Looking Forward to Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving and I am not alone. When polled, over half of the people named Thanksgiving as their favorite holiday. Why is this so? Well, of course, there’s the food and food is of central interest on Thanksgiving. The gathering is great, too, since people get together to enjoy food, the day and the unique pleasures of being American such as football games and full stomachs.


But I think the main underlying reason is that it is the quintessential American holiday. No matter what our ancestry or ethnic background, our religion or lack thereof, we all seem to identify with the concept that brought our forefathers here from somewhere else and we share in the thankfulness for being Americans. Thanksgiving is American Pride Day.

One year, for a host of reasons, our gathering was very small: my husband, a Latvian, his mother, also Latvian, and me—a card-carrying member of the DAR. What was on our menu? Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, cranberries, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie, of course—same as yours. Food always has a way of being so much more than nourishment for our bodies—it symbolizes our shared humanity and sometimes our shared culture. All of the immigrants, children of immigrants, and native Americans will share in this menu—the tribute to the brave people who dared to leave security and strike out to a new place in order to experience freedom.

At that first Thanksgiving, the fare was more meager than we sometimes like to think. The Pilgrims were only marginally successful with their first year’s crops and half of their population had been lost over the prior winter. Massasoit, chief of the Wampanoag tribe was invited to attend and when he showed up with a large assortment of other tribesmen, the Pilgrims must have been more than a little worried. But as Providence would have it, these Indian people saved the day. They began by going hunting and showing the Pilgrim men tried and true methods for bringing back the five deer--along with game birds and eel--which are listed along with leeks, wild mushrooms, groundnuts, dried berries, wild plums, watercress and other “sallet” greens as the foods eaten during the three day meal. Corn bread and succotash were on the menu too. Perhaps it wasn’t until later that pumpkin and turkey and cranberries became staples on the Thanksgiving menu.

Never mind. Those foods were native to the new world and surely showed up soon afterward and our Thanksgiving menu pays homage to the ingredients available during the earlier periods of New England’s history. So here’s our traditional menu with a couple of recipes that I especially like—but do your own traditional take on this. If you want to be innovative and also historically accurate, include a small venison roast alongside your turkey.

Thanksgiving Day Menu

Roast Turkey with Giblet Gravy
Wild rice Dressing
Cranberry-Orange Relish
Jellied Cranberries
Sweet Potato-Apple Casserole
Green “Sallet” with mushrooms, Leeks and Watercress
Buttered Brussels sprouts with Chestnuts
Parmesan Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie

Sweet Potato-Apple Casserole (8 servings)

2 medium Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, and halved to fit feed tube of food processor
2 16-oz cans sweet potatoes, drained (or peel and boil fresh sweet potatoes to equal about 3 cups)
1 stick butter, melted
½ cup dark corn syrup
One-third cup plus 2 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. dry sherry
½ tsp. cinnamon
One-eighth tsp. salt

Butter a casserole. Preheat oven to 350 deg. Slice apples in food processor with steel knife. Remove. Combine sweet potatoes, butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, sherry, cinnamon and salt in work bowl and process until well blended and pureed. Spread ½ mixture in casserole; arrange ½ apple slices over, overlapping evenly. Repeat layers. Brush top of apple slices with 2 Tbsp. melted butter. Bake 30 minutes.

Green “Sallet” with Mushrooms, Leeks and Watercress (8 servings)

6 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large leek (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
1 medium carrot, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
½ tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1 pound mushrooms (wild and/or button), thickly sliced
One-fourth cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried marjoram
6 cups mixed baby lettuces
1 large watercress bunch, trimmed

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in heavy skillet over high heat. Add leek and carrot and sauté 1 minute; add crushed red pepper and sauté 1 minute. Add mushrooms, vinegar and marjoram. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove skillet from heat. Add remaining 4 Tbsp. oil; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mushroom mixture to small bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Combine lettuces and water cress in large shallow bowl. Drain marinade from mushroom mixture into small bowl. Toss greens with enough marinade to season to taste. Arrange mushrooms in center of greens. Serve, passing any remaining marinade separately as dressing.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit November 1993)

If you’re looking for a different or an additional dessert to add to your dinner besides the usual pies, I have one that is absolutely delicious. Last Saturday I was fortunate enough to judge (along with Marie Mikel of Oar D’oeuvres and Scott Atkison) a cooking contest held at The Galley Room downtown. The 9 contestants were given a jar of Robert Rothschild Pumpkin Curd and Tart Filling and asked to come up with an original recipe using it. Wow, was it hard to judge the wonderful dishes the contestants brought in. But the winner is just that—a winner. Please give this wonderful dessert, entered by Sam and Jodi Lewis, a try.

Pumpkin Mousse Cheesecake—8 hours preparation time (includes baking and chilling)

Three-fourths cup crushed graham crackers
Three-fourths cup crushed ginger snap cookies
Three-fourths cup chopped pecans
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
One-fourth tsp. ground ginger
One-fourth and one-eighth tsp. pumpkin pie spice
½ cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla (divided use)
2 lbs. cream cheese, room temp
1 jar of Robert Rothschild Pumpkin curd and tart filling
3 eggs, room temp
1 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of 9” spring form pan. Mix cracker and cookie crumbs, ginger, melted butter, and pecans until moist. Press into bottom of pan. Bake 8-10 minutes until slightly brown. Cool completely on rack.

Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees. Beat cream cheese with mixer low speed until smooth. Add three-fourths cup pumpkin curd, 1 tsp. vanilla, sugar and one-fourth tsp. pumpkin spice and beat on low until just combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low until combined. Pour filling onto cooled crust and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake, covered with another baking sheet until center still moves slightly, but not soupy. Bake 50-60 minutes. Cool 2 hours on rack, then cover and chill.

Beat heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, one-eighth tsp. pumpkin pie spice and ½ tsp vanilla until stiff peaks form. Fold in remaining pumpkin curd gently and spread over top of chilled cake. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 2 hours.

Serves 10-12

Grocery Prices Are Rising...How to Save Money

If you haven’t heard the news, you’ve no doubt experienced it—food prices are on the rise. I was really amazed last week at the grocery store that almost every staple item was up significantly. That’s hard to take, especially this time of year when we are all preparing special foods for the holidays. There are ways around it, however, but they mostly involve spending time instead of money—and that’s almost as difficult.


A friend asked me what my number one suggestion for saving money on food would be and I didn’t hesitate for a second—a big freezer; or at least some extra freezer space besides your refrigerator freezer. Now that prices are rising, it’s even more important than ever. If you use it properly, the payback is very quick. For instance, on that shopping trip I mentioned—there were several really good buys in the store: apples for $.50 per pound, green peppers for $.79 each—to name two. In every store, every week there are loss leaders that are inexpensive and as long as they are for staple foods and not convenience items, it is worth running from store to store—especially in Red Wing since we’re not a large town.

When I got the apples and peppers home I set to work to prepare them for freezing. The apples aren’t the best for eating out of hand, so I made a fast and easy applesauce out of half of them and sliced up the others for apple desserts. I bought a lot of apples—who knows when I’ll see them for that price again—that’s almost 1/3 the usual price for standard varieties of apples—so I had lots of applesauce that went right into the freezer along with the apple slices in freezer bags. Later, I can make my apple pear soup I serve as a starter at the inn and make apple crisp for the dessert course.

As I was putting the apple stuff into the freezer, I ran across the crabapple juice I had frozen two years ago and the bags of red, white and black currants I had picked two summers ago. Yes, you can successfully freeze some foods for that length of time without loss of quality. I decided now was the time to get them out and make Christmas gifts.

Several hours later, I had 30 jelly jars of crabapple jelly, black currant jam, and currant crabapple jelly (made from the white and red currants mixed with more crabapples.) Along with a loaf of Cardamom bread and some homemade lemon curd, I have some delicious and beautiful gifts all ready for the gift-giving season coming right up. I processed the jelly in a water bath so it doesn’t have to be refrigerated or frozen, but the bread freezes beautifully.

What about the peppers? I made what my Mom called Piccalilli (a mild salsa) by purchasing some red, yellow and orange sweet peppers as well—they were a good buy, too.

Crabapple or Currant Jelly

Crabapples and currants have enough natural pectin (the substance that makes fruit “jell”) so that you don’t have to buy powdered or liquid pectin to make jelly from them. Many other fruits do not, however, and there is a test you can do to find out if your fruit needs added pectin or not: Measure 1 tbsp. ordinary rubbing alcohol into a cup. Gently stir in 1 tsp. cooked, cooled juice. Do not taste—rubbing alcohol is poisonous. If the juice is rich in pectin, it will form a gelatinous mass you can pick up with a fork. Juice low in pectin will remain liquid or form only a few bits of jelly-like material.

For apples: remove stem and blossom ends from 5 lbs. washed crab apples, cut in halves and place in large kettle. Add 8 cups water and cook until fruit is very soft, about 10 minutes. Strain mixture through jelly bag, but do not squeeze or force juice through bag. Measure juice; you should have about 7 cups. Pour into large kettle. Stir in ¾ cup sugar for every cup of juice. Bring to a boil quickly and cook rapidly until mixture sheets from a metal spoon. (Dip spoon in boiling apple juice; drip from about 12 inches above pan, tipping spoon from the side. When juice forms two drips, then comes together to “sheet” off of spoon, jellying point has been reached.) Skim off foam, and pour into sterilized hot jars to within 1/8” of jar top. Wipe rim; adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath 5 minutes. Remove from canner and place on a folded towel. Self-sealing lids will pop when they are sealed. Makes about 4 half pints.

For currants: Sort, wash and crush 2 ½ quarts currants (red, black or white) without removing stems. Place in kettle; add 1 cup water and bring quickly to a boil over high heat. Lower heat, simmer 10 minutes. Let drip through a jelly bag. Measure juice. There should be 4 cups. Stir in 4 cups sugar. Boil until jellying point is reached. Remove from heat; skim off foam quickly. Pour into sterilized hot jars to within 1/8” of jar top. Wipe jar rim; adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath 5 minutes. Remove from canner and place on folded towel until seal is completed. Makes about 4 half pints.

For both, let cool for 12 hours. Test seals. Remove screw bands, clean jars, label, date and store.

Comfort Food

Last night the house felt like winter.  This morning there was snow in the air still coming down lightly as I started out for the Y. Whenever that winter feeling comes along, I crave the homey, warm smells of an oven comfort-food dinner.


Traditionally that means spending some time in the kitchen and, although I work at home, I know lots of people who come home after a long day at work to a cold kitchen and not enough time or energy to make that type of dinner. I know you can get take-out or fix one of the myriad frozen entrees or complete meals, but why do that when you can make a real, home-style meal in less than 30 minutes of prep time?

I decided that was my theme this week and then I set out to see if I could really do that. I chose for the first menu one of our favorite comfort meals: meat loaf, baked potatoes, squash and corn. Bread, salad and even dessert can be added to this and not appreciably up the time.

Here’s how to do it: Mix the meat loaf (5 minutes); scrub the potatoes and wrap in foil (less than 5 minutes); Cut the squash, scoop out the seeds, cut into the desired pieces and put into a shallow baking dish. Fill the cavities with brown sugar and butter (5 minutes). Open a can of corn (or use frozen) and put into a small baking dish with cover. Add salt and pepper to corn and a pat of butter (optional). Put all into a preheated (360deg) oven.

Bake for 1 hour, 15 minutes. If your potatoes are large, put them into the microwave (minus the foil) for about 30 seconds per each, first.

If you have someone at home who can start the oven earlier than you, this can be made the day before, put in the refrigerator and have your husband or child put everything in the oven about an hour before you get home. Then, you can toss a really simple salad; use store-bought bread and a dessert of fruit and cookies. This is not only an old-fashioned, comfort-food dinner but it’s a lot cheaper than any other alternative and these days of an uncertain economy—that’s really a good thing.

Quick and Yummy Meatloaf

1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
½ cup dry bread crumbs
¼ cup wheat germ
1 egg
½ cup low-fat milk
1/8 cup catsup

Topping:

8-oz. diced tomatoes, drained
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Put meatloaf ingredients into bowl of mixer. With paddle attachment and machine set on low, mix until well-blended. Do not over-mix. Pack into a 1-pound loaf pan. Mix topping ingredients together and spread on meatloaf. Bake at 360 degrees for 1 hour. Take out and allow to sit for 15 minutes while potatoes and squash finish baking.

This cookie recipe is so simple and so easy to have on hand that I can not figure out why anyone buys the box mix or refrigerated cookie dough.

Simple Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened (no substitutions)
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
Granulated sugar (fine, colored or raw)

Cream butter and sugar in mixer. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract. Blend in the flour, soda and cream of tartar. Roll into a log, 2” in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for at least 1 hour. Take log out and slice 1/8” thick. Put on lightly sprayed baking sheet at least 2” apart. Sprinkle generously with sugar of choice. Bake for 6-8 minutes at 375 degrees until cookies are set and just beginning to brown around the edges.

Cookie dough can be wrapped and kept in freezer for up to 3 months. Take out of the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Note: Cookie roll can be rolled into colored sugar for an ornamental edge and used for holidays as well.

Another idea for quick and easy comfort food is your slow cooker. Sadly, slow-cooker food often all tastes the same. It is really important to prep the food properly before putting it into a slow cooker. Here’s an old favorite done in a new, quick (and economical) way.

Sauerbraten Dinner

2 pound beef roast (round, rump or chuck)
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1 medium onion, diced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. pickling spice
¼ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ cups apple cider
12 gingersnaps, crushed
2 tsp. sugar
2-3 pound red cabbage, cut into wedges

Place all ingredients into slow cooker that has been sprayed with vegetable spray. Set on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Remove meat and slice. Gravy should be thickened slightly by the gingersnaps. Taste to correct seasoning.

More Edible Gifts

If you give food gifts for Christmas, it’s time to start making them. I think these are the very best gifts to give almost everyone. To make the gift special and lasting, I find containers that are individually appropriate and make lovely gifts in themselves. Both the container and the filling are a fun and creative gift-giving challenge.


Even better, food gifts are the gift of time, which in this rushed world is perhaps the greatest gift of all. Our lives are spooned from boxes, cans and deli containers, or Styrofoam boxes from the local fast-food. Making special food gifts for others is a lovely way to slow down. It is also about connection; we are connected to ourselves when we knead dough, connected to the seasons when we preserve, connected to our loved ones when we bring gifts of comfort, condolence, thanks or just for fun. We may have severed some of our connections in the mad rush of life and making food gifts is one way to restore them.

Organization is the key to your enjoyment of this project as well as the recipient’s. I always begin with the presentation. This is where I think of the person on my gift list and what would be appropriate for him/her—add to that your own personal style. Are you an environmentalist who prefers simple earthy things? Do you love old and elegant things as I do? Budget is also a consideration. It doesn’t have to cost a lot to create
beautiful and tasty food gifts, although you can get very extravagant if you wish. You have a lot of the ingredients for your gifts on hand anyway.

Containers can include baskets, of course, but going beyond baskets to pretty plates, bowls, molds, serving dishes, antique jelly jars, canisters, beautiful tote bags, cookware—you get the idea. Sometimes just a beautiful keepsake box or beautiful bottle is perfect. Wrapping your containers takes a little thought and time as well. Using cellophane, beautiful paper, fabrics, or even the gift itself (i.e. towels, tablecloth, etc.) really adds to the pizzazz. Gift tags and labels can reflect your ability to create beautiful stamped goods or are available at craft stores, stationery and office supply stores. Use luxury ribbons that coincide with your style. Raffia has become very popular for the minimalist look, and now silk, satin, velvet, wire-edged and glittery ribbons are easily found in any store. It adds so much to the gift.

For even more of a special touch attach an ornament—Christmas or novelty such as a small toy, jewelry; natural items such as pine cones, buttons, vintage cards—the list is endless. Actually this part of food-gift giving is almost more fun than making the food.

A word about sending food gifts in the mail or making gifts that will have to be transported. Choose things that can take a little tough handling. Preserves that have undergone the hot-water sealing process travel better than those that must be refrigerated and haven’t been sealed. After wrapping, wrap again in bubble wrap and pack with plenty of packing peanuts or crumpled paper. Finally wrap again in a sturdy, larger box using more peanuts if it’s going in the mail.

I think better in themes. Breakfast, picnics, hobbies, even careers are some jumping-off places. A person who loves to entertain will appreciate a hostess basket perhaps including some tapenade, spicy nuts, a bottle of wine, a loaf of bread and some candles, pretty napkins, a special serving plate, or some unusual glassware.

I consider myself something of an expert on breakfast items, so I love putting together a breakfast basket: A bag of whole coffee beans (your favorite), some pretty coffee mugs, my own 5-grain pancake mix, some locally produced pure maple syrup, homemade granola, hot chocolate mix, a coffee-bean grinder. I am including the pancake mix recipe and the granola recipe. Change the gift items according to your tastes and those of the gifted. Above all, get into the spirit of this—and have fun!

Lynette’s five-grain pancake mix (makes 12 cups)

5 cups white flour
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ cup soy flour
½ cup ground flax seed
½ cup wheat germ
1 cup buttermilk powder
1 cup powdered milk
7 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. baking powder

Mix everything together well with a large wire whisk. Store in a cool, dry place.

To prepare: use 2 cups mix, 1 and three-quarter cups water, 1 egg and 2 ½ Tbsp. canola oil. Mix just until blended. Bake on a hot griddle, sprayed with vegetable spray. Can be thinned with more water if thinner pancakes are desired.

Granola (makes 20 cups)

10 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
½ lb. shredded coconut
2 cups raw sunflower seeds
1 cup sesame seeds
3 cups chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or combination
1-1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
½ cup honey
½ cup molasses
1-1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. vanilla
Raisins or other dried fruits as desired

Preheat oven to 300 deg. F. In large bowl combine oats, wheat germ, coconut, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and nuts. Blend well. In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, water, oil, honey, molasses, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Heat until sugar is dissolved, but do not boil. Pour syrup over dry ingredients and stir until well coated. Spread into five 13x9 jelly-roll pans. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bake 15 minutes longer for crunchier texture. Cool. Add raisins or other dried fruit. Put in airtight containers. Store in a cool dry place. Use within 6 months.

Edible Gifts

For someone who loves to cook as I do, gifts of food are the obvious way to be generous to those we love. Christmas is a great time to give edible gifts—they are festive and welcome this time of year. Many people just don’t have time to make their own Christmas cookies or quick breads and will welcome yours, especially if you can give them ahead of time.

I spend the month of November fixing just such gifts of food. October is such a busy month at the inn that I don’t have any spare time but if you do, that’s even better than waiting until November. I love the festive feeling of baking cookies, kneading bread dough, making jelly and candies. The kitchen is bustling and warm and the weather is usually blustery and cold—a perfect combination. Once you get into the habit of making food gifts, you’ll have them on hand to give for all occasions. Your pantry shelves will be lined with jars of homemade items that can be used for a hostess gift, a child away at school, a distant relative, a sick friend or a new neighbor. It’s like money in the bank.

And speaking of money, there’s another plus to this tradition—it’s usually a lot less expensive than other gifts. Sending them, as I must, however is another matter. These days, postage for shipping is often more expensive than the gift. I like the pre-paid boxes the post office sells for any heavy gifts—like several jelly jars. For other food gifts, think small and light—candies, seasoning mixes, cookies packed in popcorn, for example.

If you don’t have to send your gift, the container can be almost as fun as what’s inside. Be creative and put your food gift in a container that goes with the food gift. A great mix for bean soup can be put in a soup tureen or given with a soup ladle. Baskets, bread boards, clay pots, teapots, crocks, custard cups, or pretty coffee mugs all make great containers for unique edible (or drinkable) gifts. Go-withs don’t have to be expensive: a candy thermometer with candy, cookie cutters with cookies, a basting brush or wooden spoon go with anything. Companion foods (foods that go well with each other) are a good idea such as bread with preserves or herb butter; pound cake with a custard sauce or brandied fruit—only your imagination will limit the possibilites.

And lastly—don’t forget to include the recipe and/or instructions. Include an unusual or appealing ingredient such as cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans, nuts or dried fruit to make it even more fun to receive.

This is the most fun time of year for cooking—because I have a good reason to make all the sinfully delicious and fanciful foods that I love to make and be able to give them to the people that I love as well. If you haven’t done this before—watch out! Your friends and family will begin to look forward to food gifts from your kitchen and they won’t settle for less.

Here’s a simple and delicious cookie recipe that makes delightful small cookies to decorate and send or put on a cookie tray. They are perhaps the easiest cookie to make ever and they are one of the tastiest as well.

Scotch Shortbread

¾ cup butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 egg, separated
1 Tbsp water
Food coloring (optional)
Colored sugars

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar with mixer. Add flour and mix until dough comes together. If dough remains crumbly, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of soft butter. Roll dough out on lightly floured board to 1/3-1/2 inch thickness and cut with miniature cookie cutters in shapes for the season or theme. Paint with egg and water mixed together with food coloring or left plain; sprinkle liberally with colored sugars. Alternatively, cut into circles; press ½ blanched almond in center and brush entire top with egg wash. Place ½ inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 20 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from baking sheet at once and cool on rack.

How to blanch almonds: Put whole almonds into pan of boiling water and boil for 1-2 minutes until skins begin to ravel off. Immediately drain and run under cold water. Squeeze almonds from large end, popping almond out of skin. When all are blanched, halve almonds, horizontally. They have a natural break point and a small sharp knife inserted in center of nut will split it easily. Toast almond halves in single layer on baking sheet at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Watch carefully and do not allow to brown.

The Lowly Celery Stalk

Getting enough fruits and vegetables in your daily diet isn’t really too tough during the summer; there are so many delicious varieties to choose from that are in season and so at their peak. When fall begins, the gourd family and the root vegetables are arriving and along with them new crops of apples and pears. But as we enter the depth of winter, I am always looking for something different to perk up the menu.


Enter the common, lowly celery stalk. Celery is available year round and shows up on the relish tray almost as an also-ran. It is sometimes used as a vehicle for peanut butter or cheese spreads which make an excellent snack, especially for kids—but have you ever thought of celery as highly nutritious and as gourmet fare?

The Romans wore wreaths of celery to protect them from hangovers after their notorious bacchanalia, which may explain the practice of putting celery sticks in Bloody Marys. The evidence is sketchy on its ability to cure over indulgence, but it does have many health benefits.

As a member of the parsley family, celery is a good source of insoluble fiber and contains significant amounts of potassium, vitamin C and calcium. Celery also contains compounds called acetylenics and also phenolic acids which have been shown to stop the growth of tumor cells. It is the leaves that contain the most nutrients, so use them in soups, salads and as part of a raw celery snack. Even celery seeds are nutritious. One tablespoon added to soups, stews or salad dressings contains 3 milligrams of iron.

Cooking celery does nothing to diminish its nutrients, unlike many foods, and there are a surprising (to me) number of delicious and different dishes for celery. I have tried a couple and was delighted. If you are looking for a different winter vegetable, here are some recipes to try:

Braised Celery

2 Tbsp. butter
1 head celery (about 1 ½- 2 pounds)
1 small onion, minced
½ tsp thyme
Salt and Freshly ground pepper
¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup freshly grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese
3 to 4 Tbsp fresh bread crumbs

Heat oven to 325. Using about half the butter, butter a baking dish (9x13). Wash and trim celery, reserving the pale tender stalks, or the heart. Set tops and leaves aside with the heart. Remove the fibrous strings. Cut the stalks into 3 to 4 inch lengths. Arrange them in a layer in the baking dish. Finely chop the reserved celery heart, the tops and leaves. Melt the remaining butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion, thyme and chopped celery heart and leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until the pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until reduced by half, another 7 minutes or so. Pour the celery mixture over the celery sticks. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven and increase oven heat to 400. Sprinkle the cheese and bread crumbs over the celery and return to oven until the cheese is melted and the top is crusty and browned, about 10 more minutes. Serve hot or warm.

The following three recipes were taken from Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery:

Fried Celery

Dip pieces of cooked celery into beaten egg, then coat with fine dry bread crumbs mixed with grated Parmesan cheese. Fry in deep fat at 360 degrees until delicately browned, or brown in a skillet in a small amount of vegetable oil or butter.

Celery Sauté

4 slices of bacon, cubed
¼ cup minced onions or shallots
3 cups celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup tomato sauce
½ cup beef gravy
6 slices of toast, cut into triangles

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove pieces and reserve. Sauté onions in the fat until golden brown. Add celery pieces, tomato sauce and beef gravy. Cover and simmer until celery is tender, adding more tomato sauce if necessary. Serve over toast triangles, sprinkled with crisp pieces of bacon. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Baked Celery with Cheese and Ham

3 cups celery, cut into julienne strips
3 cups chopped ham
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
½ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup light cream
Salt
¼ cup dry bread crumbs.

Cover celery strips with salted water and cook until tender. Drain. In a well-greased 2-quart casserole, alternate layers of celery, ham and grated cheese. Melt ¼ cup butter. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in chicken broth and cream. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth and thick. Season to taste. Pour sauce over filled casserole. Sprinkle top with dry bread crumbs. Drizzle ¼ cup melted butter over top. Bake in 350 oven for 25 to 30 minutes. 6 servings.

Election Party Menu

I think that we all can agree on one thing this election season: it’s going to be a great relief to have it over. It seems that each election year gets more and more vitriolic and divisive. So, whoever your candidates of choice are, or whether they win or lose, it’s worth a celebration to have it done!


I scoured my recipe collection for customary foods and parties for election night, but they were really scarce. The one thing that did turn up in old, old cookbooks was election cake. I actually found three different recipes for election cake, all slightly different but similar enough to believe they were cousins. One recipe is from the White House Cookbook, first published in 1887 and written by Mrs. F. L. Gillette. The original recipes were gleaned from Hugo Ziemann “who was at one time caterer for that Prince Napoleon who was killed while fighting the Zulus in Africa. He was then steward of the famous Hotel Splendide in Paris. Later he conducted the celebrated Brunswick Café in New York and still later he gave to the Hotel Richelieu, in Chicago, a cuisine which won the applause of even the gourmets of foreign lands. It was here that he laid the famous “spread” to which the chiefs of the warring factions of the Republican Convention sat down in June, 1888, and from which they arose with asperities softened, differences harmonized and victory organized.”

If you are truly curious and a foodie, you might enjoy trying this recipe:

White House Election Cake

Three cups milk, two cups sugar, one cup yeast; stir to a batter and let stand over night; in the morning add two cups sugar, two cups butter, three eggs, half a nutmeg, one tablespoonful cinnamon, one pound raisins, a gill of brandy.

Brown sugar is much better than white for this kind of cake, and it is improved by dissolving a half-teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of milk in the morning. It should stand in the greased pans and rise some time until quite light before baking.

The second one is from a slightly newer book, the 1924 edition of the Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer.

Election Cake

½ cup butter
1 cup bread dough
1 egg
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup sour milk
Two-thirds cup raisins, seeded and cut in pieces
8 finely chopped figs
1 and one-fourth cups flour
½ tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
One-fourth tsp. clove
One-fourth tsp. mace
One-fourth tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt

Work butter into dough, using the hand. Add egg well beaten, sugar, milk, fruit dredged with two tablespoons flour, and flour mixed and sifted with remaining ingredients. Put into a well-buttered bread pan, cover, and let rise one and one-quarter hours. Bake one hour in a slow oven. Cover with Boiled Milk Frosting.

Lastly, a recipe from The Presidents’ Cookbook by Poppy Cannon and Patricia Brooks, published in 1968.

Hartford Election Cake

Originally known simply as Election Cake when first mentioned in an 1800 cook book, this delicious fruity cake was eventually called Hartford Election Cake. It had little connection with Connecticut, but was enjoyed throughout the States. It reached its greatest popularity during the 1830s, when Jackson and Van Buren were the Presidents.

Butter
Sugar
Whole nutmeg, grated
Baking soda
Milk
Cream of tartar
Flour
Currants
Large raisins
Pecans
Eggs
Sherry

Cream ½ pound butter with 2 cups sugar. Add 1 grated nutmeg. Put 1 teaspoon baking soda into 1 cup milk and stir until dissolved. Stir 2 teaspoons cream of tartar into 1 cup flour. Coat ½ pound currants with 1 cup flour. Coat1 pound seeded raisins with 1 cup flour. Use 1 cup flour to cover the 1 pound pecans. Add the milk and soda to the creamed mixture, beating well. Beat 6 egg yolks and add them. Slowly add the floured currants, raisins, and nuts. Add one-third tumbler (i.e., one-third cup) sherry (or whiskey), then add flour-and-cream-of-tartar mix. At the last add 6 well-beaten egg whites, folding them in carefully. Grease a large, deep cake pan and line it with waxed paper. Turn batter into the pan. Bake in a slow (275 deg.) oven 1 ½ hours, or until baked thoroughly. If it begins to brown too quickly, put a heavy piece of brown paper over the top while baking.

Having a party on election night poses some problems, most urgent among them the problem of time. Elections are, of course, held on Tuesday, which means that most people aren’t home all day to cook and clean for company. Still, it is a perfect opportunity to invite your friends (who voted as you did, hopefully) to watch the returns. Therefore, I devised a menu that is truly warming and easy and should bring harmony to all concerned:

Black Olive Dip
Guacamole
Fresh Tortilla Chips
Slow-cooker Chili
Skillet Cornbread
Grape clusters
Election Cake
(Choose one of the recipes above, or make a spice cake with raisins and a butter-cream frosting)

Black Olive Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 cups drained canned chopped black olives
1 ½ cups finely chopped green onions (about 1 small bunch)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
One-fourth cup fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
One-fourth tsp. (or more) hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
Salt and pepper
Fresh tortilla chips or purchased chips

Well, hopefully, the outcome will please you and all your guests will be in harmony. If not, at least they will go home with happy stomachs. I wish I had the menu and recipes for Hugo Ziemann’s “spread.”