THESE RECIPES ARE TIMELESS, the kind that Nan just knew how to make having learned them from her mama. There were no tests for doneness; more likely something cooked until it looked and tasted right. And though we give doneness cues for these recipes, your own intuition won’t usually steer you wrong.
And for the sides, sourdough bread dressing starts out rustic, having been based on a recipe found in a tattered cookbook from the late 1940s. Toasting the bread cubes is a neat trick to dry the cubes while adding flavor. Mandarin oranges echo the citrus brine of the turkey, fresh are ideal