Kitchen Reconnaissance

You asked for help with the turkey ahead of Thanksgiving, so I moved out to inspect our preparation area early. On the cutting board sat a heavy stainless steel meat thermometer with an analog dial. Its indicator needle was jammed sideways against the bezel, pinned by a stray loop of butcher's twine. I braced my boots against the oiled maple grain, gripped the metal probe shaft, and worked the twine free. The internal spring settled with a quiet, dull tick, aligning the pointer true to zero. With the tool functional and the perimeter clear, our station is ready for the task ahead.