Chefs Prepare For Thanksgiving
With Thanksgiving fast approaching, The Chamber’s Fall Home & Harvest Show team of talented chefs have got some tasty ideas as families plan that special dinner. While many of us have a traditional recipe we bring out each fall, perhaps a little innovation is in order and what better place than the Fall Home Show to get some new ideas.
For the main course, visitors will want to be on hand as Paul Herrington, 
Executive Chef for Brown’s Fine Foods prepares the main ingredient for Thanksgiving, the festive turkey. Chef Paul opts for a traditional approach as he readies the bird for the oven.
To begin, he coats the turkey with olive oil then rubs a blend of summer savoury, sage, marjoram, salt and pepper all over the skin. He then stuffs the cavity with a mirepoix of onions, carrots and celery, making a seasoned stuffing on the side. Once done, the turkey is placed in a 325F oven and cooked according to its weight.
While chef Paul’s turkey is roasting, we’ll need to prepare the trimmings and that’s where Farm Boy’s Head Chef, Keitha Fisher comes in. According to Keitha, 
the best trimmings begin with some comfort food and her choice is Butternut Squash soup. A wonderful fusion of herbs and spices, garlic, onion and heavy cream, this puréed creation is sinfully delicious and chock full of nutrients.
To accompany the main course, Keitha prefers to make her own homemade cranberry sauce rather than the canned variety. Her recipe calls for a blend of fresh cranberries, along with cinnamon, allspice, cloves, brown sugar and a generous measure of Zinfandel. The entire blend is simmered until thick and bursting with flavour.
Rounding out Keitha’s trimmings is the all important potato and her’s is a delectable blend of Yukon Gold mixed with caramelized onion, fresh sage, balsamic vinegar and butter. All combined , it will round out a meal that will earn rave reviews from family and friends alike.
No Thanksgiving feast would be complete without a sinful array of desserts and we’ve called upon independent caterer, Judy Stewart. Judy plans to stick with those time honoured fall favourites as she creates both spicy pumpkin and tangy apple pies. Each promises to be a hit with visitors and there may even be tiny little samples to enjoy.
The cooking demonstrations are scheduled in Salon B of the Civic Complex as follows:
Saturday & Sunday: Chef Paul prepares Turkey from 1PM, Chef Keitha prepares the trimmings from 2PM and Chef Judy does the Desserts at 3PM.
The 2009 Fall Home & Harvest show, sponsored by The Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce, starts Friday October 2 at the Cornwall Civic Complex
Admission is $4 for adults $3 for students& seniors
Children under 12 are free accompanied by an adult.
See you there!