Gather: No Trifling Matter
trifle—luscious, layered concoction of cake or cookies, fruit, custard, jam and whipped cream invented by the British and adored by everyone
Christmas Recipes
Ris à l’amande (Danish rice pudding)
This dessert is similar to risengrød and is offered to the nisser (gnomes) on Christmas Eve in Denmark
Old time treats
Back in the 1930s and 40s mom baked her own goodies and desserts. They tasted far better than the modern off-the-shelf desserts.
Hot Dickens Cider
The holiday season ushers in all kinds of warming specialty drinks to cozy up with around the house. This Hot Dickens Cider is named after A Christmas Carol author Charles Dickens. I have no idea why, as it’s a variant of the original recipe “borrowed” from my brother. It’s a wonderful warming drink that carries …
Christmas Crockpot Candy
This delicious mélange of peanuts, chocolate, and almond bark has become a family favourite. 6. Allow to harden for at least 1 hour. 7. Enjoy responsibly! Notes: Be careful though…Christmas Crack is extremely addictive. It is best served chilled. We eat it right out of the freezer.
The Proof is in the Pudding
Ah, Christmas — the time of year when magazines abound with recipes promising taste sensations derived solely from rainbows and snowflakes. At least that’s my assumption because they are the only things not on the list of excluded ingredients. Consider a delectable chocolate cake that carries no sin because it has no fat, sugar, or, …
Eric’s Christmas Moose Stew
I’ve got a moose stew I usually throw together in the winter for a party. I get it going on the stove, and when it’s done I set it on the fireplace with a ladle and some bowls laying around for people to tie into it whenever they feel like it. I’ve never written it …
And a Grouse, in a Pine Tree
Midwinter is rife with tradition. Celebrating, tolerating, or avoiding family gatherings and their associated rituals is part of many people’s December, whether they ascribe to Solstice, Christmas, or Chanukah. I have no blood relatives in the Yukon, but within my family of friends there are myriad traditions celebrated this time of year, and they all …
A Christmas Savoury
In Klondike days, the oldtimers would have used canned spinach to make this quiche. Today, we have the luxury of being able to buy fresh spinach in the middle of a Yukon winter … how times have changed. This is a lovely and colourful dish that can be made in a traditional quiche pan or …
Simple and Sweet: An Old Time
Simple ingredients: butter, sugar and flour make up real old-fashioned shortbread. While variations on these basic ingredients are many, the real McCoy is hard to beat. The trick is in the kneading; you really can’t knead shortbread too much. The more you knead, the stronger the dough (your arms, too) which, in turn, will result …
Cooking on the Wild Side of Christmas
Steak and Kidney Pie has been a Boxing Day tradition in my family. They go “Box” (shop) and I make the pies … mmm … This old family recipe gets a decidedly Northern flavour with caribou and/or moose along with the kidneys. If your hunting prowess is a little on the lax side, you can …
A Taste of Denmark
My parents, Bob and Elly Porsild, were from Denmark and we always observed Christmas in the Scandinavian way, celebrating with dinner and pakke on the eve of December 24th. The meal always began with rice porridge with a blanched almond hidden in it, the finder of said almond receiving a small gift and a year’s …
Cranberries Colour Christmas
The bright-red colour and tart flavour of Yukon cranberries complements Christmas feasts beautifully. For a change, try baking cranberry sauce ahead of the big day. Adding thyme and some Northern sage imparts a nice woodsy mellowness. Cranberry-Orange Squares are a welcome treat on your cookie tray and make up quickly with the use of a …
Going Plum Crazy for Fabulous Flavour
With fall come many fruits, particularly juicy plums – lovely large dark ones and smaller golden plums. Either variety will work well in this easy-to-make dessert. Perfect for Sunday dinner or to pack along for your next potluck supper, this cake is moist, yet not too sweet. And hey, with all that fruit eating it …
A Thimble Full of Christmas Cranberries
thimble is a little cap worn on the finger while sewing. Common in past days, maybe not so common today (unless you are a quilter), a thimble can also be used to make a characteristic imprint on a traditional Christmas cookie. Children will enjoy doing the thimble job. Cranberries are filled into the thimble-holes of …
Festive Cake Balls
Keep your balls cold, and the chocolate will coat them nicely. I’m talking with Shelley Hakonson in her chocolate-aroma’d kitchen one afternoon when she demonstrates this piece of wisdom by making a tray full of cake balls. These are a nice replacement for classic rum balls – lighter in texture because their insides have more …
Tidings of Hops and Barley
It’s the season to eat, drink and be merry with friends and love ones. So what if we told you that you could kill two birds with one stone (the ‘eating and drinking’ bit), which would just leave you with the ‘being merry’ part? As our Christmas pressie to you, we have gift-wrapped a wonderful …
A Matter of Texture
In Canada, as well as the States and all over Europe, this time of year the smells of cinnamon, molasses and ginger are overwhelming at times. I mean, even escaping our homes on a trip to a coffee shop, we can get hit with a gingerbread or pumpkin spice latte across the face. As we …
Festive Fare from Friends
Editor’s Note: Residents of Dawson City are known to enjoy a good get-together with friends, especially in the long months of winter. So we asked a few Dawson “foodies” and party hosts to share some distinctive snack or beverage ideas they enjoy offering their guests during the festive season. Two-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons by Karen Thomas …
More Festive Fare
Caribou Liver Paté by Michael Edwards Several years ago up on the Blackstone I harvested my first caribou, a young male from the Porcupine herd. As my friend Jack Semple and I quartered the Wëdzey, we talked about the importance of using the entire animal. That afternoon we ate the heart, sliced thinly and sautéed …
Festive Food Fare
Spinach Pie This is called Spinach Pie in my house, but it’s actually a no-crust quiche. My mom makes this for me when I visit, a tradition that started in my early 20s when she worried that I lived on Diet Coke and candy. It’s delicious, healthy, easy to make and a whole pie can …
Dipping into that Festive Flavour
The festive season is upon us and so too is food for entertaining. Here is a trio of dips, ones that can be made ahead, to serve with healthy and crisp bagel chips. Serve with bright red pomegranate seeds for a tangy taste and bright colour. Roasted Red Pepper Dip INGREDIENTS: 2 red peppers, cut …
