kitchen rap

• on the chopping block!
• Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh's simple seasonal pleasures
• from Kathleen's recipe box… oven baked chili with polenta
• from Kathleen's recipe box… splendid oyster and bacon chowder
• from Kathleen's recipe box… the ultimate eggnog
• from the Robin Hood recipe box… chocolate caramel raspberry bars
• news from the Heartland… winter class schedule
• publishing and subscription information

It's an annual tradition! After the busy holiday season, it's time to restock our shelves. From Christmas Day through New Year's Day, almost everything on our site is on sale, with savings from 10% to 30%.

Since many of our suppliers are closed during this final week of the year, out of stock items may take a little longer than normal to be on their way to you ... although most orders will be shipped no later than 17 January 2002.

The New Year's Restocking Sale discount is in lieu of all other discounts to which you may be entitled. New Year's Restocking Sale discounts may not be applied to orders placed prior to December 25, 2001 or to in-store purchases.

The winter holidays are filled with tradition and most especially culinary tradition. For as long as I have loved Christmas, I have loved my mother's famous sugar cookies. Composed simply of butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla and flour, they singlehandedly define Christmas for me. As a child, I would watch her roll out the dough, deftly and quickly, to what seemed to me to be an impossible thinness. Often I would help her decorate another dozen according to her instructions before they were slipped into the oven to bake. The cutters she used to shape them were always the same: a Christmas tree, a five-pointed star, a long-gowned angel and a solid round circle. Always un-iced, they may have featured a studded quarter of candied cherry or a slivered almond. A few were dusted with red or green coloured sugar or a silver dragee. Year after year, they were unfailingly crisp, sweet and buttery and lighter than snowflakes on midnight air. Since her passing, the greatest gift I have received are those same cookies made each year by my youngest daughter. And so the tradition continues.

These are the things that truly make Christmas and the holidays for us and I would wager that everyone who celebrates this holiday has one simple and specific food or preparation, a fondly remembered specialty that clearly announces Christmas to them. These are the things that help to make the season bright.

It might be the stuffing, the Christmas Eve chowder, a sweet, yeasty bread baked for Christmas morning or a favourite holiday casserole that is always made for tree-trimming night. It is with those things in mind that I have put together three keepsake seasonal recipes to help you kick-start or add to your own traditions of wonderful holiday eating. I hope you enjoy them and everything that the holidays have to offer.

Until next month, cook and eat with love --

Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh

Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh is a Toronto-born food writer whose work has appeared in major Canadian newspapers and magazines. Author of four cookbooks -- Rustic Italian Cooking, The Global Grill, The Sticks & Stones Cookbook (with Ted Reader) and The Wine Lover Cooks (with Tony Aspler) -- she lives with her beau and their black lab and assorted children who come and go, in Niagara wine country.

oven baked chili with polenta

This chili recipe has a good proportion of vegetables to meat. It may be frozen in individual portions for reheating in the microwave for great convenience at this busy time of the year.

Wine of choice -- a Chilean or Australian Cabernet Sauvignon or an icy Spanish lager

To make the polenta:

1. In a small saucepan, combine water, cornmeal, butter and salt, let stand for 10 minutes. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for 12-15 minutes or until a spoon drawn through mixture leaves a line.
2. Pour into nonstick 8-inch (1.2 L) round cake pan. Let cool and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

To make the chili:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160C). In a shallow dish, season flour with salt and pepper. Add beef and toss to coat; set to one side. In large, non-stick skillet, heat a little of the oil and saute onions, garlic and red pepper until onions are translucent. Add carrots and cabbage and continue to cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or so. Using a spatula, scrape this mixture into a good-sized oven-proof dish (10-cup). Add chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne to this mixture, stirring to combine well. Set to one side.
2. Heat remaining oil in the same skillet set over medium-heat; cook beef, in batches, to brown on all sides. Using tongs, transfer the beef to the casserole dish. Pour tomatoes into the skillet and break them up slightly with the back of a spoon. Using a spatula, scrape the tomatoes into the casserole dish, making sure to get all the bits clinging to the skillet.
3. Cover and bake in a 325°F (160C) oven for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender, stirring once or twice during the cooking time.
4. At this point, add the beans, stirring them well into the mixture. Cut polenta into wedges and arrange on top of chili. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until polenta is lightly golden brown. Serve with a chopped avocado and grape tomato salad and a little sour cream.

Serves 6

oyster and bacon chowder

Chowder is a traditional Canadian favourite during the winter season and this is a lovely version to serve to special guests at an intimate sit-down holiday dinner. If you're not keen on shucking the oysters yourself, ask your fishmonger to shuck them for you, making sure to include their liquor.

Wine of choice -- a crisp white Burgundy or Champagne

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the onion and parsley until onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Add the oysters and their liquor and cook, stirring, over quite low heat for 5 minutes or until the edges of the oysters just begin to curl. Stir in the milk and cream. Bring to a gentle simmer; do not allow to boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the wine and the cheese, stir just until cheese is melted and serve immediately sprinkled with the bacon.

Serves 4

the ultimate eggnog

Not to be trifled with, this heady concoction deserves the utmost respect and a promise not to cut back on those ingredients we use with care during the rest of the year -- eggs and cream. Because this recipe uses raw eggs, make sure to purchase your eggs from a reliable source; preferably organic and as fresh as possible. You can make the eggnog without the eggs, or without the egg yolks, if you wish, but it will be considerably less rich.

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with a large whisk until they are pale coloured, then beat in the fine sugar, a little at a time and continue to beat until the mixture is thick. Beat in the milk and 4 cups of the cream, then stir in the rum and brandy.
2. Just before serving, in another mixing bowl with a clean whisk, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until they are frothy. Add the pinch of baking soda and continue to beat until they hold soft peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture in a punch bowl.
3. Wipe one of the mixing bowls clean and add remaining 2 cups of cream. Beat until it holds soft peaks and fold into the eggnog. Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg. (Make sure everyone takes a taxi home!)

Makes 16 cups

chocolate caramel raspberry bars

Toast the new year with this decadent trio of creamy caramel, rich chocolate, and raspberry.

1. To make the topping, combine all topping ingredients, mixing until crumbly. Set aside.
2. Combine flour, sugar and butter, mixing until crumbly. Press firmly into greased 8" or 9" square cake pan.
3. Bake at 375°F (190C) for 12-15 minutes, or until light golden. Spread with jam and sprinkle chocolate caramel balls evenly on top. Sprinkle with topping.
4. Bake 15-20 minutes longer, or until lightly browned. Cool completely; cut into bars.

Makes about 24 bars

Recipe © 2001, Robin Hood Multifoods Inc. Reprinted with permission.
For more recipes, see the Robin Hood Baking Festival Cookbook or visit the Robin Hood website.

winter class schedule

• Cake Decorating Courses

  Whether you prefer to bake your cakes from scratch or prepare them using a mix, you can turn every cake into something special using some simple -- and some not-so-simple -- decorating techniques.

  Course I: Basic Cake Decorating Techniques

  You'll begin by learning the basic principles of cake decorating: how to prepare and ice a cake, and the use of a piping bag and tips. From there, it's on to borders, writing, piping stars and shell, creating roses and floral sprays, figure piping, and more! Four fun-filled 2-hour classes will be held weekly on Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., beginning January 9, 2002 or on Sundays, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., beginning February 10. Registration is $45.00; required supplies are additional.

  Course II: Flowers and More!

  Now that you're familiar with the basics, you will build your skills working with royal icing and colour flow technique. Create basketweave patterns, rosebuds, lilies of the valley, and an assortment of flower nail flowers. Four 2-hour classes will be held weekly on Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., beginning February 13, 2002. Registration is $45.00; required supplies are additional.

  New year's special (through January 4, 2002): Register for either course I or course II for only $35 per course; you save $10. Or, register for both course I and course II for only $65; you save $25.

• Cooking Classes

  For the novice and expert alike, there is always something new to learn from attending a cooking class. Golda's Kitchen is now offering baking and cooking classes in our retail store's kitchen, taught by a variety of instructors ... from French-trained professional chefs to those who learned to cook at their mother's knee.

  Cooking with Gerard Jeantet

  An ongoing series of Tuesday evening classes covering everything from the basics through advanced techniques. Chef Gerard Jeantet is a French-trained chef with twenty-three years of experience in France, Switzerland, and Canada, working in restaurants (including a Michelin 3-star rated restaurant), hotels, and caterers. His areas of expertise include pastry (including chocolate, sugar, candy, petit fours, and ice and ice cream), bread, and charcutier (pate terrine), and he currently teaches culinary classes in French and Italian cuisine and pastry.

  Each class is three hours in length, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Registration is $40.00 per person per class.
  
  

  • Tuesday, January 15 ... Bread making -- Italian focaccia, French bread, and potato bread
  • Tuesday, January 22 ... Soups
  • Tuesday, January 29 ... Pastry -- chocolate and tarts
  • Tuesday, February 5 ... Quick cuisine -- last minute dinner ideas
  
  
  Anna's Cucina

  Raised in Bari in Southern Italy, Anna Lomangino would sit mesmerized by the culinary creations her mother would prepare for the family, while memorizing every meticulous step that was involved. Anna takes great pride in preparing meals which are reminiscent of her homeland, and in this series of classes she shares her love of cooking with you.

  In the first class, on Thursday, January 17, she prepares pizza appetizers and stuffed shells, large pasta shells overflowing with ricotta cheese baked in tomato sauce. The class is two hours in length, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Registration is $30.00 per person.

• Holiday Project Classes
  

  Designed to help you create delicious and beautiful treats for holidays and special occasions.

  Valentine's Cookie Decorating

  You'll lovingly create cookie treats on a stick and practice decorating techniques to turn plain cookies into delicious treats. This two-hour class will be held on Sunday, January 27, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Registration is $20.00 per person.

  Valentine's Candy (Chocolate) Making
  

  You'll learn to prepare -- and take home -- a delicious array of chocolate Valentine's treats, including truffles, filled candies, heart-y treats. If you've always wanted to work with chocolate, but didn't know where to start, this two-hour class is for you! The class will be held on Wednesday, February 6, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Registration is $20.00 per person.

Additional classes will be scheduled throughout 2002. To register for a class, stop by the store, call us at 905-712-1475, or send an e-mail to golda@goldaskitchen.com. Classes are held in Golda's Kitchen's demonstration kitchen at our retail store. Course registrations are offered on a first-come/first-served basis. Space in each course is limited, and a course is subject to cancellation without sufficient enrollment. Course registration fees are non-refundable; however, you may send someone else in your place should you be unable to attend a scheduled class. In case of inclement weather conditions, classes may be postponed, rescheduled, or cancelled at our discretion; refunds will be given if you are unable to attend a postponed or rescheduled class, and for cancelled classes.