Author: Bruce Tretter

  • Quickly Thawing a Frozen Turkey in Water

    It’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Stores will be closed tomorrow. Hopefully, you’ve already bought a turkey if you plan to have turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. If you bought a frozen turkey, here’s the quickest safe way to thaw it. Plan on 30 minutes thawing time per pound – about 6 hours total thawing time for…

  • Pie Crust: Rolled vs. Pressed

    I’m fairly new to making pies but have already learned a lot regarding flavor and efficiency. Most importantly, I’ve learned NEVER to make a pie crust that’s just a bland container for a flavorful filling. No way! Here’s a picture of a crust I made recently loaded ground almond, chocolate multigrain cereal, dried cranberries, chocolate…

  • Start Now if Thawing a Frozen Thanksgiving Turkey in the Fridge

    If you’re planning to thaw a frozen turkey for Thanksgiving as safely as possible – no matter the size of the turkey – start thawing it now by leaving it in its original packaging, putting it on a plate to catch any condensation and putting it in the refrigerator. As you can see in the picture of the…

  • Flying High with Armstrong First Grade

    Using a good dose of imagination and lots of enthusiasm, Armstrong first graders and I flew Armstrong Air to all kinds of places around the world. Armstrong Flight Day has become a traditional part of a geography segment in which students learn about the countries and cultures they and their families came from.

  • Thawing a Frozen Turkey in the Refrigerator

    Just for the fun of it – this stuff is always fun – I got a 15 1/2 pound frozen turkey yesterday evening to find out how long it really takes to thaw it completely in the refrigerator as recommended on the packaging. All I did was put the rock-solid frozen turkey on a plate…

  • Heavy Cream vs. Evaporated Milk

    There’s just about nothing else that adds a more comforting flavor and texture to food than heavy cream. The only downside is that heavy cream can also leave you feeling excessively full – very quickly, and there are two good reasons for that as you can see in the nutrition label comparison below. The bottom…

  • Fresh Mashed Potatoes and What’s Your Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dish?

      Yesterday I promised today I’d ask: what’s your favorite Thanksgiving side dish? You bet I’d like to hear. But having asked, it’s only fair I lay down my cards first. My favorite side dish is fresh mashed potatoes because they’re fantastically flavorful and comforting all on their own and do a great job blending…

  • Service Makes a Difference

    I ripped out on the bike early yesterday for a gorgeously cool and clear blue sky late fall ride through Ashland, Holliston and Hopkinton intent on getting to Pine Grove Cemetery in Westborough at 9:30 for our town’s annual Veterans Day event. Just like every time I’m on the bike, while my legs spin, eyes…

  • Whiskey Sour – 1st Bar Drink I Learned (Long Ago)

    The whiskey sour, also known as a bourbon sour, is the first mixed drink I learned from my dad quite a few years ago. Below are a couple tips. Just click this link or the picture above for a complete step-by-step picture book recipe. Whiskey (Bourbon) Sour TIPS:  1. Rule of Thumb: For every 1…