The Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-12-03, Page 56Page 20—Christmas Gift •Guilde
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Christmi.s
Christmas Eve — a night of
magic, made up of children's hopes
and dreams, and everyone's love
and giving. More than any other
night of the year, this one is like a
dream, spun of anticipation and the
jiy of celebration at the birth of
Christ.
It is a night of feasting, steeped in
centuries of tradition and customs
that are as unique to individual
countries as they are to each family.
A special meal is prepared in every
household, often revolving around
the midnight mass.
In England, one of the customs
Eve go
a night of celebration
which best expresses their spirit of
holiday merrymaking is the tradition
of toasting from the Wassail Bowl.
Since medieval times, Christmas
Eve and its season was a time of
reveling, a time to "go a' wassail-
ing," whereby those who could not
affort to make their own wassail
danced through the streets singing
Christmas carols and carrying
wooden bowls in the hopes of being
given some of the spiced ale.
This ale, which is spiced with cin-
namon, ginger, sherry wine, lemon,
and sugar, is then combined with
roasted crab apples and toasted
bread. In the true tradition of holi-
day toasting, it derives its name
from the Anglo-Saxon was hal,
meaning "be hale" or "be healthy."
Today, any type of punch that is
served and toasted with friends who
drop by may fill the Wassail Bowl,
In Italian families, Christmas Eve
has always all but overshadowed
Christmas Day itself as the focus 'of
celebration..
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"For the Sharp Dressed Bowler"
As this was traditionally a day of
fasting (no meat), a seafood dinner
was eagerly looked forward to. The
Christmas Eve feast was, and is,
made up of seven different kinds of
fish.
Some say this nuMbei: refers to the
seven sacraments, while others
believe that the number seven has
something to do with being a source
of good luck for the corning year.
Eel and fried codfish (baccala)
are traditional favorites, as are
clams, oysters, mussels, shrimp and
squid. •
In Poland, at the Wigilia dinner,
one of the most elaborate of
Christmas Eve celebrations, a
transparent rice wafer is the first
food eaten.
This wafer, called the Oplatekt, is
blessed by the parish priest and is
then distributed to be broken in bits
and served in the home.
It is the tradition at this dinner to
have an odd number of guests and
an even number of dishes, leaving
one extra place for the Holy Spirit.
France's Christmas Eve tradition
feature wonderfully delicious
desserts. An elegant supper is serv-
ed after the mass on this evening,
which is known as the Reveillon.
For dessert, a rich and luscious
chocolate roll, the Buche de Noel is
Served. As France's best-known and
most festive holiday specialty, this
creamy mocha Christmas Log is
eagerly awaited each Christmas
Eve. In. northern Italy, this same
cake is popular and is called Ceppo
di Natale.
If this luscious treat isn't enough
to satisfy those with a penchant fir
holiday sweets, then they may want
to adopt another French tradition
from Provence, where 13 sweets are
served as the dessert course after
Christmas Eve dinner.
The following recipes, favorites
from various countries, are sure to
add to or enhance whatever your
family's traditional Christmas Eve
foods may be.
The recipe for Baccala is
reproduced from An Italian Family
Reunion Cookbook (St. Martin's
Press) by Gail Sforza Brewer, while
the recipes for wassail and the
Buche de Noel come from Mimi
Sheraton's Visions of Sugarphuns
FRIED CODFISH (BACCALA)
2 pounds fresh or 1 pound I ied and
saltedcodfish fillets
1 cup saltine cracker crumbs, rolled
very fine
1 cup unbleached fl ur
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper
1/1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
Corn oil °
If using dried, salted cod, soak for
48 hours, changing water every 8
hours, in a glass, enamel or stainless
steel pan. Then prepare just as for
the 2 pounds .fresh fish„
Cool cod into serving portions for 8
people.
In a large mixing bowl, combine
crumbs, flour, cheese, pepper,
oregano and garlic salt. In another
bowl, mix egg and milk. Dipeach
piece of fish first into egg mixture,
then coat with crumb mixture. Set
aside on large platter.
In a large, heavyskillet, pour corn
1/2
oil to a depth ofinch and set over
medium high heat. Gently transfer
pieces of fish into oil and allow to
brown completely on one side before
turning (this reduces the chances of
the fish falling to bits from repeated
turnings). Turn with large spatula
and repeat with second side.
SWINGING WASSAIL
1 quartA
ale
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 or 6 pieces cracked ginger or 1
teaspoon powdered ginger
2 cups sherry wine
Juice and thinly pared rind of 1
lemon
Sugar, to taste
2 slices toasted bread
6 or 8 roasted crab apples or 2 or 3
roasted large apples
Heat ale in,an enameled saucepan
until it is just below the boiling
point. Stir in spices, sherry, lemon
juice, slivered rind and sugar. Stir
until sugar dissolves, then cover and
steep over low heat for 20 to 30 .
minutes, Do not boil at any time.
Pour into heated punch bowl. Add
toast and apples. Ladle into warm
punch cups. Makes about 12
servings,
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Non-alcoholic beverages
• Celebrate -with a non alcoholic
Flaming Cranberry Cinnamon
Punch or a cranberry juice cocktail
and red wine Chaser. Either will add
a festive touch to any kind of holiday
party.
CLOUD CHASER
3 ounces Ocean Spray Cranberry
Juice Cocktail
—
° 3 ounces sweet red wine
Orange slice
Lemon lice
Combine cranberry juice cocktail
and red wine. Serve in a tall glass
over ice.
Garnish with orange and lemon
slice, •
FLAMING CRANBERRY
CINNAMON PUNCH
1 64 -ounce bottle cranberry juice
cocktail -
1/4 cup red cinnamon candies
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 thick orange slices
9 whole cloves
Lemon extract
3 sugar cubes
Pierce orange slices and insert
cloves. Mix cranberry juice, red can-
dies, orange and lemon juice in
microsafe punch bowl. Place
temperature probe in the bowl. Set
temperature to 140°F (or
temperature desired).
At serving time, place clove -
studded orange slices in the bowl.
Place sugar cubes in a custard cup.
Pour enough lemon extract over
cubes to moisten. Light with a
match. Usinga metal spoon, careful-
ly place flaming sugar cubes on top
of orange slices.