At this time of year, even die-hard humbuggers find it impossible to resist the tempting aromas drifting from kitchens up and down the Central Coast. Regardless of race, creed, or constitution, hunger strikes and tastebuds tingle at the mere thought of the delectable dishes connected with this festive season.
There’s something about the heart of winter that inspires cultures around the world to serve up an eye-popping array of fancy foods. From Greenland to China, the urge to fill the darkness with glowing fires and heady edibles proves to be irresistible.
In Mexico and wherever those who bear that country’s heritage gather, tamales rule the Christmas kitchen. Complex and delicious, they play a starring role on the holiday menus of many Central Coast hosts.
An edible art form, tamales are essentially packets of cornmeal dough stuffed with a sweet or savory filling, and then wrapped in softened cornhusks. Tamales resemble an edible doll and traditionally, a single olive is included in the savory filling to symbolize the impending birth celebrated at Christmas, as well as the promise of the new year.
Fans of tamales usually refer to them in the plural, rarely mentioning the singular “tamal,” which reveals the overriding tendency to eat more than one at a sitting. Most cooks who make holiday tamales—whether packed with soft cheese, shredded meat, or sweetened pineapple—take advantage of the fact that this is the time of year when families get together, providing a ready labor force to shred, spread, and wrap each tender bundle.
Those who celebrate Hanukkah lay out a traditional spread of food that includes cheeses and cheesecake. According to legend, as the Syrian army besieged her village more than 2,000 years ago, Judith charmed her way into the enemy camp with a basket of wine and salty cheese. She plied the general with both, and after he drank himself into delirium, she decapitated him with his own sword.
When the general’s army found his body, the men fled, leaving the Maccabees free to restore their temple. To this day, revelers marking that historic occasion include a variety of cheese-infused dips, crackers, and blintzes on their tables.
The Hanukkah menu also includes fried foods such as sufganiyot (jelly-filled donuts), fritters, and latkes (potato pancakes). Fried delicacies play an important role in this holiday—also known as the Festival of Lights—because they reference the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days while the Maccabees rededicated their Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 165 B.C.E.
Across cultures, mid-winter gatherings often include a variety of finger foods perfect for quelling hunger while friends mingle in public halls and private living rooms. Whether made up of meat, vegetables, grains, or cheeses, these portable morsels offer the nutrition that partygoers need to maintain high spirits and good cheer.
Long-time favorites include Swedish meatballs, deviled eggs, and chilled shrimp with cocktail sauce for dipping. Also indispensable are antipasto plates of olives, cubed cheeses, rolled ham, and sliced bread, as well as crisp veggies accompanied by creamy dips.
For a quick, hot tidbit, try spreading the tops of several Full of Life Flatbread pizzas with a variety of extras, such as sliced olives, chopped bell pepper and ham, before popping them into the oven at 425 degrees F. for about six minutes. Cut them into bite-sized pieces, arrange on a plate, and they’re done!
Ambitious hosts can stuff large mushroom caps with almost anything, from crab and cream cheese, to a blend of spinach and artichoke dip. Whip up a batch of rumakis (bacon strips wrapped around scallops, water chestnuts, or pineapple chunks) to bake once guests have arrived.
Prepared ahead of time, canapés can consist of crackers or bruschetta topped with salami, pate, cold cuts, or even foie gras and pickled pear. Generally topped with a decorative garnish, they are formulated to be salty or spicy to match the cocktails and other adult beverages being served.
As for sweet treats, fudge has been associated with Christmas since the 1880s, when students at New England women’s colleges practiced candymaking as a late night lark. In a bid to recreate the semi-soft confections served at their homes during the holidays, they melted chocolate and added whatever they had on hand, including milk, nuts, and dried fruit.
Candy canes, as much ornament as confection, first appeared in the latter part of the 17th century as homemade white sticks redolent of peppermint. The red stripes, which didn’t appear until the beginning of the 20th century, may represent the sacred elements of Christmas.
Sweet or savory, the special dishes of mid-winter help to warm bellies and fill hearts with joy as friends and families gather to celebrate. During this darkest time of the year, revelers both willing and reluctant find their tastebuds tingling at the mere thought of the edible treats enjoyed during this festive season.
K. Reka Badger’s tastebuds are starting to tingle. Send her something tasty at rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Dec 9-16, 2010.
