Turkey

Until fairly recently, turkeys were only available whole, and even then, only at holiday times. When you bought one, unless you were feeding a hoard, you had to make a month-long commitment to leftovers—or so it seemed. Now, turkey parts are available, and I use them to add variety to my weekly poultry diet. Even though the taste of turkey is akin to chicken, it has a distinctive texture and flavor of its own. I substitute boneless turkey breast for boneless chicken breasts in some stews or casseroles, and when I’m feeling thrifty, I’ll substitute turkey cutlets in a recipe for veal scallopine.