ludja

Thanks for all the suggestions. Could I substitute mascarpone for double cream, or do you think I can get in the states? ← I could be wrong but, I think double cream is the equivilent of heavy cream in the States. Can anyone confirm?? ← Heavy whipping cream or manufacturing cream is the closest to Britain's double cream, I believe. Some web info says that double cream is at a higher fat percentage than what we can usually buy in the US. The dessert might be nice with mascarpone also, but it would be more different from the original than if you use heavy whipping cream.

Junior Mints (chocolate-covered mint candies) with buttered popcorn at the movie theater. The stars alligned once to permit that combination and I actually like it now. Sweet, minty, buttery, chocolaty and salty may seems like an unlikely combination but somehow it works for me. I guess it is a low brow forerunner of a fleur de sel truffle that I happened upon as a kid...

In Germany and Austria the Christmas season is still just that--a whole season that starts with the four weeks of preparation during Advent and extends to the Twelfth Night after Christmas on Jan 6 (Epiphany/Three Kings Day). It is already the second week of Advent this year, but I ran across a very nice article that Mimi Sheraton wrote a number of years ago for the NY Times regarding a visit to Munich during the Advent season. click (The article is available via a free online registration with the NY Times.) In the quote below she describes some of the food available at the Christkindlmarkt (Christchild Markets) which are an old (some dating back 600 years) and continuing tradition in many German and Austrian towns and cities during the four week Advent season before Christmas. The article is full of other extensive descriptions of sweet and savory food popular during this time. At home, in the US. one custom we've brought over from Austria and maintained is an Advent wreath on the dining room table. Our is a metal ring to which we fashion a wreath made out of fresh evergreen and berries. It also has holders for four candles (we use red) of which one is lit during each Sunday dinner of Advent, in addition to the candle(s) from the previous week.

I hope you have time to report on Saturday's cocktailfest as well! I love this shot of your friend's freezer; true dedication. edited to add: Any thoughts on how to put together a Tequila Grapefruit Crusta like you had at Grammercy Tavern? It sounds wonderful... I guess one could start by subbing tequila for the whiskey and grepefruit for the lemon... WHISKEY CRUSTA Ingredients: - 2 oz Blended Whiskey - 1 Lemon Juice - 1 oz Triple Sec - 1 tbsp Superfine Sugar - 2 tsp Maraschino Liqueur - Garnish: Lemon Wedge, Orange Peel

How exciting; I can't wait to see what you share with us!

The only group I know of in the US that seriously celebrates Epiphany (besides some ex-Brits) are those who attend the Greek Orthodox Church (which uses the Julian rather than the Gregorian calendar to date celebrations). Don't know if that's any help. ← Epiphany is also a big holiday for some Hispanics in the US, Puerto Ricans for sure. In CT there are huge Puerto Rican Epiphany festivals and pageants with food on Jan 6. I think most European Catholics have a tradition of celebrating the whole Christmas season going from Advent to Epiphany and I thought English Anglicans as well. Whether the tradition stuck once it got to the US I think depends on when the groups came over here and if they were able to maintain a cohesive or significantly large community within the base of Protestant majority (thinking of New England). For instance, Epiphany is certainly celebrated in Austria but Austrians are so dispersed in the US that the tradition is not carried on in a big way except by individual families, etc. Our family with roots in Austria does celebrate Advent with a wreath, etc and we put up the tree the day before Christmas Eve and take it down no earlier than the Epiphany but this is not "main stream" US custom. That Catholic (Anglican/Eastern Orthodox?) tradition has not imprinted itself on the society at large--even for non-Catholic Christians that celebrate Christmas. In the same way the start of the Lenten season is a huge event in Austria and Germany but those ethnic groups don't necessarily celebrate it here. In New Orleans which was significantly Roman Catholic since a relatively long time back they have maintained some of those traditions like Mardi Gras although it has since become secularized for most. So, I think the short answer to John's original question is that the US while having a large Catholic population is not like those in Western Europe that were traditionally Catholic with a 1000 years of history. From what people have mentioned it seems that England (via Anglicans) and Eastern Orthodox areas also celebrate Epiphany. The Puritan foundings of the country have long, deep roots that have affected the culture of the whole country and over the years. Sorrt to divert from our original topic though...

Here is the dinner menu of Cafe Steinhof: click They're open for dinner at 5:00 and have a late night menu from 11-1:00 am.

Wow, what a great report, molto e. I have friend in Phoenix that I need to visit soon---Zinc and Pizza Bianca are definately on my to do list so far.

Hey, I just checked out this thread today, oyster guy, and am loving it. Thank you for the great stories and photos. Looking forward to following the rest of your adventures. Man, I need some oysters now though...

Thanks for this info; I'm thinking of making turkey with red mole and maybe posole for my family when I go home and these could be a good resource. I haven't noticed if there are any Mexcian markets in Middletown nowadays.

Interesting; thanks for the explanation. I thought you were using bresaolo with beef tenderloin and couldn't quite picture it. Sounds like a nice dish. Good luck with all your planning and execution! Let us know how it goes.

I wished we could've tried more places up in Sonoma!! We did eat at Cyrus, in Healdsburgh, and it was excellent - along with great cocktails. Highly recommended. If you like off the beaten track, then I also highly recommend a couple of small winereies on West Dry Creek Road - just west of Healdsburgh. We loved Everett Ridge and Michel-Schlumberger, Pezzi King is beautiful, too. Have a great trip. ← I haven't been to Everett Ridge or Pezzi King so thanks for the tips. I've really enjoyed two visits to Michel-Schlumberger. Nice wines and the winery is beautiful. What are some of your favorite dishes at Brandy Ho's? It's been a fave of mine for a long time too. We usually order the Kung Pao Chicken and the Roasted Garlic and Ham stir fry. *Sometime* we'll branch out to their Five Seafood Delight or Ma Pa Tofu. Their Dan Dan mein is always a must order as well. edited to add: Also, do you have any comments on Yuet Lee? I've heard of it for many years but have never been. Thanks!

You might want to check out Field of Greens by Annie Sommerville. This is one of the cookbooks from the Greens Restaurant mentioned above; and to me, the best of the bunch. I've been happily cooking out of it for over ten years as a non-vegetarian that eats non-meat based meals regularly and sometimes cooks for vegetarian friends. Unlike some cookbooks, vegetarian or not, the recipes are still fresh to me and do not appear dated in style or ingredients. All the recipes are listed in front in the Table of Contents so you can get a quick overview of the recipes and style if you have a chance to look at it. The soups, pizzas and turnovers are particular favorites of mine. edited to add: I think I already mentioned this book in Carlovski's original thread but am not shy to mention it again... Although it is not a vegetarian book, I also really like the Chez Panisse Vegetable cookbook. The design, woodcut illustrations and layout are very pretty so it is nice in that sense also for a gift. I turn to it often for inspiration when bringing home something seasonal from the farmer's market and I cook from it often.

Not a dessert that one could bring to school, but a question about oeufs a la neige for those in or of France. Is this a traditional Christmas/holiday dish? I don't mean traditional in the sense of a Buche de Noel, but is it something that might be served at Christmas? Not sure why I have this feeling or if I had heard of it somewhere.

The Chimayo Cocktail uses cassis but one might be able to substitute a black currant syrup like the ones from D'Arbo. (I haven't made subbed it for this drink but have used it in some other applications where Cassis was called for.) Chimayo Cocktail

Lovely photos, JBN. Is the Bostock something you make from the brioche? Can you describe it a bit more? Thanks!

European Walnut, Hazelnut and Raisin Rolls click This reicpe has a combination of whole wheat and regular flour. I'm undecided which one of these recipes to try first... edited to add: Thank you for reminding me that I wanted to try something like this for awhile! Maybe I'll give them a spin before Christmas and make them at home if they turn out well.

What a feast; it certainly sounds appetizing. Nice idea to have the angel food cake which can be adorned or not with the ice creams. The burnt sugar and huckleberry ice creams sound wonderful, by the way. I'm curious how you use the bresaola with the beef tenderloin. I've only used bresaola at room temperature.

Interesting you should ask this; I have a few recipes which may be close to what you are looking for. I have not tried them yet, but have collected them as the idea of a non-sweet walnut or walnut/raisin roll appeals to me also. These recipes are either for walnut or raisin but I'm sure the combination would be good. To see if there is a traditional Italian recipe like this; a good place to look would be Carol Field's The Italian Baker. A great book, but one which I don't have a copy of yet. Savory Walnut Rolls by Rick Rodgers. These are French and include walnut oil as an ingredient. click Dutch Currant Rolls or Krentenbollen from Nick Malgieri click I love walnut wheat bread with cheese so I can see how these would also be a good cheese accompaniement. Please report back here if you try them or some other recipe before I do; I'll do the same!

Here is the thread in the French forum: click

Here is some other background on this cake for "12th Night" of the Christmas season or January 6th (Epiphany): click For others, here is the sister post in the P&B forum: click Inspired by Swisskaese's post in the other thread I was interested to see if there were particular Alsatian Christmas desserts. Some googling suggests that elaborate Kugelhupfs (with nuts and fruit) might be something served for Christmas in Alsace.

Here's a thread on 2006 cookbooks that people are enjoying or eyeing with interest: click

Here's a thread asking for people's opinion's on the most essential food-related book of 2006: click Many of the responses include non-cookbook but food-related books like Omnivore's Dilemma. Any other good 2006 cookbook releases that people want to share?

Another benefit is maintaining greenbelts near and around metro and suburban areas.

A simple but excellent combo: tortilla chips, habanero jack cheese, fresh tomatoes and a little bit of chopped onion