Talking turkey: Give your bird a regional accent with different spices

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 chiles 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.