Holiday Goodies

Christmas is not complete without gingerbread, be it houses, cookies, cake, or any dessert flavored with those warm spices of ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The dense spicy cake traces its roots to 11th century Europe. There are so many versions from eastern Europe all the way to Scandinavia, but I'm focusing on the cookie. In Germany there is Lebkuchen and Pfeffernüsse. In Hungary, gingerbread cookies are called Puszedli. They look just like Lebkuchen, but are smaller. Polish Pierniki are also quite special cookies. The town of Toruń is famous for their heart-shaped cookies, filled with jam and covered in chocolate. These cookies all share similar ingredients and flavors.

Puszedli and Lebkuchen are made with honey and have a lighter color than the gingerbread cookies Americans are familiar with. The traditional decoration is a whole almond pressed into each cookie. Then the cookies are brushed with a sugary glaze that gives them a wintry look. But since neither cookie has almonds in the dough, I forgo the nut decoration and keep them simple. I make the classic round cookies and heart cookies to mimic the Polish treats. But if you're so inclined to decorate the cookies with nuts, walnut halves are traditional with Puszedli. Pecan halves, for an American twist, would do the trick just as well. These cookies, as with all gingerbread, are best made ahead of the holiday. They get better and softer with age.

As each time zone in the world welcomed the new millennium, twelve people in a little flat in San Francisco celebrated with a unique dining experience.

The New Year’s Eve feast began at 4pm Pacific Time with long-life noodles and caviar tarts, as Sonja, her husband Dave and their guests joined a few billion people who were still partying in Asia and Russia.

Then, every hour on the hour, wherever it was midnight, they served assorted bite-sized cuisine indigenous to countries where the 21st century had just begun. 

I first tried this exotic guacamole a couple of years ago at my good friend Robert’s Christmas party. His mother was in town that year and helped prepare some most of the incredible food on the buffet table.

His mother Anita is the kindest woman and has had an extraordinary life -- a true treasure and absolute delight. We bonded at that party by sharing recipe secrets and continue to correspond to this day about favorite foods and cooking techniques. When I asked if she would tell me how to prepare her famous pomegranate guacamole, she graciously emailed me the instructions, explaining that it was a recipe from her mom´s hometown, Guanajuato.

I’ve taken the liberty to list some precise measurements, but in full disclosure, Anita sent the list of ingredients and just put “to taste” after each item (she wrote, “No real amounts, but you are an excellent cook and I am sure you can eyeball it perfectly”.)

According to their site, Andes Crème de Menthe candies rank as the “number one after-dinner mint” delivering a “smooth blend of mint and chocolate flavors– the perfect post-meal treat”.

They are particularly popular during the holidays and easy to find at your local grocery store. They help bring these easy chocolate “brownie” cookies to a new level of decadence.

After removing the cookies from the oven, each one is topped with an Andes mint while still warm. The residual heat melts the candy, turning it into a spreadable “frosting” to swirl over each cookie.

They’ll be the hit of any holiday gathering cookie swap.