Eating in at the holidays

According to a new survey, 76% of Americans said that their favourite meal was either prepared at their home or someone else’s home. (In the case of the later, it was likely because they didn’t have to do the washing up.)

And when it comes to the holidays, home-cooked meals keep even more Americans happy: 93% of those surveyed said that sharing one with friend and family was a “very” or “extremely” important part of the holidays.

But as the Crock-Pot survey rightly suggests, the reason that these idyllic dinners don’t often come to fruition is time.

During the year, long hours at work often make cooking a chore (for some, for some). And at the holidays, the thought of being stuck in the kitchen whilst everyone else enjoys themselves is not appealing. (Though this gap can be bridged, especially in an open plan environment.)

This writer is quite obviously a fan of in-house eating: click here for everyday ideas for nutritious and filling home-cooked meals.

But there are other ways, if cooking isn’t your personal passion, to sidestep complicated, time-consuming recipes. Using a slow cooker is an excellent way to multitask; there are worse things than coming home to a fragrant and waiting casserole after a day in the office.

Making extra portions of soups, chilis and sauces – and freezing the leftovers – is also an easy way through the holidays.

Many magazines advertise “make ahead” menus to get you through the holidays too. To enliven the rest of the mesh, just add easy-to-assemble starters such as smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives on oatcakes.

Eating in at the holidays

According to a new survey, 76% of Americans said that their favourite meal was either prepared at their home or someone else’s home. (In the case of the later, it was likely because they didn’t have to do the washing up.)

And when it comes to the holidays, home-cooked meals keep even more Americans happy: 93% of those surveyed said that sharing one with friend and family was a “very” or “extremely” important part of the holidays.

But as the Crock-Pot survey rightly suggests, the reason that these idyllic dinners don’t often come to fruition is time.

During the year, long hours at work often make cooking a chore (for some, for some). And at the holidays, the thought of being stuck in the kitchen whilst everyone else enjoys themselves is not appealing. (Though this gap can be bridged, especially in an open plan environment.)

This writer is quite obviously a fan of in-house eating: click here for everyday ideas for nutritious and filling home-cooked meals.

But there are other ways, if cooking isn’t your personal passion, to sidestep complicated, time-consuming recipes. Using a slow cooker is an excellent way to multitask; there are worse things than coming home to a fragrant and waiting casserole after a day in the office.

Making extra portions of soups, chilis and sauces – and freezing the leftovers – is also an easy way through the holidays.

Many magazines advertise “make ahead” menus to get you through the holidays too. To enliven the rest of the mesh, just add easy-to-assemble starters such as smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives on oatcakes.

Open for business

The Culinary Digest has been on holiday for the past month but is now back up and running.

Here’s a quick recap of a few developments in the food world over the last few weeks. The Culinary Digest takes you to Tokyo, southern California, Poland, and the year 1621. Go on, have a bite:

Tokyo’s stellar status

Tokyo has pipped London, Paris and New York as the best city in the world for fine dining.

Michelin, which awards hard-to-come-by stars to restaurants that stand out from the ordinary, has granted 191 stars in the Japanese capital, as compared to Paris’ 98, London’s 50 and New York’s 49.

Out of 117, eight restaurants in Tokyo received three stars on Michelin’s rating system, 25 received two stars and 117 received one, which is still a very high honour.

Haughty Parisians convinced of their home country’s superior cuisine can rest somewhat comfortably in the knowledge that their city has 10 three-star restaurants, two more than Tokyo can boast. And, of the restaurants that received three-star designations in Tokyo, two –and Quintessence, serve French fare.

Tesco tries it “fresh and easy”

British supermarket retailer Tesco aims to penetrate the US market where its compatriots have failed, opening its first store in California early this month.

Under the brand name Fresh and Easy, 122 stores have been announced, with 50 scheduled to open by the end of February 2008. The goal will be to offer “fresh, wholesome food at affordable prices to our new neighbors here," explained a spokesman.

The own-brand ready meal offerings, core products of Tesco’s brand, should help the new stores to stand out from its American competitors.

According to the company, Fresh & Easy's own brand has no artificial colours, flavours or added trans fats, preservatives are kept to a minimum. National brands will also be available. All food will be delivered daily.

On an environmental notes,the stores will be built to environmental specifications, and shipping and display materials will be either recycled or reused.

Tesco’s move follows US supermarket Whole Food’s move to the UK, where it opened its first store in London a few years earlier. Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer have both attempted to take a slice of the US market but have since closed their shops.

Giving thanks, stateside

Americans gathered around their dinner tables on 22 November, the fourth Thursday of the month, to celebrate a national holiday.

The first recorded Thanksgiving in the colonies was in 1621, when the Pilgrims and Native Americans shared in the autumn harvest, though there is evidence that the tradition was in place long before the English boarded the Mayflower to sail to the New World.

In modern times, the menu generally consists of roasted turkey or ham, alongside stuffing, sweet potatoes, corn, green beans (often in a casserole form), mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Historians doubt that many of these items were served at the “First Thanksgiving” in 1621. More likely, seafood or wild game (including turkey) would have appeared on the menu. Vegetables dished up could have been pumpkin, peas, beans, onions, lettuce, radishes, parsnips and carrots, though no recipe for pumpkin pie is in circulation from that period. Plums and grapes were available, as were walnuts, chestnuts and acorns.

Christmas carp

Carp sales in the UK are up as the country’s Polish population buy up the fish as a holiday treat.

The fish, generally unpopular in the UK, forms the main ingredient in the traditional Christmas Eve dish in Poland called Wigilia. Borscht, dumplings, mushroom soup, boiled potatoes, herrings, pierogi, sauerkraut, as well as fruit compote, assorted pastries, nuts and candies are eaten at this meatless meal, likely for religious reasons.

Waitrose has reported a 50% increase in sales of carp last year. The fish has been considered to be a sustainable alternative, alongside the likes of pollack, particularly popular in the UK, and tilapia in the US.

Open for business

The Culinary Digest has been on holiday for the past month but is now back up and running.

Here’s a quick recap of a few developments in the food world over the last few weeks. The Culinary Digest takes you to Tokyo, southern California, Poland, and the year 1621. Go on, have a bite:

Tokyo’s stellar status

Tokyo has pipped London, Paris and New York as the best city in the world for fine dining.

Michelin, which awards hard-to-come-by stars to restaurants that stand out from the ordinary, has granted 191 stars in the Japanese capital, as compared to Paris’ 98, London’s 50 and New York’s 49.

Out of 117, eight restaurants in Tokyo received three stars on Michelin’s rating system, 25 received two stars and 117 received one, which is still a very high honour.

Haughty Parisians convinced of their home country’s superior cuisine can rest somewhat comfortably in the knowledge that their city has 10 three-star restaurants, two more than Tokyo can boast. And, of the restaurants that received three-star designations in Tokyo, two –and Quintessence, serve French fare.

Tesco tries it “fresh and easy”

British supermarket retailer Tesco aims to penetrate the US market where its compatriots have failed, opening its first store in California early this month.

Under the brand name Fresh and Easy, 122 stores have been announced, with 50 scheduled to open by the end of February 2008. The goal will be to offer “fresh, wholesome food at affordable prices to our new neighbors here," explained a spokesman.

The own-brand ready meal offerings, core products of Tesco’s brand, should help the new stores to stand out from its American competitors.

According to the company, Fresh & Easy's own brand has no artificial colours, flavours or added trans fats, preservatives are kept to a minimum. National brands will also be available. All food will be delivered daily.

On an environmental notes,the stores will be built to environmental specifications, and shipping and display materials will be either recycled or reused.

Tesco’s move follows US supermarket Whole Food’s move to the UK, where it opened its first store in London a few years earlier. Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer have both attempted to take a slice of the US market but have since closed their shops.

Giving thanks, stateside

Americans gathered around their dinner tables on 22 November, the fourth Thursday of the month, to celebrate a national holiday.

The first recorded Thanksgiving in the colonies was in 1621, when the Pilgrims and Native Americans shared in the autumn harvest, though there is evidence that the tradition was in place long before the English boarded the Mayflower to sail to the New World.

In modern times, the menu generally consists of roasted turkey or ham, alongside stuffing, sweet potatoes, corn, green beans (often in a casserole form), mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Historians doubt that many of these items were served at the “First Thanksgiving” in 1621. More likely, seafood or wild game (including turkey) would have appeared on the menu. Vegetables dished up could have been pumpkin, peas, beans, onions, lettuce, radishes, parsnips and carrots, though no recipe for pumpkin pie is in circulation from that period. Plums and grapes were available, as were walnuts, chestnuts and acorns.

Christmas carp

Carp sales in the UK are up as the country’s Polish population buy up the fish as a holiday treat.

The fish, generally unpopular in the UK, forms the main ingredient in the traditional Christmas Eve dish in Poland called Wigilia. Borscht, dumplings, mushroom soup, boiled potatoes, herrings, pierogi, sauerkraut, as well as fruit compote, assorted pastries, nuts and candies are eaten at this meatless meal, likely for religious reasons.

Waitrose has reported a 50% increase in sales of carp last year. The fish has been considered to be a sustainable alternative, alongside the likes of pollack, particularly popular in the UK, and tilapia in the US.