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Helenka and I have been hard at work getting this year’s Christmas Special ready. [Helenka adds that it’s always a scary thing when we put our heads together! But it’s never boring.] It’s all about cooking at your table (the Sequel or, in our philosophy, a TRADITION). Last year, we used my electric raclette which was fab, and this year I borrowed Helenka’s fondue sets (well, one of them was an electric skillet, but – hey – we believe in improvising and repurposing, too) with the intent of making three fondues: cheese, broth and chocolate. Our twist was changing the name to FUN-DO because it’s all about playing and having fun with your food. [Helenka adds, in a wry voice, because nobody would ever associate US with food or fun, right?]

We had so much food I must have thought that you all were going to join us. Needless to say, we did not go hungry and Helenka went home with doggy – uh, kitty – um, piggy bags. [Helenka’s too busy with the nom-nom-nomming to talk right now. That’s okay, I can wait p-a-t-i-e-n-t-l-y until she’s swallowed.]

***Behind-the-scenes action, as Helenka grabs control of this blog entry. Brian sighs, because some things never change.***

Hello again, culinary playmates:

Brian jammed so much in this episode that the hours just seemed to fly by. After a light brunch (which really was light since we now know that eating too much for brunch-lunch will make us sleepy and full), we did traditional stuff. Like what? Like baking cookies.

Last year, we were intent on putting the emphasis on non-traditional celebrations, on re-inventing the holidays. Well, this year, we think it’s a terrific idea to reincorporate some of the old traditions into a new way of celebrating. Our main courses and dessert may not have been the usual fare, but – then – there was cookie baking. Not only that, but the cookies were in the shape of stars and were flavoured with peppermint. Anyone for candy-cane tasting cookies? Yum! Then there was the decorated mantle and a tree … that just happened to BE on the mantle. Pretty clever, says Helenka. And a great way to free up floor space when you don’t have a lot.

It’s become apparent to me that it’s harder (or impossible) for many people to have a real tree at Christmas. If you live in a condo, you may find that your condo association does not permit bringing in a cut tree for the holidays. So, what do you do, especially if you really want to have a real tree? There are a couple of possibilities which will involve using your imagination. The first is to buy several miniature pine trees in pots. Then, cover the pots in festive wrapping paper and arrange them on a series of staggered boxes (also wrapped). Decorate the delicate boughs with tiny ornaments, adding miniature LED lights as well. Now, if you just happen to have an ornamental wrought-iron spiral staircase (what – doesn’t everybody?), you can then omit using the boxes and arrange the pots on alternating steps,.interspersed with some fresh greenery (a lot easier to bring home than a tree), ribbons and presents (oh, hello, prezzies!).

The second idea is to use the plants you already have. Ficus trees work well because there are lots of branches with small leaves. The main thing to remember is to be artistic and creative. If the only thing you can add is some beads to a slender trunk, then make a nest of coloured lights and assorted twigs at its base. Just remember to be careful when you’re watering. You can also dangle a few ornaments from the rim, so that they hang down the outer side of the pot. I’m sure you can look around and find new ways of looking at your plants. Just remember to take pictures so that you’ll always have proof of how inventive you were and how proud you are about it! Of course, the best thing is that you’ll still have living plants after the holidays are over.

Okay, getting back to food (as if we’d ever strayed too far), if you want to recreate our idea, you’ll have plenty of different recipes from around the globe, especially for the broth fondue. You might end up with a Chinese hot pot, or Japanese shabu shabu. The fondue I’m most familiar with had beef, chicken and shrimp as well as loads of veggies such as carrots, celery, mushrooms, green onions (and lots of others) as well as a layer of spinach leaves at the bottom of the pot that were poured out for the flavoured broth that brought the main course to a close.

For the cheese fondue, you could experiment with a variety of different cheeses (and why am I suddenly getting a craving for melted Cambozola?) and things to dip in (apple or pear slices? small boiled potatoes? prosciutto?). If you simply think of melted cheese instead of a fancy fondue, I’m sure you’ll come up with your own variations very quickly.

As always, the other really important thing about this kind of celebration is that almost all of the ingredients can be prepared and laid out in advance. And cooking and serving are more than likely to be in the same pot. Eating is less likely to be rushed as every bite will be freshly cooked to your liking, so there’s room for lots of conversation and joviality. We hope our show will inspire you to make the holidays a time when you don’t run yourselves ragged, when you can sit back and enjoy. Because you deserve to have fun at your own FUN-DO!

Merry Christmas, everyone, and Happy New Year!!

B & H =:)

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RECEPIES

Grandmother’s Pound Cake II
Modified from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
2 cups butter
2 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
6 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 – 8×4 inch loaf pans, then line with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated.
3. Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. After removing them from the oven, immediately loosen cake edges with a knife. Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans. Strip off the parchment paper and cool completely on wire racks.

Cheese Fondue
Recipe by Tyler Florence

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 pound imported Swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cherry brandy, such as kirsch
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch nutmeg (or substitute pinch cinnamon, and some freshly ground pepper)

Assorted dippers

Directions
In a small bowl, coat the cheeses with cornstarch and set aside. Rub the inside of the ceramic fondue pot with the garlic, then discard.
Over medium heat, add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a gentle simmer. Gradually stir the cheese into the simmering liquid. Melting the cheese gradually encourages a smooth fondue. Once smooth, stir in cherry brandy, mustard and nutmeg.
Arrange an assortment of bite-sized dipping foods on a lazy Susan around fondue pot. Serve with chunks of French and pumpernickel breads. Some other suggestions are Granny Smith apples and blanched vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and asparagus. Spear with fondue forks or wooden skewers, dip, swirl and enjoy!