Nibbling Around The Christmas Tree

 One for the most fun parties of the season is the tree trimming one. friends and family come over for good food and good stories. Unlike other holiday get togethers this is an informal one. dress can be pajama pants or a goofy tee shirt. The food should be as casual too.

You can never go wrong with a charcuterie board. Try a Christmas one in the shape of a tree or wreath. They both have the same ingredients as a regular charcuterie board  - well except there may be more red and green. Serve cold cuts that are perfect with French or Italian bread rounds along with crackers. Salami is perfect here along with pepperoni and folded over mortadella and prosciutto. Cheese is important too. Try a mix of hard and soft ones. Brie is excellent here  but you can also have Camenbert too. As for the had cheeses Swiss and Gruyere are great options and perfect just on their own. You could create a flavored cream cheese, perfect with crackers or pita chips. Make a chive and onion one or Boursin style with garlic and herbs. For zing add jalapeno along with cheese for a take on those fun jalapeno poppers.A tablespoon or two of presto stirred in creates a Northern Italian flavor, perfect on plain focaccia. What about adding red and green? Cherry and grape tomatoes are festive along with being refreshing. Add some broccoli , another fresh flavor for tree or wreath greenery.

A tree trimming party can also have hot food too. Keep it fun with a choice of chilis. You could serve the traditional red , made with beans and chopped beef. or white , usually made chicken and green chilis. Serve both with fresh made or bought (try Acme's) cornbread or even rice. Another hot dish that's both filling and fun is the classic bricklayer nachos. These are layers of tortilla chips filled with beef, bacon and chorizo along with queso, creamy avocado and crunchy scallions  , add fire roasted tomatoes (try Lidl) for this , giving the nacho a sweet , earthy flavor.Hot nibbles are a must too. Think pigs in blankets and a variety of dipping sauces  like barbecue and hot mustard, to add to them. Chicken wings, both hot and mild are fun. Although with these have plenty of wet napes around so that ornaments aren't ruined by grease marks. What about drinks? Egg nogs and hot toddies work afterwards as a kind of dessert. Cranberry cocktails and mock tails are perfect for these. A fun cranberry punch has the juice or a cranberry-fruit mix, flavored seltzer and chunks of orange and lemon. Add plenty of ice for a cooling sip.

A tree trimming party is a fun one. Have  fun foods and a tasty punch t make guest feel festive. They'll have a great time , creating more holiday memories.

Hot Foods For Cold Days

 The temps are freezing in most parts of the country and the world right now.There's nothing like a spicy Mexican hot chocolate or a Berber spiced laced Ethiopian stew to warm the blood right now. These drinks and food are perfect for starving off that chill feeling.

Here s the question - what fiery foods or drinks do you like to heat up? Is it Szechuan cuisine, rifw with zingy pink peppercorns? A five alarm chili? Jalapeno poppers? To me nothing says fire and spice than a chili (a two alarm in my case. I can't handle a five a alarm spice fire). Of course ti has to have a good bed of rice or crumbled cornbread underneath to absorb some of that zest.

What is your body warmer? Let us know . 

A Warm Stew For A Frigid Night

 This is the type of weather where a big pot of stew  bubbling away on the stove is a must.It's the perfect comfort food, warning the body and the soul One is the fancily named designer stew. It is flavorful and filling, perfect after a hard day. 

Regular contributor and chef Yewande Komolafe contributed two variations of this stew in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Obe Onibu or designer stew is a salve to those who eat it and to those who make it. Her grandmother, Iya,Agege, a successful women in her family's cloth a nd dying business would first use her grinding stone to cut up what their Igbo people called tatase a ti shomibo or red peppers and cayenne.Also added were red onions - alubosa and at rodo to red Chile. She would heat up the red palm oil until it smoked but retained its' bright orange hue.Bite sized pieces f beef and a local bean that's fermented - iru-  are cooked then softened, The stew was simmered and then fried, leaving a wonderful aroma to permeate the house.Chef Komolafe has added her spin by adding beef tendons, short ribs and oxtail similar for a few hours (Chef komolafe recommends cooking all this the day before serving)) She also added dried shrimp and miso along with anchovies for a unami flavor . The second recip there is a hard boiled egg added for more flavor and substance.

This is an easy recipe chock full of ingredients and flavors. The ribs and oxtails are trimmed of the extra fat. There are the bell peppers along with green scallions for color and pungency. There should be a pound of the peppers and in any color . You many want to use all three colors for flavor subtleties and color. onions and garlic are also added a long with tiny dried fish soaked to rehydrate. If you prefer a stronger  flavor then add anchovies. to give it some intense heat then add Scotch Bonnets or any super hot Chiles if you want.It would be best served over rice but spinach or fried plantains work just as well. As for the recipe with the eggs. Six to seven are used for this and their mild flavor can make a perfect foil for the other ingredients. They have to be hard boiled and peeled, then are added to the sauce. This is gently poured on them and then the eggs are transferred to individual plates. As for the sauce itself, it should be stirred until it's thickened and jammy.It should also be caramelized and slightly darkened at the end. Obe Oniub can be stored for up to five days in an air tight container.

This is the perfect stew for right now.I'ts easy to make  despite the large range of ingredients. A warm bowl of will be satisfying and comforting.z

A Night Put With A Good Drink

 Nothing says holiday time than dressing up and heading out for a good drink. This is the time to put on sequins and silk, suit and cocktail dress. There are several bars throughout the most Christmas-sy city of all- New York. Enjoy a good sip and good conversation.

Food section editor Nikits Richardson compiled this must visit list for today'sNew York Times Wednesday Food Section. December's night and especially weekends were made for going out Here any fan of mixed drinks can hot borough hangouts and brasseries for a delicious glass of something heady. The island of Manhattan has always been a sophisticated one and a martini symbolizes this. Try the house one at Bemelmans Bar at the famed Carlyle Hotel.They even have an entire menu page dedicated to all sorts of variation,If the classic is too tame , then try their espresso one or their JFK (!!!) one.  There is also  the cocktail onion variation called the Gibson at Dear Irving at the always classy Gramercy Park. For the truly exotic there is the saffron flavored Martini Our Way at Le Veau D'Or.It comes with a  sidecar of vermouth and Vichy water. For a classic James Bond experience sip the undiluted Dukes Martini at the American branch of  Dukes in the Hotel Chelsea.Whether gin or vodka is ordered, the bottle comes in cases in ice.

The  holidays call for classic drinks as well. Try the Negroni that marriage of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth at BarPisselino in the West Village. The bar, reminiscent of what you would see in Milan or Turin, offers this mix of Prosecco, Aperol and soda water. Drinkers can also indulge in the American classic, the old fashioned at the interestingly named Death And Company, one of the world's most top rated cocktail bars. For an after dinner drink try the Irish coffee at Water Streets The Dead Rabbit, the Irish bar chain.Of course Brooklyn has its; share of trendy drinks and bars too. Definitely get the Cranberry juice spiked Cosmopolitan at Long Island Bar in the Cobble Hill section of the borough. Thrusting for something unusual? Then stop at another Brooklyn Bar,  the Grand Army for the Hard Start. This is a bracing mix of two bitter Italian amari or bitter herbal drinks.Fernet Branca and Fernet Menta.

These drinks are the perfect festive sip for the holidays. Head to the city to enjoy them. Dress up and go wild with a tasty cocktail.

Cookie Charts

 Now that it's December it's time to start planning those cookies. They're such a big part of the holiday and everyone expects them on the not only tasty but memorable. It;s important to make the best and make them the tastiest.

First thing is ask yourself what do you exactly want to make? Classic chocolate chip? Biscotti? Shortbread? Or do you want to try something different like pignoli or snickerdoodles. Some home bakers keep within one or two kinds. They try three or four different variations of biscotti , from almond to cranberry along with sugar cookies. These are ok yet there's no variety. A good cookie tray usually has three or four different kinds. Of course there has to be chocolate chip cookies. The question is what kind to you want to bake? The classic with just dark chocolate chips or do you want to add almonds.? There is also the kind with macadamia nuts, coconut and almonds too  for something different. There is there the reverse chocolate chip. Chocolate dough with peanut butter chips in them. These are great for those who love Reese';s peanut butter cups. You can also vary the dough and make chocolate chip shortbread rounds too.Biscotti can also be chock full of chips and for added decadence, drizzle dark chocolate over the cooled cookies

Shortbread are another cookie tray or basket must. Its; one of the easiest recipes to create. All you need is butter - a lot - sugar and flour. That's it. The best sugar to use for a smooth crumb is confectioners and not the granulated white kind. Shortbreads can be dipped in chocolate - preferably dark and then I holiday sprinkles for a festive look to a cookie tray.  For a different spin add lemon to give them a bright tartness.A cousin  of the shortbread, butter and spritz cookies are always on someone's holiday dessert table. A good recipe involves the usual, butter sugar and flour but there are also eggs and sometimes milk to thin out the dough for the cookie gun. Flavors can also be added such as almond , orange ro lemon instead of the classic vanilla. The dough can also be tinted in festive red (actually the reds bake up pink) and green. these can be finished off with sanding sugar in gold or silver for a glistening finish.These can also be shaped into little wreaths and have a maraschino cherry or a dollop of homemade chocolate fudge in the center. These cookies are also similar to what bakeries offer and they too can have one end dipped in dark chocolate and them doubled dipped in either ground nuts or sprinkles.

What will be on your cookie chart? Make sure it's a variety. Everyone love different cookies to nible and enjoy. Give guests and family memorable and tasty sweet treats.

Various Flatbreads

 Flatbread satisfy the need for a quick but satisfying meal. They could be anything from pizza to a Tarte flambe to focaccia. They're easy to make and the toppings can be as elaborate or as simple as you make them.

Flatbreads are one of the oldest foods in the  world , first coming into existence around 12,400 BCE in what is now modern Jordan.Back then they were just a mix of flour and water, usually grilled on  a hot surface such as a heated stone.Flabread comes in different shapes depending on where you're in. It's naan in India, pita in the Middle East and focaccia in Italy. A simple quick flatbread involves flour water and surprisingly yogurt. Some recipes call for this last. Some don't. A really simple recipe just has water and flour  along with sugar and salt. Most of them don't have yeast, however the Greek version does have.This is what makes the Greek bread have that light fluffiness that goes well with souvlaki. As with any yeasty dough it has to sit and rise for about an hour to an hour and a half.Naan is a bit different  with the addition of the melted butter or ghee along with milk. Pita is truest in form to the original flatbread.There's - only the most basic of ingredients. It ;s an easy make and a great alternative to regular bread.

WHat do you put on flatbread? Pita screams for za'atar - that zingy Middle Eastern spice blend that consists of thyme, marjoram and oregano, mixed with toasted sesame, salt and sumac. This is mixed with olive oil and either drizzled (or slathered) over warmed pita.Shawarma , which can be grilled chicken or beef is also good on it Thee meat is grilled in a spice blend call shawarma spice which has cumin, turmeric  garlic and paprika in it. Lamb can also be cooked this way too. As for Greek flatbread nothing beats souvlaki . This last is meat cooked in a mix of  oregano, paprika and rosemary. Of course there is lemon toto to give the dish some zest. Italian flatbread or focaccia is best known and there are so many debates as to what to top it with. A simple topping is olive oil and black or green olives. Yet for a tastier mix try topping one with sundried tomatoes and marinated onions.. Meats and fish like pepperoni and anchovies can be added for more substance and flavor too.

Flabreads with toppings are nice alternatives to sandwiches and pizzas. Bake them and top them with tasty veggies and meats. They're a perfect lunch or dinner.

Plotting For The Next Big Dinner

 As we're finishing off the Tahnksgiving leftovers our minds turn to - the next big meal or party. it seems almost too much. Yet  December First is just around the corner.It's going to be Christmas Chanukah and Knwanzaa before we know it. Throw in parties and tree trimming get togethers and then it really is time to come up with  menu plans.

It pays to map out the month ahead. Keep in mind people will be busy with finishing up semesters and getting ready for their office parties.It's good to plan parties and dinners on Saturday and Sundays. If people are occupied on Saturday night, then think a holiday brunch on late Sunday morning.Another must is figuring out what people will eat. Take into account that you may have  vegans and vegetarians invited.One idea is having both meat and meatless options like nuggets . You can get Tyson and Gardein or Impossible plant based chicken. These are great with all sorts of dipping sauces from ranch to barbecue.Impossible Meats also has plant based ribs for a fun appetizer.A great tree trimming meal is chili .This can be made quickly and it can have all sorts of ingredients in it.It could have beef turkey, beans and even tofu.It could be as spicy hot  as you and your guests want or comfortingly mild. Serve with crackers or cornbread.This last could be homemade or bought at your local grocery store. Finish with Mexican hot chocolate.

Hosts must also choose between sit down dinners or buffets. Sit down dinners require more planning. the other requires more food. What do you order for a sit down dinner? Is this also for Christmas? Do you serve turkey or ham? What about the sides? Will it include elegant vegetables along with a first course of soup or salad?Will guest have to dress up to enjoy this meal along with cups of punch? Buffets are much more informal but require a good choice of dishes, both savory and sweet. Here's where planning has to come in. A buffet lunch or dinner can be made easier if everyone is assigned a recipe. Make sure that there's an equal balance of savor and sweet along with hot and cold. You don't want ten guests to bring salads or variations of baked macaroni and cheese. Assign what each home chef is good at. If there are dupes then ask them what their second go to recipe is and they can make that. (you may have to have them go to their third and fourth dishes in some cases or switch them from savory to sweet and vice a versa if too many have the same specialty).

Is it time to plan so soon after Thanksgiving? Surprisingly yes! Start now for a month of parties and dinners. All that planning will pay off when you have a good dinner or party.