Toasting nuts intensifies their flavor and makes them easier to chop.
Butter produces the tastiest Pie crust.
deconstructing
Explanations from the inside out
sugarplums
The sugarplums of yesteryear aren't likely to be dancing in the heads of 21st century kids dreaming of a visit from Santa Claus. Baby Bottle Pops and Gummi bears, oh yes. Dried fruit, no way.
You see, Clement Moore wrote A Visit from St. Nicolas (or 'Twas the Night Before Christmas as it is popularly called) in 1822, way before the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory came along with pure imagination and Everlasting Gobstoppers.
In the early 1800s, sugarplums were candied fruit and sometimes candied spices or seeds, according to the Encyclopedia of Christmas by Tanya Gulevich (Omnigraphics, 2002). Some food historians say there was a bush that grew sugarplums, a fruit smaller than a standard plum, gold in color and sweet as honey. The fruit was scarce, thanks to hungry birds, and it was a special treat to find a sugared plum in a stocking on Christmas morning.
In Moore's day, a sugarplum might have been dried and sweetened apricots or cherries or even ginger, aniseeds or caraway seeds. All dried fruit was called by the generic "plum," which is why England's traditional Christmas dessert is called plum pudding even though it's studded with raisins, currants and figs and has no plums at all.
Hmmm. Sounds suspiciously like a fruitcake, which might be enjoying a better legacy had it been called sugarplum cake, don't you think?
constant comment
"Then I would be slap-dashing home, the gravy smell of the dinners of others, the bird smell, the brandy, the pudding and mince, coiling up to my nostrils . . ."
- Poet Dylan Thomas, A Child's Christmas in Wales.
cooking class
Toasting nuts intensifies their flavor and makes them easier to chop. To warm nuts, roast in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes or heat in a microwave oven for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Adapted from The New Food Lover's Tiptionary by Sharon Tyler Herbst (William Morrow, 2002).
global cookies
International offerings distinguish A Baker's Field Guide to Christmas Cookies (Harvard Common Press, $14.95), by Dede Wilson. Sicilian cooks will recognize the cucidati (fig cookies) but they might never have heard of the chrusti (bow ties) that are familiar to Polish cooks, who in turn might consider bizcochitos (anise cookies) from Mexico a novelty. The spiral-bound cookbook highlights 75 treats from around the world, with concise cooking and storage instructions, historical background and lots of tips.
menu planning
When planning a big holiday meal, don't include all new recipes. Try a few new dishes along with a couple tried and true ones. Cooking for a crowd can be stressful enough and if the whole meal is new to you, you may set yourself off the pressure meter.
holiday gifts
Cooking tools like pie crimpers, wooden spoons and fine-toothed microplane zesters, tied together with a pretty bow, make great little holiday gifts for baking buddies. If you have a master griller on your list, an instant read thermometer, exotic spice rub and handy mop brush may brighten their holiday season.
in the spirits drink
For the adults at your holiday brunch, mix 1/2 cup peach schnapps, 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 1 cup vanilla ice cream and 2 cups crushed ice in a blender until smooth. Serves four. Or maybe two.
tips for pies
There are countless crust recipes to choose from; some call for butter, others rely on shortening, solo or with butter, and there are still a few old-fashioned lard-based ones, as well. However, butter produces the tastiest crust, although it can be trickier to work since it's sensitive to heat. Just remember to keep the butter chilled, and if the dough gets warm and sticky, pop it in the fridge until it is more manageable. Shortening produces a flaky crust but falls flat on flavor. If your family recipe uses lard, our health-conscious advice is to enjoy this snappy crisp crust in moderation.
If plagued by tough crust, add a teaspoon of white or cider vinegar per cup of flour to the liquid in the recipe, and try working the dough a little bit less. The added acidity tenderizes the dough.
- Compiled by JANET K. KEELER from staff and wire reports
