Bûche de Noël

by Michelle

Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it. —Maya Angelou

Last year my sister Juliette manifested a Bûche de Noël. Yep, true story.
   We were discussing our bucket lists and Juliette shared that one of the items on her list was putting the famous dessert in her mouth one fine holiday. The classic French dessert, also commonly known as a Yule Log, is a pastry cream filled sponge cake that is fashioned to look like a tree trunk. Her revelation was a bit of a surprise but I've learned not to try to predict what will rock Juliette's world.
   It's not very often that one has the opportunity to help a person cross off a milestone goal from a bucket list. And, this gastronomy wish was within my power to fulfill and it didn't require booking a trip to Paris, although that would be lovely.
   I suddenly had a new mission in life and that mission was to make the Bûche de Noël of Juliette's dreams. It became my mantra. I annoyingly kept telling people I had to make the Bûche de Noël of Juliette's dreams. Mainly, because I thought it was funny. As these things go, I also roped other team members into the baking project, namely my daughter and her friend.

The Solstice table with the Bûche de Noël as the centerpiece.

   I am nothing if not a great researcher. The internet rabbit hole led me to a Bon Appétit article titled, How to Make a Bûche de Noël, You Crazy Person. In retrospect that pretty much sums up the endeavor.
   Making the Bûche de Noël was great theater. We waited until Juliette and her daughters arrived to complete the final assembly and decorating of the Yule log on Solstice. This caused some stress for my daughter who was in charge of these activities while I captured photos for posterity.
   In the future, if I am ever crazy enough to make a Bûche de Noël again, I will have the dessert completely finished the day before the party. It will keep well in the refrigerator, provided you have enough room.

The Solstice fire, our family's annual tradition.

   Juliette's additional request was to have the dessert as the centerpiece of our Solstice feast. Again, her wish was my command. Wouldn't it be great if all requests were always this easy? We all gazed lovingly upon the Bûche de Noël of Juliette's dreams as we joyfully ate our filet mignon dinner. The Yule Log served as a beautiful reminder to leave room for dessert.
   Thankfully, even though this famous dessert is indeed a pain to make, the flavors are incredibly delicious. The hazelnut pastry cream is a taste sensation. Even if you don't make a Yule Log, the hazelnut pastry cream would be delicious as a filling for any number of cakes, including my favorite Cowtown Chocolate Cake.

Juliette found the cute little vintage squirrel in a thrift shop.
Of course she did! I love the squirrel so much that I haven't given it back.

Bûche de Noël Chocolate Cake

Dry-Brined Roasted Turkey

by Michelle

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. —William Arthur Ward

Jay, the turkey wrangler. 

In prior years we've been a big fan of wet brining the turkey, especially when we haven't had room to store the turkey in the refrigerator in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Last year I was recovering from surgery and under my doctor's orders I was restricted from lifting anything heavy. My husband doesn't enjoy cooking so I wanted to keep his contribution simple which, for me, meant that he lend his muscle to lifting the turkey whenever it needed to be moved about. I was happy to retain the turkey prep and try a new, easier technique.
   The turkey turned out beautifully last year (as you can see from the photos). And it tasted divine so I am opting for the dry brining method again this year because it is so much easier than doing a wet brine.
   The key here is that the turkey needs to be rubbed with the dry brine mixture and placed in the refrigerator for a nice long rest - as little as two days or as long as four. The turkey is kept covered until the night before roasting. The uncovering step is key because the skin dries thoroughly when the cover is removed. This is what creates the delectable crunchy exterior while the bird is roasting.

Maddie makes a robust cheese and charcuterie tray for everyone's snacking pleasure. 

My daughter, Maddie and my sister, Juliette.

The weather was so incredibly beautiful last year that we ate outside. Jay lit a fire in the fire pit and we all stayed outside late into the evening, talking, laughing, eating pumpkin pie and Linda's "famous" All American Apple Pie. We sipped George Washington Eggnog that—believe it or not—I made two years prior. The hard eggnog was ultra smooth from long aging under refrigeration. 

La familia.

Now... without further ado.... the recipe for the roasted turkey of your dreams.