The Annual Holiday Gifts of Season's Eatings

Except for the children, everybody has more than enough stuff. And if perchance they don't, nowadays they are probably so finicky, you won't be giving them anything they want or need.  But food is always welcome. Everybody has to eat and not everybody wants to cook. Homemade from the heart is usually the most treasured gift. After 40 years, I still have friends who eagerly wait for my December care package. And a little heat is welcome in the kitchen right now.

What's normally it it? Happy and healthy ho ho ho
1. homemade jams: strawberry, strawberry rhubarb, wild blueberry, peach, peach raspberry, apricot with cardamom, plum and quince (spectacular with goat cheese as a baguette sandwich). Some of these fruits, like quince and strawberry, you can still get now so it's not too too late. Or you can make apple butter.

2. spiced nuts: usually vanilla walnuts (a profound favorite) but sometimes cocoa covered pecans. There are also available recipes for curried walnuts. Package in elegant tea canisters or cookie tins. These glamorize oatmeal, salads, yogurt and puddings besides being a most welcome cocktail nosh or snack. Walnuts are significantly medicinal, a boost for your energy level.

3. Hot spiced roasted pumpkin seeds: the healthiest snack and crunchy salad ingredient. Nowadays I sprinkle the seed with corn oil, lots of salt and berbere spice (an Ethiopian mix that's savory and slightly hot) before roasting them at 325º until they're colorful and crisp--maybe 60 min. You can use curry powder or just chili powder. Distribute in tea canisters.

4. Date bars or chocolate bark: depends on what ingredients I get. The recipe for Berber Date Bars in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking, is a winner for sure. To make chocolate bark, you need a pound of really high quality dark/semisweet chocolate and then 2 c roasted almonds and/or pistachios and maybe a handful of dried cherries or cranberries.  In a double boiler you melt the chocolate, stir in the nuts and fruits and a pinch of cinnamon if you like that, then pour it onto a butter greased parchment on a cookie sheet. It will harden in a few hours so you can break it up and box it. Here's another option:
Chocolate Pecan Squares   (this makes 15)
1 c plus 1 tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp molasses
2 c all purpose flour
4 oz semisweet chocolate
3 extra lg eggs
1 tsp vanilla exteact
1 1/2 c pecan halves
1 1/2 c shredded cocolut
1 c Karo syrup
Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9x13" cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly butter it.
In food processor or mixer, cream 1 c butter with 1/3 c brown sugar and molasses. Add flour and mix only until batter is crumbly. Dump it into the pan and press it evenly to fit the entire bottom in a thin layer. Bake at 350º 20 min or until lightly browned.

In the top of a double boiler, melt 1 tbsp butter with the chocolate. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in vanilla, Karo syrup and 1/3 c brown sugar. One by one whisk in the eggs. Stir in pecans and coconut. Pour this mix over the cooked crust and put back in the oven at 350º 35-40 min or until the top is puffy.  Cool in the pan, then in the refrigerator before cutting into squares while very cold.

5. Pan de higos, Spanish fig cake: this is how the Catalans preserve figs and almonds for the winter. Think of it as the ultimate fig newton filling: a large disk of compressed dried figs with almonds, anise seed and a pinch of spice. Great with cheese or tea and perfect to carry around. It couldn't be easier: you remove the stems from a lb of dried figs and put them in a food processor with 1 tsp of anise seed, pinches of ground cloves and cinnamon. Optionally also a tbsp of honey and tsp of brandy. Whiz until figs break up. Then toss in 8-10 raw almonds and whiz until the mixture congeals into a paste. Remove, roll into a ball and flatten slightly. Line a shallow 5" baking dish or pot or bowl with parchment and fit the fig mix in, flattening it into a disk. Cover with parchment, top with a heavy weight and let it sit 24 hours. Unmold, wrap and give!
P.s. You can also do this with dried apricots, pistachios and cardamom.

6. Dilly beans or asparagus: the beans are a kid favorite, asparagus dazzles adults. Couldn't be easier. Or more welcome. Recipe in How to Fix a Leek...on the asparagus page. Works for green beans too.

7. Chutney: usually blueberry/apple which enhances chicken and turkey like nothing else, or this year everybody's new favorite, rhubarb/date, which is sensational on a cheese plate. Fermented foods with vinegar are very nutritious and can supply much needed winter vitamins. Blueberry apple recipe is in How to Fix a Leek.....  Rhubarb doesn't seem to be available right now but if you have some, I posted the recipe earlier on this blog.

8. Cookies or Quickbreads
Cookies are either buttery to the max or gingerbread.  The seasonal quickbread options are carrot/cream cheese/raisin, banana and lemon/cranberry. But here is an old recipe I recently found for a lovely Danish Cardamom Coffee Cake.
1/2 lb unsalted butter
1 c sugar
1 c dried currants
zest of 1 lemon, grated
zest of 1 orange, grated
1 tbsp ground cardamom
1 tsp vanilla
2 c all purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
6 eggs
2 tbsp cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 350º. Butter a loaf pan.
Cream butter and sugar. Add the grated zests, currants, cardamom and vanilla. Blend.
Beat in the eggs one by one. Mix flour and baking powder, then slowly add to the dough.
Fill the buttered pan evenly, level the top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool and remove from pan. Wrap in decorative tin foil and tie with ribbon.

Be prepared to feel the love.