Talking turkey about carving

WASHINGTON POST
What about the bird? Do you present it a la Norman Rockwell and carve at the table, or save yourself the performance-anxiety and dispatch the job in the kitchen?
"I think people actually like the smell of the turkey more than the looks of it," says caterer Lauren Levine. "Because of the mess involved, most people prefer to carve it in the kitchen and then re-platter it nicely. If you carve it at the table, then you're left with the carcass in full view and not many people really want to see that."
Levine carves the turkey in the kitchen, arranges it on a platter, drizzles it with chicken stock or gravy and then puts it back in a warm oven while she finishes the feast and gets everyone to the table.
For those who want to see the whole bird, Levine's happy to oblige. "You could make an announcement and let people know that the bird will be available for viewing at such-and-such a time," she says. "But I find that those people who are really into seeing what the turkey looks like will just flip on the oven lights or open the oven and take a look."