German Stollen

As the year draws to a close — it is holiday time! Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa … and then the New Year! How will you celebrate the holidays this year? What are your special holiday foods?

This darkest time of year we celebrate with light. Solstice burns a Yule log. Hanukkah has the eight-candle candelabra. Christmas has strings of holiday lights. Kwanzaa lights candles for the seven day celebration.

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Solstice

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Also called Yule and Saturnalia, Solstice celebrations are common with northern cultures. Scandinavian traditions include singing, dancing, the Yule log, and mistletoe. In ancient Rome, Saturnalia was a time to rest and exchange gifts.

Traditional Germanic and Scandinavian Yule foods focus on the fall harvest. They include hot soup, wild boar, wild apples, root vegetables and porridge. Wassail is a warm, slightly alcoholic cider beverage spiced with nutmeg and ginger. The word comes from wes hal, meaning “be well.” It is used to spread cheer. In northwest Europe and the British Isles, women went from house to house, carrying bowls of the spicy alcoholic beverage and singing cheerful songs. Men wassailed in the apple orchards, praying for a plentiful apple harvest for the coming year.

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Hanukkah

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This year the first day of Hanukkah falls on Dec. 22 –the day after solstice. The Festival of Lights celebrates God’s protection, kindness and blessing. It commemorates a double miracle: the military victory of Judah Maccabee over the ruling Greek-Syrians who had banned the Jewish religion and desecrated the Temple in the second century BCE, and the miracle of the small cruse of consecrated oil needed to rededicate the temple that burned for 8 days when there was barely enough for one.

In honor of that sacred oil, lights are lit on the menorah — adding one light for each of the 8 days. Foods fried in olive oil are common: potato latkes, bumelos, keftes de prasa, and soufgainyot — fried jelly doughnuts.

Kugel, or baked pudding, is also common; it has accompanied festive Sabbath and holiday meals in eastern European Jewish homes for centuries. The Yiddish word has its roots in the German for ball because kugels were originally baked in a round shape. Today, kugels can be made with a variety of vegetables or grains as well as potatoes or noodles, and can be either sweet or savory. They are made without water, using eggs and fat to hold the ingredients together. They can be slow cooked or kept warm, and are equally good served at room temperature. When made with olive oil, kugel is certainly in the Hanukkah spirit, since oil has become the symbol of the festival of lights. And it’s a perfect complement for the traditional meat brisket or roast chicken served for the holiday.

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Christmas

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The word Christmas comes from “Christ’s Mass,” a term coined in the Middle Ages when Christmas first gained prominence as a major holiday. Once a religious commemoration of Christ’s birth, today Christmas has become a commercial and public holiday celebrated even in countries where Christians are the minority.

Many Christmas traditions, like the decorated tree, originated with Nordic tribes, Anglo-Saxon Yule celebrations and ancient Roman customs. The practice of decorating trees came to America with German immigrants. The modern Santa figure did not “appear” until late in the 18th Century; he was created by German-American cartoonist Thomas Nast.

Because America is a land of immigrants, our holiday decorations, songs and feasts vary. Every culture has different traditions, but all are festive. Some host large family meals, while others travel from house to house.

Family food and worship traditions are often determined by where our ancestors came from. But we have also developed many American holiday traditions — like turkey, cranberries, and the emphasis on gift giving and shopping. Potatoes, turkey and cranberries were unknown in the Old World before Columbus.

Christmas is a holiday of copious and diverse foods, with some traditional dishes and desserts made only for that day. Special treats associated with Christmas include baked goods, nuts, and chestnuts. Traditional beverages include wine and egg nog.

For those who come from the Roman Catholic tradition, the Christmas Eve meal is the main event. Traditionally a fast day to welcome the Christ child, the feast is meatless. Italians have the Feast of Seven Fishes. Latin American customs also center around a meatless Christmas Eve meal centered around fish or seafood.

For others, Christmas Day is the main event, with a feast centered around roast meat. Turkey is the most commonly served, but ham, pork roast, leg of lamb, roast beef or goose also have their place.

When it’s time for dessert, pie and cranberry-nut bread sit alongside international specialties like German stollen or buttery spritz cookies; Italian Ipanettone or cucciddati; Danish kringle; British Yule log or French buche de Noel. There are gingerbread houses filled with gingerbread men. But no matter what you serve, you’re expected to cook up a delectable feast for family and company.

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Kwanzaa

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With roots in the black nationalist movement, Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Mulana Karenga. The celebration of community life based on African traditions begins on Dec. 26 and ends with the New Year. The name originates in the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, translated “first fruits” because the holiday’s origins are in harvest celebrations. Candles are lit on each of the seven days, commemorating the African values of unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

Kwanzaa is celebrated by decorating homes in red, green, and black; lighting candles; giving gifts; and of course with lots of food. Kwanzaa foods are based on African-American, Caribbean, South American and African dishes as well as soul food and southern American cuisine. Collard greens, black-eyed peas, Caribbean fruits, jerk sauce, catfish and sweet potatoes are some foods you will find on the festive Kwanzaa table.

No matter what you celebrate, holiday time is about togetherness, family, community. It’s about peace and joy and love.

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Potato, Pea

and Pepper Kugel

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This kugel is red, green and white — the Christmas colors.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cooking oil, divided

1 large onion

1 large red bell pepper (about 2 cups diced)

1 small green pepper (about 1 cup diced)

1 cup green peas (thaw frozen peas and drain off liquid)

2 large or 3 medium potatoes (about 3 cups)

1/4 cup potato starch, corn starch, breadcrumbs, or matzo meal

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Heat about a tablespoon of the oil in skillet; add diced onions, sprinkle with a little of the salt, and cook until caramelized and golden, about 20 minutes. Dice peppers and add during last 7 minutes.

While onion is caramelizing, grate the potatoes, using the fine (small holes) shredder disk of the food processor. Stir in potato starch to coat.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs in a bowl with remaining salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley, potatoes, thawed peas and sautéed vegetables.

Pour remaining oil (about 1 Tablespoons) into the 9 x 9 baking dish. Grease bottom and sides. Heat in the oven for about a minute, making sure oil does not burn. Remove from oven. Carefully pour kugel mixture into pan and bake about 15 minutes. Lower the heat and bake 30 minutes more, until the potatoes are cooked through and the top is a deep golden brown. Let sit for about 15 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Serves 6. Serve topped with sour cream.

Option: You could also bake this in muffin tins for individual servings.

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Collard Greens with Black-Eyed Peas

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Braised greens are simple to prepare and have lots of possibilities. This can be a side for your holiday roast or a main dish for vegetarian guests. You can doctor up the leftovers by adding meat and cheese and bake as a casserole for a post-holiday supper. Both greens and garlic have heart-healthy, immune boosting properties.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 onion

4 ounces mushrooms (optional)

2 cloves garlic

1 pound collard greens (about 8 cups, chopped)

2 Tablespoons apple cider

2 Tablespoons wine

1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 – 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)

1 can diced tomatoes (or 1 – 2 apples)

salt and freshly grated black pepper, to taste

1 Tablespoon balsamic or cider vinegar (or other good quality cooking vinegar)

2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (omit for vegans)

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:

Prepare collard greens by stripping them from the tough stems. Discard stems. Wash greens thoroughly in several changes of water, and chop coarsely. There is no need to dry them off, as the water will evaporate during cooking.

Heat oil in large skillet. Peel and dice the onion; cook 3 – 4 minutes. Peel and crush the garlic, add to the skillet, and cook about one minute. Stir in collards. Cover and cook about 7 minutes. Stir; moisten with a little of the broth and apple juice, and cook five minutes more. Add wine, remaining apple juice and broth. You can add a cup or two of diced tomatoes or a diced cored apple or some raisins now, if you wish. (Red tomatoes make a nice red and green holiday dish). Stir. Cover and cook 5 more minutes. Test greens for desired doneness. Stir in the black-eyed peas, season to taste, sprinkle with vinegar and cheese and cook another three or four minutes to heat through and blend the flavors. Dress with lemon wedges and additional Parmesan, if desired.

Notes:

Option: Add a can of diced tomatoes at the end and omit apple cider and apples. Tomatoes make a nice color complement to the green collards.

Option: If you like it hot, saute some chili peppers along with the garlic, or sprinkle with chili pepper at the end.

Note: Try this with other greens, such as mustard or kale.

Note: To use leftovers, add some diced cooked ham, turkey or pork; place in casserole; top with shredded cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through. Serve with crusty bread or serve over rice for a light supper meal.

Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: cooking and writing. She can be reached at www.wordsaremyworld.com, yvonawrite@yahoo.com or on Facebook as Author Yvona Fast.