Does Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner Stress You Out?

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Nov. 23, 2013 - PRLog -- Amazon Best Selling AuthorMarty Richardson, who has worked his way around the world as a butler, a butcher, and a chef, has published a new book, “Thanksgiving Made Simple” that is meant to help people getting ready to host their first Thanksgiving dinner.

Chef Marty draws on his experience as a butler by highlighting the importance of “setting the stage” for the event. He describes a series of lists that he and his staff used when preparing the estate for holiday entertaining. The lists included in the book are cleaning projects, a guest list, the menu, a shopping list, and a list of cooking and serving equipment and utensils. “Pre-Party Planning Prevents Panic is my mantra”, instructs Richardson.

After creating a plan, he discusses the finer points of choosing a fresh or frozen turkey, how to thaw the bird safely, and the benefits of brining. Soaking the turkey in salt water adds flavor and keeps the meat moist during cooking. In this section Richardson poses the question, “If a turkey is chilled to 26°F, is it considered fresh or frozen?” He goes on to explain that although water freezes at 32°F, a fresh turkey can be chilled to 26°F. A frozen turkey must be chilled to 0°F. Even a fresh turkey still may have to be thawed.

The remainder of the book focuses on the food, but this is no ordinary cookbook. There are no recipes. Chef Marty leaves choosing the recipes up to Jen, the home cook. “Recipes for traditional Thanksgiving dishes are usually simple and can be found everywhere you look. The information I am sharing will help an inexperienced cook to impress their guests by being organized, shopping wisely, and sharing the chores with friends and family,” added Richardson.

Chef Marty emphasizes the importance of being organized so when there are “too many cooks in the kitchen”, you can easily delegate tasks. He also reminds Jen, throughout the book, to enjoy the day with family and friends, especially if something goes wrong. "You won't be the first to order takeout on Thanksgiving!" That is the spirit of the holiday.

Richardson said that there will be video and audio versions of the book available. Overall, this book fills in the gaps left by many holiday cookbooks that focus primarily on recipes. Even an experienced cook will find some practical tips to make entertaining less stressful. One reviewer wrote, “This reads like a story...a personal tutorial from a friend.”

“Thanksgiving Made Simple” is available at Amazon.com (http://chefmartyrich.com/amz-tg-pb/) as a Kindle and a paperback book. For more information, please visit http://www.chefmartyrich.com