subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Sun, Jul 05 2009 

Resources

print this story   Print this story
  Post to del.icio.us

Published December 09, 2006 07:20 pm - “Clever food is not appreciated at Christmas,” wrote Jane Grigson, the British cookbook author. “It makes the little ones cry and the old ones nervous.”

Christmas is time for tradition, not innovation


By Marialisa Calta
Associated Press

“Clever food is not appreciated at Christmas,” wrote Jane Grigson, the British cookbook author. “It makes the little ones cry and the old ones nervous.”

“Don’t,” she intoned, “Be original.”

Now those are words to live by.

Christmas is a time of returning, if not physically -- as in going home to one’s parents or revisiting the old neighborhood -- then emotionally, in remembering Christmases past. It’s a time when grown men and women shed a secret tear while watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with their own kids and retell the tale of waking up to find the Lionel train set under the tree. They crave the turkey dinner and shortbread cookies that their own moms used to make.

Christmas, then, is not the time to make your first ceviche or to introduce the family to Mongolian barbecue (unless you grew up in a household in which ceviche or Mongolian barbecue was traditional Christmas fare). Christmas is the time to dust off the old recipe box -- the one with the filing cards filled with your grandmother’s perfect, Spencerian penmanship -- and get to work. If you don’t have an old recipe box, you can get the next best thing, the “Betty Crocker Christmas Book” (Wiley, 2006). There are a few culinary flights of fancy here -- Champagne Risotto and Chai-Spiced Bread, for example -- but the book is essentially grounded in the old favorites: cheese balls, dinner rolls, eggnog and fudge. The cookie recipes will send you back to your childhood -- or to a childhood you wish you had had: gingerbread men, thumbprint cookies and other goodies that have stood the test of time.

Making something familiar -- as opposed to trying an exotic new recipe -- is a way to reduce some of the stress that can overcome us around the holidays. The cookbook can help in other ways -- with straightforward decorating tips and gift ideas. But my favorite tip is on the very first page, “Look for the good in situations.” More words to live by.

COOKIE TIPS

-- Preheat the oven thoroughly. (It will take at least 10 minutes.)

-- Ovens have “hot spots.” To keep cookies from baking unevenly, rotate and switch the cookie sheets between racks (if baking more than one sheet) halfway through the baking time.

-- As a cookie sheet comes out of the oven, allow it to cool before refilling to prevent overbaking. If you are in a hurry, you can run the sheet, upside down, under cool tap water.

-- When a recipe calls for a greased cookie sheet, you can instead line it with baking parchment. I use baking parchment all the time - whether the recipe says to use a greased or ungreased pan -- to help prevent burning. Silicone baking mats are expensive, but many home bakers swear by them.

-- Use the best ingredients you can: Pure vanilla extract and butter (unsalted) -- not margarine or vegetable shortening -- unbleached flour and fresh spices and eggs will make your cookies taste their best.

-- Most cookie dough freezes beautifully if wrapped well. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

-- If you plan to make fudge or other candy, invest in a good candy thermometer.



print this story    email this story   




Zillow
monster
autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Premium Jobs

ACCEPTING LPN RESUMES FOR POTENTIAL OPENING.
Mail to Women & Children's Clinic. 1411 N. Race St., Glasgow, KY 42141. No phone calls please....>MORE

$$$ AVON $$$
Reps need in your area! $10.00 no inventory no sales quota. Couple/Retirees/Online. Call Debbie at 270-646-4939....>MORE

ASSISTANT MANAGERS - TAKE THE REGINS ON A MILLION
dollar operation as part of our management team. You'll get the support and training you need to succeed, plus the rewar...>MORE

FOX'S PIZZA DEN NOW HIRING ALL POSITIONS
July 6th & 7th 10 am- 5pm
•Flexible scheduling
• Uniform provided
• Discounted meals
936 Happy Valle
...>MORE

Attn: Drivers. NOW HIRING!!! National Distributors Leasing
Regional & OTR Drop & Hook Operation. Great Equipment. Don't Delay. Call recruiting today! 877-334-9677. www.driver4ndl....>MORE

EXPERIENCED LPN OR RN TO WORK IN DR. GERMAN'S
office all day on Tuesday & Friday mornings beginning in 2 weeks. Send resume to 211 Professional Park Dr., references r...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Autos

2005 BUICK CENTURY
168,000 miles, Good condition, $4,000.00. Call 270-678-7362....>MORE

LOOKING FOR A GREAT AUTO DEAL?.....
Looking to buy or sell?
Check here for the Premium Auto Section.
You can post an ad with unlimited text and
...>MORE

2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS
Below avg. mileage, loaded, $14,500 Call 629-2005 or 670-3694....>MORE

1998 OLDS 88, LOCAL ONE OWNER,
28,000 miles, V6, 3.8 liter motor, excellent condition. 270-646-7646.

...>MORE

95 NISSAN PICKUP 4 CYL., 5 SPD., 140K MI.
Serviced every 3k mi., bed topper, sharp truck. $3,400. 427-5686....>MORE

97 BONNEVILLE, ALL POWER, NEW TIRES,
radio, cassette player, A1 condition, asking $1500. 651-8525 or 404-6144.

...>MORE

202 FORD F150 - 18K PRICED RIGHT.
CALL 270-678-5546....>MORE

See all ads

Premium Homes

MEDICAL OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE
inside Glasgow Skin Care, Located in Ford shopping center, Call Pam Edmunds at 270-566-1107....>MORE

LARGE 4 BEDROOM HOME
in Steeplechase. $1500 month. Call Beth Hinkley 270-670-8866....>MORE

1 MONTH FREE RENT WITH 1 YEAR LEASE. 2 & 3 BR
mobile homes. Call 590-0779 or 590-0775....>MORE

LARGE TRISTA LANE DUPLEX AVAILABLE, 2 BR, 1 1/2
BA, attached garage. $550 mo. Call 270-629-3830....>MORE

FOR SALE OR RENT. 2 BR HOUSE IN PARK CITY.
$350 mo. HUD approved. 270-670-4720 or 270-834-9224....>MORE

FOR SALE, TOMPKINSIVILLE, KY ROCKBRIDGE
community. 124.5 acres. $350k. Call 765-278-6708....>MORE

DUPLEX 1 BR 1 BA
utility rm, W/D hook-up C/H/A, conveniently located downtown. $350 mo. + $350 dep. 651-6336, after 6 pm....>MORE

HOUSE FOR SALE - 3 or 4 BR, 2 BA W/LG YARD
storage bldg., 1 garage in Glasgow. 1797 sq. ft. c/h/a, screened porch. 408 N. Green. $92,500. 270-646-7971....>MORE

3 BR, 2 BA HOUSE, MASTER SUITE, GARAGE,
106 Floral Dr. $700 mo. Call 646-7143....>MORE

NEW 3 BR, DOUBLEWIDE OR SINGLEWIDE.
Shot time only. PIck your payment program. Call today 270-678-2460....>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index