to peachy in the skies, and I am a big baby in the wet and cold for 50K, so, time will tell!