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• Fed Up With Julie
  

  I wish you all a happy holiday, and warm wishes for a healthy, happy 2010 filled with family, friends, fine food and good cheer.

   

  Tis the day before Christmas as this goes to press

  Admittedly I'm in a bit of a mess

   

  With writing and wine sales

  I've hardly been able

  to even consider what fare will grace tomorrow's table

   

  so I've carved a a few moments to ponder and pour a stiff drink

  (A perfect Manhattan with bourbon, I think)

   

  Tackling the masses will make the task harder

  Let's see what already lies in the larder

  Roasted apples, parsnips and onions will make a perfect soup starter

   

  To go with the soup a wee bit of sherry

  A tradition guaranteed to make any meal merry

   

  I peer in the freezer to see what lurks there

  Prime rib, wild game but oh! what luck

  I spy in the corner a Quebecois duck

   

  Yesterdays' breads

  studded with prunes, dried berries will make a bed

  for the bird, slowly roasted

  with leaves of sage from the balcony and nuts, lightly toasted.

   

  Duck drippings are perfect for roasting the spuds.

  EAT's  recipe for kale should not be a dud.

   

  This is the time to fish out the cellar's best--

  A silky Burgundy to pair with the feast. 

   

  Our little clan has not sweet tooth

  Poached pears in wine should be enough

   

  To finish a wedge of stilton with port

  And walnuts or something of a similar sort.

   

  Move over Mike Smith

  I've come up with a winner

  To rival a Chef at Home's best Christmas dinner.

   

  *****

   

• Season’s Eatings
  

  ‘Tis the season for full bellies and tasty treats. While it may seem natural to settle down to a stuffed turkey dinner and all the fixings on Christmas Day, the more adventurous might consider roasting a goose instead. Having just eaten our way through a turkey dinner free-for-all in October, cooking a Christmas goose can be a refreshing alternative to the Thanksgiving staple.

  In North America, turkey is the go-to bird for most holiday meals. Historically, though, Europeans have feasted on Christmas goose for centuries. In fact, in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the Cratchit family serves goose for their Christmas meal. Most of us won’t break from North American tradition this week, but consider goose when stuffing any bird. Its crispy skin and rich flavour rival that of any fowl and the fact that goose can be relatively easy to find and prepare might surprise some. 

  Most consider goose in the context of hunting which isn’t completely untrue. British Columbia’s wilderness is known for its capacity to produce delicious, local meat. Because Vancouver Island no longer has a large-scale poultry processing plant, geese are either privately hunted on the Island or most commonly bred on the mainland. So, unless you hunt or know someone who does, talk to your specialty butcher about getting fresh geese from the Fraser Valley. 

  Like any game, goose has a strong, distinct flavour. While turkey and chicken are low maintenance to prepare, goose requires a little bit more attention but can yield impressive results that will surprise dinner guests. When cooking goose, look for a bird that is eight to twelve pounds (bigger is not better). Be sure to prick the skin to allow the fat to seep out when cooking. When stuffing the bird, favour ingredients like apple, onion, and orange, and be sure to add liquid to the roasting pan to prevent the drippings from burning. Although the layer of fat under the skin makes goose seem like an oily bird, remember that the meat itself is relatively lean and can easily become dry if overcooked. 

  Use leftovers in similar ways to other poultry - shredded on a sandwich or a salad - and boil the carcass for an incredible soup base. Also be sure to save the wonderfully flavoured fat to add richness to future meals. 

  See this week’s recipe box for an excellent accompaniment to roast goose, cassis-braised red cabbage. 

   

• Local Treasures for Last Minute Presents
  

  It may sound a little old fashioned, but I can think of few presents that are better received than the food basket. I still remember the first one I received, the Christmas after my first child was born. As with many new parents, I was still in survival mode, so a basket brimming with gourmet treats beyond my everyday budget was incredibly appreciated. Not only could I have a little taste of luxury in my own home, I didn’t have to shop for it, and even better, I didn’t have to prepare any of it myself. 

   

  Putting together a gourmet gift basket is also a lot of fun, as I discovered while assembling EAT’s ‘A Taste of British Columbia’ prize package for this year’s Menu of Hope Campaign. With an abundance of exquisite foods produced here in BC, you can feel good about supporting local businesses, farmers and food producers. Here is a little round-up of some of the local treasures we’ve come across this year. This list can work two ways. Use it either as a reference for gift suggestions while you are doing your own hunting, or print it up and hand it to someone who is heading out to shop for your Christmas presents! 

   

  Here’s what went into our own prize package: a Farm Folk/City Folk 2010 calendar, a 20g. bag of  Untamed Feast’s delicious dried wild mushroom products (Forest Blend), locally grown roasted hazelnuts from Butler Hazelnut Farm located on Bear Hill in Central Saanich, Vista d’Oro Farm’s Turkish Fig with Walnut Wine preserves from Langley, a ½ lb. bag of Mile 0 RoastersNiagara Blend from Victoria, Cortes Island-based Gathering Place’s Organic Rooibos Tea, and two chocolate bars from Cobble Hill-based organicfair . All of these items, with the exception the Mile 0 coffee (roasted on site at Niagara Grocery in James Bay), are available at Plenty.

   

  Considerations were made when assembling the EAT Menu for Hope prize, given that our parcel will need to be shipped (weight) and that it will not be consumed immediately (non-perishable). If you are hand delivering a gift basket, these concerns may not matter, and more options are available.  A selection of local cheeses (Natural Pastures Comox Brie just won silver at the World Cheese Awards in Spain) with locally cured meats (a new prosciutto from Ottavio’s, or pepperoni from Choux Choux Charcuterie) makes a beautiful offering. For something a little different, why not make a frozen food basket, with soups and meals pulled straight from Little Piggy and Devour’s freezers, and delivered in a cooler. Nothing will make the new parents, students or starving artists on your gift list happier.

   

  Trevor Walker, owner of Plenty, mentions a few other great items to include in a BC food gift basket: Venturi-Schulze Aceto Balsamico (Balsamic Vinegar): made from their own grape juice, simmered to a luscious concentration over an open fire, and converted to vinegar by the slow, natural ancient process.  Venturi-Schulze is located up-island near Cobble Hill. French Macarons (meringue-like with hazelnuts and praline, pistachio, or chocolate) from Rendezvous Patisserie on Salt Spring Island, and True Grain Bread's Organic Butter Stollen: a traditional German festive loaf.  The True Grain Stollen is rich with organic butter, rum-infused organic Thompson raisins, almonds, organic orange and lemon zest and spice; all surrounding the marzipan center.  It is available with Red Fife wheat or BC grown spelt.  Both grains are certified organic and milled on site at True Grain mill.  True Grain is in Cowichan Bay. BC-made chocolates by Sarandipity and Denman Island Chocolatesare available at Niagara Grocery and provide a sweet element to any gourmet gift, or make great stocking stuffers. For tea lovers, head to Silk Road or