Archive: December 18, 2005 - December 24, 2005
To the Meat of the Holiday Season
It's the Friday before a big long holiday weekend, and maybe you're still running around picking up guests or presents. Or maybe you're just like me and haven't EVEN begun to put together a menu for the weekend. I'm shooting to get to the store this evening, with list in hand and inspiration in my pocket. Since time is of the essence, and I've still got a bunch of work to do before the fun begins, the operative word is "simple" for preparing this weekend's festive supper. So I'm thinking main dish as the star, veggies, etc. as the supporting cast. I want cooking time to be minimal or, at least, low maintenance enough so that I can sip on a glass of wine without worrying if something is burning. Here's what I've got up my sleeve, representing various protein departments, and a possible meatless item as well, just in...
By kimodo | December 23, 2005; 11:41 AM ET | Email a Comment
Kwanzaa Snacking
I was in Charleston, S.C., for the first time this spring, and during my weekend stay only scratched the surface of the rich culinary heritage of this part of the south, and in particular, that of Gullah country. I did stumble upon all kinds of delicious morsels, including the benne cracker, a thin sesame seed wafer that's a little bit sweet, a little bit savory. I wolfed down a bag and bought one for my pals back home, intrigued by their flavor and texture. It was only during recent research that I put benne crackers together with Kwanzaa and came up with some interesting tidbits. It turns out that sesame seeds (known as benne seeds to West African slaves) were among the few possessions that made their way aboard slave ships and ultimately in the cuisines of the American south. I tried my hand at making a bunch of bennes...
By kimodo | December 22, 2005; 12:53 PM ET | Comments (2)
Gingery Request
Many of you expressed an interest in getting your hands on details for a gingerbread pudding, if you will. Below are the goods; please note that I haven't tested the recipe but I will vouch for many others in Sara Perry''s reliable "Great Gingerbread" from where this comes. Enjoy -- and please post kitchen reports! Indian Gingerbread Pudding with Autumn CompoteFrom "Great Gingerbread" by Sara Perry Ingredients:2 cups milkpinch salt½ cup yellow cornmeal¼ cup packed dark brown sugar½ cup whipping cream1/3 cup maple syrup1 teaspoon ground ginger½ teaspoon ground cinnamon¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg Compote:½ lemon2 large ripe pears - Comice, Bartlett or Bosc - peeled, cored and diced¼-1/2 cup dried cranberries½ cup packed brown sugar1 teaspoon ground ginger Method:Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place a baking sheet on the middle rack. Butter six 6-ounce ramekins.In a large saucepan, heat the milk and salt over medium heat until almost boiling. Slowly...
By kimodo | December 22, 2005; 12:05 PM ET | Email a Comment
Let's Celebrate -- Winter Has Begun!
According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, winter begins at 1:35 p.m. today. What this means is that today is the darkest day of the year, with the sun setting at 4:49 in Washington. (In Chicago, it's even earlier, at 4:22!) But don't let the darkness get you down. For those of us in the seasonal affective disorder club, the winter solstice is a day to celebrate, because it means that starting tomorrow, the sun will set later and later, bringing us closer to those longer days of sunlight and playing outside yet again. So, let's do a little dance. A little nosh wouldn't hurt, either. I'm thinking something tropical. Mango champagne cocktail, perhaps? I just got my hands on two new titles that are putting me in the mood for a little cha-cha-cha: "Mambo Mixers" by Arlen Gargagliano and "Latin Chic" by Carolina Buia and Isabel C. Gonzalez. "Mambo" is...
By kimodo | December 21, 2005; 10:55 AM ET | Comments (1)
'Tis the Season for 'Kah and 'Zaa, Too
Based on television commercials alone, you'd think that the only holiday coming up this weekend is Christmas. There's Santa, yet again, at the Kay Jewelers buying a rock for Mrs. Claus and there go those Target kids, getting jiggy by the tree, dancing to a holiday rendition of an Earth, Wind and Fire tune. Thing is, there's a whole lot goin' on this long holiday weekend, which includes both Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, both culinary events in and of themselves. The eight-day Jewish festival of lights actually coincides this year with Christmas, kicking off the evening of Dec. 25. Wake up the next morning, Dec. 26, and there's Kwanzaa to celebrate, the seven-day tribute to Africa and African-inspired culture, which continues until New Year's Day. So as you can see, there is much to do beyond trimming a tree and waiting for the fat dude to come down the chimney. There...
By kimodo | December 20, 2005; 10:13 AM ET | Comments (8)
The Chronicles of Gingerbread
It was a two-day affair, this gingerbread-building business. I've detailed the steps in a mini-diary of sorts, with pics to give you the full flavor of the experience. Thursday afternoon/evening Weather: Flurries and freezing Nancy and I took kids Ruby (10) and August (6) to pick out gum drops, red hots and jelly rings for decorating. We also picked up a box of nonpareils (remember those?) for the roof shingles. Between homework and making dinner, I showed the kids how to make the dough, a fun lesson in measurements and math and learning what ground ginger actually smells like. They were more interested in watching "The Santa Clause," with Tim Allen, than cutting the gingerbread into house shapes, so Nan and I decided to venture forward without them....
By kimodo | December 19, 2005; 09:25 AM ET | Comments (2)
