Do: Carve A Chicken

After you make this Tuesday's recipe, Roast Chicken, you'll have to cut it up before you serve it. This is not an intuitive task—the first time I tried, I got so frustrated that I ripped the meat from the body with my bare hands. Given that French chefs pride themselves in swiftly and effortlessly carving a poulet rôti, I decided to educate myself before my next roast chicken.

This is the best instructional video I could find, and it features an authentic French chef, to boot. It's 4 minutes short and extremely straightforward. Come to think of it, it's actually rather chic with the accent, chef's uniform, and culinary setting; you could get away with carving right along with the video while your family or guests look on—everyone appreciates the refreshing honesty of admitting you're a novice at something.

What stood out to me is how relaxed the chef is: he doesn't attack the bird, rather he lets the chicken guide him and trusts that the meat will separate from the body in the right places. I hope this helps you as it helped me! And remember, don't forget to drench the chicken pieces with the sauce. It's all about the sauce. And the crispy skin. And the tender, juicy meat.

Enjoy mastering the legendary Poulet Rôti.