The holidays means different things to different people. For many, it's all about the religious thanksgiving for the birth of Jesus. For some it's the festival of Hanukkah, for others the celebration of Kwanzaa. But over time the season itself has taken on a secular life of its own, as people of all faiths view not an exact day but the entire period as an excuse to celebrate life in general, and having made it through another year. In that light, the ability to get together with family is for some by far the most important aspect. For kids of all ages, it's a chance to give and get gifts. And many, me included, it's a chance to eat special dishes and treats which don't make an appearance the rest of the year.
But while Thanksgiving has turkey, Easter has ham and New Year's has champagne, the foods of the Christmas season are more diverse and personalized. Different families have different traditional eats, and those in the know look forward to this time of year to make and enjoy them. That's not to say that you can't make your berry trifle or horseradish-encrusted beef tenderloin or holiday tortellini soup in June or September or February, but part of the reason they are so special is that you get to taste them but once a year.
Still, it's a balancing act between those tastes you remember and crave, and new treats that might be winners going forward. Part of that is the general broadening of our palates, as driven by the internationalism of our everyday cuisine. Chinese food and flavors used to start at chop suey and end at egg foo young. Now its Szechuan beef and Kung Pao chicken, but it's also pork loin with sesame and soy, and barbequed chicken with a ginger and miso glaze. Added to that are new cooking methods from sous vide to air fryer to slow cookers, and the stage is set for things that go way beyond fruitcake.
For example, maybe Christmas tacos might please the crowd. Start with your favorite type of wrap, then add some slow cooker short ribs, topped off with red pomegranate seeds and green cilantro. Or maybe lamb meatballs with an Indian curry sauce. And since there is likely a vegetarian or two in your crowd, ditch the beef wellington and wrap the pastry around a tofu, mushroom and walnut filling.
Then there are the old favorites with a new twist. For example, Christmas pudding is fruit-based treat that's traditionally made with flour and breadcrumbs to hold it all together. But one cook is circulating a version where the starch used is quinoa, which makes it both gluten free and high in protein (if you care about that when you get to dessert). Or try blending different flavors together, such as with cranberry meatballs, or cinnamon-spiced sweet potato soup. Or if you have a family member (like we do) who is a kale lover, sub that for spinach and make baked kale gratin as an appetizer. No, we don't try and talk sense into him either.
And then there's the latest from Hellmann's. Their signature condiment will likely be a part of one or more your dishes, whether its dips or deviled eggs. But working with mixologist Cody Goldstein of hospitality company Muddling Memories, they are offering up a new take on a classic drink. Dubbed "mayo-nog" it uses mayonnaise in place of eggs in this holiday favorite. Along with dark rum, apple brandy, whole milk, heavy cream, simple syrup, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon, add a quarter cup of mayonnaise to a blender and blend until smooth. One food editor wrote "For Harry Potter fans, it's what you imagine butter beer would taste like." Lest you have any doubts as to the taste, she continues: "Trust me, you'll be surprised at how good it is."
Regardless of what you are making, odds are it will be enjoyed. As we have discovered over years of hosting dinner parties and being invited to them, the fact that someone else is taking the time to make you a meal is all it takes for it to be good. That said, if you invite me over for smalahove, a traditional Norwegian Christmas dish of a sheep's head served with potatoes and rutabaga, I might not ask for seconds: I'm not a big rutabaga fan.
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Marc Wollin of Bedford eats just about anything. Except liver. His column appears regularly in The Record-Review, The Scarsdale Inquirer and online at http://www.glancingaskance.blogspot.com/, as well as via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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