My Christmas Dilemma

[Free Rider]

I agree, Siduri. It's about the experience, not just the food. In fact, I make sure that my meals are all an experience, not stuffed down in front of the tv or slurped while driving. Unfortunately, the new buzz word in food these days (in the US) is "portable".

Part of the reason Christmas dinner is important is because of the experience surrounding it. We light candles, decorate lavishly, get together as familes, follow little traditions. Why have all of that without applying it to the food as well.

[Stephanie Brim]

I could make the dinner portable by having finger foods instead of soup, but no one really wanted that. The maid-rite idea is better than the pizza idea. I just hope that if I make a few fancy little things as appetizers people won't yell too much.

[gonefishin]

Originally Posted by kuan

How about a platter of sliced local prosciutto, pears, and Maytag Bleu, and very old Balsamic since you're from Iowa?

ok!
*drool* *drool*

dan

[gonefishin]

Originally Posted by Stephanie Brim

I'm just disappointed. I was really bummed when I wrote that post this morning.

I'm just going to do some appetizers that reflect my taste for food and perhaps I'll get some compliments. If I don't, I'll just eat them all myself because I highly doubt I'll be touching the pizza.

Hi Stephanie

I could certainly understand your disappointment. We always have a large (ok...way too large dinner for all Holidays). But I would urge you to stop your sulking.

There could be many reasons why a family may choose this option. Your family may not be looking at this dinner the same way you are. It appears that your looking at this dinner as a gift (from and of yourself) to your family. Which is why you may feel slighted. But maybe they just want everyone to spend more time together, without (what they may view as) the stress of cooking a large Holiday meal.

If you make an appetizer, I would urge you to do it for the right reasons. Make the appetizer to share a piece of yourself with your family. Don't make it to show them what their missing. Make it as any gift should be...an unconditional offering of love. May they like it or not isn't as much concern.

and please...enjoy the holidays!
dan

[blisstone]

what is Maid Rite?

[Jayme]

Stephanie-
Much condolences! (is your family open to homemade pizza? Make up a big batch of dough and have the family help top them.... just a thought??) The easiest and most requested item my family requests for appetizers is smoked salmon dip- cream cheese, pesto, flaked smoked salmon, salt and pepper; on some delicious crackers (I usually make my own pesto and smoked salmon, but...)
I actually have the opposite problem...... as the ONLY one in my family that can cook (my mom and sister think that "cooking" means pull out the Costco frozen food, thaw and heat- my father and brother-in-law have learned to cope). So I am expected to cook EVERYTHING! Everyone looks forward to holiday meals (or even just coming to my house to visit) because it means REAL food!! I guess there has to be a balance..... because as much as I love to cook, having a little time off during a holiday would be fun too! Why are people too intimidated to cook for chefs? I have heard more people claim they wouldn't even try to cook for a chef. I think that would be one of the nicest things- a meal at home that you didn't have to cook yourself! (bonus points if they do the dishes for you afterwards too!) Try putting THAT on the Christmas list..... haha

[Mezzaluna]

Maid-Rite is a "loose meat" sandwich. The ground beef is sauteed and seasoned, then served (without a sauce) on a bun.

http://www.maid-rite.com/

It's a Midwestern U.S. invention.

[henry]

Stephanie,

Maybe you'll get lucky and Godfather's will be closed on Christmas Day!!

My story is about pizza too. For the last 30 years we've been meeting at my in-laws house for Pizza (my first wife died 17 yrs ago, but that's still where we go) on Christmas Eve. My FIL was Italian, and he had a "special" pizza recipe. Grandma would spend all day making, raising and rolling the dough. My sisters-in-law would help make the sauce, chop vegetables, grate cheeses etc. Grandpa would sit in front of the oven and babysit the pans of various topped pizzas that all the grandkids couldn't wait to get too. I was sort of banished from the kitchen since I was not part of the orginal family, just a son-in-law. Well, Grandpa died last Christmas, Grandma sold the house, so I volunteered to have the annual pizza dinner at my house. I unfortunately am not a skilled dough maker, and prefer to buy "dough balls" from an outstanding New York style hole-in-the wall pizzeria that tastes fabulous. I did promise to stick with the original sauce recipe and will probably have to let my sisters-and-brothers in law in my kitchen to show me how to make the stuff. It will be a lot of fun, and my sons have never known anything else on Christmas eve, that is our tradition. My boys love my grilled pizzas with fontina and non-ordinary toppings, but I would never think of breaking the Christmas Even traditional for them, and will try and get them in the kitchen to learn the "recipe" to carry on this family tradition.

Don't know why I'm rambling, it was interesting reading about some of your traditions, and got me to thinking about what happens, as in my case, where circurmstances change the only pattern your family has known for so many years.

H.

[pc0158]

If I could play devil's advocate for a moment...

First of all, I'm in charge of Christmas dinner this year, and it'll all be made from scratch: roasted prime rib, roasted corn on the cob, yorkshire pudding, some kind of pie or galette, maybe grilled mushrooms, and a simple salad. Note that prep time (excluding the pie, which will be made the day before) is pretty much zero, cooking time is a few unattended hours, and stress is at a minimum.

It's Christmas, after all. I don't want to spend every waking hour in the kitchen fiddling around with complicated, fussy recipes and blowing a gasket trying to get them all to come out at the same time. I want to enjoy the time with my family. Yeah, it's nice to have a good meal at the end of the day, but frankly, I'd be just as happy with Little Caesars delivery and my kids.

I'm going to suggest that maybe that's what your family had in mind when they opted for pizza - more family time, without one or more members of the family chained to the stove for hours on end.

Just a thought. Maybe they really are just palate-dead knuckle draggers. But I don't know them.

In any case: you can always eat. You can always make a good meal. Typically, in today's culture, you can only get together with your family on rare occasions. Enjoy them and their company, choke down the pizza like any honored guest should, and maybe toss them a spectacular - but pre-made, maintenance-free - dessert.

Just my $0.02.

[Free Rider]

One of the most fun things to do with the members of my family who like to cook is to cook the meal together. It's not one person chained to the stove, but a group of people chatting, prepping, chatting, cooking, chatting... and then sitting down together to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

I had a boyfriend who liked to cook and we enjoyed our kitchen time so much. The relationship failed, but those kitchen memories are fond ones.

[Jayme]

Henry-
That is so cool! Family traditions are very important! Keep your kids in it- write down those "secret" recipes! Those are the things that make holidays so special that get lost when older members pass away. Merry Christmas!! Enjoy a slice for us!!!
J

[pc0158]

Originally Posted by Free Rider

One of the most fun things to do with the members of my family who like to cook is to cook the meal together. It's not one person chained to the stove, but a group of people chatting, prepping, chatting, cooking, chatting... and then sitting down together to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

I had a boyfriend who liked to cook and we enjoyed our kitchen time so much. The relationship failed, but those kitchen memories are fond ones.

I agree. I'm trying to see it from the other family member's point of view, though.

[rocketchef]

I have often found that the best way to make people aware of the difference in food prepared with love and that of the packaged chain-store variety is to cook them the real, fresh version of what they familiar with.
One friend who I dreaded the thought of having to dinner because of his unadventurous pallet is now a competent cook in his own right, all inspired by the first meal that I gave him. I prepared a simple menu of aged grilled rib eye with “proper” fries and salad. With an “unthreatening” plate he was able to relax and appreciate the difference in a meal prepared with good organic beef, crisp maris pier potatoes and an assortment of well-dressed leaves. He appreciated what he ate because he had a (inferior) food memory to compare it with whereas if I had presented something more complex and unfamiliar he would have been on the defence from the first bite.
The barriers to eating good food often come from unfamiliarity with ingredients or concepts. How about presenting your family with an appetiser selection based on what they like to eat (pizza etc.) but made with top quality ingredients or go the whole way and cook the pizza yourself?

(This is my first time on the forum so hi to all Cheers !)

[Jayme]

Hey rocket- welcome to the clan!

So Stephanie- how did your Christmas turn out??