No Eating Santa's Reindeer

I'm off to Oslo, Norway in a few days and I'm really excited about seeing a real Fjord on a Christmas boat tour, visiting the Christmas Market at City Hall, ice skating and sledding, and of course, eating.

In doing some pre-trip research, I discovered that Oslo has four Michelin-starred restaurants: the down side is that game meat is one of the region's specialties. While I'm dying to try some local salmon, you'll not see a review of reindeer or moose cuisine on this blog. I'll check them out for you, but you'll have to imagine what they taste like!

I definitely want to check out special holiday treats and dishes, and find out what the locals really eat on an everyday basis. As they say in Norway in lieu of Merry Christmas, "God Yul!"

Louisiana Jones and the Pumpkin Pie

I got an email this morning from ivillage.com which linked to some really cute stories about family dogs sneaking off with the Thanksgiving turkey. My beloved canine companion, Louise, who went to doggy heaven a few years ago at the age of 17, was notorious for cuisine capers.

A terrible table begger, one Thanksgiving I banished her to the kitchen while we ate our turkey and stuffing undisturbed. She was very quiet and well-behaved, and didn't even bark once in protest at her imprisonment. I should have known something was up.

When I went to clear the table and serve the pumpkin pie, I discovered that Louisiana Jones (I always called her by her full name when she was in trouble) had gotten the pie off of the counter where it was cooling and eaten the entire thing. I'm surprised she didn't ask for whipped cream!

Cooking with the Warders

This motley crew is my family, circa 1966, sitting around the kitchen table, except for my sister, Judy,who was the family archivist with her Kodak Brownie. I think we were celebrating someone’s birthday, and that chubby-cheeked kid on the right is yours truly.

I’ve been thinking a lot about family with the holidays approaching, and Thanksgiving is one of my favorites. Even though Mom and Pop are gone, they’ll be with me in the kitchen as I cook my mother’s traditional menu of turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, yeast rolls, and homemade gravy.

If my mother were here, she would tell you that the key to making good, smooth turkey gravy is the empty marshmallow crème jar. Put half a cup of water and two tablespoons of flour in the jar, screw the lid on tight, and shake thoroughly. After removing the turkey from the roaster, put the roaster pan on top of the stove on low heat and slowly add the flour and water mixture, stirring constantly until you’ve achieved the perfect consistency. Salt and pepper to taste, add giblets if you like, and you’re ready to put the crowning touch on the table.

My dad, on the other hand, was the master turkey carver with his hi-tech Hamilton Beach electric knife, which I inherited. I still use it every year and follow my dad’s meticulous carving method of removing the drumsticks and wings first, and then carving thin breast slices on a slant.

Whatever your family traditions, I hope you have a warm and cozy Thanksgiving with those you love.

Buying a Turkey

I was watching the Food Network the other day and Bobby Flay had a throwdown with a woman who is supposed to be the queen of turkey-cooking. Flay did a weird pomengranate sauce and wild rice stuffing, while the lady did an apricot jam sauce on a more traditionally cooked bird.

I wasn't wild about either. I like my turkey roasted in the oven..a nice, juicy, butter-basted, Butterball stuffed with a bread-celery-onion-sage stuffing, just like Mom used to make. I bought this year's Butterball tonight. It's a small 13-pound young bird, which will be just enough for dinner and few days of great turkey sandwiches ( and of course many treats for the dogs and cats!)

For me, Thanksgiving is all about smelling the turkey cooking while watching the Macy's Day Parade and Miracle on 34th Street. I love puttering around in the kitchen, working on my pie and rolls, while the bird slowly browns. It's a relaxing day, and a comforting day since it reminds me of countless Thanksgivings with my parents.

I know many cooks like to be adventurous, but on a special day like Thanksgiving that's full of memories, I prefer to stick to the menu that those memories are made of.

My New York Secret

I’m almost loathe to write about the great Italian place where I met my friends for dinner in the East Village. As with most “undiscovered” great restaurants in New York, right now you can walk right into Col Legno and get a table with no reservations and no waiting and get great personal service, in addition to the fabulous food. Col Legno means “with the wood” and, indeed, it’s the wood-fired oven here that gives these rustic Italian dishes their distinct flavor.

Must-haves include the starter called “Carciofi all Giudia”, fried baby artichokes dressed with mint, lemon, and olive oil, and the to-hell-with-my-cholesterol-and-diet “Patate alla Cesare”, thinly sliced roasted potatoes layered with thyme and parmigiano cheese.

I chose the grilled pork chops with fennel oil and the two huge chops were fork-tender and enough to feed two, accompanied by fresh steamed broccoli. My friends had the chicken grilled over fresh rosemary and one of the specialty house pizzas with wild mushrooms, and of course, I had taste of everything. We ordered the house Chianti which was lovely with all three of our entrees.

Prices range from $4.95 for antipasti to $21 for the most expensive entrée, not a budget-buster by New York standards. You definitely want to check this place out, but please keep it to yourself so I can get a table next time I’m in town! (219 East 9th St or 212-777-4650)

Taking a bite out of the Big Apple

There’s a good reason that New York is one of the culinary capitals of the world, and it’s not necessarily because of the number of incredible chefs that cook here. The first thing I did when I hit the Village was dash into Stromboli Pizza on University Place for a slice of what is still the best pizza in the world. And at $2.25 for cheese or $3.00 with a topping, it’s also still the best deal in town for a soul-satisfying lunch.

What makes New York pizza so good? It’s the thin and crispy crust, the not-too-much, not-too-little amount of tomato sauce, the gooey cheese, and (health nuts will cringe here), the grease that runs down your chin when you roll up your slice and take a big bite.

Jammin' at the Frontenac

The signature architectural element of the city’s skyline is the turreted Chateau Frontenac high atop Cap Diamant, overlooking the might St. Lawrence River. Built in 1893 by the Canadian Pacific Railroad, this magnificent and elegant hotel has housed kings and queens, film stars, and many of the world’s leaders including Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill who stayed here during the Quebec Conferences in World War II. You can imagine them sitting in the wood paneled lounge in front of the fireplace discussing strategy over a fine glass of port.

As you would expect from a hotel of this quality, the Frontenac has a rockin’ Executive Chef, Jean Soulard, who was the first Canadian chef to ever receive the Maitre Cuisinier de France Award. Soulard oversees Le Champlain, the fine dining restaurant , and the more casual Le Café de la Terrasse, in addition to supervising the banquet and catering operation.

It almost goes without saying that his food is fabulous, but one of the things he’s most known for to Frontenac regulars, is his strawberry jam. He puts it up every season and you can buy it in the hotel gift shop, but it’s so exclusive that even the hotel’s restaurants don’t serve it. Close your eyes and take a bite, and you’ll think you’re standing in a field of strawberries, eating one just off the stem. www.fairmont.com/frontenac

Quebec's Secret Guilty Pleasure

After a long and fun-filled evening on the town, there’s nothing better than curing the midnight munchies with some tasty fast food. In the U.S., we head for all-night diners or burger joints like Krystal for breakfast or chili-cheese fries.

In Quebec, the late-night delicacy that everyone craves is called Poutine. Crispy French Fries drenched in brown gravy and covered with fresh cheese curds really hits the spot in the wee hours of the morning. The fresh-from-the-cow cheese curds are wonderful, and at the Farmer’s Market in Vieux-Port (Le Marche), the cheese shop sells small containers of them as snacks.

Poutine is so popular that even McDonald’s has added them to the menu. The locals are slightly embarrassed about their guilty pleasure, but it’s definitely worth a calorie splurge.

The Manic Fiddler at Dinner

During our wonderful dinner at aux Anciens Canadiens, we were serenaded by a member of The Painchaud Family. Quebec's answer to the Osmonds, this musically talented group of siblings play traditional folk music, as well as covers of famous rock and country songs, with a good dose of humor and bantering thrown in. From the beautiful Pachabel's Canon to a raucous rendition of Charlie Daniels' "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", our dinner music was anything but boring!

You definitely want to catch this act if you're in town. Check out their website at www.patricepainchaud.com.

aux Anciens Canadiens

Dating back to 1675, the charming red and white house that is the oldest structure in Quebec City, is now home to one of its finest traditional restaurants. Each different room in the house is a separate dining area, and each is decorated with antique dishware and period pieces that add to the overall warmth and ambience of the cozy cottage.

I started my meal with Coquille Neptune (the local take on Coquille St. Jacques), and it was to-die-for. I could have a made a whole meal on the tender scallops in rich cream sauce, topped with golden melted cheese. My dinner companions raved about the game paté and garlic escargots as well.

My main course, or Plat Principaux as it’s called, was a beef tenderloin with a caribou wine sauce. Since I’m not a lover of game meat, the sauce was just exotic enough for my taste, but my friends went whole hog and ordered the trio of Caribou, Bison, and Buffalo tenderloin, served in a cognac sauce. Other traditional Quebec dishes included a pheasant and buffalo casserole, a traditional beef stew, and chicken or salmon in flaky pastry.

We all chose the maple syrup pie, since this province provides the world with 75% of its maple products. Reservations are recommended since aux Anciens Canadiens is one of the most popular fine dining restaurants in the city. (418) 692-1627 or www.auxancienscanadiens.qc.ca/