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Happy Holidays from the Gourmet Safari Team!

Thank you so much for your continued support over the last year. We wish you a peaceful and joyous holiday season. Enjoy the featured recipes and may you take the time to savour each special moment of the season...and each bite of course.

Foodie’s Corner.

What would the holiday season be without your favourite traditional recipes? Here are a few recipes from around the globe that came in:

We’ll start out in the Philippines:

This recipe came in from Ava who recently experienced an 8-day Casa Italiano culinary vacation.

Royal Bibingka (Rice Cake)

3 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 cups all purpose flour (or rice flour)

1 ¼ cup coconut milk

½ cup grated cheese

Beat eggs until light & creamy, add sugar gradually beating well. Sift flour & baking powder together and mix with coconut milk. Mix together & pour batter into 2 - 9" cake pans that have been lined with wax paper (traditionally wilted banana leaves were used). Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Remove & sprinkle with cheese, bake 20 minutes more & brush twice with margarine (or butter) while baking. When fully baked, brush again with margarine & sprinkle with sugar – serve with freshly grated coconut.

Chef’s Note:

If you are adventurous, salted duck eggs can be cut into slices & placed on top of batter before baking (available at Asian stores, this is the authentic version with the contrast of sweet & salty). The tradtional method of baking was in a clay stove & the ideal thickness of the cake is ¾ inches. Enjoy!

By the way, this is what Ava has to say about her Casa Italiano Customized 8-Day Holiday:

"Dear Jackie, I arrived today, tired and jet lagged but completely relaxed. Laura and Giorgio were excellent hosts, they made me feel so at home. As for Florence/Sienna/Luca/Pisa/Assissi/Rome, I have seen quite a bit of Italy, it was wonderful...both Laura and Giorgio had only good things to say about you. It was a pleasure planning all of this with you, it turned out very well. Thank you again and all the best."

Ava E., Manila, Phillippines, October 2005

Next stop, Italy:

Here is a recipe for ‘Il Serpiente’ from Paola & Simonetta of our Chianti Classico culinary vacation:

Il Serpe (Serpente)

300g very-finely-ground almonds

3 stiffly-whisked egg whites

A handful of pine-nuts

150g very-finely-ground candied lime

300g sugar

2 coffee beans

Mix almonds, sugar & candied lime together, adding the whisked egg whites a little at a time. The mixture must be dense (not too runny). Form the mixture into the shape of a snake. Decorate with the pine-nuts in a herring-bone pattern. Use the coffee beans for the eyes and a piece of candied lime for the tongue. Cover the head and tail with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven at 150°C (300°F) for 30 minutes.

Chef’s Note:This is a typical recipe of Chianti which is prepared by the family at Christmas. This cake represents a snake & it is a good luck symbol against vipers.

France:

Here is a recipe from our very own Art de Vivre Loire culinary vacation, its Monique’s special chocolate tarte that she serves for Christmas every year.

Tarte au Chocolat (Gourmet Chocolate Tart)

1 pastry shell

355ml sour cream (1 1/2 c)

150ml milk (2/3 c)

300gr dark chocolate

2 eggs

Preheat the oven 200°, bake the pastry for 10 minutes. Break chocolate in small cubes. Pour the sour cream & milk into a pan. Boil the mixture & add chocolate away from heat. Beat the eggs with a fork & add to the chocolate mixture very quickly (this is the most delicate part of the process). Reduce the heat 160° C (320° F) & pour the preparation over the pastry. Bake for 18 minutes et voila!

South Africa:

Here is a recipe straight out of South Africa for a typical Hannukah dish. Thanks to Debbi Arnold for sharing her favourite Latke recipe.

Classic Potato Latkes

1 kg potatoes

1 onion

2 eggs

30 grams flour (or matzo meal)

salt/pepper

oil for frying

Peel & grate potatoes on a fine grater. Grate onion & mix with salt/pepper, adding to the potatoes, (having first drained off the water). Stir in flour, beat eggs & add to mixture.

Heat oil in large frying pan & drop dessertspoons of the potato batter into oil. Leave space between each Latke because they spread. Fry till golden brown on each side, drain on paper towel & serve hot. Serve with sour cream and apple sauce. Yummy! Photo Credit Ken Burris/EatingWell

England:

Holiday season recipes wouldn’t be complete without at least ONE cookie recipe – and here is my personal favourite! It’s quick, simple and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Shortbread Cookies

3 cups flour

1 small package potato flour

1 lb butter

1 cup icing sugar

Directions:

Cream butter & icing sugar. Mix 2 flours together then add the butter mixture. Mix well, roll out and cut your cookies. Bake 300 F for 20 minutes – watch closely, don’t over bake!

Uncorked!

Your best bubbly match for the holiday season!

Turkey:

Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catharine Brut

Roger Luquet Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc de Blancs

Roasted Lamb or Beef:

Krug ‘Grande Cuvee’ Champagne Brut

Gosset Grande Millesime Champagne 1999

Lanson ‘Black Label’ Brut Champagne

Caviar:

Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose Brut Champagne

Veuve Clicquot Rose Reserve Brut Champagne

Louis Roederer Brut ‘Premier’ Champagne

Don’t forget – one gift fits all.

Forget neckties and perfume this year. What better gift than the gift of food adventure travel for the food and wine lover who has absolutely everything! Gourmet Safari Culinary Discovery Gift Certificates can be purchased in any denomination and can be applied to any culinary vacation or cooking class.

Wishing you a safe, healthy and happy holiday season.

All the best, Jackie

PS: Please help save the environment by recycling this email -- help spread the word and forward it to all your friends!