For these fêtes held either at our house or
elsewhere—someone else’s home, or a restaurant, or even out in the woods (a
Solstice celebration), food is central. Its tastes, scents, and textures draw people together. It's no wonder that the kitchen is always the most popular place at a party, despite how much the hostess or host tries to spread the revelry around.
Over the years I’ve developed some
recipes that I now make every holiday season. Many of these originated from Gourmet magazine, the first food
magazine I ever subscribed to, right out of college. I was a loyal reader until
its demise in 2009. Gourmet was a
cheap vacation to exotic locales when I couldn’t go there myself, and the
inspiration for many a meal I prepared for family and friends. I was very sad
to see it shut down.
Imagine my delight when I discovered the publication of a special holiday issue this year called Gourmet Holiday. I read it from cover to cover while sitting in a repair shop
waiting for my car to be fixed (escapism at its best). The magazine didn’t
disappoint: it was a visual feast and contained, among many others, a new
recipe for chocolate pecan pie, and a colorful salad made with radicchio, fennel, and
pomegranate seeds, both perfect for a family Christmas Eve dinner at our friends the
Raycroft Meyers.
For this special night, I also like to make Gougères. I
discovered these delicious little treats when I was in college studying in
Dijon, France. They’re basically bite-sized popovers, but with the addition of grated Gruyère,
which elevates them above mere popover status.
They go perfectly with an apéritif,
or in this case as an accompaniment to Pete’s cheddar ale soup which usually
starts the meal.
For Christmas Day, I make an apple tart topped with thinly
sliced Granny Smith apples. It doesn’t take too much time out of the day to
prepare, and is a light dessert following an epic dinner with Chris’s sister’s
family in Hinesburg.
For a holiday gathering at our house, I like to keep it
simple during this busy time by serving foods that take minimal preparation.
Charcuterie, pâté with toasts,
fat green olives,
and a cheese plate featuring selections from France, Italy, and Vermont.
Of course there must be sweets. Sugar cookies made with the
girls that disappear within a few days,
and dark and white chocolate swirled peppermint bark.
One recipe that I discovered in Gourmet way back in November 1992 and make every year is Laurie Colwin’s Rosemary
Walnuts (or my own variation on them).
A fiction and food writer, Colwin died unexpectedly that
year at age 48. I did not know her, but whenever I make these walnuts, I think of
her. During this time of year, people who are no longer with us—those we’ve
loved and perhaps those we’ve never even met—often come to mind. The loss of loved
ones has been ever more acute this year after what happened in Newtown. One of
the many things we can (re)learn from that horrific day is to not take anything
for granted. As my favorite holiday song reminds us, “Through the years we all will be
together. If the fates allow…”
Happy New Year, everyone. May it be filled with peace, joy,
and love.
Rosemary Walnuts (inspired by Laurie
Colwin’s recipe in Gourmet, November
1992)
2 cups walnuts
2 ½ T olive oil
1 t dried, crumbled rosemary
1 t powdered rosemary
½ t powdered chipotle
½ t salt
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, rosemary,
chipotle, and salt. Pour the mixture over the walnuts and toss with a spoon to
coat well. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350˚ F for ten minutes. Store in an airtight
container for up to two weeks.
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