UPBEAT'S MONTHLY CLASSICS


Eat Well & Prosper SONOMA COUNTY WINERIES, BREWPUBS, FOOD PURVEYORS & SPECIALTY PRODUCTS


TM With Executive Chef Ron Skaar (ronskaar@comcast.net)


was not widely observed until the 3rd Century. Originally a church holy day, the day cho- sen suggests a close associa- tion with the pagan celebra- tion of the winter solstice. The church was astute enough to incorporate many of the holi- day habits, which have their origin in primitive practices. In England and Scandinavia, the winter solstice was cel- ebrated and gradually adapted into their Christian obser- vance.


CLOVERDALE, CA. ~ Our holiday traditions of decorat- ing evergreens, present giving, and feasting evolved early on, around the 5th century B.C., as Saturnalia. This great fes- tival was held December 17th thru the 23rd, in honor of Saturnus, the god of agricul- ture. This pagan celebration was observed at the time of the winter solstice. This was a time for merriment and jubila- tion after the exhausting end of the vintage and harvest. Many of our Christmas cus- toms have been derived from this Saturnalia. Candles were lit, gifts were exchanged, sacrifices offered while they practiced equality of


where slaves were served by their masters.


The Christmas holiday


Immigrants brought these customs with them to the new world. Most of these festivi- ties evolved around food. In the United States the holiday is enjoyed in ways distinctly different from the rest of the world. Toy giving started in the 19th Century with chil- dren’s stockings filled with nuts, hard candy and perhaps, a precious orange inside. American holidays tend center


to


Cookies are an important part of Christmas


tion. The central European/ Scandinavian


precedent


This Month: Chocolate Fudge


breads, saffron buns and a selection of seven different cookies.(These come after the Xmas eve dinner of herring plus the lye cured fish, lute- fisk!) The Pennsylvanians of German extraction created spicy holiday cookies and fruit breads. The ubiquitous fruit cake has an English pedi- gree. Ginger bread houses are a German custom much loved in America. My “mother-in-law” Helen,


around sweets. celebra- of


rank,


decorating cookies has some- what dark origins in Roman and Celtic history. The edible animal and human shapes are symbolic of the live sacrifices performed during Saturnalia. Scandinavian Americans


observed the holiday with dessert buffets featuring sweet


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was famous for making fudge to enjoy over the holidays. She would start this labor intensive process right after Thanksgiving. Stirring the batches of fudge mix continu- ously until just the right tex- ture and shine appeared. (After the syrup has been boiled, it’s cooled down to 130 degrees and then stirred vigorously for about 15 min- utes, until crystallization is complete.) Not all the batch- es came out perfect after all that work. On Christmas Eve our favorite gift to open was always


the delicious fudge


she had made for family and friends.


The original fudge recipe, Helen got it off the Hershey’s Cocoa container, takes time and patience. When it turns out perfect this fudge is the best thing in the world. I am including a quick, easy, dark and delicious fudge recipe for your holiday enjoyment. It has four ingredients, requires no candy thermom- eter and takes about 15 min- utes, total! Watch the heat to avoid scorching the chocolate.


Forget love - I'd rather fall in chocolate!


Attributed to Sandra J. Dykes


December Recipe


EASY


CHOCOLATE FUDGE


3 oz. unsalted butter, cut into even pieces


1 lb. + 2oz. semisweet chocolate use a little to grease foil ½ tsp. real vanilla extract 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk


Line a 8-inch square cake pan with foil, easiest to mold foil over back side of pan, then line and grease with butter. Place the butter and sweet- ened condensed milk into large, heavy- bottom pan, add broken chocolate (I’ve used good quality chips) and heat over medium to low


heat.


Stir regularly and do not boil. Remove from the heat and beat in the


vanilla extract.


Pour into pan and shake to level the top. Chill until firm. Pull fudge out of pan, with foil, remove foil and cut into squares. Makes 64 1” by 1” pieces and can be frozen.


FOOD • WINE • DINE


Pg 4 Weird Facts & Trivia - 1


It is a known fact that chocolate has caffeine in it. But did you know that you would have to eat more then a dozen choco- late bars to get the same amount of caffeine from a cup of coffee? There are about 5 to 10 mg's of caffeine in one ounce of bitter chocolate, 5 mgs in milk chocolate, and 10mgs in a six-ounce cup of cocoa.


Chocolate is actually a valuable energy source. A single chocolate chip can provide enough energy for an adult human to walk 150 ft.


Chocolate has great health benefits. It helps with depression, high blood pressure, Tumors and Pre-menstrual syndromes.


Chocolate does not cause or aggravate acne, this is a myth.


One ounce of baking chocolate or cocoa contains 10% of the daily recommended intake of iron.


Chocolate can be deadly for dogs. Chocolate contains an ingredient called "Theobromine" which can be toxic to a dogs central nervous system and cardiac muscles.


People spend more than $7 billion dollars a year on chocolate.


The per capita consumption of chocolate indicates that each person consumes 12 pounds of chocolate each year.


Milk Chocolate is the most preferred type of chocolate, however dark chocolate is especially popular among men.


In Alfred Hitchcock's movie "Psycho" chocolate syrup was used to indicate blood in the famous shower scene.


Look, there's no metaphysics on earth like chocolates. ~Fernando Pessoa


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