A Holiday Wish...
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May the warp be the white light of morning — From “The Song of the Sky Loom” (Native American Prayer) |
On Giving and Receiving
B. Kim Barnes
I remember a Christmas holiday many years ago when I was a young teacher. The mother of one of the children in the school was very thin and pale and seemed very depressed. She let the school staff know that she was a widow with no money, and that she and her child were not going to be able to have a holiday celebration.
Several of us decided to surprise her and on a Saturday before Christmas, one teacher offered to take her shopping for her child’s gift (on the teacher) while another took the child to a movie; in the meantime, several of the rest of us brought Christmas decorations and a tree.
We had a wonderful afternoon decorating her small house and anticipating her response when she saw it. When she arrived, she looked at the tree and said, “It’s pretty small, isn’t it?” That was it. No thanks, nothing else!
Shortly thereafter she and the child disappeared from the school and we later learned that she was on the run from the police—there was a warrant for her arrest as a confidence trickster! She was not a widow and for all I know the child was not hers. We had been conned—but we had built friendships with one another and experienced a day of giving in the holiday spirit.
I think we all learned something that day about doing what seems right without expecting to be rewarded for it. That was a holiday gift I have never forgotten. As Mark Twain once said, “Always do right. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”
— Kim
Our
Annual Gift: CARE International
One Barnes & Conti tradition is our annual year-end donation; by consensus of the entire staff, we recommend and agree upon an organization for our company’s holiday gift. As always, we make our year end gift with thanks and appreciation to those of you who have supported us in so many ways this past year—and with hope for a peaceful new year.
This year, we selected CARE International, and we’d like to tell you about them:
CARE is an international humanitarian organizations, committed to helping families in poor communities improve their lives and achieve lasting victories over poverty. CARE seeks a world of hope, tolerance and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security
CARE aims to:
- Strengthen people’s capacity for self-help;
- Provide economic opportunity;
- Deliver relief in emergencies;
- Address discrimination in all its forms.
CARE says, “We pursue our mission with both excellence and compassion because the people whom we serve deserve nothing less.”
To read more about CARE, click here
Our Gift to You: Virtual Feast 2002
By popular demand, our Virtual Feast is back for our second annual holiday installment. We can’t invite all of you to our holiday potluck, but we can share recipes for some of our favorite holiday foods. We hope you’ll get a chance to try at least one of the recipes, below.
“The Peace Eagle” (from Native American Folklore)
To introduce our feast, Tzena Bell, our office manager, gave us this story about the star of the feast—in many of our homes, at least—the turkey.
In
the days long past, when our the People of the Eastern Woodlands
were overcome by famine, they had a wise Leader who was very sad because
his people had nothing to eat.
One day, a magnificent bird, a turkey, walked into the middle of the circle of elders. The people gathered around to see such a strange and beautiful bird. The turkey, however, looked only at the Leader and said, “Gobble me up, gobble me up!”
The Leader jumped up in shock, “What do you say to me?” he called out. The turkey walked closer to him and said again so all could hear, “Gobble me up, gobble me up!” This time, all the people heard the bird speak; they would—they must—believe the bird and could now eat of it. With joy, they prepared the bird as they had been instructed, with oil, salt, herbs, and spices, to be roasted over the purifying fire.
After many hours the turkey was ready to eat; the bird was very big, and it was now filled with stuffing. The people ate and were satisfied, yet there was more turkey. They ate again, and yet again, and still there was more turkey. In fact, the people ate of the bird all winter long, and were still satisfied!
To this day, the turkey is sacred to the People of the Eastern Woodlands. Its feathers are used in sacred ceremonies; it is an omen of abundance and good things; it signifies innocence, compassion, trust, dignity, peace and love. The turkey—our peace eagle—calls upon all humankind to practice respect for all creatures.
This is how it was told to us by our Old Ones.
For Your Turkey (or Chicken): Pear Hazelnut Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 medium-large onion, diced
- 2 pears, diced into 1/2" dice
- Butter and oil for sautéing.
- 2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and chopped (see below)
- 4-5 cups day-old-bread (whole wheat, Italian, and or French) torn up into small pieces
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries, (reconstitute them by soaking in very hot water for about 20 minutes and draining)
- 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
- Stock (homemade poultry or vegetable stock is best, but if you don’t have any, use low-sodium canned)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Pinch of salt
To toast the hazelnuts:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put hazelnuts in a pan and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes. As soon as the hazelnuts are cool enough to handle, rub them together to loosen the skins. Chop some of the hazelnuts in a nut grinder, and break the rest into larger pieces to vary the texture. You can also pulse them in a food processor.
To assemble the stuffing:
1. Sauté the onion slowly in a mixture of butter and vegetable oil (approx) 1 tbsp butter and 2 tsp oil) until the onion begins to turn golden.
2. Add the diced pear and sauté for 2-3 minutes (raise the heat if you need to).
3. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add everything else except the stock and the egg.
4. Moisten with stock to desired consistency (there are no hard and fast rules for this; if you put the stuffing in a turkey or chicken, you'll want the stuffing less moist, if you bake the stuffing outside, you'll want it more moist, as it will dry out).
5. Add the beaten egg and mix well. This should be enough stuffing for a medium turkey or two roasting chickens. If you prefer to bake it separately (as you’ll need to for a turkey breast), bake for about 1 hour, and baste with juices from the bird.
Don’t Overstuff that Bird!
Eric Beckman, Vice President of Operations, tells the following story:
An old roommate of mine proudly cooked his first turkey for me and some friends quite a few years back. We were all waiting for the turkey to cook, and an hour or so into the roasting, one of us asked the inevitable, “When will it be done?”
“When it starts smoking, or explodes,” was his quick-witted reply.
At the word “explodes” we all heard a clear but muffled “kaboom” from the general direction of kitchen. Our friend uttered few expletives, to which his date added, “Maybe it’s done now!” The novice chef scrambled into the kitchen and removed the turkey from the oven.
Nothing looked wrong, on the outside at least. On closer examination, he realized that the giblet bag—which he hadn’t removed from inside the turkey—had burst. Out went the giblets and back went the turkey; within a couple hours, the bird was beautifully cooked. But from that time on we questioned our friend’s abilities, both in the kitchen—and with explosives.
Turkey is traditional for the holidays not just here in the US, but in the Northern Mediterranean—especially Italy and Greece—here’s an Italian-influenced roasted turkey breast for a smaller feast.
An
Easy Roast Turkey Breast.
- 1 5 lb (more or less) turkey breast, bone in
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp fine chopped fresh thyme
- 1 large onion, coarsely sliced.
- 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Salt and pepper the turkey on all sides, and rub 2/3 of the chopped herbs into the underside of the turkey breast.
3. In a roasting pan, put the turkey breast on top of a bed of sliced onion; you can build up onions at the cavity of the turkey breast.
4. Rub chopped herbs on top of the turkey breast, especially where the skin does not cover the meat.
5. Lightly coat the top of the turkey with olive oil. If you like, press chopped hazelnuts into the the top of the turkey (the oil will help them stick).
6. Roast at 350 degrees for 70-90 minutes, depending on the size of the turkey breast, and your oven. Baste every 20 minutes, first with olive oil, and later with pan juices (as they accumulate in the pan). If the skin is browning unevenly, turn the pan in the oven 90 degrees every time you baste it. If the skin is browning too quickly, turn down the heat to 325, or even 300.
7. Let the turkey breast “rest” before at least 20 minutes before carving it.
Appetizer:
Sautéed Mushrooms
This recipe comes from our webmaster and technology guy, Joel Kleinbaum. When the fall rains come, Joel is all too happy to turn his computer off on Friday night and spend the better part of the weekend foraging for wild mushrooms—with chanterelles and porcini special favorites. Joel says that this recipe works best with golden chanterelles, although you can just as easily use portabellos and crimini (brown button mushrooms).
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp cloth (don’t even think of rinsing them!)
- 3 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic or 2 medium sized shallots, chopped fine, or 1 of each (but use shallots only with chanterelles).
- 3 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- Optional: 2 tbsp heavy cream
1. Dice the mushrooms into bite-sized pieced (approx 1/2 inch dice). If using chanterelles, finely chop the stems and include, otherwise, discard the stems.
2. In a skillet or sauté pan, heat the olive oil and garlic/shallot over medium high heat. When the garlic/shallot just begins to turn golden, add the mushrooms and toss for a couple minutes. Add a pinch of salt, and stir.
3. For chanterelles, turn the heat to low, cover, and sauté gently for about 7-10 minutes (this brings out the flavor in the chanterelles); the mushrooms will shrink somewhat. For portabellos and crimini, sauté over medium heat until the mushrooms are brown and have given off most of their liquid (4-5 minutes).
4. Toss in the chopped parsley and sauté for another minute
5. Over medium-high heat, add the wine and reduce to about 1/3. To make the dish decadent, add the cream, and reduce by about 1/2.
6. Serve with (on) thin pieces of garlic toast. Serves 4-6, depending on how much people like mushrooms!
Fruit Chutney
Janne Rochlin, our Director of Client Services, came up with this recipe. It would be delicious with roast turkey, roast chicken, and/or baked ham. You might even be able to give away jars of it as gifts!
Ingredients
- 1 bag fresh cranberries
- 2-3 small apples cored, peeled, and diced
- 1 15 oz jar orange marmalade
- 1 15 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup raisins
- Cinnamon and ginger to taste
1. Cook cranberries in 2 tbls of water until they begin to pop—about 10 minutes.
2. Add all other ingredients and cook together until cranberries are soft and all flavors are blended.
3. Remove from the heat, cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator.
Dessert: Extremely Fabulous Apricot Almond Tart
This
recipe is from the kitchen of Kim Barnes and Don Bryant. Kim always has
fabulous recipes for baked goodies, and this is no exception!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (9 oz) dried moist-pack apricots
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1 1/2 c. sliced almonds
- 1 baked pastry shell (recipe follows)
1. In a 3-4 cup pan, simmer apricots, water and 2 tablespoons sugar on low heat, covered, until apricots are soft and liquid is absorbed, 15-20 minutes; stir often. Uncover; let cool up to overnight.
2. In a 1-1 1/2 quart pan, combine the remaining sugar, almonds and cream. Bring to a boil, stirring, until the sauce forms large, shiny bubbles as it cooks.
3. Spoon apricots into pastry; pour hot sauce over fruit. Bake in a 350 degree oven until nuts are golden, 24 to 35 minutes. Let cool; tart can stand at cool room temperature up to 4 hours; remove pan rim and dust with sifted powdered sugar and cut into wedges.
Serves 4.
Pastry Shells:
1. In a food processor or with an electric mixer, cream together 1/2 cup sugar and 3/4 cup butter.
2. Thoroughly mix in 1 large egg yolk, then 2 cups unsifted cake flour.
3 Cover dough and chill up to 3 days. Use at room temperature.
4. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. If sticky to handle, chill dough briefly.
5. Select tart pan with removable bottom. Put a portion of dough into each tart pan if using 6 inch pans, or if using a 12 inch pan, use all of dough to fit pan and work up 1 1/2 inch of pan sides.
6. With your fingers, evenly press the dough over the bottom and sides of pan.
7. Bake in a 325 degree oven until edges are lightly browned 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand until cool. Fill as suggested.
Simple
and Complex Nutsy Brownies
Carter Serrett, our Vice President of Sales & Marketing, wowed us by bringing these to a staff meeting this past fall. Up until now, the recipe has been a closely guarded secret—you saw it here first!
Carter says, “Originally I called these ‘Kevin Killers’ because my friend Kevin is deathly allergic to nuts. They have really grown in popularity amongst my friends (and now co-workers); I’ve changed the name since most people won’t know who Kevin is, or why these brownies would be ‘killers.’”
“I was hesitant to share this recipe but since I couldn’t find my Cherry Chocolate Chicken* recipe quickly, I will expose the mystery and simplicity of these brownies.”
Ingredients
- 1 bag of snack size Snickers
- 1 bottle of Frangelico (nut liqueur)
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- Hershey’s chocolate syrup
- 1 box of chewy brownie mix (shhh)
- Butter
Basically follow the directions on the box, but with these variations:
1. Butter the bottom and sides of the pan
2. Sprinkle the chopped pecans on the bottom
3. Drizzle the pecans with chocolate syrup
4. INSTEAD of water use the Frangelico Liqueur and add a smidge extra for moisture
5. SLICE (don’t chop or dice... but slice) 11 snack size Snickers bars into very thin slices.
6. Fold the sliced snickers into the batter.
7. Pour the batter over the pecans and syrup and bake per the instructions on the box.
NOTE: Be sure to warn your guests about the nuts and alcohol. There are quite a few nut allergies out there, and folks in AA don’t appreciate the surprising kick you get from the Frangelico.
*Watch our newsletter for Carter’s Cherry Chocolate Chicken recipe!
Wine
Recommendations
This year, with the help of our vigneron, Eric Beckman, we’re offering recommendations of excellent wines that are—inexplicably, in our opinion—off the beaten American path.
Aperitif:
Cava from Spain and Prosecco from Italy are great sparkling wine aperitifs, and cost a fraction of what champagne costs.
Entree:
Dry Riesling from Alsace (France) or Anderson Valley (California): Great with smoked ham; good with turkey and light seafood, too.
Barbera. Recommended with mushrooms, and turkey with hazelnut stuffing. Also great with beef
Dessert:
Ice wine (Eiswein), Germany or Canada, or late harvest (spätlese) Riesling from either Germany or California (Anderson Valley, especially).
Zinfandel Port (California): This one may be tough to find, in that case look for a port from Syrah (California or Washington State). Try port with chocolate, it should complement Carter’s brownies nicely.
Just for Fun
“Thou Shalt Not Skim Flavor from the Holidays” (excerpt)
Craig Wilson, USA Today
The following is an internet classic. With the rich virtual feast that we have mentioned above, we didn’t want any of you to miss this advice column on holiday eating!
I hate this time of year. Not for its crass commercialism and forced frivolity, but because it’s the season when the food police come out with their wagging fingers and annual tips on how to get through the holidays without gaining 10 pounds. You can’t pick up a magazine without finding a list of holiday eating do’s and don’ts. Eliminate second helpings, high-calorie sauces and cookies made with butter, they say. Fill up on vegetable sticks, they say. Good grief. Is your favorite childhood memory of Christmas a carrot stick? I didn’t think so. Isn’t mine, either. A carrot was something you left for Rudolph. I have my own list of tips for holiday eating. I assure you, if you follow them, you’ll be fat and happy.
Wilson’s Advice, excerpted:
- Avoid carrot sticks.
- Drink as much eggnog as you can.
- If something comes with gravy, use it.
- Pass on mashed potatoes made with skim—rather than whole—milk
- Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your
eating.- Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s.
- If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted
Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them
and don’t budge.- Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each.
- Have standards; avoid fruitcake.
- If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Reread tips.
For the complete article, click here
There once was a nobleman in Russia whose name was Rudolph the Red. He was standing in his house one day with his wife. He looked out the window and saw something happening. He said to his wife, “Look honey. It’s raining!”
She,
being the obstinate type, responded, “I don't think so, dear; this
is Russia, and in winter it snows.”
But Rudolph knew better. So he said to his wife, “Let’s step outside and we’ll find out.”
Lo and behold, they stepped outside and discovered it was in fact rain. And Rudolph turned to his wife and replied,“I knew it was raining. Rudolph the Red knows rain, dear!”