Inside the kitchen at Wilson Farm is craziness.

Carmelizing onions, simmering stock and breaded chicken orbit hotel trays of cubed cornbread, which is destined to become stuffing sometime soon. Add to the mix a handful of workers and dozens of eager quiche shells and chef Todd Heberlein has his hands full.

It's a week before Thanksgiving and things are still heating up at Wilson Farm as this Lexington institution enters what Heberlein says is by far the busiest time of the year. 

Soon, the kitchen will be churning out hundreds of gallons of gravy, firing up several dozen different side dishes and any number of out-of-the box appetizers. And, next Tuesday, thousands of pre-ordered turkeys will arrive for pickup and umpteen pie varieties will line tables along with squashes, yams and seasonal veggies available to intrepid home cooks.

This time of year, Wilson Farm is a place were locals look to provide, elevate or round out Thanksgiving dinner, and that’s just fine with them.

On Wednesday, during what may have been a moment of calm before the storm, Chef Heberlein welcomed Patch into his kitchen and walked us through the creation of one of his favorite dishes this year: the wild mushroom stuffing.

Or maybe it’s dressing, because Heberlein doesn’t pack the shrooms and bread into the bird or anything like that. Either way, this earthy and delicious dish features an assortment of rough-chopped wild mushrooms, as well as kale, mascarpone custard, fresh thyme, sherry, asiago cheese and some truffle butter.

Check out the above video (if you haven’t already) and take a peek at this list of prepared dressings, gravy and other fixins. Or, visit the Wilson Farm website for more on the farm's holiday menu.

Wilson Farm’s Menu of Sides for Thanksgiving 2011

Wilson Farm’s Famous Turkey Gravy

Potatoes: Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Red Potatoes with Shallots & Rosemary, Scalloped Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Mashed Yams with Pomegranate Syrup 

Stuffing: Traditional Stuffing, Cranberry Apple Stuffing, Wild Mushroom Stuffing, Cornbread Stuffing

Vegetables: Roasted Autumn Vegetables, Mashed Turnip, Roasted Carrots, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts, Creamed Baby Onions, Green Beans Almondine, Green Bean Casserole

Fruit: Lynne Wilson’s Applesauce, Cranberry Applesauce, Cranberry Chutney, Couscous with Roasted Apples & Cranberries