Or how this writer roasted…
As foolish as it may sound, Christmas dinner is an experimental time for us. Kathy’s mom comes up, we try something new and different and revel in the cooking and the feast. What’s made this even more fun than before is that my girls are now getting to the age where they’re interested in helping in the kitchen. For Christmas eve at Kathy’s mom’s house Joanna made fresh eggnog—one version each for children and adults—and on Christmas day at our house Kristin made the mashed potatoes and Joanna made the only repeat from Christmases past, a molten chocolate cake; a dessert we have every year and on which I’m not allowed to diverge from tradition. Needless to say, a great time was had by all and both the girls and I had a blast together in the kitchen.
This year’s main dishes came mostly from the December issue of Sunset Magazine, which offered several delicious recipes that were simple to make. For the main meal, and all from Sunset, we made a Beef Rib Roast with Rosemary and Garlic, Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, and Sweet Potato Gratin. Kristin’s “Garlic Mashers” came from Cuisine at Home.
The big surprise of the day was the Shaved Brussels Sprouts. Personally I’m not a fan of Brussels, a little too bitter for my liking. Plus I have some faint memory of sitting in a high chair and having the little buggers shoved down my gullet when I was a young-un. Probably need psychoanalysis to figure all that out though. But these were absolutely delicious! So much so that everybody, myself included, went back for seconds and thirds. My guess is that the Pancetta knocked the bitter edge off of the Brussels, making them delicious!
The main meal was served with two wines, both delicious. The red as a Concannon Assemblage Red Cabernet Sauvignon from the Central Coast (Livermore). The white was a Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc. With dessert we had a Michele Chiarlo Moscato d’Asti “Nivole,” which went perfectly with Joanna’s Molten Chocolate Cakes. (Sorry! That recipe is not available online…)
Before you think me some kind of perfect wine genius, it should be noted that every one of these wines was recommended to me by the great people at Beacon’s Artisan Wine Shop. Charming people with a great wine sense and a willingness to educate the totally uneducated. If you live locally here be sure to give Mei and Tim a call (845-440-6923), otherwise, find a great wine shop that you can support in your neighborhood.
Most importantly, we had a fabulous family time. Family and friends all together at home for Christmas.