The day after Thanksgiving, while the rest of the world was awake and trampling over each other for $700 televisions, shots rang out on the Eastern Shore.

Our deadly intent, however, was aimed at other species. It's buck and duck season. And in these economic times, there is a very real purpose to hunting. People eat venison. In our Hunt Issue of the local paper, there's a program called "Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry," which allows folks to donate deer to food pantries. The processors donate their services.

Cooking someone's goose is not a threat here. Ducks... well, I enjoy duck very much, but less so after we raised several here just a few months ago. They flew away, as they were supposed to, but the first day of duck hunting was very depressing.

Venison, though. I watch the deer graze contentedly around the house and can almost make out the dotted white butcher's marks on their hides. Which lead me to an interesting question: does anyone "process" a deer for cooks? I've had venison osso buco (farm-raised), which would require some knowledge from a butcher beyond "take out the backstrap and put the rest in burger." Shanks, osso buco, could a rib cut be frenched like a rack of lamb? Hmm.

Some butchers in the hunt issue talk about custom cuts, and I intend to give them a call when it's not Sunday. A butcher we met with just this weekend, Mike Smollon, saves his beef fat for the deer processor up the road, and says she can handle different cuts. Promising.

In the Game Cookbook, 1982, by Charles Stuart, this self-designated sportsman and cook harkens to the days of his youth, when hunting was truly a source of dinner. The secret, he claims, is in dressing quickly and properly, hanging, and brining. Here's a recipe that sounds pretty good:

Venison with Lemon Butter

5-lb. shoulder roast, boned
1 lemon
1/4 pound butter
1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt per slice

Cut boned roast into 1/4-inch slices. Soak meat in salt water, refrigerated, until meat turns light brown, usually about one day. Pour off the salt water, rinse, dry with paper towels. Put meat in bowl with one cup of lemon juice, soak for one hour. Remove and lightly flour the slices, sprinkle on salt and pepper. Sauté gently until brown, spread parsley over filets just before removing from heat. Squeeze on some lemon and serve. Good with parsleyed new potatoes, peas or artichoke hearts.

Will we be lucky enough to try it this year? Hmm. Might just have to see how this works with veal.

The big day looms on the horizon. Thanksgiving. Turkey day. The Big T. The Superbowl of Foodfests. According to my inbox, cooks of all kinds are on CODE RED and hyperventilating, obsessing over whether we have the correct charger plates, when to start brining, and whether to stray from tradition. Media and purveyors to the rescue! Here’s some of the last-minute advice and help available:

Wines: The Hair of the Dog wine stores in Easton have brought back their ever popular Turkey Pack. Six bottles of wine for $69 (and up to ten adults). The pack includes Willm Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine, Cloisters de Clerget Beaujolais-Village, Anton Bauer Gmork Grüner Veltliner, and Bacco Moscato di Piemonte Willm (aperitif, 2 reds, 2 whites, one dessert). If you get there after they run out, just ask for help and tell them Chesapeake Foodie sent you. It won’t do much for you, but it will make me feel good.

From the good folks at Wine Cellars of Annapolis, some recommends for wines: Beaujolais Nouveau, or a Beaujolais grand cru, Pinot Noir, a dry Riesling from Alsace. Two specific wines: 2006 Pavilion Pinot Noir from Edna Valley, $14.99. Or a 2007 Loosen Bros. Dr. L Riesling, Germany, a Wine Spectator Best Value at $12.99.

The Turkey: It seems to have become quite complicated. The dried, chewy turkey is to be avoided AT ALL COSTS — even if it means throwing up your hands in fear and capitulation and heading to a restaurant. Not a bad plan, really. Still thinking of cooking your own? Bravo! You’ll find loads of help online:

A How-To Guide at WashingtonPost.com: Advice for mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and a video for carving.

Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, will be live online at noon on Monday the 24th on WashingtonPost.com. A live online discussion of cooking tips with Kim O’Donnell is scheduled for Tuesday at 1:00 PM.

The New York Times has its own Thanksgiving Central online as well. Some of it's a bit much, especially for down-to-earth Chesapeake foodies, but LOVE the archive of side dishes. Especially for parsnips, the most undervalued root vegetable out there.

For Caroline’s Cakes: Want to supplement your pumpkin pie with a southern carrot cake, caramel or coconut cloud? Monday at 3:00 is the cutoff for standard shipping, Tuesday at 3:00 for overnight. Or do what I do. Stop by the retail outlet near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Whole Foods has its own holiday guide, with good how-to’s and recipes. Under Holiday Meal Planning, you might be surprised to read that “…it is perfectly acceptable to purchase the entire meal. Not everyone is a cook. We believe it is much wiser for non-cooks to enjoy time with family and friends than to stress themselves in the kitchen.” Imagine that!

Fine Cooking, our fave magazine, has solid info collected at its holiday site. Much is available for free, some isn't. I wish they wouldn't do that.

We’ve purchased our local turkey, $2.50/lb. from a nearby farm. I could use a pint of shucked oysters, but that’s about the most stressing I’ll do. If I may...I have oyster stuffing recipes and cauliflower casserole at the ready at ChesapeakeFoodie.com. And if I get into trouble, well, there’s more than enough help standing by.

Wow! Our Chesapeake Foodie friends are writing in from all over with news for the upcoming month (and holidays). We may have to do a special e-newsletter to cover all of it! If you're not on our list and would like to be, click here.

First, congrats to all the St. Michaels folks for their first Oyster Jam. We spent a delicious couple of hours strolling the streets. Especially high fives to Kevin McClarren and his Choptank Sweets shuckers, who were positioned perhaps a bit too conveniently next door to the new Eastern Shore Brewing Company.

Also, shout-outs to Michael Rork's Town Dock for Oysters Five Ways, Key Lime Café for their Oyster Prix Fixe, featuring Choptank Sweets, and the Market House for their Oyster Stew. Twenty or so businesses participated, we'll soon post photos at Chesapeake Foodie.com. Meanwhile, if you're looking for Choptank Sweets, check out Key Lime Café in St. Michaels or Captain's Ketch in Easton.

Which brings us to oyster stuffing. The Maryland Seafood folks have kindly sent us a recipe, which we'll be posting soon, as well as putting to good use for Thanksgiving.

Next, got an email from My Butcher & More in Gambrills near Crofton. Mike says he has "hard to find" ingredients for gourmet cooks thinking about their fall feasts, including duck fat — for your own confit! — store-made turduckens, turkey tenderloins...wild game, too. Check it out.

 Speaking of finds, the new Sur La Table has opened up in Annapolis Towne Centre. What a terrific place! Tons of hard-to-find things that cooks love and — even better — at reasonable prices. (Not the "over the top" mall prices.) We'll do a whole blog on the store soon — and had a great time talking to the savvy food folks there. (Hi, Beth and Sharon!) Get Annapolis Towne Centre directions here.

Three more bits of news for now: A Cook's Café holiday cooking classes are scheduling now — Cookie Decorating and Holiday Menus. For info, write here. On the Tilghman Island Inn events page, check out the Wild Game and Wine dinner for Nov. 14th, and a Burgundy Wine Dinner and Book Signing on 12/12-14.

And finally, don't forget Beaujolais Nouveau Day at your favorite wine store. It's always the third Thursday of November and a lovely kick-off to the coming week of overindulgence. Bon Appétit!