Even Santa Needs a Nip Now and Then!
Merry Christmas! I know there are some, for political correctness, that want this known as Happy Holidays. Let’s face it, on December 25th of every year it is Christmas — not another holiday. I do agree with Happy Holidays though as there are many in December. I just did an article on Hanukkah, now Christmas, the 26th starts Kwanzaa which will end this series of articles . So for the 25th it is Merry Christmas and it is also Happy Holidays for the month. Now that we have that straight, let’s move on to Christmas shall we.
Most in the United States celebrate this day one of two ways. In a secular manner whereby it is all about decorations, gifts, family dinners (perhaps some family arguments too for good measure!), trees, lights, gingerbread houses, bonuses, office parties, songs about Jingle Bells, Rudolf, and Santa Baby. Oh, how can I forget the shopping, shopping, and more shopping. This celebration is a holiday where not many mention or even care about its religious significance. This brings me to the way most celebrate this day, as the birth of Jesus of the Nazareth and to most of the world is Christ, son of God, or even God in human form. This most famous birthday is not just celebrated in the United States, it is worldwide. Christians of all denominations believe that Jesus is the Messiah and is the foundation and core of their faith. This day to Christians, in the United States and abroad, is also about decorations, trees, lights, gifts, and songs such as Silent Night, Messiah, Noel and so many others that mention the birth, and the religion that was also born, of Jesus. It has so much more meaning to those that gather in houses of worship throughout the world.
Many do not realize that the celebration itself, or I should say the tradition and heritage, began way before Jesus was even born. Many Europeans celebrated the end of December during the winter solstice. The tradition of the 12 days of Christmas was actually a yuletide gathering, in Scandinavia, around the fire that the Norse would build from logs that would last twelve days and people would feast until the logs would burn out. It was also the only time of the year when there was fresh meat and most wine and beer was fermented for drinking (guess this was the first of the office parties!). There are so many traditions that go back thousands of years and I certainly cannot get into all of them, perhaps another day. One thing is for sure, it was through these early celebrations that gave birth to the way in which secular or religious Christmas is celebrated today with feasts, wine, family, gifts, lights, songs, and so many other traditions.
Back in 1943 when the troops were still overseas fighting in WWII, a song was written that meant so much to the troops over there. The War was longer than any imagined and the troops were going to spend yet another Christmas away from home. The song is “I’ll be Home for Christmas” became a big hit under Bing Crosby. It was also written by the same team that wrote White Christmas. It became a hit because so many families made this song a longing for their loved ones overseas and the troops themselves made this a rally song to come home. It was not just a song for the US troops, but also the allied forces and even the German army. As many will play the Bing Crosby version this time of the year, I found a rendition by Michael Bublé performing for the troops overseas and abroad. I could not resist having this be part of the article for the troops that will only dream about being home for Christmas this year and to the lucky ones that will return home, even for a brief period, to be with their families.
Michael Bublé Live – A Salute to the Troops (2009) – I’ll Be Home for Christmas
FOOD AND WINE OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas has many recipes that are tied to family tradition: fruitcake, mincemeat, gingerbread, puddings, yule logs, candy canes, prime rib, turkey, ham, pork, goose, chicken, and other foods, including raviolis (my husband and some of his family are Italian — what can I say). I was able to find some of these dishes with interesting recipes on YouTube for you to view below. I will highlight the foods covered in the videos.
Fruitcake. When you ask people what is the first thing they think of as a Christmas food, it seems to be fruitcake. I am not a big fan of fruitcake. Some say it gets better with age, like fine wine (well grapes are fruit), and can last up to twenty-five+ years if stored properly. Because most fruitcake has alcohol as an ingredient, it can make a very good preservative. However, there is something about eating a twenty five year old cake that just does not sound appealing. There are some good recipes, no doubt, as fruitcake out there is still very popular.
Gingerbread. Now we are talking – love these. Gingerbread is really not a bread; although, there are recipes to make it into a bread that are also very good. Instead they are considered a cookie. Some say it is a cake as history has early American cookies referred to as cakes. There are many shapes and sizes for gingerbread the most popular being snowmen and people, plus we can not forget the most famous house of all — the gingerbread house. This was made famous in Grimm’s fairy tale Hansel and Gretel when it saved the two children from certain starvation. There are two schools of how to make gingerbread, one is from Mid-Europe and made with honey, the other from Scotland and/or England (both claim to be the originator) of the molasses version which is like a shortbread.
Mincemeat. This is also not a favorite of mine. Did have one mincemeat pie that was fairly good that my father in law’s girlfriend fixed, did not get the recipe though. Mincemeat has been around forever it seems, dating back to at least the Medieval times when it was in fact made with meat, which no longer applies except by preference. Today it is a mixture of fruits, raisins, spices, sugar, and alcohol. These vary of course per recipe. Some still use meat as a great way to dispose of leftovers and in these times, as in past bearish markets, I have a feeling there will be more true mince meat pies out there.
Prime Rib and Yorkshire Pudding. This is a favorite of mine regardless of holiday. Also called Standing Rib Roast, Prime Rib is a wonderful choice for Christmas along with its sidekick yorkshire pudding and creamed spinach or a vegetable(s) that can be roasted along with the beef. You can really make yorkshire pudding with any beef, pork, or poultry dish and it would be great.
Wine. As far as wine goes, there are many wines that go with Prime Rib. I personally like lighter reds rather than a heavy Cabernet (I do pair Cab though often with Rib-Eye Steaks which are actually prime rib cut as steaks). One choice I found that goes well with prime rib is a Red Bordeaux, Meritage, or Merlot. A Syrah can go well depending on the heaviness of the gravy.
Turkey. We can safely say that in many households, it is a Thanksgiving redo with all the same fixings. Life is easy that way I guess.
Wine. With a turkey, I would choose a fruity rather than buttery Chardonnay. Sometimes turkey can be a bit flat and dry at times, the fruitier Chardonnays usually work well, versus a buttery tasting white. Of course this is personal preference. Pinot Noir is also a very good choice and if you are also having ham, this will go with both. An Old Vine Zinfandel would be something different; however, the taste can vary and if you are not used to this wine, then stick by the old standards I am providing. An extra dry or sec sparkling wine or champagne would also go well, again a bit more sweet and/or fruity. We will get into more experimental pairings at a later time.
Ham. Probably outside of Easter, this is the one day that you see a lot of ham roasts. Along with yams and cranberries. For Christmas, it is not surprising to see both ham and turkey at the dinner table. There is pre-cooked, canned, frozen, fresh, and even pre-flavored with honey, smoke, or other varieties.
Wine. With Ham, a Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais should do. I think a Blanc de Noir or any good Rose sparking wine or champagne will also go well. No where is it written that you cannot have champagne with your dinner!
The following consists of seven videos of the following recipes: Prime Rib, Yorkshire Pudding, Ham, Turkey, Gingerbread, Mincemeat Pie, and of course — Fruitcake. Please take note, that some of these are from Britain so get out your conversion charts if in the United States. If your processor cannot handle all these videos, a link is provided at the bottom of the video, click that and it will take you to the original video site.
There are also variations of different traditional food depending on region and country. Christmas, along with all the holidays in December, is a Foodie’s paradise and a chance to make new traditions. Wine is a matter of choice and budget. I tried to stay within traditional pairings especially if your family is new to wine or like mine likes the Manhattans and Gibsons!
Have a wonderful and Merry Christmas!
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