holiday time!

Ahhhh, the winter holidays in New York City. This is my favorite time of year. New York pulls out all her jewelry and puts out a lavish display, from the tacky to the superfine. AND the city clears out and becomes the hometown again that I grew up in. Not having to travel or go near a crowded airport is another bonus of staying home next week.

There is a neighborhood near me in Queens called Middle Village that is really fun to drive through at dusk to see all the lights on the Archie Bunker style houses complete with moving mechanical reindeer and inflatable Santas on Vespas. In Manhattan yesterday I walked by Bergdorf Goodman's and was mesmerized by their Alice in Wonderland inspired holiday windows. Every year they outdo themselves and this year the details are truly incredible. The Time Warner Center at Columbus circle is dazzling with gigantic stars and glittering purple trees out front. The outdoor craft market across the street on the corner of Central Park is worth a visit too.

I have to admit the festivities on the home-front have gotten off to a slow start this year. I have been cooking for so many parties straight through Thanksgiving that I haven't had a chance to plan my own. Christmas this year will bring 28 family and friends to my dinner table. This is what my mother would have called "a busman's holiday" for me. Which is to say that there will be a lot of work involved! yeah. I usually farm out dessert duty to my sister-in-law who makes a beautiful bouche de noel (a French yule log cake).  I think I will stick my uptown sister on Champagne duty (anything special she should look for this year, Amanda?)

I found these Mandarine oranges at Fairways to put in my salad.  I was looking for kumquats, but these were a happy alternative.

As for the menu, it has to be simple but special. It won't be vegetarian for this crowd, but there will be plenty for everyone's preferences (I hope). What is it you may ask. Well, I don't know yet, but I will definitely include my favorite salad of the season which is colorful and festive and easy to make for a crowd. I prepare all the different ingredients ahead of time (even the day before) and then assemble right before serving. The salad consists of mixed greens, chopped radicchio, sliced tangerines or kumquats, pomegranate seeds and sliced radishes.

My daughter loves the chore of removing the seeds from the skin of a pomegranate. Hey, I'll take the help!

The julienne does not have to be perfect. Daikon radish would work in this recipe too but I like the like red tips on these radishes.

This combination seems to be a winner. The sweetness of the fruits really plays well against the bite of the radish and radicchio. The colors are just perfect and the texture is great; crunchy and juicy- all in one little salad. I will dress the greens with the tangerine and walnut oil vinaigrette recipe from a few posts ago. To serve, I toss the salad greens and radicchio with the vinaigrette then sprinkle the rest of the ingredients on top. So pretty!

Mixed Greens with Citrus, Radish, Radicchio and Pomegranate Seeds
1 lb mixed greens
1/2 a small head of radicchio, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup sliced kumquats or sliced tangerines
10 radishes sliced or julienned
1 pomegranate seeded

Toss salad greens and radicchio with vinaigrette. Top with the remaining ingredients.
serves eight


Tangerine & Walnut Oil Vinaigrette
Juice of 1 Tangerine (my tangerine yielded 1 Tbs of juice, not much LOL!)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teas. salt
1 teas. freshly ground pepper
3 TBs Sherry Vinegar
1/4 cup walnut oil

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl except the walnut oil. Mix well with a whisk. Slowly drizzle in the walnut oil as you continue to whisk until well blended. Toss vinaigrette with the salad and serve.

Amanda
Beautiful salad, Deb! Your comments make me miss my NYC days! Don't get me wrong, I love the "burbs" this time of year. But the Big Apple certainly holds a special place in my heart! On Thursday, the Westwood, NJ firetrucks came down my street, blasting Christmas music, with Santa riding on top. The firemen run alongside the trucks, giving candy to all of the children patiently (or not so much) awaiting this yearly ritual. It's so festive and wonderful, I wouldn't miss it for anything!


This time of year I like to take advantage of Italy's answer to Champagne - Prosecco. It's delicious and sparkly  - and much more affordable than Champagne. Prosecco is made predominantly from Prosecco grapes, in the northern region of  Veneto. It's elegant, refreshing, and simply put - delicious. Typically, this delightful sparkler has citrus notes, as well as flavors of almond, honey, and melon. It is crisp and lively, and suits all festive occasions. (I drink it all summer long as well...)


Prosecco is my sparkler of choice for all family gatherings and celebrations. Ranging from $9.99 to $17.99 a bottle, this is the perfect alternative to Champagne - especially for larger get-togethers. My family loves it. Rose Prosecco is also wonderful. It makes a perfect host/hostess gift as well. For something different, add a little peach nectar to make a belini. Yummy! Look to Riondo, Bisol, and Sorelle for some outstanding examples of this affordable gem.

Brightening the Day

Deborah
One of the pleasures of the season is the emergence of all things citrus. This time of year I really look to citrus fruits to fill an important role in my winter cooking- they must bring the sweetness, the freshness and the brightness to the recipes. Peaches and tomatoes are out for now. Fresh herbs are fast disappearing from my garden as we finally have a real frost going. So it is the citrus family that will carry me through, gulp, till Spring. sigh.

Now I know citrus fruits are not local to me here in Queens, NY, but they were MEANT to travel. They have that nice thick skin, like a fancy suitcase, perfect for a long journey. I just got back from a weekend in Sarasota, Florida where it rained for two days. I went to the farmers market tucked into my rain slicker and the farmers were very happy to see me. Happy to see ANYONE actually, because in Florida the weather is supposed to be perfect and if it is even a little off, people just stay home, so they tell me. It was true that I did not have to wait on line at all at the popular organic produce vendors and I actually got to have some leisurely chats with those farmers. So let it rain, HA!

I bought half a dozen local tangerines that still had leaves attached (I LOVE THAT!!!). They weren't the prettiest color in the world but I have learned that the skin of citrus fruit is NO INDICATION of what is inside and in this case it held true again. The fruit was sweet and juicy and sooooooo fragrant. Where are the pictures you might ask.

Some cute tangerines sitting in this vintage Russel Wright dish I purchased at the flea market in Long Boat Key,  Florida at a bargain price, 50% off, for a grand total of $3.00!!

I am sorry to report that I FORGOT to bring my camera. Oh my. But it was raining so it really didn't matter. Anyway, I packed the tangerines that were left over from the weekend into my hand luggage and they travelled home with me. SO when is local local? The fruit was local when I bought it and I had to come home anyway. So it goes. I still exempt citrus fruit from the local thing. Like I said,those guys were MEANT to travel!

Amanda, does any wine work well with tangerines perchance? I made a salad with tangerines, onions, capers and goat cheese and dressed it with a tangerine, sherry vinegar and walnut oil vinaigrette adding a pinch of smoked paprika. A very nice way to brighten up a December table.

Tangerine, Capers & Goat Cheese Salad
1 Tangerine, peeled and cut into slices
1 teaspoon capers
2 oz crumbled goat cheese
1 TBs Thinly sliced Onion
2 cups washed mixed salad greens


Tangerine & Walnut Oil Vinaigrette
Juice of 1 Tangerine (my tangerine yielded 1 Tbs of juice, not much LOL!)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teas. salt
1 teas. freshly ground pepper
3 TBs Sherry Vinegar
1/4 cup walnut oil

For the salad- combine all the ingredients in a bowl
For the dressing- combine all ingredients in a small bowl except the walnut oil. Mix well with a whisk. Slowly drizzle in the walnut oil as you continue to whisk until well blended. Toss vinaigrette with the salad and serve.

serves two.

Amanda
I love the way this recipe sounds! Most often I think long and hard about what wine would be the perfect accompaniment to these dishes. For me, this one was a no-brainer. First, let me again emphasize that salads and wine pairing are tricky. Very few wines can pair well with a salad. This is due large in part to the vinegar in the dressing - it wreaks havoc on the palate. Second - this is definitely a fall salad, and my mind, and mouth, go immediately to white. I typically don't drink white very  much in the cooler weather. This is just a personal thing, not a rule! 


But right away I think of California Sauvignon Blanc. This varietal, when grown in a warm climate, shows off beautiful passionfruit and citrus flavors. I think these characteristics, along with the tangerine in the dressing and on the salad would be perfect. I particularly am impressed with the Provenance Sauvignon Blanc 2008 from Rutherford in the Napa Valley. A touch of Semillon is added with gives the wine roundness and a bit of richness too. While not a sweet wine, there are prominant sweet fruit flavors which I think would offer a nice counterpart and balance to the saltiness of the capers. The Provenance was rated 91 points by The Wine Spectator, and just appeared on their Top 100 Wines of 2009 List. At $14.99, this is a great buy!


MaryAnn Worobiec from The Wine Spectator had this to say about the 2008 Provenance Sauvignon Blanc: "Key lime, passion fruit, melon and nectarine flavors are ripe, juicy and fleshy, with great intensity, a vivid acidity and terrific focus and clarity. "


Deb - I will definitely be trying this combination! I anticipate another winner!