All things Christmas

Christmas memories for me are filled with food. I can barely remember from year to year where we spent the holiday as a kid or what I received from Santa, but I can vividly recall the meals, the smells, the cookies and the cooking. To this day, I crave my family’s traditional Christmas foods: my mom’s fruitcake and her soft scrambled Christmas eggs, my grandpa’s homemade crescent rolls, a good old fashioned honey baked ham and those peanut butter cookies topped with a Hershey’s kiss. I also now, with the addition of in-laws and my own grown-up traditions, anxiously await the holidays for my brother-in-law’s coconut rum eggnog, a traditional New Orleans milk punch, Chinese dim sum and amazing, golden trout caviar from North Carolina. I would love to share some of my own happiest holiday food traditions with you below and wish you and your family a merry Christmas and happy New Year!

Yes, fruitcake

All right, so back to that fruitcake of my mom’s. Of course, I know all about the stigma connected with the Christmas fruitcake. The re-gifting of the thing, of course. The disgustingness of them, typically. The florescent fruit. But, seriously, my mom’s fruitcake is completely yummy and pretty to boot. Loaded with maraschino cherries, toasted pecans and coconut, with a graham cracker base and drizzled liberally with sweetened condensed milk, it’s a glorious, festive dessert. Although for me it’s most decadent at breakfast. Mom’s fruitcake was what Santa got on his plate every year and I promise you that he never left a crumb! Mom grew up also eating that fruitcake. It was my German grandfather’s recipe and he made it every Christmas without fail. I hope that maybe, just maybe this delicious fruitcake might lead a fruitcake revolution and possibly start a fruitcake tradition in your home.

Mmm milk punch!

You say eggnog…I say milk punch! My husband is a born and bred New Orleanian. He comes from a huge, old-school, traditional Southern family and you know how us Southerners love our traditions. Especially when they involve booze. I’d been living in New Orleans for only a couple of months when I woke up one morning, not having any idea that from that day on my Christmases would be forever changed. That’s the day when I was introduced to my first milk punch. It was holiday season in the French Quarter – the nicest time to be there, less stinky! – when my husband and I ducked into the grand dame of New Orleans’ restaurants, Galatoire’s. Before I knew it, I was sipping on a lovingly prepared, creamy cocktail of happiness, with a dusting of nutmeg. A traditional New Orleans milk punch is a potent combination of milk, sugar and cream, with a tiny splash of rose water and a not so tiny splash of brandy, although I prefer bourbon. I was immediately enamored and am now the token milk punch maker in our home, perfecting it over the years if I do say so myself. Stephen’s mom always kept a milk jug in the fridge filled with milk punch, at the ready for last minute company or an after-dinner nip, always tied with a red bow so you wouldn’t make the not so terrible mistake of putting it in your coffee.

Fah-Rah-Rah

Christmas meals for my family were absolutely always at our home or the home of my grandparents. We never ever went out on a holiday and for that I am grateful. Most meals were fairly traditional, the token ham or turkey, Florida lobster if the diving that year was successful or mom’s Beef Wellington if we were really lucky. The closest thing to ethnic was when my grandpa switched from his famous, perfectly rare roast beef to his now annual Christmas stir fry, complete with red and green peppers. When my husband and I decided to spend our holidays every year in New York City, we started a tradition that almost ten years later endures: Chinese on Christmas. Our favorite Chinatown spot specialized in Peking Duck and now it just wouldn’t be Christmas without it. We still almost always venture into San Francisco’s chaotic and crowded Chinatown on Christmas for Peking Duck, sitting amongst the throngs of boisterous Chinese families. And never does a duck get delivered to our table without us both singing, “Deck the hars with bars of harry, Fah Rah Rah Rah Rah Rah!” from the hilarious movie, A Christmas Story. Just don’t shoot your eye out!

On the Menu

Don’t forget the Friday Farmer’s Market is being held tomorrow, December 24, even though it is Christmas Eve. A perfect opportunity to pick up provisions for your holiday meals and unique last minute gifts.

• For a limited time, the Hot Box Grill is offering a killer-looking burger – two patties, swiss and cheddar, pickles, onions, lettuce, tomato, and bacon aioli…bacon aioli!!, and a homemade bun! – their famous duck fat fries AND a 10 ounce draft beer for a mere $14! The catch? The special is available only on Fridays and Saturdays and only from 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. The Hot Box is located at 18350 Sonoma Highway. Call for more details or to make reservations at 939.8383.

• The Tuesday, December 28, edition of Sommelier Christopher Sawyer’s always fun, always educational and always free, Grape to Glass seminar is “Festive Sparkling Wines for New Years.” You obviously know where I’ll be that evening! Held at the Carneros Bistro at 5:30 p.m. Call 931.2042 for more information.

• Mark your calendar for the Olive Season’s always popular event, “Martini Madness,” on Friday, January 7. This always sold-out event, celebrating its tenth year, features a great selection of Sonoma’s most creative bartenders vying for the title of best martini maker. Held at MacArthur Place, guests will have the opportunity to sample each martini and vote for their favorite, while nibbling on appetizers and listening to live jazz. For more information call MacArthur Place at 996.1090, ext. 108. Tickets can be purchased by visiting macarthurplace.com.

Mom’s Fruitcake
Makes 1 large or 2 small cakes

1 pound of crushed Graham Cracker crumbs
1 pound of chopped and toasted pecans, plus a few whole ones for garnish
16 oz. jar of Maraschino cherries, drained and halved (reserve syrup)
1 pound of raisins
1 pound of shredded coconut
1 can of sweetened condensed milk

In a large bowl (or in the kitchen sink, as my dad used to do) mix together all the ingredients until well combined. Drizzle the condensed milk over the entire mixture and using your hands, mix and mix until the milk has been thoroughly incorporated into the rest of the ingredients. Almost kneading it until everything is combined. Add a very small amount of the cherry syrup to moisten the mixture and continue to combine. Add the mixture a little at a time into your bread pan(s) or ring mold and using a heavy can or other object, press down the mixture until it’s compact. Continue to do this until you’ve used all the mixture. Chill overnight. To serve, simply cut into slices.

note: The consistency of this fruitcake is not typical “cake” consistency. It’s a bit sticky and candy-like.