Europe

Santa Claus

December 22, 2017

The fat, jolly man who delivers toys to all good children in just one night is known by many different names throughout the world. In English-speaking countries he is most commonly referred to as Santa Claus or Father Christmas. The name Santa Claus comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas or Sint Nicolaas. Saint Nicholas was born in the third century in a part of Greece that is now Turkey. He devoted his life to helping the sick and needy, especially children, and was eventually made bishop of the city of Myra, which no longer exists. He was venerated throughout Europe and the date of December 6, said to be the day on which he died, was dedicated to him. From the thirteenth century onward, it became customary for bishops to hand out small gifts to children on this day. In many countries, December 6 is still the day on which Christmas presents are exchanged.

In early seventeenth-century England, as a show of resistance to the Puritan disapproval of traditional Christmas festivities, the spirit of Christmas was personified in the shape of a fat, bearded man dressed in green fur-lined robes, thus giving rise to Father Christmas. He was also known as Sir Christmas or Lord Christmas, although he was not yet associated with gift giving or children.

It was in North America that the modern image of Santa Claus was born, as colonists merged the legends of Saint Nicholas and Father Christmas. In his History of New York (1809), Washington Irving translated Sinterklaas as “Santa Claus.” This figure was given further shape by the classic poem “A Visit From Saint Nicholas,” better known today as “The Night Before Christmas,” which was first published in a New York newspaper in 1823. It was this poem that gave rise to the legend of Santa’s reindeer.

Contrary to legend, it was not the Coca-Cola company’s famous Christmas advertising campaigns of the thirties that first introduced Santa’s traditional red costume. The modern depiction of Santa in red was actually started in 1885 when a Christmas card designed by Boston printer Louis Prang went on sale.

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved

Yule Log

December 15, 2017

The origins of the Yule log can be traced back to the Norsemen of northern Europe. Jol or Jule (pronounced “Yule”) was a festival celebrated on the Winter Solstice in honor of Joinir, also known as Odin, the god of ecstasy and death. Feasting and drinking would take place around bonfires, and fires would be lit in hearths.

This tradition spread to other parts of Europe, where tree worship was already part of pagan rituals. Households would venture into the woods on Christmas Eve and cut a log from an oak tree, which was then transported home, with much singing and merrymaking along the way. The log would be put on the fire, which would be kept burning for twelve days. This was believed to bring health and productivity to the family and their crops for the coming year and protect them from witchcraft and demons. When the fire was finally extinguished, a small piece of wood would be kept and used to light the next year’s log. Often the ashes would be scattered over the fields to ensure fertility.

Later on, the yule log was used as a decorative centerpiece for the Christmas table, and as stoves replaced giant household hearths, the pastry or chocolate logs we are familiar with today came into being.

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved

Rye Breads

December 12, 2016

Along with wheat, rye is the other cereal that is widely used to make bread. It is extremely hardy and does well in climates that are too inhospitable to grow wheat. Because of this, rye is a very popular grain for bread making in eastern and northern Europe. There are a countless number of different loaves and the use of rye flour gives them a unique characteristic and tangy flavor.

Kastenbrots are the familiar box-shaped rye breads, and the name actually translates as box bread. The bread is steam-baked for some 20 hours in an enclosed pan, which results in a dense and heavy loaf that is both moist and crumbly with a chewy texture. It has a sour flavor, but with a certain sweet and malty overtone. They are best eaten with strong tasting foods and malty types of drinks such as beer. Among the best-known varieties is pumpernickel, the darkest of the rye breads, vollkornbrot, another strongly flavored rye bread, and roggenbrot.

Weisenkeimbrot, another variety that translates as wheat germ bread, and is made using the wheat germ along with rye grain.

Sonnenblumenbrot is made using a small proportion of wheat flour along with the rye meal and has a distinctive sharp flavor of rye.

Krustenbrot is the popular square rye bread from Germany and is a crusty-style loaf. It is often just known as German rye, but unlike other rye breads it has a pleasant, gentle flavor, owing partly to use of a blend of rye and wheat flours.

Rossisky is made from a sourdough starter, using 100 percent rye flour. It has a distinctive, yet pleasant flavor and is one of the most delicious of all Russian breads.

Borodinsky is another classic Russian bread and is flavored with crushed coriander seeds. It can be made entirely with dark rye or with a blend of rye and wheat meal. Barley meal is also often used, giving an earthy flavor, while buttermilk or yogurt is occasionally added, both of which enhance the naturally tangy sourdough flavor.

Russian Black Bread is a substantial looking loaf flavored with molasses. It is usually made with an equal blend of rye and wheat flour and has a pleasant sweet and sour flavor that is characteristic of many rye breads. The combination of molasses and rye give it a wonderfully dark and moist crumb.

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved

Saffron

October 29, 2016

Saffron

Highly prized as a dye, medication and culinary spice since Greek and Roman times, saffron is the stigma of a type of crocus, Crocus sativus, which was once grown all over Europe, including in England. It has a distinctive and lasting aroma, and a pleasant pungency if used sparingly. Because of its striking color, as well as its distinctive flavor, saffron is frequently added to celebration dishes; for example, pilaus from India, Spanish paella and Italian risotto Milanese. Bouillabaisse, the famous French fish and shellfish soup-stew, is flavored with saffron. The spice is also widely used in sweet recipes, including milky rice and sweet custard-like desserts. Baked goods flavored with saffron include breads and cakes.

Saffron threads can be infused (steeped) in a little warm water or milk until the color of the liquid is even. Add the liquid and the threads to the dish, usually towards the end of the cooking process. Saffron powder can be added to food without soaking, but not to hot oil.

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved

Constitution Week – Foods of Our Forefathers

September 17, 2013

Revolutionary War

Today is Constitution Day (Constitution Week is from Sept 17th – Sept 23rd), which commemorates the formation, and signing of the U.S. Constitution by thirty-nine brave men on September 17, 1787, recognizing all who, are born in the U.S. or by naturalization, have become citizens.  Our Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and after an extended period of national conversation and with the promise of a bill of rights, it became the supreme law of the land.  We are a proud Nation of immigrants. Throughout our history, immigrants have embraced the spirit of liberty, equality, and justice for all – the same ideals that stirred the patriots of 1776 to rise against an empire, guided the Framers as they built a stronger republic, and moved generations to bridge our founding promise with the realities of time. 

Many people wonder what it was like in those days.  What did people eat?  Today, it is possible to travel from coast to coast, at any time of the year, without feeling any need to change your eating habits.  Sophisticated processing and storage techniques, fast transport, and a creative variety of formulated convenience food products have made it possible to ignore regional and seasonal differences in food production – if it is desirable or necessary for personal reasons. 

It was not always so.  As early Americans moved about, they had to change their eating habits to fit local conditions.  Climate was one of the major limiting factors, but soil water and other vegetation play a part.  It’s easy to romanticize the food supply of early America, and there is no question that in many ways it was a vast improvement over that available in many of the immigrant’s homelands.  Inadequate yields, seasonal availability of produce, nutrition-robbing preservation techniques, constant labor, continual attention to schedules and danger of contamination were some of the factors bearing on the food supply that sustained our forefathers and foremothers as they developed our country. 

Most early immigrants from Europe were accustomed to a limited, monotonous diet.  Fresh meat was an infrequent main course on the tables of the working classes.  Two meal’s worth of meat per week was regarded as good treatment for a servant.  Game was the property of the Royal Family in most countries, and killing a deer was a capital offense. “Milk, butter and cheese are the laborers dyet, and a pot of good beer quickens his spirit,” said Breton, an English author, in 1626.

Only a handful of vegetables were known in Europe, prior to the discovery and settling of the New World.  The short list included root vegetables such as beets, carrots, radishes, turnips and parsnips, plus cabbages, onions, leeks and lentils.  There was a considerable variety of fruits and berries, but they were available only during a short harvest.  

To Be Continued…

Picnic Savvy

August 30, 2013

Picnic Basket VintagePicnic Savvy

I love going on picnics, which take on many different forms for me. When I am in Europe on holiday I always find a local cheese shop and fill a basket with crusty bread, cheese, fruit, an assortment of sweets and sparkling water.  I’ve been known to pull over while driving the English countryside and have a little picnic right there on the side of the road.  However and wherever you decide to have a picnic it’s important to be Picnic Savvy.  

Picnic Paraphernalia: Picnic equipment can be as simple as paper plates in a brown bag, or as elegant as a wicker hamper specially fitted with flatware and china. Picnic enthusiasts tend to accumulate equipment over a period of time, and to collect the supplies that suit the kind of picnicking they do most often.  Let’s consider the paraphernalia you can use to transport, insulate, cook, and eat your picnic feast – whether it’s a backpacker’s basic lunch for two or a feast for eight. 

For Transporting Food: If you’re not traveling far and your provisions aren’t perishable, you can carry your picnic in a brown grocery bag – that’s part of the casual spirit of picnicking.  Buy why rough it, if that’s not your style?  Other options offer you more packing space, easier carrying, better insulation, or simply more charm than any paper bag ever could. 

Baskets:  Import stores, gourmet shops, hardware stores, and gift emporiums carry baskets of straw, wicker, bamboo, woven rope, and even vinyl-covered steel wire. These baskets may be open or have hinged lids, and they may be lined with gingham or other brightly colored fabric.  They may come empty or be outfitted with removable trays and/or picnic gear such as plastic plates, cups, flatware, and cloth napkins. The ultimate is an English picnic hamper – a large, costly wicker chest, its inside surfaces fitted with straps that hold a complete table service for several people. 

When you’re shopping for a picnic basket, look for a sturdy, roomy one.  If it has handles, they should be strong and durable, especially on larger models.  Whether or not the basket should have a lid is a matter of personal preference.  A lid can provide a handy cutting or serving surface, but food can be covered just as well in an open basket if you line the basket with a pretty tablecloth and then fold it over the contents when the basket is full.  Try this technique, too, with a brightly colored plastic laundry basket and a tablecloth in harmonizing colors. 

Coolers:  For perishable picnic foods, a cooler (ice chest) is a better choice than a basket.  Foods that spoil quickly, such as meats, fish, mayonnaise, and most dairy products, must be kept cool to prevent bacterial growth and the possibility of food poisoning.  Even inexpensive Styrofoam coolers can keep foods fresh and cool for hours, though they’re less durable than insulated metal or heavy-duty plastic models. 

When purchasing a cooler, look for sturdiness; strong, easy-to-hold handles; and tight lids that lock in place.  Many coolers have lids that are hinged so they don’t blow away or get lost, or that they are indented to hold glasses.  Some contain trays that keep food away from melting ice.  Another useful feature is a leak-proof drain. 

Besides the large chest style coolers, you’ll find newer, lighter models that are carried by one handle at the top, and smaller versions that you can carry with a strap. 

Bags:  Designed especially for carrying foods and beverages and keeping them cool, “refrigerator bags” are usually insulated with fiberglass, covered and lined with vinyl, and fitted with wraparound handles and a zipper that allows the flat top to be opened on three sides.  I’ve also seen refrigerator bags with canvas exteriors rather than plastic. 

You can use refrigerator bags for hot foods, too as they will maintain a given temperature for several hours.  If hot food is in a very hot container – particularly glass or metal – you would be wise to protect the vinyl bag from heat by wrapping the container in newspaper first. 

Nylon or canvas duffle bags used for sailing and for carrying athletic equipment also make good picnic carryalls.  They are roomy and strong, with sturdy straps and reinforced bottoms.  Fishing tackle bags are useful too.

You might also think about using old luggage for picnic toting.  Anything from a small carry-on airplane bag to a large, lightweight suitcase may do beautifully.  Backpacks are convenient carriers, too.  A light day-pack works well for small meals, a larger frame pack for more ambitions picnic projects.  

Any kind of cloth, straw, or woven bag may also fill your needs.  Or you can simply wrap your picnic in a tablecloth or other ground cover, bring the corners together, and knot them, like a Japanese furoshiki. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2suAPvcm6I. You can also use this technique with oversize cloth napkins for individual picnic meals. 

Feast of Corpus Christi

June 2, 2013

JesusFeast of Corpus Christi

The Feast of Corpus Christi (The Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ) goes back to the early 1200s in medieval Europe.  However, in 1264, Pope Urban IV decided to extend the Feast of Corpus Christi to the universal Church.  He wanted to strengthen faith in and devotion to the Eucharist at the time when a number of evangelical movements in France and Italy were embracing ideas and attitudes that were inconsistent with the faith of the Catholic Church.  Some denied the Eucharist was sacrament.  In reaction, popular movements of intense devotion to the Eucharist sprang up in northern Europe.  The focus on the devotions was the host itself.  It became customary to reserve the host in the tabernacle, as is still done today, and to expose it in the monstrance on the alter.  The practice of ringing bells at the time of the elevation of the host so that everyone in church would look at it was also begun during this period.

There is another reason that Pope Urban IV decided to make Corpus Christi a universal feast day.  An event took place in Italy that excited the local population.  In the small Italian town of Bolsena, located in Umbria, a German priest who was on a pilgrimage celebrated Mass in the Church of Santa Christina.  The unusual thing that happened during the celebration of Mass was that the German priest it seemed had experienced some serious doubts about the transubstantiation of the bread and wine during the Mass.  He had begun to doubt that they became the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

During the Mass, after the consecration, his doubts disappeared.  He saw blood issuing from the host and staining the alter cloth.  Reports of the miracle quickly spread throughout the village of Bolsena.  A procession was formed which brought the bloodstained cloth to Pope Urban IV who was in Orvieto at the time.  It was only after seeing the bloody cloth that the Pope decided to make Corpus Christi a feast for the Church throughout the world.  About 750 years later Catholics still celebrate the feast given birth by the revitalized faith of a German priest and the good people of a small Italian village.

My Birthday Picnic Basket

September 3, 2012

Birthday Picnic Basket

My Birthday Present! I have wanted a decked out picnic basket for years! One of my favorite things to do is travel around the U.S. and Europe packing little picnics. Now I can do it in style!

Today is Labor Day and I am going on a picnic with my new picnic basket.

The menu is:

Fried Chicken

https://www.tinynewyorkkitchen.com/olympic-fried-chicken/

 

Green Olives

Boston Baked Beans

https://www.tinynewyorkkitchen.com/boston-baked-beans/

 

Picnic Perfect Pasta Salad

https://www.tinynewyorkkitchen.com/picnic-perfect-pasta-salad/

 

Fresh Blueberry & Mango Cake

https://www.tinynewyorkkitchen.com/fresh-blueberry-mango-cake/

 

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