The holidays are fast approaching. Hanukkah is just around the corner (sundown, December 4th) and Christmas will come and go faster than we all think. If you’re not celebrating those holidays, a small token for the New Year or holiday party might be a nice gesture– Or maybe just a thank you for neighbors watching your pets.

While I am more partial to giving (and receiving) homemade gifts, there are many people that just don’t have the time. Here are some foodie-minded items that will bring out a smile this gift-giving season.

Homemade
*Cookies and other sweets are always delicious. Try peppermint rocky road cookies, peppermint bark, apple spice cake, cardamom streusel cake, a mixed cookie selection, chocolate fudge cookies or cranberry macadamia white chocolate chip cookies. Just buy an old holiday themed cookie tin (ebay?) and gift away.
*Spice rubs. A small jar will fit your favorite homemade spice combination for others who love to cook.
*Drink Mix. Are you a deft mixologist? How about mixing up a base concoction of your famous brew with a direction tag like “just add rum for holiday cheer!”
*Jams and other preserves. Did you go ape with the bounty of fruits and veggies this summer? Why not gift some preserves to your friends? Nothing says love like some summertime tomatoes, pickles, green beans or fig jam. Why not pack along your favorite recipe using the product?

Books
From food-lit to wine bible there are many great foodie offerings in the literary world sure to please any foodie.
*The more politically conscious on your list will love The Whole Soy Story, by Kaayla T. Daniel, Food Politics, by Marion Nestle or Seeds of Deception, by Jeffrey M. Smith.
*Can’t make it to Paris this holiday? Gift the markets instead with Emile Zola’s, The Fat and the Thin
*To help the oenophile along, try The Oxford Companion to Wine, by Jancis Robinson (Editor). Or, for the budding wine enthusiast Educating Peter, by Lettie Teague (review) is a great start. Even more basic and a little lighter is Hip Tastes, by Courtney Cochran.
*As for cookbooks, any chef or aspiring chef would love to add The Cook’s Book, with over 7 fabulous contributing chefs to their collection (review).

Other
If you cannot make something for the holidays, ensure others are properly paid for the effort they exert to bring you your goods. There are many Fair Trade websites that now sell great home gifts from bamboo bowls to recycled glass plates. If Fair Trade is too much to ask, at least ensure you’re keeping the Earth alive by buying sustainable products.
*The Local Harvest store will help you to buy local or help you support organic farmers whether buying oranges or sheep pelts.
*World of Good has Fair Trade and Earth-friendly furnishings, clothing, books and jewelry. Their hand-woven rattan to the core baskets would make a great fruit bowl and their placemats would accent any table well.
*Viva Terra offers home furnishings, gourmet chocolates and clothing that is Earth-friendly and sleek. I especially like their slate cheese board and organic tea set in a fabulous box.
*Green Home is a one-stop shop for bath and cleaning products, art supplies, clothing and more. Their stainless steel lunch carrier is great to carry hot and cold lunches and their bamboo utensil set is a lightweight alternative for picnics.

My mother forwarded me a query from a friend of hers a few days ago. The dilemma: Bring a whole (non-pureed) sweet potato dish to the Thanksgiving party. What should she bring?

What is interesting enough to amaze, savory enough to sustain, and addictive enough to ensure it is your dish that is licked clean, with guests (and host) begging for your secret recipe?

Were fries considered whole enough? Fries, baked or deep fried are always a delicious treat and fabulous alternative to the standard sweet potato puree. One of my favorite unusual flavored sweet potato dishes is baked cumin sweet potato fries with a lime dipping sauce. They are an addictive finger friendly food.

A standard baked sweet potato would be equally delicious (though not too inspiring). Although, if one is able to find the uber sweet purple sweet potatoes, which are grayish-white on the outside and deep purple inside– they would make a totally surprising puree or fry. One can often find them in Asian markets, or more high end grocery stores. They are definitely worth a try and will bring amazing color and conversation to the table.

What I suggested was in the sauce. Baked, fried, whole or sticks you will win your table over with sauces. A trio (or more) of sauces for guests to sample will set the stage for experimentation. Whether treated as a dipping sauce for fries, drizzled over top, or dolloped into the center of baked potatoes, guests will love mixing, matching and finding their favorite (possibly more unusual) accompaniments to a standard Thanksgiving table staple.

Here are some of my suggestions, though the possibilities are endless. Just let your mind wander:

Molasses Butter Sauce. Use light or dark muscavado sugar (you can get it at Whole Foods or other specialty/ gourmet stores). 1/2 cup butter (at room temp), 3 tablespoons muscavado sugar, 1 tsp orange zest, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt (1 tsp cayenne, optional). Whip the ingredients together, refrigerate then put a dollop inside each sweet potato to serve. For fries, melt and drizzle over top.

Balsamic Reduction is good for whole baked or fries to drizzle over top. Just reduce balsamic vinegar for 2-3 hours over medium heat until it’s a thick syrup. You can do the same thing with an inexpensive port wine. The sauce should reduce by about 3/4. (Good over steak too.)

Maple Syrup Sauce is excellent. Mix sour cream, maple syrup, allspice, cinnamon (and lemon zest, optional) until it tastes good. The result should be slightly thick, similar in consistency to ketchup. Drizzle over top, dollop in a baked, or use as a dip with fries.

Cranberry-Orange Sauce (probably best for whole potatoes). Cook 1 bag fresh cranberries w/ juice of 1 orange plus 2 tablespoons orange zest and 1 tsp fresh grated ginger, 1 tsp salt. Boil down so cranberries break apart. Add some sugar if too bitter. This would be good scooped in.

Maple Molasses Pecan Sauce. Warm pecans w/ 2 Tbl muscavado sugar and 3 Tbl butter on medium heat. Let butter and sugar melt, (making caramel) to coat the pecans. Mix 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 Tbl maple syrup and 1 Tbl muscavado sugar. Fold in pecan-caramel (can even leave slightly streaked). Add dollop to potatoes or dip.

Warm Goat Cheese Sage Sauce. Melt 3 Tbl butter w/ 1/3 cup goat cheese, 1 Tbl maple syrup, salt to taste. Once melted, fold in 2-3 Tbl fresh chopped sage and 3 Tbl crushed walnuts (optional). Can serve warm, drizzled over potatoes or place in a ramekin and allow to solidify on fridge and add a dollop once cooled. You can make a similar sauce w/ blue cheese/ gorgonzola doing the same thing, minus sage, w/ pepper and nutmeg.

A few more I have thought of since providing the recipes…

Cardamom Sour Cream Sauce. Mix 1 tablespoon fresh ground cardamom seeds (crack shells of green cardamom pods to extract seeds) with 2 cups sour cream or creme fraiche, 1/4 cup honey and 1 teaspoon salt. 1/4 cup candied orange zest (optional). (Orange zest: thinly mince peel or zest an orange. Boil for 1 minute, drain then boil for 5 minutes in 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water, drain.)

Blueberry Pomegranate Goat Cheese. Boil 2 cups blueberries in 1 cup pomegranate juice (or 1 cup Riesling and 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses) until slightly thickened, 30-45 minutes. Reduce heat, add 5-8 tablespoons goat cheese (depending on desired thickness of finished sauce). Stir until goat cheese melts and remove from heat. Place in ramekins and chill to set or serve warm.

Citrus Sour Cream Sauce. Mix 1 cup sour cream with juice of 1 lemon plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 teaspoons orange zest, 1 teaspoon salt.

When I was younger, I eagerly hacked up pumpkins for Halloween. If I took knife to flesh too early and the dear thing rotted, I would whittle away again. Those pumpkins would remain on our front porch until they deflated into sad puddles of mush (or the raccoons ate them).

Lately, I cannot bring myself to carve pumpkins. Shortly after I began this blog I found the most perfect of pumpkins. Enormous and ideally symmetrical, it sat on our dining room table for months. I could not bare to throw it out. Finally, no joke, in June, I decided it was no longer seasonal to host the pumpkin.

This year, I am proud to say I sliced and diced that little orange globe sooner than I thought I would be able to.

I eyed my little pumpkin, barely larger than a softball for a few weeks contemplating its end. I knew this little guy would only last a few servings. Whatever I made, it had to be good. Because the chill has finally hit the air, I had a craving for soup.

It is no secret I love soup. I like to make it in big batches and store it in single serving containers for a cold day. Soup, yes, that was easy, what flavors will marry pumpkin in a unique and delicious taste? Coconut!

I know, it’s sort of a bizarre jump to make. I was thinking roasted pumpkin and toasted rhymes and well, what is best toasted? Coconut. Naturally. It is also easier to make this jump knowing a can of coconut milk has been sitting idle in the cabinets.

The coconut in this soup is subtle, yet adds that certain unknown that baffles eaters. Just what is it? And why is there cilantro in this soup?! It would make the perfect addition to the Thanksgiving party and best of all it is super easy to make– and fast.

Coconut Pumpkin Soup
Serving size= 6. Active time= 10 minutes. Cook time= 15 minutes.
1 medium cooking pumpkin (other winter squash would work too: acorn, butternut)
1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1-15oz can coconut milk
salt/ pepper to taste
cilantro for garnish

1) Ready a food processor with a grater attachment. Slice the pumpkin into 1/4s, remove ends. Remove pulp, set aside to toast for a garnish. Use a vegetable peeler to remove skin and grate in food processor. Grate onion and garlic.
2) Heat butter or olive oil in a sauce pot over medium high heat. Once warm, add pumpkin, onion and garlic. Saute 5-7 minutes, until onions sweat and pumpkin darkens in color, stir occasionally. Add curry powder (if using) and salt.*
3) Add chicken or vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Using a blender, immersion or standing, puree the soup until a smooth, even texture is reached.
4) Salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds as garnish.
*Note: While onions, garlic and pumpkin are warming, rinse and dry pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle w/ salt and shredded coconut (optional). Toast on medium-high two times in a toaster oven, until slightly browned.

I know, you’re thinking, is she crazy?! It’s 40 degrees out and she is making ice cream? But truly, this ice cream screams holiday cheer. I imagine a heaping melting scoop on top of a big slice of warm pumpkin or pecan pie. A dessert marriage made in heaven.

But the impetus of this dessert… It’s all the sugar’s fault.

It started about one month ago. I was working on a freelance piece about specialty sugars. I never realized how fascinating the world of sugars could be. From the hurdles importers have to break through with tariffs here, in the States, to the intense natural flavors these sugars produce. I was seduced by sweetness.

While the article does not delve into the political side of sugar (a subject to investigate more. Here’s a link to some articles), it does attempt to discuss the rise and differences of sugars like Muscavado, Turbinado, Demerara and Molasses. (Link to the article TK. Pub date is Dec 07/Jan 08.)

My contact on the piece at Wholesome Sweeteners was kind enough to send me some samples. I was thinking two or three packages of some of the more interesting sugars. I was more than happily surprised when a fifteen pound box of mixed sugars arrived at my door. Even happier was I to find that the samples were heavy on their Fair Trade line (available at gourmet retailers around the country).

So I stood looking at all these sugars and all I could think about was cookies, pies and ice cream. I threw my ice cream maker in the freezer and concocted the above flavor. There is actually no molasses added into the ice cream. Molasses naturally coats the sugar granules.

Simplified, cane sugars are made when pressed cane juice is spun in a centrifuge pan and layers are pulled, or harvested off, to produce varying sugar grades of color and flavor (the color and flavor also depends on where the sugar is produced). As layers are pulled off, cane juice thickens and ends up as molasses in the bottom layer. Different layers are sold with different degrees of molasses coating the hardened sugar granules, from Raw or Demerera sugars all the way to Molasses sugar or black strap. This gives the sugars a unique flavor, from honey to fudge-like, and a naturally darker color. Refined white sugar is made when raw sugar is processed to remove all coloring and unique flavors. Regular brown sugar is refined white sugar with molasses added back to white sugar.

The original name for this ice cream was simply Sugar. I soon realized the name would need more explanation when a conversation with D went something like this:

“Ooooo, ice cream. What flavor?”
“Sugar.”
“No, what flavor ice cream?”
“Right. It’s sugar-flavored.”
“Uhhhhhh.”

A similar conversation was repeated when I had a friend try the ice cream.

The reality is that the rich roasted coffee-molasses flavoring this ice cream has is derived completely from the sugar I used, light muscavado. The caramel swirl is made from Sucanat (simply cane juice dehydrated and broken into large crystals). So because there is so much natural molasses in this ice cream, I simplified the name.

I was more than pleasantly surprised with the results and am thinking of other Sugar Ice Cream varieties. Give this simple ice cream a try. Even without the caramel swirl, people will wonder what a palate you possess to have created such a wonderful flavor. Try other specialty sugars with this recipe. Dark Muscavado will be even richer. Demerera will have a lighter flavor.

I used The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz, as a guide for these recipes.

Molasses Caramel Cashew Swirl Ice Cream
Serving size= About 1/2 a quart. Active Time= 30 min. Inactive Times= 4 hours.
Ice Cream Base:
2 cups cream or half and half
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup Light Muscavado sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Salted Caramel Cashew Swirl:
1 cup Sucanat
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cream or half and half
1 tablespoon salt (do not use if using salted butter)
1 cup cashews (or other nut)

1) Prepare your ice cream maker.
2) Make the ice cream base. Warm the cream with the sugar over medium heat until the sugar melts. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the milk, salt and vanilla. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. While the ice cream is chilling, make the caramel sauce.
3) Put butter and sugar in a pot, over medium-low heat until sugar begins to melt down, about 10 minutes. Watch it carefully. Stir as it begins to melt down and remove from the heat. Carefully and slowly, add the cream, whisking between each addition. The sugar might splatter it is extremely hot. If sugar crystals remain after all cream is added, return to heat and stir until it melts down. Pour caramel over cashews, add salt, stir. Let sit at room temperature until ice cream is ready to make.
4) When ice cream base is cool, add it to your ice cream maker. Once done, Put half in a freezer-safe container, add 2/3 of the caramel, the remaining ice cream and top with remaining caramel. Freeze until solid, 2 hours.

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My good friend N from Chicago emailed me this morning for help. Her new bf’s favorite food is paella and she wanted a simplified version of the last paella recipe made here at Just Braise to impress him.

First, let us congratulate N for picking such a winner! I can’t think of anyone I know who would say their favorite food is paella if asked. Maybe my Spanish friend, J, but I think she’s more inclined to Iberian ham. So brava!

N’s concern was the lengthy steps (who has fish stock on hand?!) and that she had never cooked seafood beyond a simple pan-seared fillet.

I applaud her for taking the next step in trying not only new seafood, but a possibly daunting recipe. I also assured her seafood is incredibly simple to make. Just find a good quality source and you’re set. Before I know it she’ll be throwing fancy-sounding (but simple) dishes like linguine in clam sauce together– That’s right, I think linguine sounds fancy. It’s Italian and once you use foreign words in cooking you’re fancy. (So I guess paella is pretty fancy too.)

For anyone wary of paella, whether you are trying to impress a new beau or stock pile your fridge for the week, I implore you to give this recipe a try. I have even included a simplified version with alternatives below the real recipe for the novice. You don’t even need an authentic paella pan– Any large pan (15 inches or more) with high sides (2 inches or more) will work.

The skeleton of this recipe is taken from the same cookbook as the previous paella recipe, The Cuisines of Spain. Paella is definitely not a dish you make once and master so be aware it might not be perfect your first time through. Keep trying. Don’t be scared away by the recipe list either. Most of it is pretty basic. Or, try my simplified version below.

Arroz Con Cebolla Confitada (Rice with Caramelized Onion)
Serving size 6. Active time= about 1 hour. Inactive time=12 minutes.
1/2 pound littleneck clams
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 boneless skinless chicken, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced (or grated)
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup sweet vermouth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 cups fish stock (see previous paella for recipe)
2 tomatoes, halved and grated on large holes, skins discarded
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch of saffron threads
1 pound calamari rings
2 cups Spanish (short grained) rice
1 pound shrimp, in shells
1/2 bag frozen peas

1) Scrub clams and place them in a bowl of water with the coarse salt. Let them sit for about 30 min or more while you prepare the other ingredients (you do not need these until the end). This gets the clams to release the sand trapped in their shells.
2) In a large (15 inch +) skillet or paella pan, warm the olive oil on medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3) Add onions, red pepper, garlic, vermouth, salt, pepper and sugar to pan. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the liquid evaporates and the onions caramelize, 15-20 minutes.
4) Preheat oven to 500F. In a sauce pot, bring stock to a boil.
5) Turn heat on onions to high and cook 5 minutes more. Add the grated tomatoes, paprika and saffron. Mix to incorporate. Add the squid and mix again.
6) Turn heat to high. Return chicken to pan, add rice and stir to incorporate. Add the boiling stock and let sit for 5 minutes without touching.
7) Remove clams from salted water and place around the top of the dish. Do not bury them in the liquid. Add the shrimp to the top of the dish as well.
8) Bake for 12-15 minutes, uncovered. Clams should open and shrimp should turn pink. Remove from oven once done and set on stove, covered with tin foil for 5 minutes. Tap any clams that have not opened with a fork. If they still do not pop open discard them.
9) Add frozen peas and stir to incorporate. (Heat from the dish will thaw the peas.) Serve with lemon wedges and chopped parsley as a garnish.

A beginner’s paella. This is essentially what I provided to N earlier today. Make it even shorter by removing one of the fish and upping a quantity of another.

Basic Paella
Serving size 6. Active time= about 1 hour. Inactive time=12 minutes.
1/2 pound littleneck clams
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 boneless skinless chicken, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups boxed fish stock. Alt.: use half clam juice half boxed chicken stock or all chicken stock
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch of saffron threads
1 pound calamari rings
2 cups Spanish (short grained) rice
1 pound shrimp, in shells
1/2 bag frozen peas (optional)
lemons and parsley for garnish

1) Scrub clams and place them in a bowl of water with the coarse salt. Let sit for about 30 min or more while you prepare the other ingredients (you do not need these until the end). This gets the clams to release the sand trapped in their shells.
2) In a large (15 inch +) skillet with 2 inch sides (or taller) or paella pan, warm the olive oil on medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3) Add onions, red pepper and garlic to pan. Allow onions to sweat, stir occasionally 8-10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500F. In a separate sauce pot, bring stock to a boil.
4) Add paprika, saffron and rice to onions and pepper. Mix to incorporate. Add the squid and mix again.
5) Turn heat to high and return chicken to pan. Add the boiling stock and let sit for 5 minutes without touching.
6) Remove clams from the salted water and place around the top of the dish. Do not bury them in the liquid. Add the shrimp to the top of the dish as well.
7) Bake for 12-15 minutes, uncovered. Clams should open, shrimp should turn pink and liquid should be evaporated. Remove from oven once done and set on stove, covered with tin foil for 5 minutes. Tap any clams that have not opened with a fork. If they still do not pop open, discard them.
8) Add frozen peas and stir to incorporate. (Heat from the dish will thaw the peas.) Serve with lemon wedges and chopped parsley as a garnish.