French Postcard from the St. Nicholas Center, www.stnicholascenter.org
Christmas Eve/Christmas Day
Christmas is filled with traditions, and yet still evolving
The food is in abundance. My mother brings her Christmas baking. My father comes laden with Christmas marzipan stollens, chocolates, cookies. German sausages, pickles, for Christmas Eve. Red Cabbage for Christmas dinner.
This year he also brought a beautiful Roast and a Goose. He found at German butcher in Carlsbad that he was raving about!
Tip-Top Meats and European Delicatessen.
(review link http://www.yelp.com/biz/tip-top-meats-and-european-delicatessen-carlsbad) It was very sweet, my father lives in Santa Monica and found the advertisement for Tip-Top in a German local newspaper. When he came he had clipped out the page to show it to me. Smileing as he read all the bits on the page. Old world German, old world marketing. He loved it enough to drive from Santa Monica, CA to Carlsbad, easily two hours. He ended up getting a chance to talk with the owner John Haedrich. An eighty year old still running his shop. A "Meister"butcher, he proclaimed to my father. My father was then amazed at how JH went about cutting and preparing my fathers requests. The roast my father brought could melt in your mouth. Just beautiful.
So our house is filled with smells fo cooking baking, the pine from the Christmas tree and the log fire burning.
The 24th is the traditional day in Germany to celebate Christmas. Being her in America with multiply cultures influencing the celebrations we tend to combine and expand the activities.
Traditionally the 24th we spend in San Francisco as a family, looking at all the Christmas decorations, doing a little last minute shopping. Lunch at a little Irish pub called Foley's. Then home for the start of the festivities. Dinner is German sausages, (kind of like hot dogs), german rye bread, mustard and a salad. "Buntnertellers" are layed out. They are plates that have chocolates, marzipan, cookies,nuts and oranges. Kind of little nosh plates, and evening is filled with hanging out together sneaking away to wrap presents, etc. We have had years where Santa/St Nicholas shows up late in the eveing and surprises the children. Otherwise, we have set out cookies and beer as a little snak. Stockings are hung and the children tucked away.
In the morning we put on the tea/coffee and find our comfortable spots in the living room nibbeling on bits and pieces from the "Bundnertellers" and open the presents. Very cozy. Then breakfast comes again tradition has been champagne, orange juice, eggs, bacon, smoked salmon. But this year I think a new tradition may have set it. My littl boy was starving and spotted a can of English Baked Beans which her feverently requested. The turned out very casual, baked beans on toast, with some scrambled eggs. We did pop a bottle of champagne. It was perfect. Very satisfying.
The rest of the day is lazing around a walk up in the hills and just enjoying the family. In the evening from my family we have goose with green apples and marjoriam, my husbands is Turkey. Since Turkey is a Thanksgiving meal here and my children were not keen on Goose we have been preparing a Roast Beef with roasted root vegatables, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, some green beans, Yorkshire Puddings.
That Christmas, Food, Family and Friends!
The food is in abundance. My mother brings her Christmas baking. My father comes laden with Christmas marzipan stollens, chocolates, cookies. German sausages, pickles, for Christmas Eve. Red Cabbage for Christmas dinner.
This year he also brought a beautiful Roast and a Goose. He found at German butcher in Carlsbad that he was raving about!
Tip-Top Meats and European Delicatessen.
(review link http://www.yelp.com/biz/tip-top-meats-and-european-delicatessen-carlsbad) It was very sweet, my father lives in Santa Monica and found the advertisement for Tip-Top in a German local newspaper. When he came he had clipped out the page to show it to me. Smileing as he read all the bits on the page. Old world German, old world marketing. He loved it enough to drive from Santa Monica, CA to Carlsbad, easily two hours. He ended up getting a chance to talk with the owner John Haedrich. An eighty year old still running his shop. A "Meister"butcher, he proclaimed to my father. My father was then amazed at how JH went about cutting and preparing my fathers requests. The roast my father brought could melt in your mouth. Just beautiful.
So our house is filled with smells fo cooking baking, the pine from the Christmas tree and the log fire burning.
The 24th is the traditional day in Germany to celebate Christmas. Being her in America with multiply cultures influencing the celebrations we tend to combine and expand the activities.
Traditionally the 24th we spend in San Francisco as a family, looking at all the Christmas decorations, doing a little last minute shopping. Lunch at a little Irish pub called Foley's. Then home for the start of the festivities. Dinner is German sausages, (kind of like hot dogs), german rye bread, mustard and a salad. "Buntnertellers" are layed out. They are plates that have chocolates, marzipan, cookies,nuts and oranges. Kind of little nosh plates, and evening is filled with hanging out together sneaking away to wrap presents, etc. We have had years where Santa/St Nicholas shows up late in the eveing and surprises the children. Otherwise, we have set out cookies and beer as a little snak. Stockings are hung and the children tucked away.
In the morning we put on the tea/coffee and find our comfortable spots in the living room nibbeling on bits and pieces from the "Bundnertellers" and open the presents. Very cozy. Then breakfast comes again tradition has been champagne, orange juice, eggs, bacon, smoked salmon. But this year I think a new tradition may have set it. My littl boy was starving and spotted a can of English Baked Beans which her feverently requested. The turned out very casual, baked beans on toast, with some scrambled eggs. We did pop a bottle of champagne. It was perfect. Very satisfying.
The rest of the day is lazing around a walk up in the hills and just enjoying the family. In the evening from my family we have goose with green apples and marjoriam, my husbands is Turkey. Since Turkey is a Thanksgiving meal here and my children were not keen on Goose we have been preparing a Roast Beef with roasted root vegatables, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, some green beans, Yorkshire Puddings.
That Christmas, Food, Family and Friends!
Saint Nicholas Day
December 6th
St. Nicholas day is an added on tradition in our home. I split up with my daughterss father when she was very little and have had to share for Christmas. One year with me one year with him. To be able to still celebrate and have the Christmas with her on the years she went away I added Saint Nicholas Day as well as advent to our lives. I knew of it from my German heritage but we never celebrated it or made a big deal of it. I might have put out a shoe once as an experiment. Anyway, it was a way for me to still celebrate the holidays with her and get into the spirit before she left for the actual 24/25th celebrations.
So it has become a tradition. Very similar to Christmas stockings. Everyone sets out a shoe the evening of the 5th. St Nicholas comes in the night. Then early morning most often due to everyone having to start their work/school days, I try to get things in Christmas spirit and cozy, a fire, candles, a start of the Christmas decoration, a little breakfast casually in front of the fire. The kids get up in the morning and chase out for their shoes. Excited! A nice start to the holidays.
There are a few traditional thing toy or so. My husbands adds a pair of warm cozy sock to each shoe.
Now a true St. Nicholas day when I now read is somewhat different. A bit more scary sounding due to his sidekick, Black Peter. A kind of demonic character that deals with the "bad" children
Here is a wonderful account from Belgium, told by Ade Bethune,
http://stnicholas.kids.us/Brix?pageID=305
A little history of the tradition,
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas
Customs Around the World,
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=76
http://holidays.kaboose.com/christmas/traditions/st-nicholas/xmas-around-stnicholas.html
St. Nicholas day is an added on tradition in our home. I split up with my daughterss father when she was very little and have had to share for Christmas. One year with me one year with him. To be able to still celebrate and have the Christmas with her on the years she went away I added Saint Nicholas Day as well as advent to our lives. I knew of it from my German heritage but we never celebrated it or made a big deal of it. I might have put out a shoe once as an experiment. Anyway, it was a way for me to still celebrate the holidays with her and get into the spirit before she left for the actual 24/25th celebrations.
So it has become a tradition. Very similar to Christmas stockings. Everyone sets out a shoe the evening of the 5th. St Nicholas comes in the night. Then early morning most often due to everyone having to start their work/school days, I try to get things in Christmas spirit and cozy, a fire, candles, a start of the Christmas decoration, a little breakfast casually in front of the fire. The kids get up in the morning and chase out for their shoes. Excited! A nice start to the holidays.
There are a few traditional thing toy or so. My husbands adds a pair of warm cozy sock to each shoe.
Now a true St. Nicholas day when I now read is somewhat different. A bit more scary sounding due to his sidekick, Black Peter. A kind of demonic character that deals with the "bad" children
Here is a wonderful account from Belgium, told by Ade Bethune,
http://stnicholas.kids.us/Brix?pageID=305
A little history of the tradition,
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas
Customs Around the World,
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=76
http://holidays.kaboose.com/christmas/traditions/st-nicholas/xmas-around-stnicholas.html
Advent wreath
Advent Calendar
Advent
Our family is not particularly religious but we've tried to keep a few traditions related to it.
It starts the first day of December counting down the 24 days to Christmas. Many years ago I purchased a wooden advent calendar that has 24 door to be opened. In which I would fill a little note for the day and a little candy or present. It has then evolved since there were times the presents didn't fit in the calendar for these the note included a little riddle to find the present. I know very labor intensive. But it has been a really nice way to slide into the holidays.
In Germany children often get paper calendars with either little pictures or chocolates in them as they open the doors daily. When I was little you could only find these at specialty stores. Now you can find them all over here in the U.S.
This season it has been really special. My daughter is almost 14 and my son 2 and a bit. When she wakes up, before the craziness of the week day mornings starts, she heads down to her little brother. They both head to the advent calendars. A friend gave them each a chocolate calendar. So they have been opening that first and then opening the little door in the wooden calendar I mentioned earlier. There they found the notes and have been doing the little hunts together. Its been so sweet. The first year my son really gets it and turns my daughter back a bit into a little girl. Really sweet how they do this together.
Advent is also celebrated on the four Sundays before Christmas. We have a little pine wreath that we fashion with four red candles. Each Sunday afternoon we try to slow down and have "Kaffee and Kuchen" around our little wreath light one candle per week until all four are lite. The sweets are traditionally Peffernusse, Spitzbubben, Stollen, Marzipankartoffeln, Fruitcake, Zimptstern, Lebkuchen/Honeycake, Springerle, Anisplatzchen, Spekulatius, christmas chocolates. Additionally there are also nut and tangerines on the table. Sometime Gluwein or Eggnog would be drunk as well.
Of course to add to the smells "pesan" you take a small piece of the pine branch and hold it a little above the flame. Until its starts to pop and flicker. Of course this is a complete fire hazard but since I was small this was always part of the time as people talked and spent time together. Bringing in some of the smells of Christmas. It is a wonderful time to stop and take a moment, as all the hussel and bussel of the holidays gear up. A time to enjoy the anticipation and hope of the season.
It starts the first day of December counting down the 24 days to Christmas. Many years ago I purchased a wooden advent calendar that has 24 door to be opened. In which I would fill a little note for the day and a little candy or present. It has then evolved since there were times the presents didn't fit in the calendar for these the note included a little riddle to find the present. I know very labor intensive. But it has been a really nice way to slide into the holidays.
In Germany children often get paper calendars with either little pictures or chocolates in them as they open the doors daily. When I was little you could only find these at specialty stores. Now you can find them all over here in the U.S.
This season it has been really special. My daughter is almost 14 and my son 2 and a bit. When she wakes up, before the craziness of the week day mornings starts, she heads down to her little brother. They both head to the advent calendars. A friend gave them each a chocolate calendar. So they have been opening that first and then opening the little door in the wooden calendar I mentioned earlier. There they found the notes and have been doing the little hunts together. Its been so sweet. The first year my son really gets it and turns my daughter back a bit into a little girl. Really sweet how they do this together.
Advent is also celebrated on the four Sundays before Christmas. We have a little pine wreath that we fashion with four red candles. Each Sunday afternoon we try to slow down and have "Kaffee and Kuchen" around our little wreath light one candle per week until all four are lite. The sweets are traditionally Peffernusse, Spitzbubben, Stollen, Marzipankartoffeln, Fruitcake, Zimptstern, Lebkuchen/Honeycake, Springerle, Anisplatzchen, Spekulatius, christmas chocolates. Additionally there are also nut and tangerines on the table. Sometime Gluwein or Eggnog would be drunk as well.
Of course to add to the smells "pesan" you take a small piece of the pine branch and hold it a little above the flame. Until its starts to pop and flicker. Of course this is a complete fire hazard but since I was small this was always part of the time as people talked and spent time together. Bringing in some of the smells of Christmas. It is a wonderful time to stop and take a moment, as all the hussel and bussel of the holidays gear up. A time to enjoy the anticipation and hope of the season.
Holiday Recipes
Persimmon Pudding, foodneaveau.com
Springerle
4 large eggs
1 pound fine granulated sugar
4 drops pure anise oil
4½ cups sifted cake flour
1¼ tablespoons crushed anise seeds (optional)
Beat eggs until thick. Add sugar gradually, beating well between each addition until all is combined and then beat for about fifteen minutes. This will make for a light finished cookie.
Add anise oil and blend. Fold in the flour lightly.
Roll out dough about one-half inch thick. Flour Springerle mold or rolling pin (with each use) and press firmly into dough. Cut cookies along line of imprint.
Place on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle anise seeds of the sheet, if desired, then place cookies on sheet. Let stand overnight in a cool place to dry.
In the morning, place in a moderate oven (375° F.) to set the shape, but reduce immediately to a slow 300° F. When done, in 12 to 15 minutes, cookies should be only lightly colored, with the appearance of being iced.
You can color details with a brush, if you like, using a bit of food color with water.
Keep cookies in a tight can for 2-3 weeks before consumption to develop best taste. To soften, place a cut apple in the can two days before using.
1 pound fine granulated sugar
4 drops pure anise oil
4½ cups sifted cake flour
1¼ tablespoons crushed anise seeds (optional)
Beat eggs until thick. Add sugar gradually, beating well between each addition until all is combined and then beat for about fifteen minutes. This will make for a light finished cookie.
Add anise oil and blend. Fold in the flour lightly.
Roll out dough about one-half inch thick. Flour Springerle mold or rolling pin (with each use) and press firmly into dough. Cut cookies along line of imprint.
Place on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle anise seeds of the sheet, if desired, then place cookies on sheet. Let stand overnight in a cool place to dry.
In the morning, place in a moderate oven (375° F.) to set the shape, but reduce immediately to a slow 300° F. When done, in 12 to 15 minutes, cookies should be only lightly colored, with the appearance of being iced.
You can color details with a brush, if you like, using a bit of food color with water.
Keep cookies in a tight can for 2-3 weeks before consumption to develop best taste. To soften, place a cut apple in the can two days before using.
Lebkuchen
1 1/3 cups honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup candied mixed fruit
1 tablespoon light sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Spray bottom and sides of a 10 x15 inch glass pan with a non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C).
In a 2 cup glass measuring cup, heat the honey and 1/3 cup sugar in a microwave for 1 minute. Pour this mixture into a medium mixing bowl.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to the honey mixture. Stir well.
Add and mix in by hand the candied fruit, oil, and spices.
Add 1 1/2 to 2 cups more flour. Knead dough to mix (dough will be stiff). Spread into pan. Bake for 20 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cut into squares. May be frosted with sugar glaze or eaten plain. Best if stored for 2 weeks
Zimptstern
Dough
300 g Almonds, finely ground
100g caster sugar, sifted
50 g flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 egg whites (see note on egg
size)
Meringue Glaze
1 egg white
1 dash salt
200 g castesr sugar, sifted
milk
In a bowl mix dry ingredients for dough.
Add egg whites and knead until a sticky dough is formed.
Wrap into cling film and put into the fridge for at least one hour.
Near the end of cooling time pre-heat oven (170 C) and make
meringue glaze.
For meringue glaze beat egg white with salt until stiff. While
still beating add caster sugar by and by to make meringue.
The meringue should have a consistency that you can spread it
with a brush onto the dough later. It should have a more
creamy consistency, so that it will stick on the dough and not running down.
Add just a little milk to get the right consistency. Depending on
the egg white you may need about 1 to 3 tablespoons.
Line out baking trays with parchment paper.
Get the dough out of the fridge and roll it out between two layers of parchment papers or cling film. The dough should be about 1 cm thick.
Method ONE for making cinnamon stars (easy way): Using a
star cutter cut out the stars and place them on the baking tray. With a brush spread meringue glaze on the cookies.
Method TWO for making cinnamon stars (tricky way): After you have rolled out the dough spread a thin layer of the meringue glaze on the dough. Cut out stars. Dip cutter in powder sugar to help release dough. Put the stars on
the tray. If dough is too sticky knead the rest of the dough
again and add some grounded almonds, so that the dough.
Repeat the steps of making the stars.
Bake the cookies for about 10 -12 minutes. Watch them carefully, because the meringue should not be browned.
Take them out and let cool completely.
Store them in airtight container. The cookies get better
and better, because the flavours blended over time, but I you have to find a good hidout.
300 g Almonds, finely ground
100g caster sugar, sifted
50 g flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 egg whites (see note on egg
size)
Meringue Glaze
1 egg white
1 dash salt
200 g castesr sugar, sifted
milk
In a bowl mix dry ingredients for dough.
Add egg whites and knead until a sticky dough is formed.
Wrap into cling film and put into the fridge for at least one hour.
Near the end of cooling time pre-heat oven (170 C) and make
meringue glaze.
For meringue glaze beat egg white with salt until stiff. While
still beating add caster sugar by and by to make meringue.
The meringue should have a consistency that you can spread it
with a brush onto the dough later. It should have a more
creamy consistency, so that it will stick on the dough and not running down.
Add just a little milk to get the right consistency. Depending on
the egg white you may need about 1 to 3 tablespoons.
Line out baking trays with parchment paper.
Get the dough out of the fridge and roll it out between two layers of parchment papers or cling film. The dough should be about 1 cm thick.
Method ONE for making cinnamon stars (easy way): Using a
star cutter cut out the stars and place them on the baking tray. With a brush spread meringue glaze on the cookies.
Method TWO for making cinnamon stars (tricky way): After you have rolled out the dough spread a thin layer of the meringue glaze on the dough. Cut out stars. Dip cutter in powder sugar to help release dough. Put the stars on
the tray. If dough is too sticky knead the rest of the dough
again and add some grounded almonds, so that the dough.
Repeat the steps of making the stars.
Bake the cookies for about 10 -12 minutes. Watch them carefully, because the meringue should not be browned.
Take them out and let cool completely.
Store them in airtight container. The cookies get better
and better, because the flavours blended over time, but I you have to find a good hidout.
Pfeffernuesse
These are probably the ultimate German Christmas cookie, at least in our house. Almost garenteed that my Mom would make these.
These are a hard cookie that is meant to be drunk with wine. When I was little I didn't like them very much. But now the taste has grown with the tradition.
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. candied ginger, citron or orangeat
1/3 c. almonds
zest of 1/2 lemon or 1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. milk
Glaze
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
juice of half a lemon
Whip together eggs and sugar on high speed until tripled in volume and almost white, about three to five minutes.
Finely chop crystalized ginger or citron; grind nuts. Add crystalized ginger (or citron), nuts and lemon zest or extract to egg mixture and mix until combined.
Change to the paddle blade. Sift together spices, flour and baking powder, and slowly add to eggs mixture. If the dough is dry and crumbly, add milk one tablespoon at a time until dough holds together.
Knead gently for a minute or two until the dough is smooth. Cover and let sit for one day; this step is important to allow the flavors to meld.
The next day, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Form dough into balls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter; place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until browned. Allow to cool 20 minutes.
Place in tin. They get better with age.
These are a hard cookie that is meant to be drunk with wine. When I was little I didn't like them very much. But now the taste has grown with the tradition.
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. candied ginger, citron or orangeat
1/3 c. almonds
zest of 1/2 lemon or 1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. milk
Glaze
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
juice of half a lemon
Whip together eggs and sugar on high speed until tripled in volume and almost white, about three to five minutes.
Finely chop crystalized ginger or citron; grind nuts. Add crystalized ginger (or citron), nuts and lemon zest or extract to egg mixture and mix until combined.
Change to the paddle blade. Sift together spices, flour and baking powder, and slowly add to eggs mixture. If the dough is dry and crumbly, add milk one tablespoon at a time until dough holds together.
Knead gently for a minute or two until the dough is smooth. Cover and let sit for one day; this step is important to allow the flavors to meld.
The next day, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Form dough into balls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter; place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until browned. Allow to cool 20 minutes.
Place in tin. They get better with age.
Boxing Day
Is celebrated in most of the Commonwealth it is the day after Christmas. Its origins come from the churches It was traditional to open the church's donation box on Christmas Day, and the money inside was to be distributed to the poorer or lower class citizens on the next day. In this case, the "box" in "Boxing Day" comes from that lockbox in which the donations were left.
It is also a day to give gifts to employees and poor people. It is the day that store launch the most significant sales period in the retail cycle.
To celebrate the day I know of friends in Australia, having brunches with friends and family a day at the beach. There is also Boxing Day Swims, and of course sports.
Here in the States its not really celebrated. Although, my friend Sonya, of Australian/Philipean decent and her husband Benjamin, hold a yearly boxing day party where she showcases her steamed puddings. With the finally of the lighting of the cakes! Mmmmm!
It is also a day to give gifts to employees and poor people. It is the day that store launch the most significant sales period in the retail cycle.
To celebrate the day I know of friends in Australia, having brunches with friends and family a day at the beach. There is also Boxing Day Swims, and of course sports.
Here in the States its not really celebrated. Although, my friend Sonya, of Australian/Philipean decent and her husband Benjamin, hold a yearly boxing day party where she showcases her steamed puddings. With the finally of the lighting of the cakes! Mmmmm!
Sunday, December 23, 2007
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