The first week of November is here, and recent tradition dictates the preparation of a Thanksgiving menu. I’ve done this early planning for several years now, mainly because I enjoy leisurely browsing books, magazines, and recipes online while brainstorming for a special menu; also, I hate, hate, hate being rushed into a huge holiday meal without scheduling everything beforehand. (Here I bow to my OCD habits.) What’s there to schedule, you ask? Well if I need three kinds of stock, a scenario which is not at all far-fetched, I’m not going to prepare the stocks all at once or even in the same week. First, that’s kind of a big grocery expense stacked into an already big holiday order. Second, cooking should be spread out and executed without rushing. Obviously if you’re a sous chef in a restaurant, that doesn’t apply and clearly you’re asking for punishment and stress. But at home, cooking should be a process savored and time should allow for attention to detail.

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