The holiday season is an exciting season where families and friends anticipate spending time together. When planning menus for these festive gatherings, it is not unusual to wax nostalgic about traditional recipes. While many families choose to continue unique traditions, others focus year-round on creating new menus–and recipes.
There are so many opportunities during the Christmas season to gather with friends and family, and each has its own special resonance. An afternoon of ornament making and tree decorating, for example, may be paired with a cheese platter, frosted sugar cookies, decadent chocolate and walnut fudge, and hot mulled cider.
A gift-exchange evening may inspire each guest to bring a favorite appetizer or dish. Stuffed shrimp and mushrooms, crab cakes, and cheese fondue are definitely delicious. Include home-made chocolate-hazelnut gelato, cherry-almond biscotti or rum cake, and this evening will resonate throughout the new year.
Christmas eve gatherings often include hot chocolate topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle, hearty soups such as New England Clam chowder, served with crusty bread or grilled cheese sandwiches, and the finale. . .florentines, pecan butter balls, mincemeat pies, and fruit tarts.
While enjoying a thick rich cup of espresso on Christmas morning, add Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, fresh-squeezed orange juice, a Quiche Lorraine– and don’t forget the truffles!
In many homes, Christmas dinner is the highlight of the season, and may even be one of the few times the entire family is together. Along with counting blessings and exchanging stories of Christmases past, roast beast with horse radish sauce, au gratin potatoes, pearl onions and peas in cream sauce, fresh rolls with butter, and platters of decadent deserts fill the table.
But most of all, this is where love is served. . .the most important ingredients of all.
Cup design is refreshing, quite a tall espresso cup with a large handle. Grip is good though the walls are too thin. Aroma is fragrant and the taste compliments the cup design. Not too hot and fairly good crema. First impression hints at a weaker strength coffee roast though with tones of berry and acid. Texture not as smooth as crema hints but provides a pleasant nutty aftertaste. Three out of five.