Rick Rodgers has been a chef to stars and dignitaries, a cooking teacher, and prolific author; among his works is Thanksgiving 101 (Harper Collins, 2007). He was also a culinary consultant to Perdue Farms, so he knows a few things about turkey. But none of those accomplishments taught "Mr. Thanksgiving" all he knows about putting on a spread. It was watching his grandmother preparing feasts for as many as 15 family members that made him realize that Thanksgiving may be about fellowship but it’s also about finely tuned organization.
From his mother, Eleanor, he learned not only the importance of accurately assessing his culinary skill but feeling free to ask for help. She enlists her grandchildren (Rodger’s niece and nephew), Jennifer, 17, and nephew, Matt, 15, on Thanksgiving Eve. Not only does she get much-needed help prepping for the big day, she gets some time with her grandchildren before the hustle of the holiday begins.
The younger children in the Rodgers family always get little tasks that involve them in the dinner. If room allows, the chef bakes sugar cookies and sets up an area with frosting and other material the children can use to decorate the cookies, which are served with coffee after dinner.
Read on for tips for the feast from Mr. Thanksgiving. He can also be found on epicurious.com writing a daily blog and answering readers’ specific questions.
Continue to the recipes: Winter Squash Soup With Prosciutto and Sage, Perfect Roast Turkey With Best-Ever Gravy, and Homemade Turkey Stock
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