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Proustian Holidays
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At a family gathering the other night, my mother promptly announced that she would not be making fruitcake for the holidays this year. With one whisper, a 50-year-old tradition vanished.
At 83, the last year brought a battle with breast cancer, a near-fatal car accident (I was driving) and this New Year, she’ll need to undergo knee replacement surgery. She and my father found an “excellent” fruit cake at a bakery in Palestine, Texas, on their last trip, and she’s ordering the candied, nutty cake from them. Period.
But I’m so sad. I really don’t even like fruit cake that much, but I loved the tradition of her making it — it was like a scene straight out of Capote’s “Christmas Memory” — the Herculean effort that went into her fruitcakes. Unlike Capote’s “friend,” my mother never sent a fruitcake to the president, and certainly not to FDR. She made them mostly for my father and youngest brother, who adored them.
Every year about this time she would send my father for all the ingredients and when I was young I remember loving the rich, spice-laced batter licked from the end of a wooden spoon.
When I got home later that night, I cried. I will miss this part of her so much. And it’s hard for me to admit that she’s just not up to the task anymore. I even offered to make the cakes, but she and my father are resigned. And so a tradition ends.
It made me think of her Christmas fudge; her pound cake; her cornbread dressing — how I would miss them! Even as my sister and I take over the duties of the holiday kitchen, part of the reason these things are so dear, I know, is because my mother has been making them for us for so long.
I shared this with colleagues, and it seems I’m not alone: everyone had a certain something that they just can’t live without when it comes to the holidays: pepperoni yeast rolls are apparently a West Virginian tradition; juicy, crisp peach cobbler made by a great aunt who has passed; a grandmother’s lemon pound cake.
What holiday food tradition could you not live without?
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Flip is Set to Open
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lots of “ifs” on the horizon for openings: I’m told Flip is getting ready to open the first week of December. Craft is “shooting” for a December 8 opening. And chef Scott Serpas new restaurant, Serpas True Food, will open in January, complete with a bar sporting inlaid oyster shells from the Gulf.
Anne Quatrano was nice enough to speak with me some more about Abattoir, which she says will most likely open in February. The meatcentric menu will showcase the full use of animal products, including rarities such as lamb brain fritters and corned pig tongue. Other items range from head cheese with fig mustard to steak frites and braised salt cod stew.
This will be she and chef-owner Clifford Harrison’s most casual restaurant to date (not counting provender Star Provisions), with a check average “less than that at Floataway Cafe,” according to Quatrano.
Inside the White Provision complex off Howell Mill Road, the former slaughterhouse will sport pine floors from a closed factory in Cartersville to a Chicago Cow-like life-sized cow on a front entrance ramp.
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Visions of Sugarplums
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
IS CANDY EVER GOOD FOR YOU?
Photo: Louie Favorite/styling by Meridith Ford Goldman/ AJC
OMG is it ever the holidays — my desk is inundated with food, candy and booze from public relations firms offering recipes, tips and new ways to use something that in no way could be used in a new way.
I don’t fault these folks — it’s their job, and most of them do it well. (For the record, what me and the ladies who sit near me don’t consume is given to an in-house sale; the proceeds go to various charities).
But no one will be getting what just arrived on my desk — I’m keeping most of it for myself: a big box from the National Confectioners Association chock full of candy. The catch? This holiday season, candy is healthier for you. What? You didn’t know?
I’ll tell you why, according to the folks who make it: They’ve released “better for you” options:
Hershey’s Snacksters S’mores 100-calorie snack mix
100-calorie Skinny Hunk bar
Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt snacks (which, they emphasize, are made with real fruit and even contain yogurt cultures)
The amount of nutritional information, from 60- to 100- calorie packs to fortified Jelly Belly packs and Hershey’s extra dark chocolate with pomegranate, is mind boggling. And it proves that everybody’s gotta get a gimmick in these hard economic times.
Truth be told, portioning what you eat does allow you to have a treat from time to time. But to call candy — even if it is fortified with vitamin C — “good for you” is a bit of a stretch. Unless we’re talking about mental health …
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Dude, Where’s My Food?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A few years ago, the publishing world was a flutter with “guy” cookbooks — the kind that teach a dude how to do more than just open a can of tuna. Some, like “The Guy Can’t Cook,” are designed for the sort of man who thinks cooking is the heat-and-ingredient equivalent of a vasectomy. Others, like “Dude Food: Recipes for the Modern Guy,” explore beyond peanut butter and jelly to a realm where, though not of Martha’s standards, certainly help elevate the average Joe to a Jean-Georges.
This all became more interesting to me after a recent conversation with my husband, who — before marrying me — was single for close to 15 years. It’s dawned on me that while I thought he married me because he thought I was cute, things may actually have slanted my way because I can cook. Dang. And while I’ve had lots of ideas for cookbooks over the years, never has the idea of a guy cookbook entered my mind — until now.
I was stunned as he relayed over breakfast recently the creative process by which he used to eat. Clever dishes, perfect for the single guy, with little or no heat or clean up involved. Things that could be mixed together and eaten from the can or jar. Dishes that use only three ingredients. One bowl mixes that utilize nothing but water and a spoon for combining. Brilliant. Absolute genius. Even more of a miracle, his dishes are made sans microwave. He didn’t own one. I can’t wait to get the proposal written so I can send his recipes off to a publisher ASAP.
While we’re waiting, here are a few of his creations. Feel free to share. And send me your or your guy’s ideas, too.
His first dish goes by no name, but doesn’t really need one, either:
1 can Vienna sausages
1 liberal squirt (to taste) of Texas Pete hot sauce
Method: Open the can, squirt the hot sauce over the sausages, close the lid, shake, open, eat. Fork optional. Tips and comments: “You’ll have to sacrifice one sausage to get the others out whole.”
Tuna Noodle Pea
This dish requires that whoever is cooking knows how to cook a pound of egg noodles.
1 pound egg noodles
1 can tuna, it doesn’t matter what kind
1 pound frozen English peas
Method: Cook the pasta according to the package directions (see above). Drain the pasta. Open the can of tuna and drain the water from it. Dump the tuna and peas onto the hot pasta. Stir. Tips/comments: “Don’t worry about pre-thawing the peas — the heat from the noodles will warm them up enough.”
Big Guns
This recipe requires an oven and the ability to turn it on.
1 package Bisquick baking mix
1 package hot dogs
Mix the Bisquick with water according to the package directions. Spread half the mixture on the bottom of a baking dish (“it doesn’t matter what size”). Place the hot dogs over the mixture, then spread the remaining half over the hot dogs. Bake until golden brown. Tips/comments: “I was drunk when I named this dish. I was drunk every time I ate it, too.”
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Dumplings?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This week’s In Search of explores Chinese in Atlanta but I’m hankering for dough of all sorts, especially dumplings.
Love Chef Lui’s, love Canton House’s sui mai — but are there any dumplings out there of the Eastern European nature? Pulmenis? Or do I have to settle for gnudi, which hit a bit of a craze last spring at local spots and is still going strong.
If you know of a great Eastern European dumpling house, or dumplings of other sorts, let me know.
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Latest comments
I have taken the mantle of fruitcake baking in my family. My grandmother passed away a year ago and someone had to do it. No one in the family likes fruitcake, but someone has to make it.... read the full comment by Tony | Comment on Proustian Holidays Read Proustian Holidays
I know I won’t be around forever, so last year our Christmas gift to the kids (18 and 23), sisters and brothers were handmade binders filled with all the favorite recipes - holiday or otherwise. We can exchange recipes, and add to what is already... read the full comment by Sarah | Comment on Proustian Holidays Read Proustian Holidays
Uh, how about taking over the tradition and carrying it forward?! Get the recipe (if you don’t already have it) and involved the kids or other family members. Seems a no-brainer to me. mystery poster The kids will... read the full comment by Sassy | Comment on Proustian Holidays Read Proustian Holidays
I couldn’t imagine xmas without Mom’s scalloped corn and home made chocolate pies and pistachio delight. It’s not about the food so much as Mom doing those special things every year…tradition, it’s good for kids to grow up... read the full comment by RobinS | Comment on Proustian Holidays Read Proustian Holidays