Eat First

Still shopping for Christmas cookie recipes?

It wouldn't be Christmas without taking a new cookie for a test drive.

We love cookies that call for a lot of butter (the more, the merrier!), are thin, crispy and crunchy, go well with coffee and tea -- and Champagne or Prosecco -- and look pretty on a cookie plate.

This recipe qualifies on all counts. I adapted the recipe, which was originally conceived as a "drop cookie,'' to make it a "refrigerator cookie.'' You can make the dough in advance and slice and bake the cookies the next day or several days later.

The dough freezes well and is best sliced cold or even slightly frozen, straight from the refrigerator. The recipe makes a righteous batch of cookies -- about 5 dozen, or enough to meet cookie exchange quota and have leftovers for gifting.

Using cornmeal in a cookie might sound strange, but it's nothing to fear. It gives the cookies a faint yellow color and adds interesting texture, as do the dried cranberries.

Have you baked a new-to-you cookie this holiday season? Leave a comment below -- I'd love to hear about it. One can never have enough Christmas cookie recipes!

Cornmeal Cranberry Cookies
(Adapted from a recipe by Diane E. Appleton, on Epicurious.com)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon citrus zest (orange or a combination of orange and lemon)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups dried cranberries tossed in a little orange juice or orange liqueur

In a bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add zest and stir well. Add flour mixture and vanilla and stir until combined well. Stir in cranberries.

Divide dough in half. With floured hands on a lightly floured surface, form/roll dough into two logs, about 2 inches wide by 11 inches long. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate 8 hours/overnight or double wrap and freeze until ready to use.

When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice dough into rounds about one-quarter inch and place about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake on middle rack about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.  Transfer cookies with a spatula to racks to cool. Store cookies in tins. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

 

Cookie exchange, 2013

 

Second Annual Eat First #CNYfood Holiday Gift Guide

Think local, buy local: There is so much food goodness in Central New York! Today, I give you the Second Annual Eat First #CNYfood Holiday Gift Guide.

Better Brittle, the sequel: Better Brittle, the West African-style peanut brittle made in Syracuse by Christiana Kaiser, has been called "peanut perfection.'' It's thin, crispy and crunchy --- not dense and sticky, like traditional peanut brittle. I featured it in my 2012 Eat First local food gift guide and I'm featuring it again because there has been a major development in the Better Brittle world.

 

Christiana has collaborated with Michael and Emily Woloszyn of Lune Chocolat in Manlius to introduce dark chocolate covered Better Brittle. Look for it in two sizes, including a "fun size'' package (with two roughly two-ounce pieces) at the Central New York Regional Market -- Christiana and her husband Andy are there every Saturday. Not interested in chocolate on your Better Brittle? Regular Better Brittle comes in two sizes. Prices start at about $5.

Regions of Italy cooking classes: You can find every Italian ingredient imaginable at Vince's Gourmet Imports, North Syracuse -- and now you can take classes in how to put some of those ingredients to use in cooking. In 2014, Vince's is continuing its series of hands-on cooking classes with several that focus on regional Italian cuisine. At the end of the class, enjoy the featured dishes that you prepared. You will also receive printed recipes to take home with you. Your class fee also includes a complimentary dessert and a 10 percent discount on any merchandise purchased in the store on the day of the class. Classes run about two hours and class size is limited. To reserve a spot, call 452-1500.

 

 Class themes and dates: Emilia-Romagna, Jan. 5, 12, 19 and 26 (3:10 p.m.; $40 per person); Parmigiano-Reggiano Academy, Jan. 11 (4 p.m.; $20); Lombardy region, Feb. 9 or Feb. 16 (3:10 p.m.; $40); and Calabria region, March 2, March 9, March 23 and March 30 (3:10 p.m., $35)    

 

Garlicky Goodness: Joe Lazarsky and Aileen Randolph, owners of Empire Buffalo, are best known for the bison they raise near Chittenango and the bison meat they sell at area farmers markets and directly from their farm. But they garden, too, and Aileen turns the garlic scapes that sprout early in the growing season into a spread she calls Garlicky Goodness. It goes great with a bison burger or steak but also can be used with pasta, on bread, pizza and bruschetta or used to add a flavor punch to salad dressings.

A container (frozen) costs $7 and would make a great hostess gift. For more information call Empire Buffalo at 315-655-4429 or [email protected]

Simple Roast Coffee: Simple Roast Coffee owner Matt Peirson is teaming up with Half Moon Bakery, Jamesville, to offer gift boxes packed with his signature coffee and Half Moon's signature baked goods ($20) this holiday season. The boxes come with a 12-ounce bag of any of the coffees featured on the Simple Roast website AND a package of the bakery's biscotti and Half Moon cookies. The boxes are a "nice reusable box with burlap and yarn to wrap it up,'' Peirson says. To place an order, CLICK HERE or call 315-558-4417

 

Cafe Kubal Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup: One of the most delicious seasonal/specialty espresso drinks at Cafe Kubal in Syracuse is their signature pumpkin spice latte.

 

Head barista Chris Deferio uses honey and sugar for the syrup's base, then adds an aromatic blend of (secret) organic spices and lets them simmer and steep in the syrup before straining them out. 

 

A pint-size mason jar of syrup costs about $10. Try to duplicate a Kubal pumpkin spice latte at home, wannabe barristas! 

 

City Dining Cards - Syracuse: So long, coupon books. City Dining Cards: Syracuse edition is back with a new "deck'' of 50 discount cards for Central New York dining spots -- take $10 off your order of $30 (not including drinks) at participating restaurants.

 

New this year is a Syracuse Drink Deck. The Drink Deck contains 25 buy one-get one free drink cards to 25 bars/taverns in Central New York. The cards are valid through Dec. 31, 2014.

Oh Goody Goody: Oh Goody Goody, owned and operated by Linda Erb, is one-stop online shopping for local gift certificates. You'll find gourmet food, restaurants, spas, lodging, wineries and services.

 

Erb also offers "Goody Group Certificates," gift certificates that can be given to clients, employees, colleagues and families to use at any of dozens of local restaurants. For more information on giving and redeeming Oh Goody Goody gift certificates, CLICK HERE.

Food Bank of Central New York: We know what it's like to be full, but few of us know what  it's like to go hungry regularly or to experience food insecurity. Despite our collective wealth as a nation, millions of Americans are hungry -- and an estimated one in eight Americans rely on emergency food services.

 

In our region, according to the Food Bank of CNY, 37 percent of emergency food recipients are children under the age of 18. Among adults, forty-two percent choose between paying for food and paying for utilities each month. When you have means, it is hard to imagine the fragile existence and difficult decisions and tradeoffs people without means must make. But we can do something to help.

 

The Food Bank of Central New York provides food, nutrition education and technical assistance to 371 programs, including 261 emergency food programs in 11 counties. Donations of money or volunteer time -- or both -- are welcome. To make a financial donation online, CLICK HERE.   To make a donation by credit card, call 315-437-1899 ext. 223.

 

For more Central New York food gift ideas, CLICK HERE. The options are endless. The link takes you to my "Tips for a Buy Local Holiday'' cover story that appeared in the Syracuse New Times Nov. 27th.

 

Dear Penzeys Spices: Can we get a Penzeys in Syracuse?! Please?!

Albany has a Penzeys. Buffalo has a Penzeys. West Nyack has a Penzeys. Long Island has a Penzeys.

Syracuse? No Penzeys!

 

Penzeys Spices is an upscale retailer of spices, based in Wauwatosa, WI. It has 67 retail outlets in 29 states, as well as online and mail-order shopping -- which is a good thing, since we here in Syracuse are completely Penzeys-deprived!!!

 

I've been ordering from Penzeys online for years -- the quality of their spices is excellent and their prices are reasonable. Orders over $30 are shipped for free and I love how they include a sample-size spice or seasoning with orders. Last month, it was a thrill to FINALLY visit a Penzeys store in person (Crossgates Mall; Albany). The store SMELLS great -- it's packed with more than 250 spices and seasonings -- and the staff is very friendly and helpful.

 

On returning home and unwrapping my haul, I contacted Penzeys to advocate for a Penzeys store in Central New York and received this reply.

 

"While there are no specific plans for the next round of new Penzeys stores,'' wrote Penzeys' Margie Gibbons, "I'm happy to pass on your interest for a store closer to you.''

 

So, if you want to pile in the car and make a Penzeys run to Buffalo or Albany, give me a shout.

 

A Few of My Favorite Things from Penzeys:

 

Double Strength Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract: Double the vanilla love in baked goods and desserts. Each bottle of extract contains a vanilla bean to fish out -- or to transfer to the next bottle for steeping.

 

Vanilla Sugar: Great for decorating Christmas cookies -- and to add to hot cocoa.

 

Pizza Spice: A hand-mixed combination of salt, Indian fennel seed, Turkish oregano leaf and powder, sugar, garlic, Tellicherry black pepper, sweet California basil, white onion, crushed red pepper and cayenne red pepper powder. Sprinkle it on homemade pizza and in omelets.

 

Vietnamese Extra Fancy Cinnamon: It's extra strong and flavorful, too. "The highest quality, strongest cinnamon available in America today,''  according to Penzeys. 

 

Cocoa Powders: Natural cocoa is great for baking. The Dutch Process cocoa powder makes excellent hot cocoa and hot fudge sauce.

 

Penzeys Spice Packages: Boxes like nine-jar Baker's Box ($70), which contains two kinds of cinnamon, Dutch Blue poppy seeds, ginger powder, lemon zest, Dutch cocoa, ground cloves, ground cardamom and Double-strength pure vanilla extract, make memorable gifts.

 

Quality cooking deserves high-quality spices. Add Penzeys to your Christmas wish list or treat yourself today.