Does any one know the difference in taste etc in a boned and rolled turkey. This year I am opting for this - I am going to put a big piece of buttered muslin for moistness so I think that will be ok. By the way the turkey is organic and will be really fresh. Thanks for your help. (ps if not boned and rolled is it just so the heat conducts better?)

In my opinion Francis you only have to follow Valentina Harris, did you see the recipe for stuffed boned duck, the same can be done for turkey, the taste can be unbelievable, just get yourself a good recipe for a stuffing, maybe something away from the normal stuffing, her stuffing recipe is on this site, worth a try or experiment before xmas. It will be more moist, definately.

Yes I did see that programme thank you Ralph. I make a mean stuffing (or so I have been told) now all I have to do is make some, take it to my butcher and ask nicely if he'll stuff it for me!! Happy Christmas!

I believe that meat with bone in it always tastes much better. However I'm also planning to do the same.

I have heard that too - and will sometimes buy rib of beef with the bone in for that reason but I like topside beef and nowadays its sold very lean. When I last bought some from my butcher I asked for extra basting fat and he gave me some mutton fat to put on the joint and it was delcious. I think that it all boils down to the quality of the meat though and how good a cook you are. Like I mentioned before, I am going to wrap my bird up in some buttered muslin with lemon slices and fresh herbs. Please let me know yours turn out.

I cn tell you that the stuffing in Valentina's ventian duck was absolutely great - the amaretti biscuits just gave it a hint of sweetness which complemented the duck really well. I would advise anyone to give it a go.

Hi Maria
Happy New Year
Just to let you know the turkey was the best ever and I will never try and wrestle with a monster again. The buttered muslin was great - hardly any basting required. Now i wonder if my butcher will do a goose for me this year...

Hi Frances,
Happy New Year also. Glad to hear the turkey came out good. I will try it this year. What stuffing did you use?

Oh I just chucked some stuff together! I used some white bread from the bakers, a tin of chestnuts, butter (melted) fresh herbs (a mix of tarragon and sage) fresh lemon juce and zest and whizzed it all up. (oh and a large egg) I didn't want the consistency to be too soft sothat my buthcer (Graham) had to wrestle with it. I made about 1 1/21b and 1 lb was fine for the bird which eventually weighed in at about 7lb.
I noticed with interest about your tortilla receipe. My Spanish friends always used to kind of chip away at the potato (if you know what I mean) it makes your wrists ache but you doget the small bits of potato. We fry the potatoes off and then put them in the egg mixture and then put them back in the pan. I am always amused to see other receipes using precooked potato - it never works properly and youcertainly don't get the nice layery effect.
ps did you get a chance to read Bah Humbug from Aya - I now have a new job and will be starting tomorrow (horray!) Do you ever logon to BBC Food?

Hi Frances,

I know what you mean about chipping away at the potato that's a good description. My mum does it so fast and yes while you don't get used to it your wrists ache, but this is the proper way of doing it. It annoyes me when I see people putting left over potatoes etc and saying it's tortilla, it's not, and although it's a good way of using up leftover food it's not the real thing.

Pleased to hear you have a new job, good on you!!! What will you be doing? I check out the BBC Food web page but don't use the chat board as I very much like this one. Best of luck for tomorrow. Let me know how you get on.

Sorry annoyes should be annoys bad spelling (