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Roll the balls between sheets of plastic wrap into circles 6 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Alternatively, use a tortilla press, following the manufacturer’s instructions, to press the balls into tortillas. In either case, place the flattered disk between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap as you make them.

Set a medium skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles in the pan. Slip in a flattened disk and cook until speckled brown and slightly puffed, about 1 minute. Turn and cook until mottled on the other side, a little less than 1 minute. Transfer to a plate lined with a clean kitchen towel; fold the towel closed. Continue making the tortillas, stacking them in the towel one on top of the other. Corn tortillas are fragile and not suitable for storage.

Flour Tortillas

Try these light tortillas with Migas or alongside an omelet. Makes 16 tortillas

2½ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening or lard

1 cup warm water

Put the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to whisk. Add the shortening or lard in chunks and pulse until an even, fine-grain mixture. With the machine running, add the water through the feed tube; process until a soft dough forms. Alternatively, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl; cut in the shortening or lard with a pastry cutter or a fork until a fine-grain dough forms. Stir in the water with a fork until a pliable, cohesive, Silly Putty–like dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a dry, clean work surface and knead for 30 seconds. Gather into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 16 balls, each about the size of a Ping-Pong ball. Roll between sheets of plastic wrap into circles about 6 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. (The thickness is more important than the diameter; they needn’t be perfectly round, just roundish.)

Set a skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat until a drop of water skitters around the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add 1 tortilla; cook until blistered with brown speckles and slightly puffed, about 1 minute. Turn and continue cooking until the other side is speckled, about 1 more minute. Keep the cooked tortillas warm as you make more by wrapping the ones that are in a clean kitchen towel or a cloth napkin.

To store: Wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and store at room temperature for up to 12 hours. To reheat, warm the entire stack, wrapped in the towel, in a microwave oven on high for 15 to 20 seconds.

Chicken, Turkey, and Other Birds

ALL THESE BIRDS FLOCK TOGETHER—NOT IN THE WILD, BUT AT THE MARKET and in our kitchens. In the end, they form one culinary category because of that sweet, subcutaneous layer of fat that protects the meat and caramelizes the skin as it roasts.

There’s also their common dark side: ironically, the white meat, the bane of many home cooks. Simply put, all birds resist even cooking; the breast dries out long before the thigh has cooked—unless (as you’ll see) you take a few easy precautions.

All difficulties aside, most of us return to chicken again and again, our default dinner. No wonder: it takes less time than beef, is less temperamental than fish, and suffers fewer cultural no-nos than some other meats. If our being at the top of the food chain has its many conundrums, eating birds is one of its better pleasures. We’ve taken the airborne and rendered them table-locked. It’s a carnivore’s paradise: bone, skin, and meat. Flightless, we soar.

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Chicken

Chicken is the American table’s most versatile staple: high in protein, relatively low in fat, with a mild taste that picks up and intensifies a host of preparations, from the simplest butter-and-herb combos to those many-condiment stir-fry concoctions.

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Perfect-Every-Time Roast Chicken

A two-step process