Mom’s Apple Pie – choice for Christmas Dessert
Our Christmas Day this year was very kitchen-focused – loads of fun for me. Then, there is the day after…….. Is anyone else exhausted and looking forward to a day of vegging? I am.
There is always something transitory about the day after Christmas isn’t there? It’s some sort of a mixture of relief and letdown. I padded down the stairs early this morning, around 5, made coffee and happily realized that there are still wisps of fir to be had when passing by the Christmas tree. This is indeed one of the most potent of holiday essences for me. I’m happy to hold onto this for a few days longer.
Today, we bundle up all of the crumpled wrapping paper, tags, boxes and carry them out to the trash. This act does instill a refreshing sense of cleansing, no? There is that instinct to streamline and clean up. While we have taken away the paper piles, the other accumulation, that of all of the food, is still here – there are remnants of meals jammed into the refrigerator and baked goods all over the counters. Hmmm……..
This day after is sort of funny though. There is the omnipresent rush forward, akin to starting Christmas right after Halloween this year. Yesterday I noticed the weight loss and after-Christmas sales ads were already on tv – before our Christmas Dinner was even digested. I can feel we are being rushed forward to New Year’s – resolutions, etc. – sort of a gesture of cleansing ourselves of 2013! ? ! This is awkward. It is like we are being fast-forwarded from the middle of Christmas Day straight into January 2014. Isn’t there a whole week of 2013 left? Is this a good idea? This all creates conflict – should we keep all of the food and continue to enjoy? Can we stop the push and just enjoy these last few days of the year for what they are? They shouldn’t be disregarded, should they? These are bona-fide days of the year – what’s the big rush, anyway?
Well, while there is all this push forward, I am going to take it one day at a time. First, I noticed this morning that today is St. Stephen’s Day:
Good King Wenceslas looked out
on the feast of Stephen,
when the snow lay round about,
deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night,
though the frost was cruel,
when a poor man came in sight,
gathering winter fuel.
Hither, page, and stand by me.
If thou know it telling:
yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
underneath the mountain,
right against the forest fence
by Saint Agnes fountain.
Bring me flesh, and bring me wine.
Bring me pine logs hither.
Thou and I will see him dine
when we bear the thither.
Page and monarch, forth they went,
forth they went together
through the rude wind’s wild lament
and the bitter weather.
Sire, the night is darker now,
and the wind blows stronger.
Fails my heart, I know not how.
I can go no longer.
Mark my footsteps my good page,
tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter’s rage
freeze thy blood less coldly.
In his master’s step he trod,
where the snow lay dented.
Heat was in the very sod
which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
wealth or rank possessing,
ye who now will bless the poor
shall yourselves find blessing (courtesy metrolyrics.com)
This is a distinct holiday in Italy and elsewhere of course, one with it’s very own essence, identity and rituals. We Americans don’t get this, I don’t think, but it warranted a very famous song in its own honor.
http://www.italymagazine.com/news/celebrating-st-stephens-day-italy (Isn’t every day a holiday in Italy – literally and figuratively? That’s a story for another day… Aren’t there places, the world over that celebrate Christmas for days on end? Why here, is there this insistence on closing the door and waking up in 2014? I don’t like it.)
Anyway, when I went to bed last night I said I was going to take a break from cooking. But, today I’m already thinking about it again. What’s on my mind? Oyster Chowder and Lobster and Avocado Cocktails. On the healthy side, it is Christina Pirello’s Farro Salad Umbrian Style. This would do well to scrub out all of the remainders of the bad stuff we ate over the last many days. Is this weird? I don’t know but I’m inspired again to make these. You know, I have had Oysters on the brain since Saturday. Well, of course, scrubbing out with Farro and then eating Oyster Chowder doesn’t really result in a net improvement, does it? Perhaps it would just even things out for the day……..
I am perusing these as options today:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/smoky-oyster-chowder-with-bacon-rosemary-and-fennel
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Clam-and-Oyster-Chowder-108719
http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/lynn-crawford/lobster-avocado-cocktails.html – I envision this with fresh pink grapefruit sections and a little fresh tarragon
http://www.christinacooks.com/living-the-well-life/la-dolce-vita-by-christina-pirello
I realize I have done a good bit of rambling here today. I think it must be the remnants of the Fondue from Christmas Eve which have infested my brain. That’s why they call it indulgence – it takes time to get over it!
Whatever you choose to do today, make it a distinct and lovely day, honoring all the memories of yesterday and making the Feast of Stephen its very own day. Hopefully, you don’t have to go to work like my husband does. In any event, I’m determined to make today a good day – one of its own, where I celebrate today for the fine opportunity that it is!
Two new cookbooks from Christin for Christmas – I think she’s getting in the groove!
