The December chapter of Cooking by the Calendar (1978) lets me know what editor Marilyn Hansen saw as the most fun part of the season: imbibing.
The "Holiday Drinks" section has all manner of options for the adults (plus a few kid-safe ones). Along with the expected eggnog and mulled wines, there's a Malikihiki Mai Tai Punch for those who are spending their holidays in the tropics or-- more likely-- simply wishing they were.
The "Gifts from the Kitchen" section also recommends giving the gift of social lubricant for the family-togetherness-heavy holidays.
You just have to be the plan-ahead type, as Vanilla-Coffee Liqueur takes a couple weeks to mellow.
If you have a family of tea-totalers, you still have some gift options, like Winter Strawberries.
I'm not exactly sure who the target audience for strawberry-shaped wads of walnuts and coconut held together with strawberry gelatin and sweetened condensed milk is. Kids won't like the nuts. Grownups will think it's overly sweet. Maybe this is just supposed to be decorative?
And speaking of decorative, if your holiday party won't feel complete without some sort of food-related arts-and-crafts project, the book recommends a Holiday Sandwich Tree.
Guests can choose between sandwiches with a corned-beef-cottage-cheese-horseradish filling or a chicken-spread-water-chestnuts-ground-ginger filling, as long as corners are dipped in mayo and then parsley to resemble evergreen branches. (Or you can just sprinkle the whole thing with chopped parsley if you're running late!) If your guests aren't big on canned meat, the tree might remain a nice, intact centerpiece for hours. And maybe somebody else will host the big holiday party next year.
Whether you're in the holiday spirit or not, I hope December brings you something better than winter strawberries. That's it for Cooking by the Calendar! We'll see what the next year has to bring....
