Today is the last day I'll be blogging for 2007 (don't you cry or I'll start, too!) Over the next week or so I'll be at home relaxing and creating holiday memories with my own family and friends. Like many of you, I'll be eating turkey on December 25th. I know from talking to readers that Christmas dinner preparations can be stressful. So, to make sure you have all the info you need when it comes time to prepare the bird, I want you to have this link to tips I published at Thanksgiving that will help you prepare turkey perfectly. (You'll also find my family's favorite stuffing recipe there -- feel free to try it, too!)

I hope you have a wonderful and delicious holiday! Rest up and get ready for an exciting start to 2008. The entire first week of my blog will be devoted to updating you on the latest food trends and the rest of the month promises to be exciting, too!

In the meantime, feel free to drop by and read (or re-read!) some of my earlier posts and add your comments. It's always a pleasure to hear what's on your minds!

Cheers!
Dana

(Editor's note: Are you looking for Dana's recipes from her Dec. 21 appearance on CBC News? You can find those at www.toptentable.com.)


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If your only experience with fruit cake comes from radio or newspaper articles, you might have the impression that fruit cake is every holiday reveler's kryptonite. However, I've been doing my part as an investigative journalist (don't laugh! I dig into the mysterious depth of things all the time. No matter that the depths I plumb are usually hidden between the double crust of a pie!), and I've discovered that fruit cake, for all it's maligned, is actually big business.

Americans, for instance, bought 5.12 million fruitcakes worth $16 million in 2003. Although Canadian numbers aren't readily found, my inside source at Pusateris Fine Foods, John Mastroianni divulges that Pusateris has “seen an increase in fruit cake sales by double digits year-after-year for the past five years.” Where there are fruit cakes purchased, methinks there are fruit cakes being eaten!

Personally, I am neither fan nor foe. I like a sliver or two of fruit cake around the holidays but I like mine unadorned by frosting or marzipan. Although iced fruit cakes can be spectacular to look at, the rich, fruity moist cake is good enough for me. (BTW, if you want to glam up a fruit cake this holiday and need ideas, turn to Classic & Contemporary Christmas Cakes, which is filled with beautiful fruit cake ideas.)

Ready to embrace your inner fruit cake fan? Come out into the open and serve a top notch fruit cake at one of your festive gatherings. Although it's too late in the season to make your own (a fine fruit cake needs to age for many weeks) you can still buy one that has been aged appropriately:

- The Holy Cross Abbey of Trappist monks in Berryville, Virginia boast a “generous measure of fine sherry wine and traditional brandy” and come with an unconditional guarantee that theirs are the best fruit cakes you'll ever eat.

- Crabtree and Evelyn's Macallan Single Malt Whisky Fruitcake (pictured above) is a nice light fruit cake that is just the right size for a small group.

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One year when I wasn't ‘rolling in dough' but had extra time to spend in the kitchen, I gave homemade cookies as holiday gifts. It was amazing to see how appreciative people were to receive an assortment of crispy sweets to enjoy over the holidays.
Besides being cheaper than many other gift options, giving someone a homemade food gift says that you care enough to give your time and in this day and age, that means a lot!
If you do decide to make cookies as holiday gifts, remember to package them in a way that's attractive but still well-insulated so that cookies don't break en route.
Likewise, to prevent crispy cookies from becoming soggy just by keeping company with chewy cookies, wrap each flavor and variety separately and snugly in plastic wrap.
Pack the box snugly so that the cookies don't get damaged when jostled and include ingredient lists for each variety.
If you plan to give an assortment of cookies, design a map (similar to the kind you find in a box of chocolates) so that it will be easy for cookie monsters to choose their favorites.
Like creating a cheese tray, combine various textures and flavors to create a complimentary assortment. A classically popular combo that's almost guaranteed to be a hit includes shortbread, ginger snaps and chocolate chip cookies.

Or, try creating an international assortment of cookies to symbolize the spirit of sharing and forgiveness that should epitomize the holidays (I know I sound sappy but the holidays bring out my soft side!). For international cookie ideas check out my Holiday Cookie Atlas that includes recommendations for great cookie recipe sources!


Bonus Tip:
You can drizzle!:

Make an inexpensive, disposable piping bag by spooning frosting into a small plastic food storage bag (placing the bag inside a short wide-mouthed glass and folding over the edge makes it easier and less messy to fill!). Seal bag, cut a tiny hole in one corner and you're ready to decorate cookies like a pro!

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Each culture has its holiday cookie favorites: Scottish shortbread, Greek crescent cookies, British gingerbread and Dutch specula are a few examples of holiday cookies that have deep cultural roots.

Regardless of the recipe's origin, most cookies have a few characteristics in common: they are generally bite-sized, sweet, and baked in an oven. Technically, a good cookie is characterized by having an even, golden bottom and a pale, set top. If you've ever had trouble making picture perfect cookies, check out these tips to help you achieve cookie success every time!

1. Read the recipe all the way through before beginning to ensure you have everything you'll need. Baked goods depend on specific chemical reactions to succeed so you need to use the exact amounts and the specific ingredients called for in the recipe.

2. Measure dry ingredients such as flour and sugar, into spoutless cups by scooping the ingredient into the cup and then leveling it off with a knife. Don't shake or tap the measure on the counter to even out the ingredients.

3. Always preheat the oven until it reaches the required temperature.

4. Make sure your oven temperature is accurate - it's a good idea to invest in an oven thermometer to double check.

5. Don't sift flour or cocoa unless specified in the recipe. Also, do not substitute one type of flour for another.

6. Pack brown sugar lightly into a dry measuring cup.

7. To prevent spreading, place shaped, dropped or rolled and cut cookies on the cookie sheets and refrigerate for 15 minutes before baking.

8. To prevent breakage, let the cookies cool on the pan on a rack for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.

9. Use a thin, flexible metal spatula to move cookies safely and easily.

10. Don't worry about using rimmed or rimless baking sheets. Either will work well; however, if the sheets you have are dark or badly worn, line them with parchment paper so that cookies don't stick or over brown.


Want to take your cookies to the next level this holiday season? Make a holiday wreath centerpiece by cutting ice box cookie dough into leaf shapes. Arrange in a wreath pattern, ‘gluing' leaves together with frosting. We made the bow for this wreath with Fruit by the Foot but you can use real ribbon, too.


Coming up tomorrow: Cookies as gifts.


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Like the snow that characterizes the season, the best holiday cookies are crisp and even – evenly baked, that is! Although new cookie recipes can be fun to try at other times of the year, holiday cookie recipes are often family heirlooms that are passed down through generations and their inclusion on the holiday table provide comfort and continuity.

Growing up my mother always made hermits, a spiced drop cookie filled with dried fruit. In her version flakey coconut, glossy red and green glacé cherries, walnuts and raisins stud a buttery batter. The smell of hermits baking is one of my fondest childhood memories to this very day; and, although I don't really like glacé cherries, I still crave my mother's hermits at Christmas time.

In tribute, I've updated her hermits to contain fruit I do like: dried cranberries, sour cherries and, if I can get them, dried blueberries. Despite these modifications, the experience of making and eating these cookies every year brings my mother vividly to mind whether she is with us or away for the holidays.

If you'd like to add my hermit recipe (pictured above) to your holiday repertoire click here.

Coming up tomorrow: Cookie Baking Tips!


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I'm sure it's not ladylike to admit that I've had too many hangovers to count but, in this matter (as in all others) I will fulfill my pledge to tell you the truth at all times: gentle readers, I like my tipple!

Over the last several weeks, invitations for holiday parties have been tumbling through my letter slot like snow flakes. I love parties but quite frankly, between work, family and preparing for the holidays, I have no extra time to nurse a pounding noggin if I'm to be prepared for December 25th. Although I could abstain from drinking this holiday season, that idea really doesn't appeal to me. (Besides, not drinking coupled with my expanded winter warmth girth could start pregnancy rumours and I don't want that to happen.) Given these circumstances, I decided it was important to find good advice about avoiding hangovers.

Help came to me in the form of Esther Blum's Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous: A nutritionist's guide to living well while living it up. Blum has pages of fascinating info about how drinking affects our bodies (I recommend you read it while sipping a glass of organic wine ). Although each of her words is worthy of reading, I'm going to condense her hangover advice into 8 simple tips that, if followed, might help you wake up bright-eyed on New Year's Day.

1. Deck your plate with leaves of green:. Antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phyotonutrients in green and dark green vegetables can help to keep your liver in tip-top condition and that means it will be able to metabolize booze efficiently.

2. Hit the juice bar: Barley grass, alfalfa sprouts and their ilk are sources of protein as well as chlorophyll which binds to toxins to help prevent long term cellular damage in the body. These greens can also help to calm tummies upset by overindulgences of both the liquid and food variety.

3. Supplement your drinking: Taking Vitamin C coupled with a 200 mg cysteine supplement before each drink and at the end of the night is reported to eliminate hangovers. Just be sure to take the supplements with water and not martinis! Likewise daily does of magnesium can help to prevent hangovers in general.

4. Drink lots of water: If you drink plenty of water both during and after drinking, you'll lessen the burden on your kidneys and liver by flushing out toxins quickly.

5. Eat – it's good for you! Honest, eating before and while you drink will help your body to metabolize alcohol more efficiently.

6. Avoid sugary drinks. Hangovers are generally worse when you drink sweet concoctions not only because you may quaff too fast, but because the sugar carries the alcohol to your cells quickly.

7. Avoid caffeine when drinking. An espresso may energize you while you party but it's effects will come back to haunt you the next day.

8. The best cure: If all else fails and you do end up with a hangover, take ibuprofen instead of acetaminophen based painkillers. Acetaminophen is more stressful for your liver to process and when you have a hang over, that organ needs to be working at peak performance!

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I like to think I have all the answers when it comes to cooking and entertaining but every once in a while one of my friends reminds me that I can always learn, too. Such is the case with my friend Laura. A hostess extraordinaire, she was the first person I knew to have a signature cocktail at all gatherings and the only person I know who presents her signature cocktail with consistent style.

“Having a special drink for guests as they arrive (even if it's just for a small dinner party) is more than a gimmick; it's a warm welcome that says “we're going to have fun!” --especially when said cocktail is colourful!”, notes Laura (pictured above with her signature cocktail for this holiday season). “I display a picture of the cocktail along with the list of ingredients in a frame by the bar so that everyone knows what they're drinking. On top of being festive, it's a great conversation starter!,” says Laura.

If you'd like to add a signature cocktail to your festive entertaining plans, here are a couple of recipes you can try. One is for the drink Laura will serve at her Christmas party (which reminds me, I still need to get an outfit for that event) and the other is for the cocktail I'll be serving at my Christmas Eve drop-in. Len Fragomeni of the Toronto Institute of Bartending created the espressotini I chose. I first tasted it at one of his fab martini workshops – (they are tons of fun and would make a great Christmas gift BTW!). Or, if you need to have a unique signature cocktail developed for you and you alone, contact Provochic, a Singapore-based company that specializes in creating signature cocktails. Be prepared though, their creations can set you back thousands of dollars according to Reuters UK.


Christmas Eve Espressotini
1 oz (30 mL) Kahlua Especial
1 oz (30 mL) Vodka
1 oz (30 mL) chilled Espresso
1 tbsp (15 mL) Simple Syrup
Chocolate covered espresso beans

Combine kalhua, vodka, expresso and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill two-thirds full with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with chocolate covered espresso beans.


Dana's Hostess Tip: Make a pitcher of the cocktail mixture ahead of the party and then shake individual cocktails with ice as needed.


Laura's Holiday Party Paloma
1 oz (30 mL) Sauza Blanco tequila
3/4 cup (175 mL) sparkling grapefruit soda*
1 Tbsp (15 mL) lime juice
Pinch salt

Measure tequila, lime juice and salt in glass. Add ice and fill with sparkling grapefruit. Stir and serve.

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Many of us, even those who don't host many gatherings at other times of the year, entertain over the holidays. Amidst planning the menu and the guest list, choosing drinks can fall to the wayside. In fact, one of the most commonly asked last-minute, panic questions I hear is ‘how much alcohol do I need and what should I buy?'.

It's always easy for me to answer (I'm a big fan of having lots and lots of everything on hand since I know it will be consumed eventually – just call me Sponge Dana Stretchy Waist Pants!); however for those who have a limited budget, limited space or limited interest in alcohol, you should keep the bar simple by serving beer and wine only. And, although friends often bring wine as a hostess gift, never count on that likelihood as a means of stocking your own bar. Even if your friends do come through, the wine might not compliment your menu or may need chilling before it's ready to serve.

As for what to serve, there are dozens of great resources available. Two trusted advisors that offer 24/7 web help on the subject are Natalie Maclean and Tony Aspler. Likewise, most liquor stores have knowledgeable staff who can recommend wines in a variety of price ranges.

As for determining how much to buy, use this handy chart to ensure you stock an appropriate amount:

• One 750 mL bottle of wine = 5 servings
• 40 oz (1.2L) bottle of liquor = 25 cocktails
• Professional party planners budget one bottle of wine per person for three or more course sit down dinner.
If I'm invited, add an extra bottle or two of red. Consider yourself fore-warned.


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Some holiday appetizers never go out of style. Such is the case with shrimp and cocktail sauce. What started in the 60's as a posh party appetizer borrowed from the steak house repertoire, has morphed into the now ubiquitous thaw and serve shrimp ring, a holiday party stand-by.

The holidays are a great time to remember friends and get together to celebrate. In most long-lasting relationships, there are a least a few quirky little jokes that grow into traditions. Such is the case with my friend Jennifer. She's an enthusiastic hostess but not a confident cook; as a result she often falls back on bought food when she has parties. Although I have no problem with that myself, she's always apologetic when Martin and I arrive and Martin never misses an opportunity to tease her by asking whether she has one of her delicious shrimp rings. We have such fun making fun of Jen's shrimp rings that we've gathered a whole gallery of pictures of Jen's shrimp rings and our own homemade versions.

Despite all of the joking, the shrimp ring is almost always one of the buffet items I notice gets devoured at holiday parties first (including Jennifer's). Its appeal is broad since it fits into low calorie, low fat or low carb diets; shrimp also provides a much-needed ballast for those indulging in holiday tipples.

So, if you're entertaining this winter, don't forget to add a shrimp ring or the ingredients to make your own shrimp cocktail ring to your grocery list.

For my signature cocktail sauce recipe and to see more shrimp ring pictures, pop over to toptentable.com


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I know Book Week was only supposed to last 5 days, but I've found three more books that you really must know about before the holidays:

Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: I met Jill O'Connor, the author of this divine dessert book, last spring at the Greenbrier's Symposium for Professional Food Writers. She was a delight and had all of us drooling when she described the premise for this new book. Well, I'm glad to say that Jill's description didn't exaggerate one bit! Her new book is filled with great photos and recipes for desserts that completely fulfill the promise of the title. Beyond being a great recipe writer, Jill is conceptually clever, too. Don't believe me? Check out Cinnamon Donut Bread Pudding – you'll find the proof you need there!

The World in Bite Size: Amy and I spent our lunch break the other day ooh-ing and ahh-ing over this book that brings the small plates restaurant trend home in exciting globally inspired ways!


One Pot Italian Cooking: I included this book in my list of the Top Ten Recently Published Canadian cookbooks, but I like it so well that I want to mention it here as well. In person, Massimo Capra has a wonderful, endearing personality and that essence comes through in his new book, too. Beyond a good read, the recipes are appealing and go well beyond ho-hum spaghetti with marinara sauce.


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I'm not sure if I've saved the best for last, but I have saved the books that will appeal to my many chef friends for the last day of Book Week.

Although I think many non-chefs will find these books interesting, they likely aren't ideal choices for new cooks or for people looking for Superbowl party recipes. These books are for accomplished, avid cooks who understand the basics of food preparation.


Beyond Nose to Tail: For years my chef sprocket hubby and I have been talking about writing a book like this sequel to Nose to Tail: It's cheeky, porky and dotted with pictures of chefs in their unvarnished glory eating things that sound divinely delicious!

Morimoto - The New Art of Japanese Cooking: It's confession time: I've long had a professional crush on Chef Morimoto. He is -- in my opinion -- the magical ingredient that made the original Iron Chef television show a successful recipe. In this, his first book, he gives us tons of step-by-step pictures, information about knives, ingredients and technique as well as signature recipes such as his sushi pizza. My fan girl urge tempted me to eat the book page-by-page, so that I could make it an actual part of me, but I decided just to make and eat the recipes instead!


Sous-Vide Cuisine: Although by far the most expensive book I've recommended this week, this book is the definitive guide to one of the last decades most talked about styles of cooking. Besides giving safety tips and background science instruction on this low temperature cooking method, this book has recipes that will help experimental cooks to put this technique to the test.


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Despite our evolving interest in foods from around the world, France remains the holy land of classical cooking. As a result it's still a pilgrimage destination for chefs and foodies seeking enlightenment. (I can personally attest to the epiphanies gleaned from studious meditation on French cheeses). This roster of recently released cookbooks, each based on its own particular aspect of French cooking, offers a range of great gifts for food lovers who may not be able to catch a flight to Paris over the holidays:

Country Cooking in France: Easy on the eye for both arm chair reading or to cook from, this book by Anne Willan focuses on rustic French cooking. In chef school we called this style of cooking ‘Bonne Femme Cookery'. It's the traditional foods made by loving mothers to nourish their families. Although this is an enjoyable book even if you never make the recipes, I'm happy to say that the instructions are detailed so that deft results are almost guaranteed.

The Ethnic Paris Cookbook: Outsiders often forget that Paris is home to many immigrant populations (especially people from former French colonies) who bring their own food traditions to this already food-blessed city. This book provides recipes and neighbourhood info that paint a vibrant picture of the city of lights' ethnic food offering. An excellent book for armchair travelers or a wonderful primer for anyone planning a trip to Paris soon.


The Cooking of Southwestern France: Filled with rustic and satisfying foods that make up the backbone of bistro menus, when first published, this book authoritatively catalogued the cooking of one of the world's most influential food regions. In this newly revised edition, Paula Wolfert adds new recipes and updates many of her original recipes to include some of the more authentic ingredients now readily available in North American grocery stores.



Slim Forever: the French Way: Perhaps more appropriate as a gift for yourself than for someone else, this book very clearly outlines the nutrition info you need to eat like those famously svelte French. Somehow the author has managed to cut down on calories but gives us recipes for very appealing meals, such as veal fillet in gorgonzola sauce.


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Well, here we are. Smack dab in the middle of Book Week and the fun has only just begun!

Today's books are for armchair cooks, the people who find reading about food and watching Food TV as pleasurable as I find cooking.

My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals: A quirky coffee table book with creative chef portraits, pithy interviews and a back section of chef-supplied recipes.

In Bad Taste: Perhaps more a work of social science than culinary arts, this book by intrepid University of Guelph professor, Dr. Massimo Marcone examines the origins and longevity of some of the globe's most curious cultural food delicacies.


Beard on Food: If James Beard is the Yoda of all things culinary, then Mark Bittman (who writes the introduction to this new edition of Beard's classic work) is the Obi Wan Kenobi. Needless to say with such a venerable pairing, this book is an ideal gift for serious food lovers who want to deepen their knowledge of American food history and cooking.

No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach: Don't confuse this book with the sugar coated Catherine Zeta Jones movie of the same name. No, this book is at least as sour as it is sweet. As the culinary world's Johnny Rotten equivalent, Tony Bourdain's chronicle of his global food odyssey earns this pithy tome an R rating.


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If consumer research is to be believed, baking is a dying art. That's why I'm so grateful to the intrepid professional bakers who continue to publish wonderful baking books to inspire us in to action! This fall there were three standout baking books that crossed my desk. Each has something unique to offer:

Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes: This book is the ideal gift for someone who wants their culinary efforts to be noticed! I love that most of the recipes (such as Banana Chocolate Chip Cake….Mmmm!) are for easy-to-decorate cakes with crowd-pleasing flavour profiles. How can't that be good?

Indulge: Written by pastry chef Claire Clark of the famous The French Laundry restaurant, this is a book for very serious bakers (Clark's recipes all require the use of a scale to be prepared); however, for those who want to learn about the science of baking, the chapter opening sections that explain how to make meringues and temper chocolate are very clearly written.


A Passion for Baking: written by trusted Montreal baker and writer Marcy Goldman, this book is filled with novel new twists such as Hot Buttered Popcorn Bread and Sticky Cashmere Muffins as well as more familiar fare such as Classic Buttermilk Scones. A great all around book, peppered with instructional step-by-step photos to help you get the same great results pictured in the beauty shots.


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Welcome to my blog's first Book Week. It's a lot like Shark Week but without the sharks, video footage, nail-biting promos or suntanned men in wet suits. In other words, virtually identical!

Just like Shark Week, Book Week is filled with exciting learning opportunities. Each day I'll briefly review and recommend a selection of new books that are worth owning. Use these recommendations to choose gifts or to draft your own wish list – or if you're like many of the people I know who read this blog, use it to do both!


Today I'm showcasing three books that make great gifts for people who like to entertain. Likewise these titles are good investments for anyone who wants to inject vitality into their own party planning:


Hip Tastes: The Fresh Guide to Wine: Although I can never think about ‘fresh wine' without remembering Steve Martin's character Navin in the movie The Jerk (he indignantly sends back a vintage bottle of wine and demands it be replaced with a newly bottled wine!), reading this book is actually a great way to avoid being a jerk about wine. Hip Tastes is a fun introductory book for people who want to learn about wine but loathe the idea of becoming a wine snob.


Seriously Simple Holidays: With pantry stocking tips, make-ahead suggestions and a plethora of yummy sounding recipes and mouth-watering pictures, this book could inspire even the Grinch to plan a festive get-together.


The Definitive Canadian Wine & Cheese Cookbook: Although I know both of these co-authors personally, I'd be eager to recommend this book no matter whose names were on the cover. In fact, the Wine and Cheese primer chapter at the front is well worth the cost of the book and provides info that even well-seasoned hosts will find helpful.


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