Some Tasty Holiday Gift (and Recipe) Suggestions
The last cooking class I taught was on March 15. It was a bread class. I had purchased five different types of fl our for the class and thought I would never go through it all. Little did I know that flour was soon to become an unexpected black-market commodity. Yes, the quarantine brought out the inner baker in all of us as flour and yeast became distant memories on grocery store shelves. Americans seemed to have baked all the flour away.
Fortunately, flour and yeast, along with toilet paper, are no longer on the hard-to-find shopping list. But don’t let those newfound baking and cooking skills that you honed during these past months go to waste. The holiday season is approaching and, although it may be different than past years, there will still be gifts to give.
This year, think edible gifts. A trip to the grocery store coupled with a few hours in the kitchen can yield an impressive pile of edible gifts that are easy on the wallet and fun to make. It’s also a great way to get the whole family involved in the gift-making project. And if you are the least bit crafty, you’ll be surprised to see what you can do with some decorative ribbon, tissue paper and a few cellophane bags.
A COOKIE CLASSIC WITH A TWIST
Giving a tin of homemade holiday cookies has been a must in past years. But the new world of social distancing seems to have affected this holiday tradition as well. This year wrap those cookies in individual clear bags with a decorative ribbon. Each person can get their own bag (or bags). It’s not 6 feet apart, but in terms of cookie handling, it provides a delicious gift that can be transported and enjoyed with minimal handling.
An easy-to-make cookie is the classic biscotti. Originating in the Italian city of Prato, biscotti are twice-baked cookies traditionally made with almonds or anise. The dough is first shaped into a log form then baked. After a brief cooling, the log is sliced into individual pieces and baked again. This double-baking process makes these cookies extra crunchy and great for dipping into a morning cup of coffee. They can also be made several days ahead and even frozen.
One of my favorite biscotti recipes is my gingerbread version. Ginger, both fresh and crystalized, is combined with a biscotti dough flavored with molasses and spices. For extra pizzazz, drizzle the cooled biscotti with white and dark chocolate.
GET NUTTY
It’s not quite chestnuts roasting on an open fire, but roasting a large batch of savory mixed nuts will give your house an inviting holiday aroma as well as a big batch of gifts. Keep an eye on grocery store and online nut specials. The type of nut used doesn’t matter, but make sure the ones you purchase are unsalted.
Mix the nuts with fresh sage and rosemary along with smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. A touch of sugar gives the nuts the perfect combination of savory, salty, spicy and sweet. Place in clear gift bags or in a parchment-paper lined miniature gift box. Make sure to make a big batch so there’s enough for the cook to nibble on.
SIP AND SAVOR GIFTS
Chilly autumn and winter nights are the perfect time to snuggle up to a fire and enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Homemade hot chocolate mix is a family-friendly gift and surprisingly easy to make. Chocolate is the star of this recipe, so use the best quality cocoa you can find as the base. Add dry milk, powdered sugar and cinnamon for a touch of spice. A pinch of salt brings out the cocoa flavor and finishes your homemade hot chocolate mix.
The homemade hot chocolate mix makes a welcomed gift all on its own, but if you want to get a bit more Top Chef in your gift giving, include a bag of homemade marshmallows for a crowning touch. You’ll need a heavy stainless pot and a candy thermometer along with a stand mixer with a whip attachment. For a little more holiday spirit, flavor the marshmallows with a drop or two of peppermint extract. Use a toothpick to swirl red food coloring on top to finish the marshmallows.
Put the hot chocolate mix and marshmallows in small, clear bags available at party supply stores. Next, take a stroll down the aisle of your favorite overstock store and pick up a variety of large cups or mugs. Don’t forget to type up the instructions on how to turn the hot chocolate mix into a creamy beverage. Various label formats are easy to find on the internet. For the adults in the room, a bottle of wine or liquor makes an easy grab-and-go gift. With craft cocktails all the rage, personalize your adult-beverage gift by making a flavor-infused syrup that can be incorporated into a crafty concoction.
Simple syrups are, yes, simple to make. Sugar, water and flavorings are all that’s needed to whip up a batch of colorful simple syrup gifts. With the Old-Fashioned serving as our state’s unofficial cocktail, why not give it a homemade makeover by adding a simple syrup flavored with cinnamon, fresh rosemary and some local maple syrup? The syrup is a breeze to make and can be packaged in inexpensive canning jars or glass bottles.
Remember to put some fresh sprigs of rosemary and new cinnamon sticks into the cooled and bottled syrup. And don’t forget to include the recipe for the Cinnamon Maple Old-Fashioned. Of course, a good bottle of brandy or bourbon would also be appreciated.
