Food is Food

Hanukkah is known as the festival of lights, it’s a holiday celebrated for eight nights, and like so many other holidays, it celebrates the perseverance of the Jewish people in the face of adversity. The reason the holiday is for eight nights, is because oil for an oil lamp for use in the temple that was supposed to last only one day, lasted a full eight days. Miraculously this was the time needed to replenish the supply. In truth, it's a holiday that gets very little attention.

Christmas is a big deal holiday. Hanukkah however takes on inflated importance because of its proximity to Christmas. This year it will be celebrated from December 16 through December 24th. But other than spinning a top called a dreidl, lighting candles to commemorate the miracle and eating potato pancakes or latkes which are fried in oil, there’s not much more to it. When it comes to food, there are no advent calendars filled with toys or chocolate, just cheap chocolate coins. There is no buche de Noel, no fancy holiday cookies, no gingerbread houses. In Israel they celebrate by eating jelly donuts called sufganiyot, but I've never seen them let alone tasted them.

While some gourmet retailers have put together gift baskets, I’ve never found any I thought were very good. Most of them are actually pretty pathetic, they often include items from other Jewish holidays, as if no one would notice. Traditional Purim cookies called Hamantaschen in a Hanukkah basket? It’s the equivalent of offering up chocolate Easter eggs for Christmas. No bueno.

But thanks to Manischewitz there is a Chanukah House! For kids this is a fun way to celebrate and get in the holiday spirit. The kit comes with cookie house panels and plenty of frosting, sprinkles, mini beads, sanding sugar and little medallions for decorating. There is a contest launching today, December 9, 2014 with $3500 in cash prizes for the best houses.

In the future I hope I can offer up some fun treats from chocolatiers and candy makers. If you see something special, please do let me know. In the meantime, here are links to my two favorite and highly entertaining Chanukah songs:

Adam Sandler Chanukah Song on Saturday Night Live

Matisyahu Hanukkah Song: Miracle

I’m giving away one Chanukah House Decorating Kit!

In order to be considered to win the Chanukah House Decorating Kit (valued at $17.99), please leave a comment telling me how you celebrate Chanukah or any creative ideas you have for decorating the house. You must have a US mailing address to win, and you must include your email in the appropriate field when you leave a comment (your email will only be visible to me). One entry per person. I will choose a winner at random, this Thursday, December 11, 2014.

Disclaimer: My thanks to Manischewitz for hosting this giveaway, I was not monetarily compensated for this or any other post.

I'm all about making little trays of baked goods and treats for random people during the holidays. Even if you have no idea what sort of likes and dislikes the person may have, it's a gesture that says, "Hey, Nice Lady At The Bagel Shop Where I Spend Way Too Much Money, you're nice, Happy Holidays!" I tend to make things all December long, storing them in airtight containers in the fridge, so I can pull them out when someone like the Amazon delivery dude comes by (every, single, day). Fudge is the perfect treat to make... it lasts for a long time and is very rich, therefore you can cut them in teeny, tiny pieces. This Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge is sooooo good, and topped with sea salt? I mean, the Amazon delivery dude might fall in love with you. Which could be a problem, since he's at your house every, single, day.

Recipe here.

And so it begins! I plan on making something sinfully scrumptious every day this month. Maybe. Ok, I probably won't, but I'm going to try. And I'm going to stand on street corners, handing treats out to all who pass by, but only if they're jolly. And only if it's warm outside. First up, Andes Mint Bark... easy to make (especially in bulk), easy to gift, easy to eat waaaay too much of.

Recipe here.

These books are focused on vegetables, but are not strictly vegetarian. They are each written by very accomplished food writers and great to keep or give ('tis the season after all).

Rick Rodgers created 450 recipes for The Big Book of Sides, a collection that covers not just vegetables but beans, grains, salads, quick breads and rolls, pickles and so much more. In fact, many of these side dishes can be combined to make a meal without anyone noticing there is no main dish! The book can you get your through any holiday, but also weeknight meals.

The nice thing about this book, and why I think it’s destined to become classic, is that it covers the basics like how to perfectly steam rice or make a potato salad as well as more adventuresome showstopper dishes like Portobello Mushroom “Fondue”, Freekeh with Zucchini, Yogurt and Dill, Miso Glazed Eggplant with Ginger and Garlic or Black Eyed Peas and Kale Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette.

This is a cookbook and also a reference book, offering up guidance on cooking various ingredients ranging from artichokes through zucchini with information on how to buy, store and prepare from an award-winning cookbook author and cooking instructor.

The recipes in Shroom are wildly creative. No run of the mill creamed mushroom or 70’s throwback mushroom stroganoff. Recipes are organized by the type of mushroom, and you’ll find just a few button, cremini and portobello mushroom recipes. Even those are not the expected “portobello mushroom burger” but Portobello Mushroom Shakshuka with Baked Eggs and Israeli Feta. Mushrooms end up in recipes you’d never expect like Seared Scallops with Lion’s Mane and Truffle-Honey Pan Sauce, Squid Ink Pasta with Lobster Mushroom and Squid, Beech Mushrooms in Phyllo with Georgian Walnut Sauce and Pomegranate, or Hedgehog and Cashew Chili (yes that’s hedgehog mushrooms).

The recipes all come with a wine pairing suggestion and each chapter has a guide to the mushrooms—how to buy them, their season, how to cook and preserve them, etc. Though the cookbook isn’t vegetarian, recipes like Porcini Salad with Pine Nuts and Lemon Salt really highlight the mushrooms and make sure they are the main act. They are restaurant worthy recipes, but not overly fussy. This is the book for mushroom lovers.

Greens + Grains is the first cookbook from Molly Watson. A past Sunset magazine staff writer, she creates solid recipes and has grown a strong following at her Local Foods About.com site. Her cookbook brings a fresh eye to the combination of greens and grains. For those who are trying to eat more whole grains but perhaps also struggling with finding more recipes for kale, chard and collard greens this book provides solutions.

Some of the uses of grains are particularly creative like Escarole Salad with Toasted Quinoa, Greens Stuffed Cornmeal Cakes and a Chard and Quinoa Terrine. There are recipes for crackers and flatbread and “handy techniques” for storing and preparing the main ingredients. The tone of the book is authoritative but friendly and approachable.

Disclaimer: These books were provided to me as review copies, this post includes affiliate links.

When I worked in a gourmet retail store as a teenager, I got a chance to try many delectable things. I sampled high quality chocolates imported from Europe, pistachios from Iran, Alice Medrich's mammoth truffles, and panforte made by Margaret Fox of Cafe Beaujolais. I'll never forget those heavy round thick loaves, wrapped in dark red or green cellophane. Thin chewy slices served with or tea or alongside cheese seemed so sophisticated. It was definitely the best fruitcake I ever tasted.

My parents made panforte too and last year I realized it would be the perfect thing to make with a surplus of candied lemon peel. My recipe uses rice flour instead of wheat flour, which means it is gluten free! If you have nuts in your freezer, and they weren't bought this season, they are probably from last season and now is a good time to finish them off.

This recipe is very adaptable, you can switch out the cranberries and use dried cherries or berries if you prefer or swap out about 1/4 of candied ginger for some of the citrus peel. I imagine if you wanted to make it vegan you could also use coconut oil instead of butter. It makes a really nice gift, even just a wedge of it. Cut the loaves with a heavy knife and wrap wedges in parchment paper, and then in colored cellophane if you have it and seal with a sticker. Otherwise fasten the parchment using tape or twine.

Panforte

Makes 1 -2 loaves

2 cups toasted nuts, preferably almonds and hazelnuts

1 1/3 cups candied citrus peel, preferably homemade lemon

3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried figs, such as Mission or Calimyrna

1/4 cup dried cranberries

½ cup sweet rice flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

2/3 cup sugar

¼ cup honey

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Rice flour for the pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 6 inch oven proof pans (I use enameled cast iron ones) or an 8 inch pan you could use a springform pan with parchment paper. Dust the parchment paper with rice flour.

Combine the almonds, hazelnuts, candied peel, figs, rice flour, zest and spices together in a bowl and stir until combined the ingredients are dusted with the rice flour.

Measure the sugar, honey, and butter into a large dutch oven and cook over low heat just until butter melts. Take the dutch oven off the heat and working fairly quickly, add the fruit nut mixture and stir until well combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pans, and press until as smooth and even as possible. The easiest way to do this is to place another smaller pot or pan on top of the mixture and press. Dust the top with more rice flour.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until set. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan. Remove the from the pan, brush the rice flour from the panforte using a pastry brush. To serve slice into thin wedges.

Enjoy!

Are you the type of person that has all their holiday shopping done early? Teach me. Teach me the way to not stress every single day until the very end when I realize I'm WAY behind. What did people even DO before online shopping? Did they actually rub elbows with each other at... THE MALL?! Oh, the horror. I vaguely remember doing that when I was only responsible for buying, like, two presents. Well, guess what? Even though I've only begun to stress, I'm going to help you knock something off your list, right, NOW.

I recently received this GORGEOUS serving tray and bowl set from Pacific Merchants line of Acacia Wood products. It's actually called a Baguette Tray with 3 Dipping Bowls, and you better believe I'm going to buy crusty bread and make three delicious dips to accompany it. But for now, I've been bringing it out every night as an appetizer tray, and I couldn't love it's simplicity, functionality or beauty more. And now, it's time for YOU to receive something!

Pacific Merchants is generously gifting one of you a Salad Bowl and Server Set! If you win, you may choose any of their 10" or 12" bowls (they come in a variety of beautiful shapes). This is a perfect gift for someone who loves to cook or entertain... orrrrr you could totally keep it for yourself.

Please visit this page, and comment below letting me know what you love. And don't forget to "like" Pacific Merchants on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. I will announce the winner Wednesday at 8am EST (only US residents eligible to win). Good luck! Happy Weekend!

Pumpkin spice mania has gripped the nation, flavoring everything from coffee to candles. While I do enjoy a scoop of pumpkin ice cream that appears seasonally at the Original Swensen’s ice cream shop, there are actually plenty of other sweet flavors that signal the holiday season. There’s gingerbread, cranberry, cinnamon apple, eggnog and peppermint to name just a few. Here are some holiday flavored things to eat and drink I’ve come across lately (my favorites are indicated with a ❄).

Talenti Gelato makes a few "seasonal only" flavors as well as some others that are also nice this time of year.

❄ Peppermint Bark is a seasonal only flavor combines thin crisp flakes of semisweet Belgian Callebaut chocolate with a bright creamy peppermint gelato. This is ridiculously good. I cannot get enough of it. Either stock up or avoid it because once you try it, you will be hooked. $3.50 per pint at my local grocery store.

❄ Fudge Brownie gelato is for anyone who likes chocolate; this is a hit. It’s a rich chocolate ice cream, but with bits of rich and fudgey chocolate brownie in it, small pieces, but just enough to make the gelato even more chocolatey and delicious. So good! Thankfully it’s available all year long. About $3.99 per pint.

I love the flavor of eggnog, I even use it things like pancakes. Old World Eggnog gelato has that very custardy flavor rich with eggs, vanilla and nutmeg. I like it, though not as much as the Peppermint Bark or the Fudge Brownie. It’s another limited seasonally available flavor. Suggested retail price is $4.99-5.99 per pint.

Pumpkin Pie gelato has brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin plus pieces of pie crust. I found this flavor heavy on the spice and I’m not a fan of pie crust in my ice cream so this one did not win me over. It’s only available until December 31. Suggested retail price is $4.99-5.99 per pint.

Caramel Apple Pie gelato is another gelato with pie crust, just not my thing. This also has a lot of caramel flavor that competes with the apple flavor. I guess I like my gelato more simple and pure. About $3.99 per pint.

❄ Spiced Winter Red Tea is called tea, and it comes from a company called TeaPigs, but there is no actual tea in it. Winter Spice Red Tea is mainly the herb rooibos, with orange peel, ginkgo leaves, orange blossom, cinnamon, ginseng, cloves and safflower petals. I’m pretty crazy about it. The spices are well integrated not overpowering but warming. It’s particularly good with milk and needs no sugar.

This could definitely be your go to winter tea and I think it would be great to use in hot apple cider or to make mulled wine! A package of 15 tea bags is $9.99

DAVIDsTEA has a huge selection of blends—with herbs, flowers, spices. They have over 150 varieties and blends, and you can smell or even try any one you like at a Davids Tea shop. Some have green or black tea but not all of them. Some also use artificial flavorings, so do check the labels if that’s a concern. They offer different teas each season, the Winter Collection is available individually or in boxes with 3 or all 5 for $27.50.

❄ Apple Custard is a fruit infusion with apples, golden raisins, coriander, chamomile and a hint of vanilla (both natural and artificial flavoring). It’s a good tea to use in a cocktail. It’s nice to have a holiday flavor that doesn’t include cinnamon for a change.

❄ Bubbie’s Baklava is an oolong tea with roasted chicory root, pineapple, papaya, cinnamon, walnuts, apple, ginger, roasted almonds, cardamom, rose pepper, pistachios, rose blossom, artificial flavoring. It somehow manages to have the richness of baklava. It’s a really fun tea. I was surprised at how much I liked it. I can imagine it made into a wonderful simple syrup to use in drinks or with desserts.

Cocomint tea is another fruit infusion. It includes apple, coconut, sweet blackberry leaves, peppermint, spearmint and natural coconut flavoring. It's fruity and neither the coconut or the mint really come across. Let's just say it's not my cup of tea.

Sugarplum Forest is a rooibos based tea with apple, hibiscus, ginger, licorice root, raisins, cinnamon, rose hip peel, plum, cardamom, star anise, bruised pepper, cloves, chili pieces, and artificial flavoring. It's fruity with a subtle chili kick to it. It will tickle your throat! Don't over brew it.

Vanilla Chai is an organic black tea with cinnamon, black tea, licorice root, ginger, vanilla and natural vanilla and cream flavoring. All chai is different and Davids Tea makes quite a few including Chocolate Chili Chai, Pumpkin Chai, Cinnamon Rooibos Chai and Saigon Chai with cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. This one is more traditional but with plenty of spice.

❄ Chateau Bakery Clair de Lune Buttery Sugar Cookies are ridiculously buttery and simply divine! They pair so well with holiday flavored ice cream or tea that I just had to include them. I know many people like to bake cookies this time of year, but I challenge you to make cookies as good as these! They are made with nothing more than cane sugar, flour, butter, salt and vanilla powder. They positively melt in your mouth. You can get them in a handsome large box for $25 or four small boxes for $16, which would be perfect to tuck into a gift basket.

I can’t think of a nicer hostess gift than either a pint of holiday ice cream and cookies or holiday tea and cookies. Can you?

Disclaimer: My thanks to Talenti Gelato, Davids Tea and Chateau Bakery for providing samples for me to review. I was not monetarily compensated for this or any other post.

We're on our way back home today and I couldn't be more excited to start baking holiday cookies and treats. I am going to call myself "Intha" for the entire month of December, which is a name I just made up by combining Martha and Ina. It's a beautiful name, isn't it? I will most likely name my 4th or 5th or 6th baby Intha. What's more important, however, is the spirit that Intha represents, which is "holiday food and decor created in an obsessive and perfect way." Yeah, Intha be crazy. So look forward to that!

But first, please enjoy this easy (my phone just autocorrected "easy" to "rash" and that made me chuckle) breakfast snack. It's very simple to throw together and extremely versatile, meaning everything and anything can go into it. Here's what I did:

To make 6 bites, whisk 6 eggs together in a bowl with a couple tablespoons of milk. Add one cup of chopped kale, and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Spray a muffin tin with baking spray. Add one slice of pancetta to each cup (optional), and then evenly distribute the eggs. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. I put the broiler on for the last few minutes to make them golden brown.

Did you read my reviews of books on pickling and fermentation? The techniques are easy to master and the ingredients are not expensive, but there are some tools that are particularly helpful. One would be a fermentation crock.

I was recently contacted by Pacific Merchants about their fermenting and storage crocks. Pacific Merchants is a small, family owned and run company in Los Angeles. They carry unique, beautiful and fun to use products from around the world. There are several reasons why their crocks are so good for fermentation. But they can explain that better than I can:

The 5 liter crock is tall but actually has a fairly small footprint. It fits nicely in a corner of my pantry. My cool, dark pantry should maintain the ideal temperature for fermenting vegetables, about 65-72 degrees. Once I have fermented the vegetables to my liking (I'll start tasting about a week after fermenting) I can water bath can them or store them in the refrigerator, which will maintain their live active cultures.

This handsome looking crock comes with the stone weights, so while the 5 liters might seem large, I won't actually be filling up the entire thing.

Pacific Merchants is offering one lucky Cooking with Amy reader a 5 liter fermentation crock worth $117!

In order to be considered to win, please leave a comment telling me what you would like to ferment in the crock, some suggestions include sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, bread starter or kombucha. You must have a US mailing address to win, and you must include your email in the appropriate field when you leave a comment (your email will only be visible to me). One entry per person. I will choose a winner at random, this Friday, December 5, 2014.

Disclaimer: My thanks to Pacific Merchants for providing me and one of my readers with a fermentation crock. I was not monetarily compensated for this or any other post.

Hello friends! How is everyone doing on this back-to-reality Monday? I'm feeling a little full, and a little stressed that it's December 1st and there are THREE MORE WEEKS UNTIL CHRISTMAS. I plan on spending most of this cyber day one-clicking presents and typing in promotional codes, and maybe by nightfall (who says that) I'll feel better.

The truth is, we've been away from home for awhile and I always feel a slight lack of control when I'm not in my regular surroundings. For instance, I've cooked 3 things in the last 10 days and that all fell on Thanksgiving (hence, the lack of blogging). I was in charge of vegetable sides this year, and this Root Vegetable Mash that I made up was by far my favorite. Yams, turnips, cauliflower and pears... mashed together with horseradish and cream. It might sound like an interesting combination, but everything worked perfectly together. It tasted light and fluffy and earthy, and the slight sweetness from the pear counterbalanced the bite from the horseradish. The perfect alternative to typical mashed potatoes, and a great side to make all winter long.

(It also works well on a sandwich with leftover turkey, leftover brussel sprouts and cheese...)

Root Vegetable Mash

(Serves 10)

Printable Recipe

5 yams, peeled and roughly chopped

2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped

1 head cauliflower, florets roughly chopped

2 pears, peeled and roughly chopped

3 T prepared horseradish (more or less depending on preference)

3 T half and half (more or less depending on consistency)

Salt and pepper to taste

Place yams, parsnips, cauliflower and pears in a large pot. Pour in water until everything is covered. Add a generous amount of salt, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until everything is fork tender. Drain and place back in pot. Add cream and horseradish, and using an immersion blender (or hand-held mixer), puree until you reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Food is Food

Category

Blog Archive

Let’s Talk Hanukkah (or Chanukah) & Giveaway!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

Andes Mint Bark

Mostly Vegetable Cookbooks

Panforte Recipe

Acacia Wood Giveaway!

Winter Flavors: A Gift Guide

Baked Egg & Kale Bites

Pacific Merchants Fermentation Crock Giveaway!

Root Vegetable Mash

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