Turkey

Dry-brined turkey Total time: 3 hours, plus 3 days brining Servings: 11 to 15 Note: This is more a technique than a recipe. It makes a bird that has concentrated turkey flavor and fine, firm flesh and that's delicious as is. But you can add other flavors. Minced rosemary would be a nice finishing addition. Or brush the bird lightly with butter before roasting. Remember that you should salt the turkey by Monday night at the latest to have it at its best by Thursday, though briefer salting times will work too. 1 (12- to 16-pound)

Quinn Hatfield uses a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. Brine the turkey for 36 hours, then air-dry it for at least an hour before smoking. Half fill the charcoal basket with briquettes. Add one handful of applewood chips and mix it in with the charcoal (turkey takes on smoky flavors well, so you don't need to use a lot of chips). Fill the starter chimney halfway with briquettes and light. Once completely lit, pour them on top of the other coals and fill the water tray. Adjust vents in the smoker to hold the temperature at 300 to 325 degrees.

THE BEST WAY TO EMBARKATION Getting there We started the trip by flying into Istanbul, Turkey. From LAX, nonstop service to Istanbul is offered on Turkish, and connecting service (change of planes) is available on Lufthansa, KLM and Air France. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $737, including all taxes and fees. We flew home from Athens. From there to LAX, connecting service (change of planes) is offered on Air France, KLM, British, Lufthansa, Alitalia, Turkish, US Airways, Delta, Swiss.

Istanbul, Turkey - For months I had been pining for a trip to Europe, willing to go anywhere a cheap flight would take me. But the elusive bargain I sought didn't materialize until February, and it wasn't completely Europe. The airfare of my dreams was a Valentine's Day special open to anyone: $599 round-trip from L.A. to continent-straddling Istanbul, including tax and fees. It required a companion fare (which meant I had to find someone to go with) and traveling in February. (This was Turkish airlines, and although this fare is not available now - some fares this month are as low as $758 on American, so keep an eye out for specials.)

Food myths, like urban myths, can take on a life of their own. Take turkey, for example. There’s a misconception popular with the "OMG it contains a chemical that puts me to sleep" crowd. Or, in Bill Clinton parlance, "It’s the tryptophan stupid!" Except it really isn't, says a Los Angeles Times story that demystifies the turkey coma connection. "Eating any big meal, especially if you also drink alcohol, is likely to make you feel sleepy," psychologist Robin Kanarek at Tufts University says in "The food-mood connection.

BEIRUT -- Turkey on Thursday became the latest nation to recognize the newly created Syrian opposition coalition as the “legitimate representative of the Syrian people,” and the Turkish foreign minister called on other nations to follow suit. Ankara's move comes in the same week that France made a similar declaration, although France went a step further by labeling the opposition bloc the nation's sole legitimate representative. Syrian dissidents are seeking bolstered financial and military aid from allied governments.

What do Hermano Cortez, Martha Stewart and Pliny the Younger have in common? Turkey, as it turns out, America's glorious, misunderstood bird. You're going to spend hours cooking it, eating it or admiring it this week - why not spare a few minutes for the quiz? .articlerail, #pmad-rail {display:none;} Related: Jonathan Gold quiz: French fries Jonathan Gold quiz: Why not eat bugs? Beef quiz: Jonathan Gold tests your knowledge  

Even as Congress pushes legislation aimed at punishing foreign companies that sell petroleum to Iran, and the United Nations prepares to consider sanctions against that country if an ongoing round of nuclear talks fails, Iranian leaders this week were elated over plans to treble trade ties with a key Middle Eastern power. So which rogue nation is undermining Western efforts to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons? Syria, perhaps, or the unpredictable Saudis? Actually, it's Turkey, a member of NATO, prospective member of the European Union and the United States' most strategically important Muslim ally.

You're roasting a turkey in the oven, and while it may look like it's ready to eat, you have no idea whether it's actually done. What do you do? There are a few simple ways to test turkeys (and all poultry) for doneness: Grab the end of the drumstick and twist it slightly; if the meat is done, the bone should twist easily at the knee. Check the juices: If the turkey is done, they will run clear (if they are still pink, the turkey needs to cook longer). Feel to make sure the meat is firm, and check with a knife to see that the meat is no longer pink.