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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-12-22, Page 28PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1989. Make homemade edible ornaments © Of all the symbols of Christmas, none is more beautiful - or, potentially, more personal - than the Christmas tree. For, every family decorates their tree in their own way, and no two are alike. Some people are lucky enough to have heirloom ornaments, glitter­ ing baubles which have been passed down to them through the generations. Others collect ornaments from everywhere they travel, and decor­ ate their tree so that a tin dove from' Mexico hangs near a terracotta angel from Portugal, or a hand- blown glass star from Vermont. Still others make it a family tradition to create their own orna­ ments, and indeed it is a pastime in which everyone in the family can participate. Even toddlers can help mom and dad or older siblings put the finishing touches on a handmade decoration, or create construction paper fantasies to hang on the tree’s lower branches, which they can reach by themselves. Many families have made it an annual custom to spend an evening stringing glistening cranberries and airy popcorn into garlands. But, there are many other types of decorations which are both lovely to look at and easy to create, and some can be used year after year, family heirlooms in the making. Scraps of fabric and bits of ribbon, for instance, tucked away in a special bag all year long, can come out as Christmas nears to become the basis for a myriad of stuffed ornaments. Draw a template on graph paper or, if you see a picture in a book that inspires you, copy it with tracing paper. And, remember, when creating your templates, to leave borders for hems. Then, pinning the pattern to a double thickness of fabric, cut around the edges. To sew, turn inside out and follow the edge of the design. When you’ve almost finished, turn right side out, stuff with fiberfill or even b’ts of torn nylon stockings, and finish carefully being sure to add a festival ribbon for hanging each ornament at its top. If you’re really ambitious, you can apply sequins, beads, bits of lace, pretty bows - your imagina­ tion is your only limit. You can opt for traditional de­ signs, like stars, candy canes and hearts, or be more whimsical and create teddy bears, little ginger­ bread houses out of “Hansel and Gretel’’ or bright red felt poinset- tias. For an especially romantic tree, hark back to some cherished Victor­ ian customs. Make bows out of embroidered or silvery ribbons and tie to branches hung with potpourri balls - hard foam balls covered with white school paste which have been rolled in rosebud potpourrie, then tied with ribbons. Finish the tree with strings of tiny white lights. Pinecones can be sprayed silver and tied up with ribbons, as well, for another glit­ tery touch. For a family of bakers, a tree trimmed with edible ornaments might be just the thing. They won’t last from one year to the next, but an occasional nibble does help making take the tree down, after New Year’s or Ephiphany, less of a task. Many cookie recipes - the sturd­ ier the better - are suitable for ornaments. Rolled cookies are best, and they give enthusiastic chefs the chance to use all their favorite cookie cutters, as well as being able to decorate them with fancy icing to their heart’s content. Attach hangers when the cookies are just out of the oven, by piercing with a needle and drawing as thick a thread as possible through the hole, tying decoratively. Or, pierce with a toothpick prior to baking; then, after the cookies have cooled thoroughly, lace a ribbon through. In fact, trees decorated with edible ornaments hark back to the very first Christmas trees, which were bedecked with fruits and flowers, soon to be followed by such delicacies as nuts and cookies. Below are some recipes that can be used to create edible ornaments. The first, for classic Gingerbread Men (though virtually any sort of cookie cutters can be used) is reproduced from Cookies (Har­ mony Books), by Diane Rozas and Rosalee Harris. The second, for fragrant Butter Cookies, also chameleons under the rolling pins of creative bakers, is culled from Gifts of Food (Crown Publishers, Inc.), by Susan Cost­ ner. The third, a more unusual recipe for Meringue Tree Ornaments, in which the dough is piped from a pastry bag rather than rolled, comes from Chrsitmas Baking: Traditional Recipes Made Easy (Barron’s), by Christian Teubner. GINGERBREAD MEN Makes 20 to 24 cookies, using a 5-inch cookie cutter 3 cups all-purpose flour Vi teaspoon baking soda Vi teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Vi teaspoon ground cloves % teaspoon grated nutmeg 4 ounces [1 stick] butter % cup packed light brown sugar I % cup dark molasses 1 egg, lightly beaten 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 15 to 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the cookies. Butter cookie sheets. 2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg together. Cream the butter and sugar until smooth and light. Blend in the molasses and the egg. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until thoroughly combined. 5. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it 2 or 3 times, or until smooth. Wrap in wax paper and chill for 4 to 6 hours, or until very firm. 6. Divide the dough into halves. On a lightly floured surface, roll to one-eighth-inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter dipped into flour, stamp out the gingerbread men. Using a wide metal spatula, trans­ fer the cookies to the buttered cookie sheets. Chill the scraps, and repeat with remaining dough. 7. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are firm when pressed. Transfer to a rack to cool. Continued on page 29 Christmas throughout the world, it’s meant to be shared by all. Hank's Small Engines L0NDESB0R0 Celebrate this joyous holiday with those you love. Hillcrest Restaurant and Gas Bar LONDESBORO UNICEF offers a wonderful selection of gifts & games year-round just for children 523-9352 D & J CONSTRUCTION BRUSSELS Doug Machan 887-9345 Jim McDonald 887-9607 We enjoyed serving ? you in the past and hope to see you again soon. From everyone ai COOK’S Division of Parrish & Heimbecker Limited WALTON BRANCH WALTON 887-9261 527-1540 ATW00DBRANCH ATWOOD & 356-2292