A Little Reading

It was a late night, last night, on N. Wintzell. Those of you that know me probably know that reading is one of my favorite pastimes, and the last week has seen me revisit a few old friends from my library. After catching a few minutes of the latest movie from the Chronicles of Narnia series, I took the opportunity to break out my copy to peruse again.

I don't know how many times I've read the Chronicles of Narnia, but I've spent considerably less time with them than I have with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Lewis's friend and fellow writer. (My relationship with Tolkien can wait for another day) My view of this collection was tainted at an early age when my PACE teacher required our class to watch a BBC presentation of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. At that time in my life, it was terrifically important to me that I not associate myself with anything "uncool" (at this point, any of you that know me at all are probably thinking what a good job I did of hiding this inclination towards "coolness")and this movie was definitely not "cool". Alas, I avoided the Chronicles like the plague.


Check out the most annoying British children in the history of the universe!

Fast forward a number of years later and I found myself in a new stage of life. I was a ministerial student preparing to leave for seminary and found that the Chronicles were acceptable reading material. I had long since left behind most of notions of cool/uncool but had never really given Narnia a second thought. At this point, I began to read a lot of quotes and references to C. S. Lewis and Narnia, and my curiosity was piqued. I picked up a copy of the entire collection and the rest is history.

Narnia will never replace Middle-Earth in my hierarchy of mythical lands, but it certainly has earned an important place at the table. In my current re-reading, I started in the middle, with Prince Caspian and have since worked my way through The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle. After finishing The Silver Chair last night, I felt compelled to go ahead and get a start The Last Battle. One thing led to another and I didn't sleep until I had finished it.

If you are familiar with the story, then you know that it presents a sort of Narnian apocalypse with Aslan bringing all things to right and the book closes with the Pevensies (minus Susan), Jill Pole, Eustace Scrubb, Digory, and Polly all joining with the other Narnians in Aslan's Land. It turns out that the humans from England were all killed in a railway accident and have joined Aslan for all eternity. (If you have never read the books, it's probably a good idea if I let you know that Aslan is a symbol for Christ throughout the story) After many adventures in the land of Narnia and having been drawn back and forth from their own country, the friends of Narnia are finally getting what they always wanted, to stay with Aslan.

This week, like many others, I've found myself with people who are spending their last days on earth. Like all of you, I wonder about the circumstances and details of my own passing. I don't know what it will be like. I carry within me the same fear of death that is the hallmark of humanity. When faced with the reality that this life will come to an end, I'm thankful that I have had my own glimpse of the great Lion and have experienced His grace, love, and presence. Knowing Him has given me a future to look forward to, because I know that He will be there. What will life be like on the other side? For those who have known Christ, He says this:

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." John 14:18-20

We'll be going to a place where He is, forever, and that's enough for me. After much waiting, little Lucy heard it put this way, "The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning."

Turkey Time

What we hope the final project will look like

It's turkey time again and, if you're like me, this is likely to be the only time of the year that you cook a turkey. In the past 10 or 15 years, we've seen a big upswing in alternative turkey preparation methods. I'm certain that the classic roast turkey meal that has been an everpresent staple at most Thanksgiving gatherings for the past century is still the most popular presentation, these other methods are increasing in popularity.

The two most popular of these alternative preparations are the now ubiquitous Cajun fried turkeys and the smoked turkeys. For a number of years, we Landrys were invested in the fried turkey camp. The turkeys were always quite good, and overall they were considered a great success. Unfortunately, between the cost of the oil and the widespread popularity of the dish, we felt the need to move in a new direction. (Editor's note- fear of a fried turkey-nuclear-napalm holocaust never entered into the equation. This risk is the type of price that we will willingly pay to engage in food preparation at the far extremity of redneckery.)

Last year, we experimented with the smoked turkey, and we hope that this year will see the art perfected. This is a two-stage process: brining and smoking. In the rest of this post, I will spell out the details for you.

Stage 1: The Brine

Brining is a process that is designed to increase the moistness of the meat by the introduction of copious amounts of sodium into the meat before cooking. This is achieved by allowing the turkey to sit in a saltwater (or brine) bath overnight. For more information on brining check out this article:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups salt
1 tbsp. dried rosemary
1 tbsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. dried sage
6 bay leaves
1 yellow onion- quartered
4 cloves of garlic- crushed
1 lemon- halved
2 oranges- halved
2 qts. water
2 8 lb. bags of ice
1 turkey

In a large pot, heat the water. As it begins to heat, add the salt, herbs, onion, and garlic. Squeeze the citrus into the pot and add the rest of the citrus to the mix. When the water reaches a boil, immediately cut the heat. In a small ice chest or bucket, insert your turkey. Please be sure that you have removed any of the unpleasant bits inside of the turkey before adding it to the brine. Add the hot brining mix and one bag of ice. Add extra water until the turkey is completely covered. Shake the bucket or ice chest to mix. This step is best performed two nights prior to the consumption of the bird. After sitting overnight, check your bird, and if necessary add some of the ice from the second bag. After 12 or so hours, you can remove the bird and allow it to rest in the refrigerator.

Stage 2: The Smoke

Smoking the turkey will add the savory tang of hardwoods to your bird. I will be using a small electric smoker, but the same principles will apply to the process regardless of the type of smoker used. My only word of caution would be to choose wisely as you select the type of wood that you will use. Your turkey will soak up the smoke flavor more quickly than a piece of beef or pork, so take care that you do not go overboard with the amount of smoke that you produce. I would recommend against the use of mesquite altogether. Hickory will bring an excellent flavor, but it requires great moderation. Cherry and applewood are good choices and bring slightly different and delicate flavors to the party. For my money, the wood of choice for this project is pecan. It has an excellent flavor that complements the turkey without overwhelming it.

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter- slightly softened
green onions
1 apple- quartered
4 bay leaves
Old Bay Seasoning
Kosher salt
black pepper
Butcher's twine

To prepare the bird for the smoker, remove it from the brine or the refrigerator, making sure to pat dry any excess water. Begin by inserting a good handful of green onions, the bay leaves, and the apple into the bird's body cavity. Pull the skin back on the turkey breast. Take the softened butter and use it to coat the meat as much as possible. This will give the bird a nice brown color, while also keeping the meat moist. Sprinkle the skin with a generous coating of the Kosher salt, black pepper, and Old Bay seasoning. Finish by trussing the wings and legs (if they're not already tied down) with the butcher's twine. Smoke according to your smoker's settings for 8-12 hours and you will be in business!

I hope to bring you a good report from tomorrow's feast. So, break free from the tyranny of the same old tired baked turkey, and prevent a fried turkey catastrophe by smoking your Thanksgiving bird this year. Remember: This could be you!

Welcome!

See, she looks just like me!

Amelia,

After many months of waiting, I'd like to be the first to say, "Welcome"! Your mom and I have been hoping, praying, and expecting for quite some time now. It seems that a lifetime has passed since I sat in my office in Wetumpka, Alabama reading a text message from your mom that asked, "Do you want your 3rd child to be a boy or a girl?" Since then, we've started a new life in a familiar place. Your brother and sister have adjusted well, and they're ready for you to be big enough to play with. One of the great advantages to being here right now is that our family, extended and immediate, is here. I should go ahead and warn you, we have a big family. Before you and your siblings get old enough to date, we'll probably have to move for you to have any chance of finding a match that is not a cousin of some variety.

I think you'll like it here. I'm excited that my children are going to get the opportunity to enjoy the nurture and care of so many people that were important in my life. I took your sister to school this morning, and I couldn't help but think about the days that I spent walking down kindergarten hall at Dixon on my way to Mrs. Steber's class. Sunday morning as I walked with your brother into Sunday School, I remembered butter cookies, Kool-Aid, and stories about Jesus, Noah, and Moses, all shared with love. Saturday, they got the chance to go on a boat ride with your Nana and Pop. Don't worry dear, your time will come soon enough.

I've got a lot to share with you. You're kind of a big deal. Really. When we told your brother and sister about you, big sis had a pretty good question. "Daddy, why do we need another baby?" Putting on my Mike Brady hat...



(Season 1 Mike Brady. After the perm entered the picture, I think it would have been difficult for him to wear a hat)

I came up with the most fatherly answer I could think of: "Because our family has so much love that we thought we needed one more person to share it with." It turns out I was right. You've stolen my heart already. I know that there will be some hard days along the way and you may not always like me very much, but I can't wait to see what your future holds. So, stretch out, make yourself at home, and make plans to enjoy yourself, Miss Landry.

Love,

Your Daddy.

It's Been Awhile

I've missed you, here at my perch on N. Wintzell.

It's been a busy few weeks. Suzanne continues her steady march towards setting the record for most pre-labor hospital stays following a particularly nasty bout of food-poisoning last week. We had the opportunity to celebrate Maggie's birthday a little early Saturday, and a good time was had by all. For a significant portion of the high school teams in Alabama, the football season has come to an end. As I've mentioned numerous times before on the blog, I've had the privilege this year to serve as a chaplain for the Alma Bryant High School football team. They wrapped up their season on October 29th at Ft. Walton Beach High School. Unfortunately, I was unable to make the trip, but you can read more about their victory here.

I can't say enough how proud I am of that group of guys. There were some tough losses along the way, and I know that they didn't meet all of their goals, but I watched a group of kids turn a corner this year. Something clicked, and the team made great strides through the second half of the season. As I spent time with the team and the coaches, I was reminded of the old axiom: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". In the first part of the season, I could sense a growing frustration as the coaching staff and players struggled through some tough games. The realization that methods and modes of thought that had been employed in previous seasons would not be effective made for some difficult days.

The great news is that the team turned the corner. I don't know how or why, I just know that they did. The team that took the field on October 29th was a fundamentally different team than the one that kicked off the season back in August. While the cast of characters remained the same, over the course of the season, I got to watch transformation take place. Kids that couldn't get out of their own way early in the year became impact players over the course of just a few weeks, and it was incredible to watch.

It seems that transformation is a difficult business. It's a lot easier to continue to do what we've always done. Our present methods are safe, inasmuch as the risk factors have been measured and understood, they have shown a level of effectiveness in our previous experience, and they are our familiar friends. We know them, we don't have to think about them, we just continue to do what we have done. In every system, every organization, and in every life, I believe that a moment (or more likely many moments) of transformation must come. How do we respond to this need? Will we embrace the need and pursue it, or will we always return to the safe and familiar. The cost of thinking transformationally is great, but the cost of living in a continual state of loss is greater.

That's my view anyway, from here on N. Wintzell!