Intro -- Title Page -- about this book -- Part 1: let's begin to talk turkey -- Does Size Really Matter? -- Fresh versus Frozen -- Thawing: A Complete Guide -- Quick-Thaw McDraw: Cold Water -- Preparing the Turkey -- Seasoning: The Spice of Life -- Anatomy 101 -- Giblets -- Stuffing -- The Truth about Basting -- Determining Doneness -- A Word about Pop-up Timers -- Part 2: let's talk turkey and the ways to cook it -- Open-Pan Method: Effortless Roasting for Chefs and Novices Alike -- Secrets Revealed -- Convection Oven -- Covered Roasting Pan -- Oven Bag -- Covered Electric Roaster -- High-Heat Method -- Charcoal Grill -- Gas Grill -- Water Smoker -- Deep Fryer -- Brining -- Cheesecloth Method -- Brown-Paper-Bag Method -- Low-Temperature Overnight Method -- Double Your Pleasure: Roasting Two at a Time -- Upside-Down Roasting -- Roasting from Frozen -- Microwaving -- Rotisserie Method -- Boiling or Stewing -- Cooking Breast of Turkey -- Crock-Pot Method -- Part 3: can we talk? when the road to culinary delight gets rocky -- Cooking Interruptus: Dealing with Power Failures and Traveling with Turkeys -- Cooking at High Altitudes -- Food Safety Made Simple -- Part 4: now, let's really talk turkey -- Time to Pull It All Off: Planning Your Menu -- Carving -- Gravy -- Part 5: table talk . . .let the feast begin -- appetizers -- salads -- cranberry and fruit side dishes -- vegetable dishes -- potato dishes -- stuffing (or dressing) -- breads, rolls, and biscuits -- desserts -- Part 6: turkey straight talk . . . everything you'll ever need to know -- Common Terms and Equivalents -- Jive Talk: Converting Your Measurements to Metric -- Terms of Endearment: The Language of Recipes -- Storing and Serving Leftovers -- A Page from the Little Black Book of Hot Numbers -- about the author.