Is it Christmas yet? Not actually but we keep celebrating here like it is. Small moments of cheer carry us through the season, it makes our steps light; and its contagious!
This week Mrs. Claus and her head Elf brought out the kids and the kid in us and we celebrated over cheese with Christian. Parties were held in the Feed Loft and we baked ourselves silly.
Still time to shop…support our local artists or treat someone’s taste buds!
The store team celebrated with a holiday dinner party last Sunday that honored everyone’s extraordinary efforts during the business’s changes and growth this year. Sue Williams, our manager, displayed her culinary prowess with a special meal, then demonstrated her warm heart & leadership by presenting gifts and awards to everyone, acknowledging each person’s unique talents. Gosh, even Dave and I each got one. Thanks for appreciating us Sue!
Caramel sauce
A fool proof real caramel sauce that tastes divine. Pour this over cakes like we did at our party or, as Dave and I like it, over ice cream. It keeps well in the refrigerator for several weeks. And when chilled, a sneaky spoonful is as good a caramel candy as you can get.
In a small sauce pan place:
- 1 cup white sugar
Carefully pour over this without stirring:
- 1/4 cup water
Place on a burner on medium heat. Grabbing the pan by the handle gently swirl the mixture until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is clear.. Still do not stir.
Turn up the heat to high and bring to a boil. Place the lid on the pan and cook for 2 minutes then remove the lid and continue cooking until the syrup gets dark around the edges and when swirled again the syrup becomes amber colored. Remove from heat.
Add to this darkened syrup stirring gently with a whisk and/or heat proof spatula until incorporated:
- 1 stick unsalted butter previously cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla
- a pinch of kosher salt
Serve immediately or store for later use in a canning jar. Keep refrigerated. To rewarm, microwave for 30 seconds or so OR set the jar in another container of hot water till warmed. Change water if necessary.
Perhaps the primary reason…
…I became interested in food as a young adult is because of the cultural traditions that surround the preparing of it. Whether it was a special dish made only when an ingredient was in season or that the same recipe varied north to south according to indigenous supplies. Learning this was like taking a tour of the world.
But the main attraction for me has always been the celebration evoked through family recipes handed down through the generations, so that each bite was a remembrance of someone or some event long ago.
Taste and smell stimulates us to remember. We are wired that way, to feel joy (or seriousness) through these senses, which is why food means so much to many of us. And is probably why tasteless food can cause us to over eat while we try to stimulate these senses and feelings.
This is why we love what we are doing for you. To stimulate your senses and hopefully create some new joyful memories of your time here in Canterbury.
Click here to read Christmas week’s Specials Menu
Let’s start a dialog here. Please leave a comment at the end about what your favorite family holiday food is, then we will all keep checking back to read them. Fun!
Have a merry Christmas and Hanukkah,
Dave and Jane
Like last year, as our holiday gift to you, free Brothers Donuts Saturday 12/21 with Santa 9-11am. One per person please.
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Lovely holiday blog, Jane. The snowflakes are the “cherry on top”. Favorite holiday foods? David says Turkey dinner, but not so much for the turkey as for all the rest, especially stuffing and creamed onions. I’ll add cranberry sauce and pie, pie, pie. – and of course leftovers!
My family are all Quaker and Quakers have historically not been real big on celebrating holidays. All days are equally holy. Quakers do celebrate family and my memories are more of large family gatherings with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, and of course delicious dinners.
I do remember seasonal specialties. On the farm where I grew up we could climb the ladder into the cherry trees (sour of course), pick them, take them in and pit them one by one, juice running down our arms, then make the best ever pie. Similar story for blackberries. In late summer many varieties of apples made distinctive apple sauces, each in season. Star apples were an early variety that made a delicious tart sauce.
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This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing your memories and food history. Reading the last paragraph is like taking a summer trip; I can envision it. And I have to look for star apples to try. Happy winter!
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