The “We want your money but get outta here” stools. Just seeing them in a restaurant is enough to make me want to leave.

Microwaves are going for making ganache…

Sunday: dry brine turkey, wrap it up in plastic and refrigerated.

Monday: get bread from local baker, cut and toast to make base for stuffing, then make my cranberry compote.

Tuesday: make turkey gravy. Already have basic turkey stock, so cook additional onion and celery in stock and strain, then build gravy from a roux. Make my pea and corn succotash.

Wednesday: unwrap the turkey and return it to the fridge to let the skin dry out. Make the mashed potatoes with roasted garlic and a ridiculously large amount of butter.

T-day: roast the turkey, cook the stuff and bring other items up to temperature.

Others are bringing a couple veggie sides, desserts, salads and appetizers, so I’m pretty free for the main meal.

Like others, I do the turkey because it’s moist, tender and juicy in my hands and I don’t trust others to do it well.

If you are largely responsible for the meal but are forced into traveling to make the meal, I’d probably do most of the prep at home and if it’s practical, do most of the cooking there as well. You would have your tools there and won’t run the risk of forgetting something or having some clueless but well meaning relative ruining something that you care about. You can also get that lovely turkey gravy flavor by roasting turkey legs and wings in the oven a few days before, then using that with a mirepoix to build a turkey stock to make the gravy.