COOKING FRESH – Christmas redux
Christmas redux By Kate Manchester Every family has holiday traditions around food, mine is no exception. When I have guests visiting for the holidays, I will ask what singular food defines the holiday for them, and then – if it’s at all humanly possible, add it to the menu. Over the years I have made Japanese Christmas cakes, seafood feasts to make you weep, Indian Kul Kuls, and I cannot count the number of Buche de Noel. Holiday food is like that, there are certain foods that are oft only eaten at that time, and it just wouldn’t be the same without them. This is an assortment of recipes that define my holiday; some are old family recipes, some were memories dear to others that I have adopted. I’ve been making all of them long enough that they are now solidly a part of my Christmas feast, no question. While the main course may alternate from year to year, (turkey or pork this year?), there are certain things I cannot live without each Christmas, like my Gramma’s Parker House rolls, or Amanda Hesser’s decadent Bread Pudding on Christmas morning. Each bite recalls the warmth of holidays past, reassuring and comforting; each dish has its own story and place in the day. Like a cherished family member unable to make it home for the holidays, it wouldn’t be Christmas for...
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