We are very excited to have been selected as the exclusive caterer at the famed “Spinning Wheel Inn,” in Redding Ridge, CT! It’s five banquet rooms, lush gardens, and fantastic central Fairfield County location make it an ideal spot to host your wedding, bar mitzvah, cocktail party, or corporate affair. Its unique charm stems from the bones of the main building built in 1742. It has a clever mix of classic New England but has the ameneties of a modern event space.

The Spinning Wheel Inn has a scenario for every event.

The Ridge Room features and antique boardroom table and is the perfect spot for the important meeting or small rehearsal dinner.

The Tavern, with its large fireplace and warm surroundings, can host 50 for dinner and 100 for cocktails. Imagine hosting your own pub night in a centuries old pub!

The Nutmeg Room features another fantastic fireplace and comfortable seats 80 for dinner or 110 for cocktails. This room abuts the beautiful terrace and the views out the west windows look down over acres of lush woods and foliage.

The Connecticut Room can can seat 110 and hold 150 for cocktails. This room has a dancefloor, bandstand, and also direct access to the terrace.

The Waverly Suite can comfortable host 200 guests for a seated meal or 300 for cocktails and hors d’oeuvre. It hosts a magnificent fireplace, dance floor, bandstand, and access to the Terrace and the great western views!

The Spinning Wheel Inn is also a great spot for corporate events, retreats, and conferences. You can seat 400 theatre style, and can bring in nearly any technology. Full service catering and snacks are designed to fit your needs, your timing, your budget.

The food! The Cantering Caterer is known for fantastic, creative food! We have designed menus specifically for this space but as always, everything is customizable. We will offer the same policies here as we do in the Westport kitchen. Unlimited site visits, unlimited tastings once contracted, and unlimited planning…

Please call us anyime for availability and rates – the space will surely sell out during the fall foliage season and there are still some unbelievable dates available this spring and summer.

Please call The Cantering Caterer at The Spinning Wheel at 203-227-7459.

Use your favorite stuffing recipe, be sure to use the giblets – that’s where the real flavor is! I used a Grand Marnier and Dried Apricot Stuffing with a little Andouille sausage to give that little extra kick!

Ingredients:
1, 18-19 pound fresh Turkey
1, 7 pound fresh Duck
1, 3-4 pound fresh Chicken
1 recipe, Dried Apricot and Grand Marnier Stuffing (recipe follows)
4 oranges
Buy the birds at your local butcher shop and bat your eyelashes until he agrees to debone them for you! This will save a LOT of time If you must debone the birds yourself get a nice bottle of wine, a good sharp paring knife, and a whole uninterrupted afternoon. You must remove every bit of bone and cartilage from the chicken and the duck. Leave the drumsticks and the wings on the turkey – they are necessary for the appearance of the final product. (Instructions on deboning follow).

To assemble the Turducken:
Lay all three birds skin side (breast) down on a clean flat surface. Starting with the turkey, press firmly into the flesh a coating of about ¾ of an inch of the stuffing. Lay the duck on top of the turkey and stuffing, spread it out repeat the process only this time use about ½ inch of stuffing. Next, lay the chicken on top and put a small mound of stuffing in the center.
Here is the tricky part… Cut 5 pieces of butchers twine into 30” lengths. You want to tie the turkey back together so that it looks like a turkey again. Slide each piece of the cut twine under the turkey. Gently fold the sides of the turkey up and tie it back together. It may take a few tries, or a few extra pieces of twine but that is ok!

Lastly, flip your bird! Turn it over and place in a roasting pan. Squeeze the juice of the oranges over the skin, cover in foil and put it in the oven at 225F. You want to cook it slow and low! You need to cook a Turducken this size for about 8 hours. During the last 2 hours you can uncover it to brown the skin. To make sure it is done stick a meat thermometer into the deepest part of the Turducken. You have to be sure that the internal temperature is 165F. Take the temperature in a couple of places to be safe. I like to serve the Turducken on a nice wooden platter garnished with apricots, currants, berries, whatever is fresh, colorful, and available.

Stand over your creation and cut right through middle with a sharp bread knife! Your guests will be amazed!

For the Dried Apricot and Grand Marnier Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 cup dried apricots; chopped coarsely
1-1/2 cups Grand Marnier Liqueur, enjoy the rest as you stuff the birds!
4 cups homemade poultry broth – make this with the carcasses of the deboned birds
The liver and heart from the turkey
2 cups celery, coarsely chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 pound Andouille Sausage
1 cup Gala apple pieces, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
16 ounces bread crumbs (day old brioche is fantastic!)
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher Salt
1 cup slivered Almonds

Instructions:
Place apricots and 1 cup Grand Marnier in a small saucepan. Heat to a boil to plump the apricots. Remove from the heat and set aside. Simmer the turkey liver and heart in just enough water to cover in a small saucepan for 5 minutes; set aside to cool

In a medium saucepan, heat chicken broth to boiling. Add celery and onion. Simmer 10 minutes or until tender.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage. Remove from heat and chop coarsley.
In a large mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, apricots with liquid, sausage, chopped apple, onion, celery, almonds, and broth. Stir to combine. Add remaining Grand Marnier. Stir well to moisten stuffing. Season with thyme and pepper to taste.