Page 10 - Italian American Herald - December 2019

10 ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM | DECEMBER 2019 ITALIAN-AMERICANHERALD
THE CHEF’S PERSPECTIVE
Experience the season’s joy with your heart in the right place
By Murray Schulman
’Tis the season to be jolly. I’m working on that this month. While it is turning out to be
a bit of a bittersweet month for us, I work hard at turning our
world into something uplifting and positive. As I look around, I realize that it has been
a good year overall for us. Sure, as we get older, changes are not so readily handled. We are constantly amazed at our own resilience. Our secret formula is to weigh the negatives against the positives. It is a simple system. Just make a list of the good stuff and put it next to the list of not-so-good stuff. Bingo, the good stuff wins by a long shot. Maybe, this is something that you would want to try. Trust me, friends, you will find that the tears are far fewer than the smiles.
The holiday season is the perfect time
to take a good look at ourselves and at our immediate world. We can define ourselves by the way we work through the changes that we face. The way that we deal with situations that impact us is a series of choices. Each of us can choose to be better than we think we can be. Liz is much better at this than I am. She always seems to manage to take the high road. I am a bit ornery and gruff. Luckily,
I have her to smooth
those rough edges and help me to make the better choices.
Speaking of choices, it is time to start thinking about some of those high points of the season. This year Liz and I are going to be busy. My favorite task is decorating the tree and brightening up the house under Liz’s watchful eyes. While I am working on that, she handles the bulk of the shopping. I put the emphasis on” bulk” as we have four grown children and their significant others, plus, seven grandchildren, not to mention the extended family that help us celebrate the season.
Now we get to the actual holiday celebrations. First in line is the Campana family Christmas party. This is Liz’s side of the family’s time to gather. This event falls
a few days before Christmas. Hosting this party rotates each year. Everyone brings
their own special dish to this event. I always wait until everyone weighs in with their
food choice. That way, I can fill any gaps
to round out the buffet-style feast. Every
year there are games and lots of chatter and laughs as everyone catches up. Next on the agenda is the Christmas Eve celebration at my daughter’s home. Heather, my daughter, sets the menu. Her fiancé doesn’t eat seafood. The seven fishes thing isn’t in the plans. It will be beef on the menu. She will ask me to fill in anything that she needs to complete the meal. I never know what it will be. So, that
is always an adventure. Maybe I’ll work in some pasta or arancini as a first course. We’ll wait and
see how that plays out. As with any of our family gatherings,
DRY INGREDIENTS
1 cup corn meal
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder 1 teaspoon table salt
WET INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup melted unsalted butter 2 tablespoons honey
4 large eggs, beaten
2 1⁄2 cups whole milk
there will be plenty of food, fun and lots of laughs.
The next day is Christmas. First thing
in morning we pick up some doughnuts
and make the quick ride to one set of grandchildren’s home. We arrive early to watch as they get their first glimpse of the tree with all their presents beneath and flowing into the room. This takes place around 7 in the morning. We sit with our cups of coffee and doughnuts as the air becomes filled
with wrapping paper, ribbons, cheers, oohs and aahs. By 9, the gifts have been opened and it is time for us to get back to our house to prepare for the main event. Every year
for the past 15 years or so, I have prepared Christmas brunch at our home. The family expects a very specific lineup of goodies
for this great tradition. I whip up a variety
of dishes ranging from scrambled eggs to French toast to breakfast meats. Biscuits
and cornbread are a must. Piles of fried potatoes and warm maple syrup fill the air with irresistible aromas. My special candied almonds add an extra sweet touch to the meal. Plus, I always have a surprise extra
dish on hand just for the fun of it. There is always plenty for seconds and to take home. After brunch, everyone is full and happy. The young ones are getting restless because they have had to wait until after we finish eating to open gifts.
The adults are encouraged, sometimes by force, by the young ones to make their way to their favorite spots in my living room. I am required to wear my Santa hat. It goes well with my white beard. Everyone knows that when I don that bright red hat the real
fun is about to begin. Each person’s gifts
are wrapped in their specially chosen color wrapping paper. I put the youngest to work helping me hand out the gifts. The pile of gifts beneath the tree rapidly shrinks as the stacks grow in front of each family member. Finally, after carefully checking under the tree, I declare that everything is distributed. We strategically have large black trash bags assigned to the parents sitting around the room for the explosion of wrapping paper that will momentarily take place. Then, upon my signal, the children tear into their stack of gifts. Eyes grow wide and excitement builds as each gift thrills and delights. We reserve one very special gift for each until
the end. Of course, after so many years, the kids anticipate this moment with a physical excitement that permeates the room. The moment arrives and each one opens their treasure. Pandemonium erupts with squeals of delight coupled with big hugs and bigger grins. We can actually feel the joy. It comes not only from the gifts. It comes from being part of a special bond that is family together at Christmas.
With all the bittersweet moments that come with this time of year, Christmas can be truly magical. All it takes is for us to choose to open ourselves to the experience and allow it to be part of who we choose to be. As I said earlier, we work it out. The rewards are truly great and our traditions continue solidify and pass to the next generation. Merry Christmas to all of you and to your families. IAH
CORNBREAD RECIPE
METHOD
1. Prepare a 9-by-13-inch oblong baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir with a whisk to sift and blend.
4. In a separate large bowl, starting with the eggs to allow for beating, combine all wet ingredients, adding the milk last. Mix until fully incorporated and just starting to froth.
5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix just until fully combined into a batter.
6. Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan and place into the preheated oven on a center rack.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Set initial timer for 40 minutes and test at center. Tester should come out clean of batter but with a slight moist coating.
8. If needed, continue cooking in 2-3 minute increments until done. Do not overcook.
9. Once finished, remove from oven to a cooling rack. Cool for a minimum of 30 minutes.
10. When cool, cut into a 4-by-6 grid yielding 24 nice pieces.
11. If more than 24 pieces are needed, make multiple individual batches for best results.