Last year, during the run up to Christmas, we featured a short article listing a few ideas for quick and easy apéritifs, with ingredients sourced from local supermarkets. Here's the list again, with a few new suggestions from our guest bloggers, Rosa Mayland and Hiba Gicoletto.
The emphasis in each case is on simplicity – none of us want to spend hours creating gourmet dishes at this time of year. So read on… and if you have a few ideas of your own, please send them in to us and we will add them to this year's list.
If you still need further inspiration, then why not try out one of the "festive" cookery lessons in the area! Many of the local cookery schools offer classes in the run up to Christmas. Check out pages 482 to 483 of the current edition of Know-it-all passport to find a local school near you!
For cake
2 cups kumquats, stemmed, quartered, seeded as much as possible (if you want to decorate the cake as shown then use about 6 sliced kumquats for this)
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons strong tea
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground or crushed cardamom
1 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup crushed pineapple in its own juice or large banana and some orange juice
For glaze
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 180°C.
- Place quartered kumquats in processor; puree 3 minutes. Measure 1/3 cup puree for glaze; set aside.
- Prepare pan with paper lining or butter and flour.
- Combine flour, tea, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and salt in medium bowl; whisk to blend.
- Using electric mixer, blend 1 1/4 cups sugar and oil in large bowl.
- Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla, 2/3 cup kumquat puree, and pineapple with juice.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, beating just until blended.
- Put batter in prepared pan.
- Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
- Cool 5 minutes in pan on rack.
- Turn cake out; place top side up on rack and cool.
- Place reserved 1/3 cup puree in large bowl. Whisk in butter, powdered sugar, and lemon juice.
- Spread a bit of the glaze over cake and place the decorative slices of kumquats. Let stand until icing sets.
- Then cover with the remaining glaze when cake is cooled.
When it comes to Italian food, most of us think about pizza, pasta and tiramisu – each of which comes in many different varieties and is absolutely delicious, especially when it is freshly made!
However, Italians, and those of you who have had the good fortune to live in Italy, will tell you that there is so much more to Italian food. Indeed, the range and variety of good traditional dishes is quite extraordinary – especially when each dish has its own distinct flavor as you move from one region of the country to another. Recipes are tweaked, new ingredients are added, and before you know it, you have yet another unique dish to add to Italy's culinary repertoire!
In an attempt to capture the essence of Italian cooking, native Italian, Stefano D’Ambrosio, has launched an on-line Italian food shop, called Zia Lucia, that will deliver a small selection of freshly made Italian dishes to your door. He explains the philosophy behind his new company to knowitall.ch.
Special 20% discount for knowitall.ch clients who sign up before 31 December, 2013
A new cookery school has just opened in Nyon, offering a wide variety of culinary workshops, in both French and English.
Conveniently located in the new arcade opposite the Nyon cinema, Les Papilles à la Fête, is offering classes for aspiring chefs of all ages, at times that should suit everyone from moms with kids, through to busy professionals.
Asked why she decided to set up the new school, Céline Chevalley told knowitall.ch, “As a trained chef, I have always been passionate about cooking, and am always looking for new ways in which to share my recipes and skills with others, especially young children. My philosophy is simple: people should be able to learn to cook in a way that enables them to reproduce one of my recipes at home.”
If you want the freshest apples possible, then bring your boots and some plastic bags and make your way to one of these farms! If we have missed one, then please send us an email so we can add to this list.
Most farms are open until the apples are gone. You usually pay Fr. 1.50/kilo. They also sell fresh apple juice in handy 5kg boxes.
