Juicy, flavorful turkey is the centerpiece of a Thanksgiving cocktail party—this time in the form of sandwiches. And store-bought red sauce that it’s okay to love is the subject of my latest Character Approved Blog post.
Thanksgiving is just about our favorite holiday. No presents to buy, no elaborate ceremonies, just a celebration of food and family. Last week, we attended a pre-Thanksgiving event at the test kitchens of Urban Accents that put a new twist on the holiday for us. The Chicago maker of spice blends, grilling rubs, sauces and seasonings turned the traditional family feast into cocktail party fare to share with friends.
Sweet potato smash crostini, maple-glazed, bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts lollipops and smoky chipotle roasted pumpkin seeds all captured flavors ingrained in our collective memories since childhood. Shooters of mushroom bisque with crisp green bean garnishes and a sprinkling of crumbled crispy onion stood in for green bean casserole.
As always, the turkey was the centerpiece, but here it was carved and served as sandwiches with a half dozen seasoned mayos. And it was juicy. And flavorful. This was thanks to Urban Accent’s Gourmet Gobbler Complete Turkey Brine and Rub Kit. Brining has long been used to lock in moisture and add flavor to many cuts of meat. Urban Accent’s turkey brine and spice rub combine sea salt, white, black, green and pink peppercorns, orange peel, sugar, sage, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves to bring out the best in the bird.
You can find Urban Accent’s turkey brine and rub kit on their website, at Whole Foods and Sur La Table. We think you’ll find it a delicious alternative to deep frying turkeys or, heaven forbid, stuffing them with Twinkies.
With chef-made jars of red sauce, it’s finally okay to come out of the pantry
“My name is Terry and I use jars of red sauce.” “Hello, Terry.” Sometimes, it’s about that hard for home cooks to admit to taking shortcuts and using prepared foods. But the truth is, we’re all increasingly pressed for time and sometimes, it’s either relying on packaged shortcuts or going to the drive-through.
These jars of red sauce from The Copper Pot Company are the product of a former restaurant chef, Stefano Frigerio, wanting to spend more time with his family. And just like you’d make red sauce with the finest, freshest ingredients if you had the time, that’s what he does. The Washington, DC-based Frigerio buys tomatoes and other produce from Mid-Atlantic farmers and turns them into artisanal jams, sauces, vinegars and oils.
Even if you haven’t spent hours making them, you’ll be happy to put his red sauces on your pasta and on your table. For more about The Copper Pot Company (including where to buy their delicious red sauces), check out my latest post on the USA Character Approved Blog.
A quick note. Our computer issues earlier in the week totally threw off Blue Kitchen’s Wednesday publishing schedule. I’ll be back next week with another recipe, but I wanted to share these stories with you now.
Hello, my name is Kitchen Riffs (the group: hello Kitchen Riffs). I’m here to admit that one of our fast, easy dinners is frozen cheese ravioli with commercial red sauce. Some of the name brand stuff isn’t bad. But, when we moved to St. Louis a few years ago, we found a whole new world of commercial products. There is better-than-average St. Louis-produced frozen Italian in the grocery store freezer case. (For those that don’t know, St. Louis has a rich multi-ethnic heritage that includes a sizable Italian influence and numerous decent Italian restaurants.) And right next to those jars of red sauce from the behemoth brands? Several – maybe half a dozen – jars from various St. Louis restaurants. Heaven! It’s really worth taking a look at the shelves of your local grocery to see what’s really there – some things may surprise you.
Ha! A perfect reply, Kitchen Riffs. We remember St. Louis’s Italian neighborhood, the Hill, quite fondly. You’re right about checking your grocery store shelves for local brands. And again, if the choice for getting dinner on the table on a busy night is between fast food or ready made products that help you actually cook at home, those ready mades are usually the healthier option.
I have only brined a turkey one time. Unfortunately I don’t think I rinsed it well enough. While the turkey was delicious the gravy was inedible due to the saltiness. What a crime that was. Roast Turkey with no gravy? Oh boy…haha.
As to the local made artisanal sauces and such, we are fortunate to have a good variety where we live. Even as rural as we are. They cannot be compared to the more commercial fare. And I certainly don’t want to do it. I need a bigger fridge for my condiment obsession.
Hi, Terry
Just wanted to note that we visit Stefano’s stand at the Dupont Circle farmers’ market almost every Sunday. Steve can’t get enough of his jams, and I love his sauces when I don’t have time to make my own. When I DO make my own, I suspect I make them with the same “leftover” tomatoes he uses (the ones that go for 99 cents a pound because they’re bruised). He does great stuff!
Randi—Sounds like I need to dig deeper into local red sauces here in Chicago.
Mellen, have you tried any of his pastas? Those sound good too!