email this pageWhy does food taste best when eaten covertly, like the little pieces of turkey you sneak while carving the bird, or the first stolen hot cookie? Maybe because it’s the little things that make cooking so wonderful, like licking the batter off the beaters.
Which brings me to the Roast Pork Loin. While testing, we ate our share, standing over the roasting pan, dipping little pieces of the pork into the yummy pan drippings.
The holidays are a great time to get into the kitchen, even if you don’t usually cook. My mom didn’t cook at all, but did manage to make the German Drop Cookies every Christmas. Give them a try; they’re simple—and, the dough tastes great. Happy Holidays!
Jill Melton, editor
Season’s Greetings
Take advantage of in-season produce‑‑ persimmons, pears, oranges, apples and pomegranates‑‑for cooking and decorations.
Cheers Y’All
Here are the foreign-language equivalents of “cheers” and “to your good health” for happy sentiments and sipping.
Danish - Skaal (skawl)
Dutch - Proost (proast)
Finnish - Kippis (kip’ pis)
or salut (sa-lu)
French - A votre santé
(ah vo’ tra san’ tay)
German - Prosit (pro’ sit)
or Zum Wohl (tsum voal)
Hebrew - L’chayim (leh khy’ yim)
ITALIAN - Salute (sah loo’ tay)
or chin chin
Japanese - Kanpai (kahn pay)
PORTUGUESE - Saúde (ser oo’ dher)
Spanish - A su salud (ah soo sah loodh’)
(Source: The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette)
Puff! It’s Magic
What’s the next best thing to a personal chef over the holidays? A package of puff pastry. This flaky crispy dough makes appetizers (Parmesan Paprika Twists, anyone?), entrees (Roasted Chicken Pot Pie) and desserts (Honey-Spice Walnut Tart) a snap. More than 50 recipes for these and more can be found in the new book Puff, by Martha Holmberg (Chronicle, 2008). Roll it, fill it, top it, or layer it, and voilá, let the holidays begin. You’ll find puff pastry in the freezer section of the supermarket. For more easy, entertaining recipes go to relishmag.com/pastry
Great Stocking Stuffer
Tired of losing the measuring spoons in your utensil drawer? These magnetic spoons stick together keeping them all intact. Perfect for the cook on your Christmas list. $7.95 at Crate and Barrel and other cookware and department stores.
You won’t look like a dishrag in the kitchen with these vintage-inspired aprons by Carolyn’s Kitchen. For more styles and to order, go to carolynskitchenonline.com
Ham, Gruyere and Dijon Palmiers
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2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup (3 ounces) shredded aged Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 ounce) freshly and finely grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces very thinly sliced good-quality baked ham, such as Black Forest
2. Spread mustard over pastry. Distribute cheeses evenly over surface. Arrange ham in a single even layer, cutting to fit. Lay parchment paper or wax paper on top and gently compress layers with a rolling pin. Peel off paper.
3. Cut rectangle in half to make two 10-by-7-inch bands. Roll one long edge of one of the bands into the center; roll the opposite edge in so the two rolls meet in the middle and resemble a double scroll. Press lightly so the rolls stick together (spread a few drops of water where the two rolls meet to help them stick, if you need to). Repeat with the second band. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least 1 hour in the refrigerator or 30 minutes in the freezer.
4. Preheat oven to 425F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. With a very sharp knife, slice each roll into 24 pieces. Place on baking sheets at least 1 inch apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until pastry is flaky. Serve warm or within the hour, if possible. Makes 48.
Recipe adapted with permission from Martha Holmberg’s Puff (Chronicle, 2008).
Related Stories
If you enjoyed reading this story, This and That December 2008 , then you might enjoy these other stories.- Puff! It's Magic
- This and That December 2007
- Can You Say Comte
- This and That December 2006
- Cookie Swap
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