You might think Thanksgiving turkey comes in only two flavors: dry or not. But regionally-inspired differences in spices, ingredients and cooking methods can separate a bird roasted in Boston from one in Baton Rouge.

"When I think of the Southwest, I think of very flavorful distinctive ingredients: fiery, smoky chilies like chipotle, pungent herbs -- epazote, cilantro -- and spices like cumin," says Sarah Tenaglia, senior food editor at Bon Appetit magazine.

"In the Midwest, think hearty comfort food that's not based on strong spices. You're not going to see the assertive flavors that pop up in some of the other regions," says Tenaglia, who has tasted plenty of turkey during her 23 years with the magazine.

In Western states like California, where she lives, fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, marjoram and rosemary are abundant and often are used with abandon, stuffed into the turkey cavity, under the skin or as a garnish for the platter.

Organic turkeys or heritage breeds also tend to be more popular out West, Tenaglia says, where they're often grilled instead of roasted. In the South, deep frying has created quite a buzz (and more than a few house fires) in recent years.

"The South is the epicenter of the deep fried turkey," says Tanya Steel, editor-in-chief of Epicurious.com. "It's very much the weather driving the culture of the cuisine. In the South, there's a long tradition of deep frying, whereas there isn't a tradition of that in the Northeast. It totally makes sense that turkey would be treated the same way."

But Atlanta food writer Shirley Corriher, who once deep fried a slice of pizza and a Ping-Pong ball on national television, roasts her Thanksgiving turkey. For her, the holiday comes down to one flavor.

"The main word is sage," says Corriher, who rubs sage under the turkey's skin and includes it in her gravy and dressing. Southerners, she also notes, are less likely to stuff their turkeys, instead preparing a huge vat of dressing to be served alongside.

A survey conducted last year by Butterball backs her up. Sage was the most popular seasoning in the South, with garlic taking first place almost everywhere else.

"We talk to people in every state of the country, and what comes together at the Thanksgiving table is certainly influenced by many, many things, with regions being one of them," says Mary Clingman, director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line.

Steel agrees, noting that feedback to her site shows a pattern of popular flavors and tastes. Ginger is popular in the Southwest, she says, while rosemary is predominant in the Midwest and thyme in the Northwest.

"I do think distinctions remain. Despite all the new traditions and cultures that are coming in, those cultures are adapting to whatever regions they're in," she says.

And as Tenaglia notes, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to seize the trend toward eating locally grown and produced food, just as Pilgrims did during their first harvest celebration.

But some foodies remain skeptical. Michael Stern, author and expert on American food, argues that Thanksgiving has less to do with geographic identity than with ethnic or familial identity. If anything, most Thanksgiving turkeys are prepared in the rather bland New England culinary tradition, he says.

"The mythology is that the Pilgrims and Indians sat down together to turkey and stuffing and sweet potato casserole with mini-marshmallows on top, which, of course, isn't true," he says. "But nonetheless, there is a tradition of what we now think of as Thanksgiving that is close to other Yankee traditions like the boiled dinner, a kind of meat and potato meal that is anything but fancy."

It's fitting that New England food, which he calls "resolutely dowdy," takes center stage at Thanksgiving, Stern says.

"There's a certain kind of humility. It's not a holiday for showing off," he says. "I think very few people think of Thanksgiving as an opportunity to do something extra special. It's an opportunity to stick with tradition."

Tenaglia counters that it could be fun to plan four or five really distinct menus showcasing various regions of the country, though she acknowledges, "Some people you could not talk into a Southwestern Thanksgiving."

Her own family, for example, "kind of prefers a New England bent to Thanksgiving."

Cranberry-orange roasted turkey

Legend has it that Native Americans brought cranberries to the Pilgrims during the three-day harvest celebration at Plymouth Colony that has come to be known as the first Thanksgiving. This recipe, from Taste of Home magazine, updates the tradition by incorporating the flavor of New England cranberries in the turkey, instead of as the usual side dish.

Start to finish: Four hours (30 minutes active)

Servings: Eight to 10

3 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

14-pound turkey

1 medium orange

16-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce

3/4 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup orange marmalade

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

4 springs fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, parsley and sage

2 medium yellow onions, cut into wedges

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, salt and pepper.

With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from the turkey breast. Spread half of the garlic powder mixture under the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with the remaining mixture.

Juice the orange, reserving the rind. In a large bowl, combine the orange juice, cranberry sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey, marmalade and soy sauce. Pour 3-1/2 cups of the mixture into another bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Rub the remaining cranberry sauce mixture under the turkey's skin. Use toothpicks to secure the skin to the underside of the breast. Place herb springs and the reserved orange rind in the cavity of the turkey.

Coat a roasting pan with cooking spray, then add the onions. Place the turkey on top of the onions. Bake, uncovered, for three to 3-1/2 hours, or until an instant read thermometer inserted at the innermost part of the thigh (without touching bone) reaches between 165 and 170 degrees. If the turkey browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.

Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the reserved cranberry sauce mixture to a simmer. Serve the warmed sauce alongside the turkey.

(Recipe from the October/November issue of Taste of Home magazine)

Grill-roasted brined turkey with Anaheim chile salsa verde

This recipe makes the most of the flavors and cooking methods of the Southwest. The salsa can be served warm or at room temperature. If you are pressed for time, skip the brine and simply season the bird with salt, then cook as directed. Cooking times will vary based on the weather and type of grill.

This turkey should not be stuffed, as the cooking method makes it difficult to ensure the stuffing reaches a safe temperature. Try to maintain a temperature of 325 to 400 degrees in the grill.

Start to finish: Four hours prep and roasting, plus 10 hours brining

Servings: Six to eight

For the brining:

8 quarts cold water

2 cups coarse salt

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

12- to 14-pound turkey, rinsed inside and out

For the salsa:

6 fresh green Anaheim chilies (about 3/4 pound)

3/4 pound fresh tomatillos or 1-1/4 cups drained canned tomatillos (about half a 28-ounce can)

1 cup chicken broth

2 garlic cloves

1 cup packed fresh cilantro sprigs

Juice of half a lemon

Salt, to taste

For the roasting:

1 tablespoon chili powder

To brine the turkey, in a container large enough to hold the turkey and 8 quarts of water (a 5-gallon bucket lined with a plastic bag works well), combine the water, salt and brown sugar. Add the turkey, and soak, covered and refrigerated, for 10 hours.

While the turkey brines, make the salsa. Heat the oven to broil.

Arrange the chilies on the rack of a broiler pan, then broil 2 inches from the heat, turning frequently, until the skins are blistered and charred, about eight to 12 minutes. Alternatively, the chilies also can be charred over gas burners for about three to six minutes.

Transfer the chilies to a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then let stand until cool enough to handle. Wearing rubber gloves, peel chilies and discard the skins. Cut off the tops of the chilies, then scoop out and discard the seeds and ribs.

Remove husks from the fresh tomatillos. Rinse the tomatillos under warm water.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the tomatillos, broth and garlic. Simmer until the tomatillos are tender, about 10 minutes if using fresh tomatillos and five minutes if using canned. Add the chilies to the tomatillo mixture.

Cool the salsa slightly, then transfer to a blender and pulse until coarsely chopped. The salsa may be made up to this point two days ahead, then cooled before being covered and chilled. Bring the salsa to room temperature or reheat before proceeding.

Just before serving, in a blender, combine the salsa, cilantro and lemon juice. Pulse until the cilantro is finely chopped. Season with salt.

To roast the turkey, remove it from the brine and pat dry inside and out. Fold the neck skin under the body, and fasten with a small skewer. If desired, secure wings to body with small skewers.

Set an oiled metal rack in a roasting pan that will fit in your grill with the cover down. Place the turkey on the rack in the pan, then sprinkle it with chili powder. Use kitchen twine to loosely tie together the drumsticks. The turkey may be prepared up to this point one day ahead and chilled, covered.

Heat a gas grill. If using a charcoal grill, open the vents in the lid and bottom of the grill, and divide 50 briquettes between two opposite sides of bottom, leaving the middle clear. Position a grill rack with wider openings over briquettes, and light the briquettes. They will be ready for cooking as soon as they are lightly coated with gray ash, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Place the roasting pan with the turkey on the grill, and close the grill cover. Turn all gas settings to low. Roast the turkey, basting it with pan juices and rotating the pan 180 degrees every hour, for three hours. If using a charcoal grill, add 10 briquettes to each mound of coals every hour to maintain even temperature.

After three hours, insert an instant-read thermometer in the fleshy part of an inner thigh. The turkey is done when it reaches 175 degrees. Transfer the turkey to a heated platter, and discard the twine. Loosely cover turkey with foil, and let stand 20 minutes before carving. Garnish turkey with chilies, garlic and tomatillos, then serve with salsa verde.

(Recipe from Gourmet magazine and Epicurious.com)

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