Dear Friends,
I'm a big believer in hand crafted holiday gifts, including homemade edible treats. For a seasonal favorite, I'm including my recipe for gingersnaps. Arrange a batch in a decorative tin and voila! - an irresistible gift from your kitchen. Whatever you do, wherever you are, please shop locally.
This time of year I love lingering over a meal and cheese course - a wonderful way to extend a gathering with friends and family. A glass of port, a slice of cheese or two cheese, toasted walnuts and hazelnuts make a lovely course.
Re-reading one of my favorite cheese books, The Cheese Room by Patricia Michelson, I was reminded of some delicious selections for wintertime: Beaufort from Savoie in France, and Stilton or Stilchelton from London's Neal's Yard Dairy. For artisanal cheese closer to home, I love the Caveman Blue from Southern Oregon's Rogue Creamery, goat gouda from the Central Coast Creamery, and Valley Ford's Estero Gold. Ask your local cheesemongers to bring them in if they don't already carry them.
At CP's (Wood Grill), we're shaking it up with holiday cocktails. The Napa Register featured our "Santa's Little Helper Margarita"- a spirited gem that includes cranberry-orange relish. "Shanghai Yule" blends jasmine tea-infused vodka and ginger beer, and our "Nutty Elf" and "Cindy's Hot Buttered Rum" will give you a nice warm glow on even the chilliest nights. Like wine? Join us for our Vintner Splash every Saturday night. We've got a terrific line up for December. (Don't forget our Locals' Special: 15% off every Wed. and Sun. through winter!)
Thank you for your support of our new three-course family-style Supper Clubs at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen ($33, every Wednesday & Thursday). For December, we're featuring ginger and spice and everything nice. The popular Film & Fork, a collaboration with Cameo Cinema, features two films this month: A Late Quartet, Tuesday the 11th and Hitchcock, Thursday the 20th. $40 gets you admission to the 5:30pm show followed by dinner and expert-led discussion upstairs at the restaurant. Purchase tickets at the Cameo Box Office or by calling (707) 287-4172.
This month's Pour-Off Pair-Off at Mustards Grill brings home holidays from around the world. We begin in France with hearty lamb and flageolets and a Buche de Noel, followed by Italy with citrus risotto, on to England with wood oven prime rib and Yorkshire pudding, and finally Sweden with homemade gravlax to start and glogg ice cream to finish. As always, each dish is offered with (or without) a glorious wine rarely poured by the glass.
Cindy's Backstreet and Mustards Grill are offering wonderful special menus for Christmas Eve, and all three restaurants including CP's will pull out the stops with sensational New Year's Eve menus. Reserve your table now and let the magic begin.
Wishing you the best of the holidays,
P.S. Many people have told me my cookbooks make wonderful gifts.
Great idea! I'm happy to autograph and personalize them for you.
