The Christmas Spirit

I filled my days. Baking, cooking, cleaning... avoiding thinking.

Pip-a-doodle helped me wrap.
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"Christmas, children is not a date. It's a state of mind." - Mary Ellen Chase

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I was writing a story from my childhood. A story that vividly evoked and celebrated my father's life. I was missing him.

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I watered every bit of greenery in the home. Including the orchids which were sent from my cousins in the days following the loss of my father. Never mind that they now were a stick. I would water that stick until it crumpled into dust.

"On Christmas Day, we're going to make a Bûche de Noël," announced my daughter. I blanched a bit for I cook more than I bake. But it was Christmas and if it didn't turn out well, the process could still bright yuletide joy. Unless of course, it ended up in the garbage can.

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For the first Christmas Day in my children's lives - there would be just four of us. The first Christmas without my father. My mother and sister would be in NYC. Was it possible to keep it celebratory when it was so small?
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"Traditions change all the time. We want to save the culture of food here." - Giovanni Rebora, Italian food historian.

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And so our new Christmas would establish a culture of food - past and present. Lasagne for the old and a new Bûche de Noël for my French-loving daughter.

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"He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming! It came! Somehow or other, it came just the same." - Dr. Seuss

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And so it came.

But a Bûche de Noël! Suppose after rolling and rerolling the cake, it cracked? Suppose the mushrooms were blobs? What if? What if?

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Christmas Eve:

The Christmas-tidal wave that is the Haas family came. Oyster stew, two turkeys, 4 sides without dairy or eggs to combat allergies. Cookies. A vegan chocolate cake.... and some plump, puffed doves resting after their Christmas Eve meal of seeds.

Grateful for Hickory Farms which I received as part of the Foodbuzz tastemaker Program. It saved me time which was running out before the feast. Slice and serve. 30 people are about to enter my home.

And they all brought cookies. Delicious caramels, molasses cookies, sugar cookies, and chocolate truffle mice.

I was grateful for the Christmas spirit that said, don't bake - make food. You will need food.

A torrent of hungry people. Chasing wee ones. While the wee ones chased Pippin and Sadie.

I'm dishing out Oyster Stew and the Christmas Spirit says "look down and don't trip." And so I do. And below me are the youngest fascinated by Pippin drinking. They were ready to try getting their water in the same way.
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We stopped them.

"Kirsten, could you be wearing any less?" mentioned Grandma Haas as she gazed at her granddaughter in her old, high school show choir dress. We all felt a need for sparkle this year.

Grandpa Haas turned 92.

And Santa visited. The wee ones followed him out looking for reindeer. We danced as fast as we could and scurried Santa out the door. Christmas Eve was boisterous. Loving. Filled with food and laughter. Would Christmas Day be too quiet?

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And late that night after all were snuggled inside their own homes, we all slept the sleep of children hoping we had been mostly "nice."
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Christmas morning: the day of the Bûche de Noël. A lot was riding on that log. It will fill a void this Christmas.

Christmas morning:

all is bright.

Pip took refuge but he was safe. All is calm.

Coffee and waiting for the kids. Reading the Bûche de Noël recipe again and again. In the same way, I memorized lines in the days of yore.
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The Christmas challenge awaits.

Kirsten decided on a Williams-Sonoma recipe. Williams-Sonoma has never failed her. It has a lot of steps. More steps than my lasagne.

But you get to douse a dish towel with confectioner's sugar and play. My husband took one look at the kitchen, grabbed a book and some coffee and retreated. Matthew napped with a cat and a dog who were still exhausted from Christmas Eve. Kirsten and I took out every measuring cup in the house and rolled up our sleeves. Creating a new tradition must be taken seriously.
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"If it cracks while rolling, we'll cover it up with the frosting." Always good to have Plan B.

A cleverly-disguised log. Not even the cat knew the secrets inside this towel

Kirsten piped the meringue mushrooms. I know my limitations. I piped the stems. I've spent a lot of time with mushroom stems. They don't need to be perfect.

And after squeezing squiggles of all sizes, we removed the frosting from the ice bath and started speading. I don't particularly love frosting. Too sweet and cloying, it's never been worth the calories.

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But this was a chocolate-mousse-type confection. All silky and embracing. Delicate as an angels wing and as rich as their hymns.

The meringue mushrooms were in the oven. The lasagne was assembled.

The cake was re-rolled and the lasgane was still waiting its turn in the oven. It was three hours later. Six-thirty. The men-folk were getting hungry. We had been noshing on overflowing meringues and errant frosting. We were sated,

The lasagne was worth the wait. All was working out. I had a Guardian Angel.

Kirsten glued the stems to the mushroom caps and returned all to the oven. All was too good to be true. Kirsten also had a guardian angel. Still, we were sure they would explode in the oven. Nothing happens this easily in our household.

Bu they didn't explode. The stems stayed glued. The chocolate curled. The cake didn't break. Christmas was here. Without fanfare.
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"Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more."

Maybe it's a process. Maybe it's teamwork. Maybe the Christmas spirit does guide all if you summon it.

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It's not too late to make your own Bûche de Noël. The recipe is here. In our season of change, we didn't change a thing. But one thing did change Christmas Eve. Paul called me into the living room.

The orchid was in bloom.

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Happy Boxing Day! May your New Year bring confections and blooms.

Cranberry Salsa, Hickory Farms, Tag, Tiny Tim, whew...

My friend Brian is a congenial soul. He can come to Thanksgiving and discuss family with my mother, theatre with me as well as dogs, travel and food with everyone else. Plus, he's well-brought up and always brings something. If you're lucky he brings this cranberry salsa - mixed with apples, a pickled jalapeno, red peppers and stirred into a sweet-tart-touch-of-heat, addictive salsa that I spoon-feed myslef when only the dog and cat are looking.

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After dinner - out came the pumpkin-mascarpone pie in its rustic pumpkin pie dish, out came my mother's sumptuous trifle in the sparkling glass bowl and out came the cannoli cream in the crystal. And then out came the cannoli shells in ... their... box. Which brought a retort from Brian, "You're putting cardboard on the table?" I forgave him. Because:

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a. it was Thanksgiving Day

b. out of our years of friendship and working together on shows and most importantly -

c. the salsa.


Yes, it's the offending cannoli box.

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But below is Brian's calling card- the jewelled-apple-lovin' salsa. A holiday on a tortilla chip.


Cranberry salsa has a lot going for it - especially for the holiday season. The salsa is low-fat and the ruby-red cranberries sparkle the colors of the season. Use it as a dip for tortilla chips or toasted pita bread. Add it to turkey sandwiches (with Brie!) or to top a sliced rotisserie chicken.

Cranberry Salsa Ingredients

12 oz fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 med red onion
1 granny smith apple - peeled and cored and cut into 1/8's
2 tbl pickled jalapano - chopped
2 tsp lime zest
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup apple juice
2 tbls cilantro chopped

Cranberry Salsa Preparation
1. Chop cranberries, red pepper, onion and apple separately in a food processor. (You can also chop all by hand.) You want small pieces - do not pulverize them.
2. Chop the jalapeno and cilantro by hand.
3. In a large bowl combine chopped cranberries, red pepper, onion, apple and jalapeno and stir.
4. Add lime zest and sugar and stir to coat all. Add apple juice and stir. Top with cilantro and toss till combined.
5. Let sit 3-4 hours to allow the flavors to combine. Can do ahead - the salsa keeps for days in an airtight covered container in the refrigerator.

This is a salsa recipe that begs to played with. If you want it more tart, reduce the sugar. Add sweetness with a honey crisp apple instead of the granny smith. Or add two apples. Throw the entire bell pepper into the salsa. If you like more heat in your salsa, add another pickled jalapeno - or two. Or eliminate it. The variety of flavors dance on your tongue so adapt the cranberry salsa to your palate.
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And to add to my holiday pleasure, because I am part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker's Program, I received an extraordinary holiday package from Hickory Farms.
Sausages, cheeses and mustards which go right to my savory heart.

I am hosting Christmas Eve for my husband's side of the family - for about 40 people give or take ten people.

This beauty will see serious use. I will have fun providing an assortment of breads, crackers, olives and vegetables to complement this generous gift. Come back Christmas Eve - it will be quite a spread. Or drop by, there will be so many people, what does it matter if a few more arrive on the doorstep?

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I have frequently used Hickory Farms gift packages as presents. Check out their website to see the variety of their Holiday Gift baskets - there's a size and price to fit all tastes. I do thank them for generously adding to my Christmas Eve Feast.

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And - I have been tagged by Sophie of Sophie Foodiefiles. Sophie's website is filled with her original, healthy recipes that enchant the eye and satisfy the stomach. Please visit her when you have time. You will be enticed by her recipes.

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I am not good at being tagged. I don't have favorites - for anything. I have moods and the moods dictate my cravings. And they're very much in the moment.

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1. What is your most memorable meal that you ate in your life & why?

One stand-out was a dinner in Hawaii - on my honeymoon - where we had lobster just flown in from Maine. I know.

2. Why did you started blogging?

To provide a record for my family - of recipes - and family lore. But the unexpected happened and the connections made in blogosphere have enriched me and kept me blogging even when I am on deadline (oh - like today!).

3. What is your favourite restaurant, where & why?

No favorites - and as any Italian will tell you - the best restaurant is at home.

4. Which are your 3 most favourite chefs in the whole world and why?

No favorites - take a look at my blog list and the blogs I follow and that's where I find new recipes!

5. What is your favourite recipe on your own blog and why?

Hmmmm, that favorite thing again. I'm fond of my mussels and carbonara and the deeply rich butter chocolate cake Kirsten made me for my birthday. Each recipe brings a reminder of past meals, past celebrations and the promise of gracing my table again and getting me even chunkier.

6. To which music do you listen to when you cook and bake & why?

Rock 'n roll. Energizing!

7. What is the strangest food that you have ever eaten and did you like it or not?

Confession: I don't do strange foods.

8. What is your most lovely food destination in the world & why?

Italy. France does not lag far behind - but Italy. To sample what does not make it into the USA. To enjoy food that never travelled on trucks. Plus they have gondolas, the Mediterranean and wild boars.

9. What is your most favourite food shop in the world & why?

Farmer's Markets. You get to schmooze with farmers, find new vegetables and they will tell you their secret way of cooking them. Now, that's a good time!

10. Which kitchen gadget do you love the most & why?

Not a huge gadget person. Although one can really have fun with an olive pitter!

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I have more catching up to do with you but as stated - I am on deadline (December 1st), so let me mention the ending of my Thanksgiving holiday. I have worked with this young boy in three shows. He's all of 8 years old and has an intuitive talent that shines and a kindness of being that glows. And he is Tiny Tim in The Guthrie Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol.

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On Sunday, the theatre darkened, the lights came on center stage and there was Noah - all by himself opening the show with this lyrical, haunting rendition of "Coventry Carol." Heady stuff for an eight-year-old. I teared over and I just knew -

- having Noah end my weekend with his simple and pure "God bless us, everyone" was the perfect ending to a holiday weekend that started with salsa.