What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Frank Loesser composed the song “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” in 1947.

According to Susan Loesser’s biography of her father, A Most Remarkable Fella, the singer of the song is supposed to be asking the title question in the early spring, thinking ahead and hoping that a new relationship will last until December.

“It always annoyed my father when the song was sung during the holidays,” the composer’s daughter writes.

When a songwriter publishes a song and sends it out into the world, however, the song can be reinterpreted over and over again—and Frank Loesser has clearly lost the battle of New Year’s Eve.

His song perfectly epitomizes the mixture of reflection, hope, and sleepiness we feel as midnight looms on December 31. It’s a lovely piece—slightly jazzy and easy to sing because the melody makes the lyrics seem effortless, like conversation.

Maybe it’s much too early in the game.
Ah, but I thought I’d ask you just the same:
What are you doing New Year’s, New Year’s Eve?

I’ll definitely be singing it tonight as part of a set Alice Parker and I are performing at the Charlemont Inn. And this afternoon as I vocalize I plan to make bannocks—at least, my version of bannocks.

Bannocks are one of the traditional Scottish foods associated with the celebration of Hogmanay. This Scottish New Year holiday begins on New Year’s Eve (sometimes even earlier) and extends into New Year’s Day (sometimes even later).

Hogmanay is a major festival in Scotland these days, not unlike July 14 in France. A Scottish website, Hogmanay.net, documents many of the contemporary celebrations and offers some history as well as an opportunity to sing “Auld Lang Syne” by following a bouncing ball.

According to Hogmanay lore, the New Year will be prosperous if a dark stranger is the first person to cross one’s threshold in the New Year. The stranger is supposed to bring a token gift, often a lump of coal to keep the fire warm. The homeowner reciprocates with refreshment.

A typical refreshment offered is a bannock, an oatmeal cake that according to varying accounts resembles a scone—or a pancake—or a cookie.

I’ve never tasted an authentic bannock, and I encourage readers with recipes to send them in! In the meantime, I’m baking my version of this treat, which is distinctly scone like.

I love the word “bannock.” It sounds solid and practical. My bannocks are also solid (although not hard!) and taste pleasantly of country life.

It’s unlikely that a dark and handsome stranger will cross my threshold at midnight.

Snow is predicted late this evening in Hawley, Massachusetts, and the town tends to be geriatric so any handsome stranger who actually makes it up my steep hill will probably be silver haired. But a girl can always hope.

If no stranger shows up, we’ll eat the bannocks for breakfast on New Year’s Day.

Happy New Year to all! I look forward to singing and cooking with you in 2010…

Tinky’s Inauthentic but Tasty Bannocks

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal (not quick cooking)
1/2 cup blended oatmeal (put oats in your blender and pulverize them into a flour-like consistency; then measure out 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1-1/2 teaspoons baking power
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) sweet butter
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 to 2/3 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
white sugar for the top of the bannocks

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325 and lightly grease two cookie sheets (or line them with silicone or parchment).

In a medium bowl combine the flour, oatmeals, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Cut in the butter; then stir in the raisins.

In a mixing cup whisk together 1/2 cup buttermilk, the egg, and the vanilla. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients. If the batter won’t quite hold together, add a little more buttermilk.

Drop the bannock batter into 12 mounds on the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle a little sugar on the top of each mound.

Bake the bannocks for 18 to 25 minutes, until they are brown on the edges. Let the bannocks cool on the cookie sheets for a minute or two before serving them warm. (If you can’t use them right away, reheat them briefly before serving; they’re best eaten quite fresh from the oven.)

Makes 12 bannocks.

Wisconsin Cranberry Bread

In a recent post I wrote about the annual cranberry festival in Warrens, Wisconsin. The recipe below is adapted from its Best of Cranfest cookbook. Lyda Lind of Pine River, Wisconsin, entered this festive bread in a 1990 competition.

I would never have thought of combining cranberries with coconut, but the combination would be a winner in any book. The bread makes a lovely holiday gift. Remember, we still have seven days (and nights) of Christmas left!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) sweet butter
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
2 cups chopped cranberries (I just cut them in half)
1 cup white raisins
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup pecans (optional—if you use them, cut the coconut back to 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 2 regular loaf pans or 5 small ones.

Cream together the sugar and shortening. Add the eggs and mix well. Stir in the cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and blend thoroughly.

Measure out the flour, and place 2 tablespoons of it into a bowl along with the cranberries, raisins, coconut, and pecans (if using). Mix well, and add this fruit mixture to the butter batter.

Blend in the remaining flour and the vanilla. You will have a fairly stiff batter. Spoon it into the prepared pans.

Bake the loaves until a toothpick inserted into the center of the batter comes out clean—about 55 to 60 minutes for the large loaves and 35 to 40 for the small ones.

Let the loaves rest in their pans for 10 minutes; then remove them and let them cool on a wire rack. Makes 2 large or 5 small loaves.

Bloomie's Broccoli Soup

We ate turkey for Christmas dinner this year. Like most people, I enjoy turkey above all for the leftovers it provides.

I love turkey tetrazzini, turkey pizza, and turkey salad—and I can hardly wait to get my hands on the turkey carcass to make stock! Here’s one of many quick and easy uses for that stock.

I worked for a while as a culinary demonstrator at Bloomingdale’s in McLean, Virginia. It was a fun job: basically, I got to try out all sorts of different cookware and feed hungry shoppers. They were always grateful.

The store’s KitchenAid representative, a genial guy named Bob Moss, told me that he knew I was a real cook when he walked in and saw me chopping up a huge pile of broccoli for soup.

I don’t know whether I’m a real cook, but this is certainly my idea of real soup. Other versions may be heavier and creamier, but this one is simple and delicious. In one bowl it combines protein, calcium, and vegetables. Eating well was never so yummy. Maybe I am a real cook!

As always, I encourage readers to experiment with this recipe. If you like your soup thicker, use more of the flour/butter/milk mixture. If you want fresh herbs in your soup, toss in a few (I’d suggest tarragon or thyme) to simmer with the stock and vegetables.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, coarsely chopped
a small amount of butter for sautéing plus 1-1/2 tablespoons butter later
2-1/2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli (generous)
4 cups homemade turkey or chicken stock (if you have a little turkey or chicken in the stock, that’s just wonderful)
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 to 1 cup milk
cream to taste (we used about 1/4 cup)
salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste (the red pepper is optional but gives a nice kick)
shredded sharp cheddar cheese to taste

Instructions:

In a 3-quart saucepan sauté the onion pieces in butter until they begin to soften and waft out a lovely aroma. Toss in the broccoli, followed by the stock. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Cover the soup, reduce the heat, and simmer it until the vegetables are cooked, about 20 minutes (time depends on the age and thickness of your broccoli).

Remove the soup from the heat and cool it briefly before pureeing it in batches (be careful not to splash hot soup on yourself!). Return the pureed soup to the saucepan.

In a small saucepan melt the 1-1/2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the flour to make a roux, and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk, and cook, whisking, until thick (this will take only a minute or so). Whisk in the cream.

Add the milk mixture to the soup, and heat the whole thing to make sure it is warmed through. Add salt and pepper(s) to taste. Serve in bowls with heaps of shredded cheese.

Serves 4.

My picture isn't out of focus: that's steam rising from the stock and veggies!

Peppermint-Swirl Brownies

Regular readers may ask whether in fact I didn’t just post a peppermint-brownie recipe. The answer is yes, I did, and I’m not ashamed to admit it!

I don’t believe a cook can combine chocolate and peppermint too often at this time of year. And the two brownie recipes, although both good, are quite different.

This one is a holiday version of a basic cream-cheese brownie. The fudgy base is adapted from King Arthur Flour. The cream-cheese-peppermint layer might be a bit much on any other day of the year, but not on Christmas Eve.

We took them yesterday to lunch with my one of my mother’s oldest friends, Riley Yriart, and her son Juan. My mother and Riley met in France in 1937 and still like to get together whenever they can.

Riley may look a little doubtful about the brownies in the photo below, but she did seem to like them.

Jan (left) and Riley met in college. They still enjoy each other's company--and a little good food and good wine.

Ingredients:

for the brownie base:

1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups flour
12 ounces (2 cups) chocolate chips

for the peppermint layer:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 or 2 drops of red food coloring (enough to make the mixture a gentle pink–optional)
4 to 5 candy canes, crushed (the more pulverized the better)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment paper or foil, and grease the parchment (or foil).

Begin with the brownie base. In a 3-quart saucepan over low heat melt the butter. Add the 2 cups of sugar, and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat briefly—until hot but not bubbling. (It will become shiny looking as you stir it.)

Remove it from the heat and let it cool briefly while you assemble the other ingredients.

Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Add the eggs, beating until smooth; then stir in the flour and chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into your pan.

Next, work on the cream-cheese layer. In a small mixing bowl beat the cream cheese. Beat in the 1/2 cup sugar, egg, salt, peppermint extract, and food coloring (if you’re using it). Gently stir in the candy.

Spoon the cream cheese gently on top of the brownie batter; then use a knife to swirl it around gently.

Bake the brownies until they just start to brown on the very edges (30 to 35 minutes). Remove them from the oven.

After 5 to 10 minutes loosen the edges of the parchment paper or foil. Cool completely before cutting and serving.

Makes about 2 dozen brownies, depending on how large you cut them.

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Mexican Chicken Pizza

My family and I were looking for something simple to make and eat while trimming our Christmas tree—and then Erin Cosby Idehenre posted a picture on Facebook of a pizza she had just made!

Erin is the great-granddaughter of Mary Parker (a.k.a. Gam), the late matriarch of my Hawley, Massachusetts, neighborhood. So we’re sort of related.

A multitalented young woman, Erin has two spirited little daughters, five-year-old Paige and five-month-old Mina, and a darling marine husband, Azi.

(I may be predisposed toward Azi because we met at a family event at which everyone was singing. When he heard my voice he asked whether I was an opera singer. Some people might say this indicates that he doesn’t know a lot about music. I say it indicates that he’s insightful!)

Erin’s picture of her creation looked so good that I had to make the pizza. She gave me the basic outlines, and I adapted a few things as is my wont.

My family was skeptical of the pizza’s original name, Chicken Taco Pizza. So I changed it to Mexican Chicken Pizza. (Sorry, Erin! You’re still a great cook!) The pizza isn’t really Mexican since Erin lives in North Carolina and I live in Massachusetts, but it is influenced by Mexican cuisine.

You’ll note that the recipe makes two pizzas. You may make two and freeze one, cut the ingredients in half, or use the ingredients listed and just pile them on a bit thicker.

You may also add to the pizza as you like. I was feeding a small child and didn’t want to get too spicy, but adults might like jalapeños on the thing.

However you make it, the recipe is a winner. We’re thinking of making it again Christmas Eve (and maybe even New Year’s Eve with leftover Christmas turkey!). It’s simple, tasty, and satisfying.

We’re confident that Santa will enjoy the piece we plan to leave out for him. No coal for us this year!

left to right: Paige, Azi, Erin, and Baby Mina

Chicken (or even Turkey) Taco Pizza a.k.a. Mexican Pizza

Ingredients:

for the crust:

2 1-pound packages of commercial pizza dough (make your own if you want to; I got lazy)

for the black beans:

extra-virgin olive oil as need for sautéing
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin or cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
several turns of the pepper grinder
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 15-ounce can black beans

for the chicken:

1/4 cup chicken stock
2 to 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin or cumin seed

for assembly:

the black bean mixture above
12 ounces shredded cheese (a mixture of Monterey Jack and cheddar works well)
the chicken mixture above
1 7-ounce can chopped green chiles
1 6-ounce can pitted ripe olives, drained and chopped into little rings

optional garnishes:

salsa fresca (or jarred salsa if fresh is unavailable)
sour cream
guacamole (we didn’t have it and thus didn’t use it, but it would be good!)
minced fresh cilantro

Instructions:

Bring the pizza dough to room temperature and preheat the oven as indicated in your dough instructions.

While the oven is preheating do the quick cooking of the beans and the chicken.

Start with the bean mixture. In a 2-quart saucepan with a fairly wide bottom (so you can start by sautéing) heat a splash of oil over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Throw in the onion and garlic pieces, and sauté them for a couple of minutes to release their aroma and juices. Add the seasonings and stir for a minute; then stir in the stock and beans.

Bring the bean mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes—until the seasonings have mellowed a little and some of the liquid has evaporated. Set aside, and move onto the chicken mixture.

In a small frying pan over medium heat bring 1/4 cup chicken stock to a boil. Throw in the chicken, chili powder, and cumin, and cook for a minute or two, stirring. The seasonings should be well distributed throughout the chicken, and most of the stock should have evaporated. Set this mixture aside as well.

Next, roll and/or stretch each piece of pizza dough out gently (this may take a few tries) so that it forms a 14-inch circle (or a rectangle to go onto a cookie sheet if you don’t have a pizza pan). Use a little flour to help with this if necessary.


Spray your pans lightly with cooking spray and oil them even more lightly. Place the dough on the pans.

Divide the bean mixture between the two pizzas, and use a spatula to spread it almost to the edges of the pizzas. Sprinkle the cheese on next, followed by the chicken, green chiles, and olives.

Bake the pizza until the cheese is nicely melted and the bottom of the crust turns golden brown. With my crust (from Trader Joe’s) and my oven (old) this took 10 to 12 minutes.

Place the garnishes on bowls at the table so people can help themselves. (Erin put them on herself before serving the pizza; you may also do this.)

Makes 2 pizzas.

The last piece of pizza looked lonely. Fortunately, it didn't have to wait long to be eaten!

Café au Lait Fudge

I recently mused on these pages about the joys of making (and sharing) fudge, particularly at this time of year. I concluded with a chocolate fudge recipe.

Fudge isn’t always chocolate, however. I like to make a number of flavors–penuche (a brown-sugar confection), peanut butter, divinity … and this coffee fudge. It’s definitely more sophisticated than its chocolate country cousin.

I like to make it with a strong coffee such as Medaglia D'Oro Caffé Espresso. You may of course use any brand or flavor of instant coffee you like, including (gasp!) hazelnut coffee or some odd substance like that.

The end product tastes like a particularly rich coffee milk shake.

I sent some as a gift to my friend Diana. She reports that her husband Sam inserted a piece of the fudge and a pat of butter into half an acorn squash before cooking it one evening, “and the result was delicious.”

Obviously, I have come up with a versatile confection!

The Fudge

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons instant coffee
3 cups sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup milk
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Combine the coffee, sugar, and salt in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan, and stir in the cream, corn syrup, and milk. Place the pan over low to medium heat.

Stir the mixture constantly until it comes to a boil; then cover it for a minute or two to wash down the sides of the pan. Uncover the mixture, and cook it, without stirring, until it reaches the soft-ball stage (234 degrees). Remove from heat.

Add the butter and the vanilla, and let the mixture cool for a few minutes without stirring it (don’t let it get cooler than lukewarm; optimally, it should be a bit warmer than that).

Beat the warm fudge until it becomes creamy and thickens slightly–in other words until it begins to seem fudgy. Quickly pour it into a greased 8-by-8-inch pan, and let it cool. This recipe makes about 2 dozen pieces of fudge.

Naturally, I had to try a LITTLE piece of fudge myself!

Introducing: The Twelve Cookies of Christmas

I'm getting ready to fill my cookie tin!

Welcome to a new monthly feature of In Our Grandmothers’ Kitchens.

Nothing says “Christmas” like a plate of cookies, preferably accompanied by a glass of crisp cold milk or a mug of steaming hot cocoa.

After all, we wouldn’t give Santa anything less than our best.

A few days ago I came up with the idea of doing a series called “The Twelve Cookies of Christmas.”

Unfortunately, I don’t have the energy or the waistline necessary to make (and perhaps consume) twelve different kinds of cookies between now and December 25, 2009.

So I’m aiming for Christmas 2010.

Once a month from now until next December I plan to post a Christmas cookie recipe. When December rolls along the twelve cookies will all be in place. (You’ll have to supply the milk and cocoa yourselves.)

I hope readers and friends will submit their favorite cookies as the months roll by.

My “Partridge in a Pear Tree” cookie comes from Marcia Powell of Norwalk, Connecticut.

Marcia’s cranberry lemon cookies are unusual because their base is a cake mix. She writes that she and her grandchildren Allison and Cooper adapted the recipe from one in The Cake Mix Bible.

The cookies’ yellow-and-red color is striking. Their flavor is sophisticated enough for adults but sweet enough for kids. My nephew Michael and his friend Carson loved them.

I have a feeling I’m going to try them with orange cake mix and peel next………. Yum!



Marcia Powell’s Cranberry Lemon Cookies

Ingredients:

1 package lemon cake mix (According to Marcia, The Cake Mix Bible calls for for Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Lemon Cake Mix. She has also used a Shop Rite mix)
1/2 cup (1 stick) sweet butter, melted (Marcia uses vegetable oil, but I used butter for flavor)
2 eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1-1/2 cups (half of a 12-ounce bag) cranberries

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with silicone or parchment. (Marcia actually uses an ungreased cookie sheet, but my cookie sheets are old, and I tend to be paranoid about sticking.)

In a large bowl combine the cake mix and melted butter. Stir in the eggs, followed by the lemon peel and the cranberries.

Drop the cookies by rounded teaspoons onto the baking sheets. You may also make them larger—up to a tablespoon. Mine were about 2 teaspoons.

Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn light golden brown.

Cool the cookies for 1 minute on their baking sheets; then remove them to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 20 to 48 cookies, depending on how large yours are.

Carson was happy to help test the cookies!

Sweet Potato Pancakes (a.k.a. Yam-e-kes)

A few days ago, after making Samosa Latkes (yum, yum!), I promised I would post the recipe for the sweet potato latkes my family made the same evening.

We call them Yam-e-kes.

Yes, I know sweet potatoes aren’t really yams, but the name was too cute to resist!

Like most of my latkes (including my standard version, posted last year), these are a little messy. They’re also more than a little tasty.

They have a gorgeous rich color. (Unfortunately, my photograph doesn’t quite do them justice. We ate them so quickly I didn't have time to snap another picture!)

I like adding rosemary to some of them, particularly when serving them with poultry. My nephew Michael, who calls rosemary leaves “those twigs,” prefers them plain.

So I’m making the rosemary optional.

Enjoy the last couple of days of Hanukkah (or Chanukah or however you want to spell it!)……..

Yam-e-kes

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 large onion, more or less finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons flour or matzo meal (plus a little more if you need it)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
several of grinds of your pepper mill
1 teaspoon dried (or 2 teaspoons fresh) rosemary (optional)
extra-virgin olive oil as needed for frying

Instructions:

Wash the sweet potatoes well and peel them if you want to (the skins are nutritious so you don’t have to). Grate them using the grater attachment of a food processor.

In a medium bowl, combine the sweet-potato pieces, onion, eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and rosemary (if you’re using it). In a large frying pan, heat a few tablespoons of oil until the oil begins to shimmer.

Scoop some of the sweet-potato mixture out of the bowl with a soup spoon, and flatten it with your hand. Pop the flattened potato into the hot oil. It should hiss and bubble a bit; if not, wait before you put more pancakes into the oil.

It’s just fine if your yam-e-kes are a little ragged around the edges. If they don’t hold together and are hard to turn, however, you may want to add a little more flour to your batter.

Fry the pancakes a few at a time, turning each when the first side turns a golden brown. Drain the cooked latkes on paper towels; then pop them into a 250-degree oven to stay warm until you have finished cooking all the batter.

Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish.

Happy Hanukkah from my family to yours!

Latkes and Beyond (Samosa Latkes)!

A Samosa Latke

Once a year or so (usually at Hanukkah, of course!) my family loves latkes. We don’t fry a lot of food, but when a holiday is all about oil one has to indulge in a little frying.

We usually make the traditional latkes I chronicled in a post last year at this time. This year I thought we’d try something a little different. We actually made TWO new kinds of latkes.

One version, which I’ll detail in a future post (making and eating latkes can really wear a girl out), was made with sweet potatoes. We called these Yam-e-kes.

I got the idea for the second version from Chef Jamie Geller of Kosher.com. I had been toying with the idea of making samosas, my favorite potato-based Indian turnovers, for some time. Jamie came up with the idea of putting samosa spices into a latke.

Since “Sam-e-kes” sounds a little awkward I’m just using Jamie’s terminology and calling these Samosa Latkes. They represent a wonderful pairing of two cuisines I adore.

If you’d like to see Jamie’s version of these latkes, please visit Kosher.com’s recipes for Hanukkah (she offers other great ideas as well!). You’ll note that she has produced a relatively low-fat latke. Since we only make them once a year we kept the fat.

I should warn you that my nephew Michael doesn’t believe that EITHER of our experiments actually qualifies as a latke. Whatever they are, they’re pretty tasty.

One note: these are not particularly spicy Sam-e-kes, only flavorful ones. If you’d like more spice, feel free to add more to taste.

Happy Hanukkah!

Samosa Latkes

Ingredients:

2 large baking potatoes
1 large onion, more or less finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons flour or matzo meal (plus a little more if you need it)
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger root
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon hot curry powder
2 cups peas, barely cooked
extra-virgin olive oil as needed for frying
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

Instructions:

Wash the potatoes well and peel them if you want to (the skins are nutritious so you don’t have to). Grate them. This takes a really long time with a box grater so I prefer to use the grater attachment of a food processor.

(Do not use the main blade of a food processor as it will make the potato pieces small and wet.)

Wrap the potato shreds in a clean dishtowel. Carry it to the sink, and wring out as much liquid as you can. Leave the wrapped shreds in the sink to drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients (and maybe have a cocktail or two).

In a medium bowl, combine the potato pieces, onion, eggs, flour, ginger, salt, and spices. Stir in the peas. In a large frying pan, heat a few tablespoons of oil until the oil begins to shimmer.

Scoop some of the potato mixture out of the bowl with a soup spoon, and flatten it with your hand. Pop the flattened potato into the hot oil. It should hiss and bubble a bit; if not, wait before you put more pancakes into the oil.

It’s just fine if your latkes are a little ragged around the edges. If they don’t hold together and are hard to turn, however, you may want to add a little more flour to your batter.

Fry the potato cakes a few at a time, turning each when the first side becomes golden. Drain the cooked latkes on paper towels; then pop them into a 250-degree oven to stay warm until their cousins are finished cooking.

When you run out of batter (or feel you have enough for your family!), sprinkle the chopped cilantro over your latkes, light the menorah, and eat. Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish.

Michael loves to light the Hanukkah candles.

Fudge and Friendship

I love to cook, but I don’t love cooking that involves a lot of work. I seldom make a recipe that takes more than an hour or so to prepare. I figure I have better things to do with my time than linger in the kitchen–like watching reruns of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” on TV.

One exception to this “no fuss, no lingering” rule is a culinary form perfectly suited to the winter months–candy making. In this mode of food preparation, taking your time is the whole point.

When I think of making candy I picture cool, crisp nights and soft, powdery snow. I also think of friendship. Candy is best made with others.

I grew up in a candy-making household. When I was little my mother frequently organized taffy pulls for my birthday, which fell (and still falls) at this time of year. Carefully supervised taffy tugging kept small hands busy and provided treats for party guests to take home.

During my teenage years I spent what now seems like hundreds of happy hours with friends gathered around the stove waiting for fudge to reach the soft-ball stage. As we watched the confection form, our friendships took on more lasting form as well.

Candy making has always seemed to me an ideal social tool. With its long waits and pauses, it is structured to foster conversation.

You don’t dare to leave the kitchen while you’re waiting for your sweets to reach just the right temperature. Instead you chat with those around you.

Candy making also encourages teamwork in those frenetic moments when you’re beating or pulling your treats.

The creation of confections is a delightful ritual with its own pace. Somehow even in its busiest moments it seems to epitomize leisure.

Today as an adult I still relish making candy with my family members and friends–and with my friends’ spouses and children.

The ritual fills winter evenings with warmth and conversation.

It even takes advantage of the cold weather: one of the quickest ways to cool candy to the right temperature is to stick your pan outside (well covered to discourage animals from sampling) in the December air.

This week I made fudge to send to friends in far-away places. One recipe I used, for a basic chocolate fudge, appears below.

Before we get to it, however, here are a few candy-making hints:

1. Testing candy by hand (to see whether it makes the appropriate type of ball in cold water) is great, but I like to use a candy thermometer as well just to be certain. If your candy comes out a congealed mess, chances are you need a new thermometer; they don’t last forever.

2. Always use a wooden spoon to beat fudge. And really beat your fudge hard. My grandfather, whose only culinary accomplishment was fudge-making (unless you count mixing Old Fashioneds, Martinis, and Manhattans as cooking!), always said that the secret of good fudge was in the beating.

3. Aim for relatively dry weather; candy forms best when the air isn’t too humid.

4. Be sure to invite a sizeable crowd to share in your candy creation. Not only will you have livelier conversation and easier labor; you’ll also end up with fewer calories ingested by any one candy maker. Just make sure that someone is delegated to keep an eye on the candy thermometer while everyone else talks.

5. Never try to rush your candy. It will be done when it is good and ready! Relax, and concentrate on the friendships simmering around your stove.

Your Basic Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

3/4 cup rich milk (milk with cream added or half & half)
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons sweet butter
2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions:

Line a 9-by-9-inch pan with aluminum foil, and butter the foil.

Place the milk in a medium saucepan, and heat it until it is warm. Stir in the sugar, salt, chocolate, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring.

Cover the fudge and cook it for at least 1 minute over medium heat (watch to keep the pot from boiling over) to absorb any sugar crystals that are on the sides of the pan.

Uncover, and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (234 degrees). This could happen fairly quickly (it did the last time I made this fudge) so watch the pot!


Remove the fudge from the heat, place the butter and vanilla on top, and cool without stirring until the candy is lukewarm (about 110 degrees).

At this point, beat the fudge until JUST starts to thicken, and pour it into the pan. (Be careful, or it will get too thick!) Sprinkle with festive sprinkles if desired. Cool and cut into squares.

Makes about 16 pieces.

This week my companion in fudge making was my mother--always good company in the kitchen!

The Postman Always Rings Twice … IF YOU GIVE HIM BROWNIES!

I LOVE having an excuse to bake. This time of year I have many reasons to turn on the oven. Yesterday’s was creating a holiday gift for my mother’s New Jersey mail carrier, Colin.

My mother and I are nomadic. We travel from our house in Massachusetts to her house in New Jersey to my brother’s house in Virginia and then back again to New Jersey and so forth.

Fortunately for us, the Post Office almost always finds us. Our carrier in Massachusetts, Lisa, and our carrier in New Jersey, Colin, put up with our comings and goings and keep track of our mail for us. So do the clerks and postmasters in their offices.

We always like to give them a special thank you in December—not just money, but something that represents OUR time the way the help they give us represents THEIR time.

We all like Colin, but our dog Truffle carries her affection for him to extremes. If left to her own devices, Truffle would hop into Colin’s truck and never look back at us. I could tell from the look in her eyes that she felt he deserved something extra special this year.

So I tried baking a treat that had intrigued me in a variety of books and blogs—brownies with mint candy inside.

Basically, this involves making brownie batter and dividing it in half. The first half goes into the pan and is covered with a thin layer of mints. The second half of the batter goes on top.

I decided to use Andes mints, which are very thin. I didn’t want my mint layer to overwhelm the brownies!

I was torn between two different flavors—the traditional chocolate-surrounded “crème de menthe” variety and the seasonal non-chocolate “peppermint crunch.” I settled for using some of each; I put crème de menthe on one half of the brownies and peppermint crunch on the other half.

Naturally, I had to try both kinds before passing the brownies on to Colin!

I might SLIGHTLY prefer the peppermint crunch—after all, brownies already have chocolate in them—but if you are a chocolate lover you may disagree. In any case, both flavors were delicious.

I also threw a little icing on the top of the brownies (with a few sprinkles) to make them extra festive for Christmas. This layer is optional but fun.

Colin looked happy to see them.

Colin takes our comings and goings--and our occasional strange headgear--in stride.

Peppermint Surprise Brownies

Ingredients:

for the brownies:

1/2 cup (1 stick) sweet butter
3 ounces (3 squares) semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons vanilla

for the filling:

2 packages (4.67 ounces each) Andes mints (you won’t need quite all of them, but you will need most of them)

for the icing:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) sweet butter at room temperature
confectioner’s sugar as needed (about 3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
holiday sprinkles (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil, and butter the foil.

Prepare the brownie batter: In a medium pan heat the butter and chocolate squares, stirring frequently, until the chocolate melts. Remove it from the heat.

When the chocolate/butter mixture is cool enough to stick your finger into it (this won’t take long) stir in the eggs, followed by the flour and then the vanilla.

Pour half of this batter into the prepared pan. Lay the mints (unwrapped, obviously) on top of the batter as lightly as you can, covering as much of the batter as you can.

Pour the remaining batter on top (use a spatula to smooth it over the mints as needed) and bake the brownies for 25 minutes.

Allow the brownies to cool completely in their pan. Remove the foil from the pan, and gently peel the foil off of the brownies.

Next, make the frosting. Cream the butter, and add enough confectioner’s sugar to make a spreadable icing, adding the vanilla toward the end of this process.

Gently spread the icing in a thin layer over the brownies. Decorate with seasonal sprinkles if you like.

Allow the icing to harden a bit before you slice the brownies.

Makes 16 to 36 brownies, depending on how big you want to make them. (We like them little so I hope Colin does.)

Harvest Spinach Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing

I originally planned to post this salad for Sukkot, the week-long Jewish harvest festival. Somehow, the calendar got away from me!

When I decided to make salad my theme for this week, however, I remembered how much I liked the slightly sweet/slightly tangy honey-mustard dressing and resurrected the recipe for my table and my blog.

The bacon wouldn’t be very appropriate for Sukkot, of course, but it does help transform the salad into a whole meal. The final product has fruit, protein, calcium, vegetables, and nuts. And it tastes terrific, too.

The dressing recipe makes enough for another day. Just be sure to refrigerate the leftover dressing–and to bring it to room temperature and shake it well before you use it again.

Ingredients:

for the dressing:

3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground pepper to taste (I like to grind the pepper mill about 6 times)
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

for the salad:

1/2 pound uncooked spinach leaves
1/2 cup walnut or pecan halves (or more if you like)
1 apple (your choice, cored but not peeled)
1/2 small red onion, chopped into rings or pieces
1/2 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese (or more if you like)
3 strips cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
1/4 cup dried cranberries (or more if you like)

Directions:

First, make the dressing. In a small saucepan over low heat, stir together the vinegar, the juice, and the honey until the honey dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat, and let the mixture cool for a few minutes; then use a whisk to stir in the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. It will take a while for the ingredients to smooth themselves out.

Finally, slowly whisk in the oil. Careful pour the dressing into a jar with a tight-fitting lid that will hold at least 1-1/2 cups of liquid.

Wash the spinach thoroughly.

Place the nuts in a small frying pan, and fry them over low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, to release their oils. Take the pan off the heat.

Just before you are ready to eat, slice the apple. In a salad bowl, combine the spinach, onion slices, toasted nuts, apple slices, cheese, bacon (if using), and cranberries.

Shake the dressing, and pour a third to a half of it onto the salad. Toss the salad well but carefully.

Serves 8.

By the way, since I know many of you are probably in the midst of holiday shopping right now (I’m starting soon, I promise!), I thought I’d remind you that copies of my Pudding Hollow Cookbook are available.

Of course, I’m sure most of my faithful readers’ friends and relatives already have copies of this lovely book (my text, Judith Russell’s illustrations), but if someone on your list doesn’t own a copy please consider buying it.

Domestic postage and gift wrap are free (although I have to confess that my gift-wrapping skills aren’t as good as my cooking). And I love to sign copies of the book.

Here's the link....

Oscar of the Waldorf (and Waldorf of the Tinky)

It has taken me several days to recover from the digestive excesses of Thanksgiving. I went to the store yesterday to buy milk and turned a little green when I saw the cream lurking on the shelf nearby.

So I have vowed to work on simple foods–salads in particular–to get my palate and waist back into line before the latkes and Christmas cookies start flying around.

The trouble with this strategy is that there are still plenty of leftovers from Thanksgiving in the house. I don’t have any trouble avoiding the desserts (most of them are in the freezer at this point anyway), but I can’t really ignore the turkey.

A few days ago I decided to throw some turkey and cranberry sauce into a Waldorf Salad.

I love Waldorf Salads. Actually, I love the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, period--the chic art-deco trim, the Bauman rare-book display in the lobby, Cole Porter's piano (surely the classiest musical instrument in the world!), the charming waiters and receptionists.

My friend Chikako was married there many years ago. When she explained that according to Japanese custom school friends of the bride always sing at weddings I crooned “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” with the band. (It was the only song they and I knew in common.)

Ever since then I have dreamed of calling my autobiography I Sang at the Waldorf.

I also like the Waldorf’s long culinary history, particularly the legend of maître d’hôtel Oscar Tschirky, who worked at the hotel from its opening in 1893 until 1943.

Oscar of the Waldorf, as he was called (perhaps I should rename my book Tinky of the Waldorf?) created the Waldorf Salad, Veal Oscar, and (according to some sources) Eggs Benedict. He also introduced Thousand-Island Dressing to a wider eatership.

He was known for his flair with food and with people. When asked for a testimonial to accompany his application at the Waldorf, he allegedly walked around Delmonico’s Restaurant (his previous workplace) asking his favorite customers to sign the glowing letter of recommendation he himself had written.

The signatures–supposedly from such luminaries as entertainer Lillian Russell, businessman/gourmand Diamond Jim Brady, and railroad executive George Jay Gould–did the trick, and Oscar Tschirky became Oscar of the Waldorf.

A delightful 1931 profile called "Oscar the Epicure" enthused, "Whenever people, in America at least, speak of the art of eating, they invariably mention Oscar."

The profile appeared in a book by Edward Hungerford (published by G.P. Putnam's Sons) titled The Story of the Waldorf-Astoria. (The first edition was published in 1925; I don't know whether the 1931 edition was identical or not.) You may read more of the profile and the book on either of these wonderful web sites: Old and Sold and Boldt Castle.

Oscar believed in the craft of menu construction and amassed an extensive menu collection, which he left to Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration along with his personal papers.

I feel that I have a tenuous connection to Oscar Tschirky through my brother David, who frequently sojourns at the Waldorf on business. We actually often refer to David in the family as “Mr. Waldorf-Astoria.”

The nickname is a tribute not to his connection to the hotel but to his extravagant tastes. My Great-Aunt Charlotte used to call my grandfather the same thing because she thought he had rather “la dee da” ways. (He did, but we loved him anyway–and we love my brother.)

I could write a lot more about Oscar and David and the Waldorf, but this essay has already meandered on longer than a blog post is supposed to. So let me return to the topic of my turkey–or rather Tschirky–salad.

A Waldorf Salad has many virtues. It’s a cinch to throw together. It uses fresh ingredients one has on hand for much of the year. And it illustrates some of the properties that make those ingredients so wonderful.

Apples, celery, and walnuts are crunchy foods. It’s only when eating them together in a salad, however, that one realizes that they’re crunchy in different but complementary ways.

My Thanksgiving salad (also a great idea for Christmas) adds the softness of turkey and the rich red hue of cranberry sauce to this classic dish. I have to admit that the color of the mixture startled me a bit. It’s a very mid-20th century shade of pink.

I’ve always been one to embrace garishness, however. Oscar of the Waldorf had a flamboyant side. Why shouldn't I?

You're the top. You're a Waldorf salad.
You're the top. You're a Berlin ballad........

Garish Thanksgiving Salad from Tinky of the Waldorf

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise (low-fat is fine)
2 tablespoons whole-berry cranberry sauce plus a bit more later
the juice of 1/2 small lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 firm apple (I used a gala), cored but not peeled, cut into bite-size chunks
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted for a few minutes in a small cast-iron pan (toss while doing this!) to release the oils
2 stalks celery, cut up
1/4 cup dried cranberries (you may use raisins, but these extend the holiday theme)
3/4 cup pieces of leftover turkey meat
lettuce as needed

Instructions:

In a bowl combine the mayonnaise, the 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce, the salt, and half of the lemon juice.

Sprinkle the rest of the lemon juice on the apple pieces and toss gently.

In a larger bowl combine the apple pieces, most of the nuts (save out just a tablespoon or so), the celery, the cranberries, and the turkey. Add the mayonnaise mixture and stir until everything is a bit pink.

Line a serving plate or bowl with a bed of lettuce, and place the salad on top.

Sprinkle the remaining nuts on the top, and put just a dab of additional cranberry sauce smack in the middle (because you need EVEN MORE COLOR!).

Serves 2 generously.