There'll be Parties for Hosting...

Every year I have a holiday party and celebrate the season with good friends, delicious food, and tasty libations. Here's some of the food highlights of this year's party...

Cheese and Crackers

Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

Gorgonzola-Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon

Clementines

Hot Peppers Stuffed with Meat

Feta and Olives

Veggies and Dip

Skanky Vodka Martini with Blue-Cheese Stuffed Olives

 

Candy Cane Cocktail

Baked Brie

 

Tate's Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

I saved the best for last. I just started referring to this dish as "The Creation" since I don't know what else to call it. Look at these photos--don't you just want to eat it up? Everything about it is sexy--baguette, butter, brie, proscuitto, and fig and walnut butter. If you want to know how to make this decadent, delicious, and indulgent treat, check out my friend Eric's blog, Open Wide, for the recipe. Everyone needs to experience a taste of this heavenly creation at some point in their lives.

Happy holidays everyone! Hope you are all eating well...

Quote of the Week: Christmas Goose

"At last the dishes were set on and grace was said. It was succeeded by a breathless pause, as Mrs. Cratchit, looking slowly all along the carving-knife, prepared to plunge it in the [goose] breast; but when she did, and when the long expected gush of stuffing issued forth, one murmur of delight arose all round the board."


--Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

 

Song of the Week: Christmas Wrapping

It's a bit of a stretch, but there's some food references in there...And it's by The Waitresses, so that works.

"A&P has provided me
With the world's smallest turkey
Already in the oven, nice and hot
Oh damn! Guess what I forgot?"

Put Some South in Yo’ Mouth

On Saturday I celebrated the end of my first semester as a doctoral student by dressing up like Santa and running around New York City spreading holiday cheer. It was amazing, and I hope it was the first of many times that I’ll participate in Santacon.

We started off the day by heading to Union Square to meet up with other Santas at Brother Jimmy’s. Brother Jimmy’s is a North Carolina BBQ joint with seven locations throughout the city. My friend Santa had lost her wallet on our way into the city, so she didn’t have an ID. Fortunately Brother Jimmy’s let her in but insisted that she sit at a table and couldn’t go up to the bar. So what else was there to do but eat? My other friend Santa told us to order anything we wanted, and we got some appetizers to snack on while downing our first drinks of the day.

We ordered hush puppies and nachos. I’d never had hush puppies before but I loved them. Essentially hush puppies are just cornbread batter fried up in little spheres. We split open the warm little fried cornbread balls and slathered them with creamy maple butter. Delicious.

The nachos consisted of a massive amount of chips covered in BBQ beans, chili, cheese, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole. They were the perfect appetizer to share, and we had enough to offer some to the other Santas that had congregated at Brother Jimmy’s.

I was tempted by the array of BBQ sauces on the table, so I decided to try each one. The sauces were labeled as Original, Carolina, Mustard, Chipotle, and Blazin’. My favorites were Original, which had a nice smoky and sweet flavor, and Blazin’, which was the hottest of all the sauces. I also tested out the Habanero Hot Sauce. Despite my elitist standards for what constitutes “hot,” I was pretty impressed. It had a nice heat that continued to build after the initial taste.

 

So the food was pretty good—nothing spectacular but still tasty and satisfying. I’d probably go back to try some of the other items on the menu, but the real star of the experience was the Battle of Antietam Bloody Mary. Having just finished a class on the Civil War, I thought this drink was appropriate (for all of you who don’t know, the Battle of Antietam was the first major battle of the Civil War to take place on Northern territory). It was described as “a classic spicy bloody with a festive array of garnishes and a taste of the ol’ bay.” It was flavorful, delicious, and loaded with vodka. The garnishes consisted of celery, green olives, green beans, lemon, and lime. I loved that they lined the mason jar it was served in with a combination of spices to give the drink a little extra kick.

Brother Jimmy’s was a great place to start our day of Santa debauchery. If you’re looking to “Put Some South in Yo’ Mouth,” you really can’t go wrong with their hush puppies and Civil-War themed bloody marys. 

Schweddy Balls

I thought it would be nice to kick off December and the holiday season with a classic sketch from Saturday Night Live. What's better than getting your mouth around some glistening, tender Schweddy Balls to help you get in the holiday spirit?

Quote of the Week: Four Main Food Groups

"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup."

--Buddy the Elf

Immoveable Feast: A Paris Christmas

“‘When a man is tired of London,’ remarked Samuel Johnson, ‘He is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.’ It can be said equally of Paris that not to have seen it through the eyes of love is not to know it at all.”
—John Baxter

There’s something about Paris that I just love. Now, I’ve never actually been to Paris, but the city seems to take hold of my imagination. Its allure stretches across the Atlantic Ocean and keeps me entranced though it is still largely unknown to me. Someday I will get to Paris, but until then I’ll keep myself satisfied with books, films, and any taste of French cuisine I can find. Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast is one of my favorite books of an American’s experience in Paris, and when I opened my stocking a few days ago to find a book entitled Immoveable Feast: A Paris Christmas I knew I had received a perfect holiday read.

Immoveable Feast was written by John Baxter, an Australian-born man who ended up marring a Parisian woman late in life. His story is one of being welcomed into his French family, and it is at his first Christmas in France that he really enters into the culture and magic of the country and the traditions of his new family. Baxter soon inherits the duty of cooking Christmas dinner, and this book shows glimpses into the past and French culture as he tells the story of one particular year of cooking the Christmas feast for eighteen guests. The tradition of coming together as a family was strong in Baxter’s experiences in France. The family used food and wine to keep history and memory alive, and Baxter comments that “Proust was right. Any house or garden or town existed only as the sum of the feelings experienced there. It was remembering history and maintaining tradition that kept the material world alive.”

Baxter explains that at Christmas in Paris the streets are deserted, shops and restaurants are closed, and the only wanderers are usually tourists. The city shuts down as families come together to enjoy good times and good food. The book is filled with insights into the French people and their perspective on the world. For example, Baxter states that “The French are no strangers to vice. Indeed, they invented many of the more interesting ones and have worked hard for centuries to perfect the rest. To the French, sin—provided it is conceived with imagination and carried off with flair—is like the dust on an old bottle of burgundy, the streaks of gray in the hair of a loved one, the gleam of long, loving use on the mahogany of an ancient cabinet. It’s evidence of endurance, of survival, of life.” The joie de vivre of French life and the traditions maintained during Christmas fill the pages of the book and one feels they can really taste the experience of French culture.

Baxter’s Christmas feast contains several courses, but it is the first course of oysters that most intrigues me. Oysters are a key part to the Paris Christmas—an item I wish was more common in my own household during the holidays. Baxter elaborates on the appeal of these delicious creatures, stating that there is “something in the seasonality of seafood, its essentiality of freshness, that demands our instant attention. The translucency of an oyster’s flesh, the gleam of a fish’s eye, and the sheen of its skin are imperatives that transcend the banality of existence.” I couldn’t agree more. Good seafood does seem to have an almost magical quality that brings one in touch with a bit of the boundless ocean through one simple bite. The custom of bringing that experience to the table to begin the Christmas dinner makes perfect sense to me. Other courses include sides of vegetables and potatoes, bread, cheese, fruit, dessert, and, of course, the entrée. Baxter describes the planning of the menu and the cooking of the courses with such delicious detail that it will surely appeal to any foodie.

One of the interesting cultural tidbits I picked up from the book is differences in what is acceptable to bring to a host’s home. In America it’s very common for a guest to show up with a bottle of wine for a host or hostess. Baxter explains that in France nobody would dare bring wine, bread, or cheese to someone else’s home because these items are staples that everybody already has on hand. It would be like bringing a plate and fork to someone’s home in America. Rather, the French show up with gifts like flowers or chocolates—but wine? Never. The books brims with lots of these little cultural insights that will surely interest any reader who wishes to explore other cultures through food.

John Baxter’s Immoveable Feast is a great read for the holiday. I highly recommended it to anyone interested in Paris, French food, and the traditions they keep alive in France. Or to anyone who dreams of Paris and the day when she will wander the streets, soak in the magic of the city of love, and taste every last bite that Paris has to offer.

Christmas Dinner

Christmas dinner was a success! The variety of cheeses paired with crackers, slices of baguette, and fresh blackberries were great to snack on while we waited for everything to finish cooking. The roasted Cornish game hen came out with crispy skin and moist, flavorful meat. The roasted potatoes were nice and soft on the inside but crispy on the outside. The green beans were simple and tasty--I just steamed them and spooned a light sauce over each portion. And the experimental carrot pudding was very well received. The pear and goat cheese tart was the perfect way to end the meal. I served it with Prosecco and everyone loved it. I hope everyone else had an equally delicious holiday experience! Cheers!

Guess Who Just Found Out She is Cooking Christmas Dinner?

In response to a call from one’s mother on Christmas Eve morning saying that the restaurant she wanted to eat out at on Christmas Day was closed, most people would have offered to help find a suitable restaurant that was open. If you’re wondering what kind of freak would jump at the opportunity and offer to cook Christmas dinner—well, that’s me.

Rather than dreading the last-minute shopping trip to the grocery store and having to come up with a holiday menu, I immediately starting thinking of all the delicious seasonal dishes I could cook and started my grocery list. I could see the menu building in my mind, and with my mom footing the bill, I planned to go to Price Chopper as soon as I got out of work to see what I could scrounge up in the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

Within a half hour I had my menu planned. For starters, while we waited from the entrée to roast in the oven, I plan on putting out creamy camembert, apple-smoked gouda, crackers, and a baguette, with some blackberries on the side.

The pinnacle of the meal will be roasted Cornish game hens, which I just learned to cook recently. I flavor them to perfection by rubbing the hens with olive oil, salt, and pepper, lightly browning the skin, and stuffing the cavity with a slice of lemon and fresh rosemary. Then I roast them in the oven with garlic cloves. About half-way through cooking I pour a mixture of white wine and chicken broth over the hens and let the birds soak in the delicious liquids. After the hens are cooked, the remaining liquid is taken and boiled for a few minutes until it thickens into a sauce. For the vegetarian entrée, I decided to use the same cooking method as with the hen but with vegetarian chicken cutlets. I’ve made the Cornish game hens before and they are delicious, but I’ve never tried the vegetarian version before, so we’ll see how it comes out tomorrow night!

The sides for the meal include red potatoes, green beans and carrots. The red potatoes will be roasted with the skins on and simply seasoned with salt and pepper. The green beans will be steamed and topped with a light sauce made with olive oil, salt, white wine vinegar, and egg yolk. And the carrots will be made into a carrot pudding. I’ve never made or eaten carrot pudding before, but I was inspired by the book I’m currently reading called Immoveable Feast: A Paris Christmas, by John Baxter. In the book, John Baxter, who is originally from Australia, has to cook Christmas dinner for his French family, who he is related to by his marriage to a Parisian woman. As he is preparing dinner he realizes he needs to come up with a vegetable dish for one of his toothless relatives. After finding some carrots in the fridge, he purees the carrots with flour, egg, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and cottage cheese, and then places it in the oven to bake. It sounds simple and tasty enough, and I’ve got most of the ingredients in my kitchen, so I’ll give it a go and see if it’s any good. Luckily, if it doesn’t taste great we’ll have plenty of other food for dinner.

The dessert will be a pear tart with goat cheese and port, which I found online compliments of Emeril Lagasse. This recipe sounds absolutely delicious and the perfect way to end the meal. I plan on pairing it with a little celebratory champagne.

Even though I had to rush to put the menu together and get everything prepared, I’m happy to be able to cook for my family tomorrow night. If there’s one gift that I’m always willing to give, it’s the gift of food. I’ll be sure to post some pictures of the dinner sometime after Christmas.

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday filled with friends, family, and food!

Song of the Week: Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Quote of the Week: Nourishment for Soul and Mind

"Let Christmas not become a thing
Merely of merchant's trafficking,
Of tinsel, bell, and holly wreath
And surface pleasure, but beneath
The childish glamour, let us find
Nourishment for soul and mind.
Let us follow kinder ways
Through our teeming human maze,
And help the age of peace to come
From a Dreamer's martyrdom."

--Madeline Morse

Zoraida's Coquito

When Zoraida is in the house, it’s not Christmas until everyone have a glass of coquito in their hands! Zoraida is one of those amazing people that everyone should have in their lives—kind hearted, caring, fun, joyful, curious, and not afraid to say anything. I’m lucky enough be able to call Zoraida a friend and spend some time with her this holiday season. Zoraida has got that magic touch when it comes to cooking, especially with delicious and savory dishes like roasted pork or holiday concoctions like coquito.

So what is coquito? It could be described as Puerto Rican eggnog, but that doesn’t quite do it justice. It’s smooth and creamy with flavors of coconut and loaded with lots of Bacardi. If you’ve never tasted it, then you really need to try it.

Zoraida was nice enough to share her recipe with me to post here, but I have to warn you that even when people use her recipe it never quite comes out like when she makes it! She somehow gives it that little extra splash of love that shines through when you take a sip. This recipe will make one gallon’s worth of coquito.

Zoraida’s Coquito
4 15 oz. cans of cream of coconut
4 12 oz. cans of evaporated milk
6 egg yolks
Bacardi light rum
vanilla extract
ground cinnamon

1. In a blender combine one can of cream of coconut (make sure you scoop out anything left in the can when you pour it out), one can of evaporated milk, two egg yolks, Bacardi, a dash of vanilla extract, and a dash of cinnamon.

2. Blend the ingredients together and pour into an empty gallon container.

3. Repeat until the rest of the ingredients are used up.

4. Serve over ice.

The result is such a delicious treat that you’ll never want to celebrate the holidays again without it. As the concoction gets colder it will get thicker and creamier, and you’ll want to shake up the gallon container before serving it. You can add as much Bacardi as suits you—there’s no specific amount in Zoraida’s recipe, so you’ll just have to add that ingredient by feeling, or rather, by tasting.

Thanks so much to Zoraida for sharing this special treat with us!

Song of the Week: Twelve Days of Christmas

An interesting perspective on the role of food in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" can be found here: http://www.messybeast.com/dragonqueen/12-xmas.htm

Song of the Week: A Marshmallow World

Quote of the Week: There's a Happy Feeling Nothing in the World Can Buy...

There's a birthday party at the home of Farmer Gray,
It'll be the perfect ending to a perfect day.
We'll be singing the songs we love to sing,
Without a single stop,
At the fireplace while we watch the chestnuts pop.
Pop! Pop! Pop!

There's a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy,
When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie.
It'll nearly be like a picture print
By Currier and Ives,
These wonderful things are things we remember all through our lives!

—"Sleigh Ride," lyrics by Mitchel Parish

Song of the Week: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

So what are sugar plums anyway? Alton Brown explained these sweet treats on a special Christmas episode of his Food Network show Good Eats this past Monday. He explained that the "plum" in sugar plum was not always necessarily a plum, but in England when these treats were created it could refer to any dried fruit, like currants or raisins. These dried fruits would be mixed with nuts, sugar, and spices to create little delicious wintry gems. Alton provided a recipe for the sugar plums as follows:

Sugar Plums
6 oz toasted slivered almonds
4 oz dried plums
4 oz apricots and figs
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 honey
pinch of salt
1 cup coarse sugar

1. Chop the almonds in a food processor.

2. Add the dried plums, apricots, and figs to the almonds and chop them in the processor--but not for too long since they might become mushy.

3. Lightly toast the anise seeds, fennel seeds, and caraway seeds in a pan.

4. Add the seeds to the chopped fruit and almonds and mix with the salt, confectioners sugar, cardamom, and honey.

5. Form into small balls and let sit overnight.

6. Roll the balls in your hand to warm them up (that's what she said) and then coat in the coarse sugar.

I haven't yet tried this recipe, but at least we've shed a little light on what sugar plums are!