Archive: December 25, 2005 - December 31, 2005
Culinary Good Luck Charms
To get the year off to a financially promising and energetic start, the soothsayers tell us that we must eat appropriate symbols of good fortune. Consuming anything that resembles a coin (black-eyed peas, lentils, benne crackers) or cash money (collards or kale) is considered a step closer to a winning lottery ticket. Some European traditions suggest eating fatty sausage, to represent prosperity. I suppose this is why lots of folks like sauerkraut and wurst (or some variation thereof). If New Year's culinary symbols are of interest, wait just a few more weeks for the Chinese New Year, which begins Jan. 29. I'm not one to poo-poo financial wellness, and if eating Hoppin' John will improve my portfolio, bring it on. By mistake, I learned a few years ago that frozen black-eyed peas are perfectly acceptable for Hoppin' John, and in fact, I'd venture to say almost preferable to the...
By kimodo | December 30, 2005; 10:20 AM ET | Comments (4)
Whaddya Doin' New Year's Eve?
I got a crew of 10 or so coming over to my place Saturday night and I need to assemble the menu. Guests bring a favorite bottle and I reciprocate with substantial snacks. I want the lineup to be fun and festive but not too fussy with food that goes with party hats and a pair of jeans. In a way, I want everyone to feel like they're at a picnic . . . but without the ants. There's no culinary theme that I'm sticking to. I don't care if the dishes don't 'work' together. Instead, these will be a few of my favorite things that are shareable, soulful and probably a bit messy....
By kimodo | December 29, 2005; 10:37 AM ET | Email a Comment
Getting Punchy
I wish all holiday calendars could work like this year's configuration: long holiday weekends, with time for both pre- and post-party rest and recovery. How rare it is when we can eat and drink ourselves silly on New Year's Eve, with a bonus package of two whole days to nurse a hangover, extract that lampshade party hat and perhaps arrive at some sobering New Year's resolutions? With the extra time to prepare and recover, we have a perfect excuse to yip it up at home rather than taking trouble out into the streets. Today, I'll cover beverage options. Tomorrow, I'll follow up with some ideas for chow and festive snacks....
By kimodo | December 28, 2005; 11:14 AM ET | Comments (3)
Less Is More
There was no Christmas tree at my house. No tinsel, no carols, no lights. And everybody survived! I always prefer a simple version of the holidays, with minimal glitter and fuss. Christmas Eve dinner for two included a pork shoulder, black beans seasoned with cumin and oregano and sauteed plantains. For dessert, I pulled an old trick out of the pastry bag and whipped up individual molten chocolate cakes, garnished with orange segments. These little babies are deceptively easy - make the batter in advance and keep chilled in ramekins until it's time to bake in a hot oven, for only 10 minutes. The bake-to-order quality of these cakes also allows for time to digest the big meal and pace the evening as you wish. On Christmas Day, I battled two-plus hours of torrential rain on I-95 in pursuit of joining my mother and her extended clan outside Philadelphia. The...
By kimodo | December 27, 2005; 10:20 AM ET | Comments (5)
