 In my family, there was never a question as to what might be put before us on any given holiday, from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve. Tradition dictated exactly what would be prepared, how it would be fixed, and on what it would be served. (We even had a specific vessel for mixing the gravy slurry - never to be used for another task). Now don't get me wrong - I love the comfort of old habits and of knowing what to expect, but after 40 some odd years, I do get the urge to mix it up a bit. As a compromise, I appease the family by mixing our age-old traditions with new ingredients, techniques, and decor. Growing up, the holidays inevitably meant brussels sprouts. Never my favorite - the mini cabbages smelled, in my opinion, and without a hefty coating of butter and salt, tasted rather foul. And then I had an epiphany - Chef Philip Dorwart, while chefing at Tryg's, had roasted brussels sprouts on the menu, served with caramelized shallots and blue cheese. I woke up the morning after tasting these little nuggets of goodness, and now they are an important part of all my holiday menus, and a far cry from the ones of my youth! Another staple of my childhood holiday fare was boiled rutabagas. Hmph. As far as I'm concerned, no amount of butter, salt or even bacon could help that out, so I opt to substitute another dish altogether. Keeping seasonal, I reach for the beets, and serve a roasted beet salad. Golden Fig Fine Foods in St. Paul has a great recipe on their website, as well as many yummy condiments to aid in the ease of party preparations. Of course, no holiday meal would be complete without the ubiquitous turkey. But does it really have to be a gargantuon bird injected with fats, salt and chemicals? Not anymore - the options for fresh, locally raised turkeys are much more abundant. Check out Wild Acres Shooting Preserve in northern MInnesota. With wild turkeys, geese, and even quail available to ship anywhere, you can be assured you will receive a healthy bird, raised on the farm from their own stock of eggs. I like to roast two small birds rather than one large one - they cook quicker, and stay moister. (You can even taste-test these extraordinary birds at the Progressive on Saturday, November 7 at the Hotel IVY - this will be an evening you don't want to miss!) For the finale, I call for help. Though our family traditions called for pumpkin pie, I'd personally rather have some cheese with that - cheesecake, that is. Muddy Paws Cheesecakes are amazing, come in too many flavors to list, and take all the worry out of dessert, which for this non-baker, is quite a relief. There are several varieties of pumpkin cheesecakes available, but why not start a new tradition altogether and try the Bourbon Vanilla or the Gingerbread White Chocolate - and enjoy a little new with the old. - Kiersa Notz, Creative Director, the Affair |
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
the Fare
the Flare
 Baking is all about melding the best flavors with an enticing appearance - especially when you're baking cookies for the holidays. Be sure to catch Kim Ode's presentations on the Kitchen Demonstration Stage at the Affair, Saturday and Sunday. Ode, who writes for the Star Tribune Taste section, will demonstrate how to create a cookie plate that has a variety of flavors, textures, and a few surprises. For example - Spritz Butter Cookies might be humbly pristine, but they also can be a blank canvas for embellishment. A drizzle of salted caramel with roasted chopped pecans elevates them to decadent bites. Twice-baked Biscotti come together faster than you might think, and these traditional dunkers can be personalized with your own combination of fruit and nuts. Madeleines provide an elegant and tender contrast on a cookie plate. Ode will show why it's worth having a sheet of the distinctive shell-shaped molds on hand for this classic delicacy. Plus, she'll offer a quick primer on homemade liqueurs and how infusing a baked good with Kahlua or Drambuie lends depth to its flavor. Kim is also an avid bread baker and author of Baking with the St. Paul Bread Club: Recipes, Tips and Stories, published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. She will be doing book signings after her presentations, so be sure to stop by a get an autographed copy of this popular cookbook. And since we're in a baking mood, what's more Minnesotan the State Fair? What's the connection you ask? The quintessential Minnesota baking sensation - Marjorie Johnson. This 4'-8" baking dynamo has been winning piles of blue ribbons for her baking creations at the Minnesota State Fair since she first entered in 1974. And when she surpassed 2,000 ribbons in 2000, she wrote Blue Ribbon Cooking with Marjorie, filled with her award winning recipes. Sunday afternoon Marjorie will be at the Affair sharing her stories about her baking successes and her many appearances on national television baking for the likes of Jay Leno and Rosie O'Donnell. Come meet Marjorie and get your own autographed copy just in time to learn some new favorite recipes for this holiday season. - Colleen Fox Slack, Home & Culinary, the Affair |
the Model Chef
 It looks like Chef Daniel Green has found the answer to the problem. "Too often healthy equals bland" said Green, who set out to correct this. Chef Green knows this struggle on a personal level, starting when he was an overweight teenager. Looking for a lifestyle change instead of a diet, Green learned more about nutrition, experimented with cooking and creating his own recipes, and lost the weight with flavorful food that happened to be healthy. While traveling extensively throughout the world, Green was "blown away" by the flavors and spices of Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Hong Kong. His cooking has an Asian influence, creating healthy versions of his favorite foods. There was also an added side benefit...he became a model, working for Gucci, British Airways, Hilton Hotels and Pizza Hut to name a few for several years. His true passion is cooking though, and with television shows in the US, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and the UK to his credit - along with four cookbooks - it looks like his approach is a winner! Make sure you stop by the Star Tribune Taste Stage at the Expo where our Model Chef will be hosting on Sunday for some fun and unique ideas, and don't forget to check out his website www.televisioncookery.com for recipes and more information. - Barb Sustad, Strategic Partnerships, the Affair |
the Chocolate Fashion Show
 Lucy Dunne from the University of Minnesota explains, "Our students have designed chocolate-inspired runway garments using non-traditional materials. The designers then collaborate with chocolate partners to develop embellishments, accessories, and other extras to complete each look. Some go more elaborate than others - it depends on the design and the intention of the designer, as well as the ambition and creativity of the chocolatier." Fashion Meets Confection will be on the Lifestyle Stage at the Expo, at 2pm and 4pm each day. Don't miss it - it's surely the sweetest runway show you will ever see! - Sarah Ramsay, Fashion & Lifestyle, the Affair |
the Charm
 - Sarah Ramsay, Fashion & Lifestyle, the Affair |
the Big Cheese
 - Barb Sustad, Strategic Partnerships, the Affair |
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