LA GALETTE DES ROIS

A CAKE FIT FOR A KING!


The plate is set before me, the aroma of warm pastry and almonds whirls and swirls up and around my head. I inhale deeply and breath in all the goodness, the scent of cozy winter afternoons in front of a roaring fire, snowy days bundled up under a thick blanket, dog at my feet, a mug of hot tea in my hand and this delicacy, this thing of beauty placed before me. Layers upon layers of flaky golden pastry, its sugary, buttery flakes cradling a rich, rum-kissed almond cream in which hides a very special prize. And like all great French fashion, it comes with the perfect accessory: a golden crown.

Many of us are winding up the Christmas season by packing up the decorations, taking down the colored lights and disposing of the tree. The last of the turkey or ham has been sandwiched between bread and eaten, the fruitcake and panettone, the cookies and the stollen all devoured. The gifts have all been opened and enjoyed and the last card has been stamped, sealed and sent. Now is the 6th day of January, the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the Epiphany, Three Kings Day, the day, as the story goes, on which the Three Magi arrived in Bethlehem and carried gifts to the baby Jesus. To celebrate the occasion, the French fête this joyous occasion with a very special patisserie, la Galette des Rois, Kings’ Cake.

J-B Greuze, Le Gateau des Rois, 1774

We all know that many well-known and loved symbols and traditions of Christmas are originally of pagan origin: the decorated tree, mistletoe, the Yule log among others. In fact, during the early years of the religion, the Christmas festivities were actually pushed up to the end of the year to coincide with the Winter Solstice and thus overlapped the pagan Saturnalia, a most popular Roman celebration marked by rambunctious behavior, overall silliness and fun and games, somewhat more joyous than the usually solemn Christian celebrations. Little by little, the Christians absorbed some of the practices that highlighted these non-religious pagan festivities. It is thought that originally the day of Jesus’ birth, celebrated on December 25, was reserved for strictly religious observance while the Epiphany, January 6 was a day of celebration, the day of giving and receiving gifts, a day in which some of the less than religious practices were merged with the gift-giving of the Magi.

In France, this day, January 6, the Epiphany, is known as Le Jour des Rois, The Kings Day. And in France, this day is fêted by the eating of La Galette des Rois, the King’s Cake. This special cake of pâte feuilletée, puff pastry, filled with almond cream, frangipane, wasn’t always reserved for this day, but was eaten on most festive occasions when frivolity was called for. Little by little it found it’s way to representing the Epiphany and Kings Day. But did this grow out of the story of the Magi, the cake representing the Three Kings and their gifts or did it come from the Saturnalia celebrations whose parties were characterized by the tradition of the reversal of social roles in which the king became servant and the servant became king? Either way, tradition has it that a lucky charm, originally a, small fève or bean is buried in the almond cream before the top layer of puff pastry is placed atop the cake and then baked. When the cake is served, the youngest child of the party scoots underneath the table where he cannot see what’s on top of the table and as the cake is sliced the child shouts out the name of the recipient of each piece. Why? Because whoever finds the bean in his slice of Galette is crowned with the accompanying paper crown and is king for the day. And what is the role of the king, you ask? Why, to offer the guests another Galette! It’s a day of indulgence, frivolity and merry-making!


Legend has it that for quite a while the King, the person who had discovered the bean in his slice of cake, was obliged to buy a round of drinks for everyone in the room. But those who were too stingy to pay would often just swallow the bean with the cake to avoid being named, so somewhere during the 19th century the bean was replaced with a tiny ceramic charm, sometimes representing a religious figure but more than often not, a tiny charm simple or fancy. Collecting these charms soon became a craze and people today are known to search far and wide and spend crazy sums of money buying special charms for their collections.

A collection of fèves.

Beginning just after the New Year, glass cases in every French pastry shop are lined with Galettes des Rois, filled not only with the traditional almond cream but with chocolate or fruit fillings as well. Every year I buy one or two over the course of the week or two of their short-lived appearance and we all enjoy these wonderful, rich confections. But this year, I have decided to make my own! It starts with homemade puff pastry, easy to make although rather time consuming, or store bought if you like, and then simply filled with a luscious filling of ground almonds, softened butter, sugar and an egg and flavored with rum and vanilla, whipped together in the flash of an eye. And a fève of course.

Enjoy it, for the season is short.

GALETTE DES ROIS or KING’S CAKE
I referred to Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking for quantities and procedure and then adapted to my own taste.

About 1 – 1 ½ lbs (500 g) puff pastry or two store-bought rounds *
2 ½ oz (70 g) sugar
2 oz (60 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
1 large egg
2 ½ oz (70 g) ground almonds
¼ tsp vanilla
1 Tbs rum
Egg wash (I yolk whisked with 1 tsp cold water)
Icing/powdered sugar for dusting the top of the Galette.

* I followed this recipe which yields 2 ½ lbs (1 kg) dough and I used a tad more than half of the prepared dough.

Prepare the Frangipane filling:
Beat the sugar and butter together until fluffy. Beat in the egg, the ground almonds, the vanilla and the rum. Add more vanilla or rum to taste, if desired. Place the filling in a small bowl covered with plastic wrap or in a lidded plastic container and refrigerate until ready to use. It needs to firm up before assembly the cake.

To prepare the Galette des Rois:
Roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of ½ inch (1 cm) and not less than 3/8 inch, long and wide enough to cut out two 8 or 8 ½-inch (21 cm) discs. Using a cake tin or plate of about 8- or 8 ½-inches (21 cm) diameter and using a very sharp knife, trace and cut out two discs. Place each disc carefully on parchement-lined baking sheets, cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Stack remaining dough (don’t mash together into a ball as you would other dough), wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for another use.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

Remove prepared rounds of puff pastry. Choose one to be the bottom of the cake a gently press with your fingers the edges out a bit to enlarge the circle slightly. Remove the chilled almond cream from the fridge and mound in the center of the bottom disc of dough. Press it flat and out, using the back of a soup spoon, leaving about 1 ½ inches (4 cm) border of dough free around the edges. Press a fève, a ceramic charm of some sort, or even an old-fashioned dried bean or a coin into the almond cream.

Paint this wide edge of the dough around the almond filling with the egg wash. Gently place the second disc of dough on top of the filling placing the top and bottom discs edge to edge (so the edges meet all the way around). Press to seal.

Place a bowl upside down on top of the discs – the bowl should come up to ½ to 1 inch from the edges. Using a sharp knife held perpendicular to the table, cut into the dough to create a scalloped edge to the cake. Now carefully carve a design into the top of the cake. Cut a small circle in the center of the top dough disc and insert a chimney (make a chimney out of parchment or foil or, as I did, use an upside down aluminum pastry bag tip).

Brush the top of the dough with egg wash. Place in the hot oven and bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. If you think the pastry is browning too quickly, simply lay a piece of foil over the top.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and continue baking for an additional 25 to 30 minutes until the sides of the pastry are also golden and crisp.

Remove the Galette from the oven and move the rack up one notch. Generously dust the entire top surface of the Galette with powdered sugar then place the pastry back in the oven. Now bake for around 5 minutes until the sugar has turned to a golden and very shiny glaze. Stand next to your oven and watch because (as you can see from mine) it turns to the perfect glaze very quickly then in the flash of an eye burns! You must watch so you can pull it out of the oven just as the last of the top turns a gorgeous golden and not leave it one second longer.


Allow to cool a bit. Serve warm (not hot). Make sure there is a child under the table while the host cuts the Galette and then passes each slice as the child calls out whom to serve. Have a paper crown ready to crown the King who finds the charm!

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This post was written by JAMIE

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MERRY CHRISTMAS...

"From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other."

Emily Matthews

 Daily Tiffin wishes all its readers a Merry Christmas.
Have a great holiday season and a prosperous new year.

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This post was written by Deeba


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TWO HOLIDAYS IN ONE

Tis the season to be jolly, according to one well-known holiday song. And it certainly is what with the swags of gaily-colored lights and the glittery garlands strung up and down the streets, the holiday music piped into shops and city squares adding a festive rhythm to your already bouncy step. Candy shop windows have become wonderlands of silver and gold, boxes tied up in plump velvet bows and crystal dishes filled with every chocolate delight. Toyshops greet you with fluffy cotton snowmen and jolly Santas prancing through the snow laden with gifts for all. Friends chattering non-stop about holiday meal preparations, the pies and the cookies, the turkeys and hams, the family flying in from the four corners of the earth to celebrate together amid laughter and seasonal joy.


And if you don’t celebrate Christmas? I know how easy it is to get swept up in the festivities, the bright lights and the wonderful culinary traditions. “I don’t celebrate Christmas” is often greeted with quizzical, confused looks and “Why not?” follows the surprise. For many, this holiday is universal, a sharing of love and human kindness, the excitement of decorating and the pleasure of giving and receiving gifts. Yet when raising children in another culture or religion, how does one balance the traditional/religious side of Christmas with the non-religious commercial side, that part of Christmas that kids see others celebrating, and often watch enviously from afar?

I have tried to raise my children in a Jewish home, yet they have celebrated the odd Christmas whenever they spent their winter holidays with their French grandparents: chopping down, dragging home and then decorating the tree, pulling out tiny figurines and setting up the crèche in front of the fireplace, hanging stockings and receiving Christmas gifts directly from the hands of Jolly Old St Nick (le Père Noël or better known as Tonton Claude!), and eating their fare share of Bûche de Noël and marrons glacés. We even had a small tree once or twice in honor of their heritage and their grandparents, but the real excitement and joy seeped into our house at Hanukkah time: the boys drew and cut out Maccabees and Assyrians when they were small, creating a cardboard version of the great battle scene in which the tiny Jewish army, made up of a band of brothers, defeated the powerful, well-armed great Greek Syrian army who were out to wipe out the Jews; and still every year the boys pull out these tiny figures and line them up on the dining room buffet, they hang glittery, shiny garlands of silver and blue and prepare the two Menorahs (one for each of them to light). This is the Festival of Lights, the holiday in which we are reminded of the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem by that mighty Assyrian army and the oil in the Holy Eternal Light that burned for eight days instead of one until more oil could be prepared. We therefore light candles on a Menorah, the special holiday candelabra, for eight nights, starting with one candle on the first night, and adding one more each night. On the eighth and final night of Chanukah, all the candles are lit. And, of course, there is a gift on each night, with the lighting of each candle. And lots of latkes, the traditional treat of Hanukkah, fried potato pancakes eaten with fresh applesauce.


Yet, how to deal with the Christmas season for those of us who don’t celebrate this holiday? Food is always my way! Bring in a little of that Christmas cheer by baking puddings and cakes, stollen, panettone, gingerbread men and whatever other little goodies and treats that can be baked and offered to your loved ones. The kids can bring in their friends to share in the holiday goodies or pack them up and dole them out to neighbors and colleagues. And why not mix it up? Here is my absolute favorite cut-out cookie recipe, buttery sweet and tender, never crumbly and dry: every year I pull out my Hannukah and Christmas cookie cutters: the Star of David, the Menorah and the Dreidl along with the sleigh and reindeer and Santa cookie cutters. Glazed and sprinkled with colored sugar or rolled in nuts or simply eaten plain, these are the best cookies ever!


This year I’ve made my traditional Hanukkah cookies, drizzled with white chocolate and sprinkled with blue, but for the Christmas in me, I’ve used my ruffled cutters in 4 sizes to create a Christmas tree. Once cut out, I brushed the edges of the shapes with a bit of beaten egg then dipped them carefully in crushed green pistachio nuts to give the idea of a fir tree. They baked up perfectly! I then sandwiched them together with “snow”, a fluffy lemony mascarpone-goat cheese cream with plenty of whipped cream folded in. I piled up the layers then sprinkled them with a little bit of gold sugar crystals and some gorgeous pink praline, a gift from Pam.


HOLIDAY CUT OUT BUTTER COOKIES

2 sticks (1/2 lb, 225 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
2 large eggs
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbs Amaretto (optional)
½ tsp vanilla – use 1 tsp if omitting the Amaretto
3 ½ cups (525 g) flour

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition just to incorporate.

Beat in the salt, the Amaretto and vanilla and then about a third of the flour until smooth. Gradually beat in as much of the remaining flour as possible using the electric beater, then stir in the rest with a wooden spoon or a spatula.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. If you haven’t stirred in all of the flour you can knead in the rest quite easily. Once you have a smooth, homogeneous dough, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Working with about half the dough at a time, roll it out to a thickness of not less than 1/8-inch (no less than .3 cm), being careful that the dough is very evenly rolled out. Carefully cut out shapes with your cookie cutters. Gently transfer to a cookie sheet (I use unlined, ungreased cookie sheets with no problem at all). If you want the fir tree effect, just gently lift the cookies one by one, brush around the edges with a beaten egg, then dip in crushed pistachio nuts before placing on the cookie sheets. I also brushed my Hanukkah cookies very lightly with egg wash and doused them with colored sprinkles.

Bake for about 10 minutes. They will be set and appear cooked but they will NOT brown. You’ll know they are cooked because they will slide right off the cookie sheet when just nudged with a spatula.

Allow to cool. You can now frost them or drizzle with melted chocolate as I have done.


MASCARPONE-GOAT CHEESE LEMON CREAM
This is adapted from a recipe I found on Meeta’s blog What’s for Lunch Honey?

7 oz (200 g) mascarpone cheese, drained
1 oz (30 g) fresh, tangy goat cheese, drained
2 Tbs (30 g) superfine sugar
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp Limoncello

¾ - 1 cup (about 200 ml) heavy whipping cream
Edible decorations (colored sugar, chopped nuts, etc)

Make the Lemon Mascarpone Cream:
Place the mascarpone, the goat cheese, the sugar, zest, cinnamon and Limoncello in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Chill.

Have the Lemon Cream, the whipping cream as well as the glass bowl and beaters for beating the whipped cream very well chilled before making the “snow”.

When ready to make the Cookies and Cream Christmas Tree, beat the heavy cream in the chilled bowl with the chilled beaters until thick. Using the same beaters, beat the Lemon Mascarpone Cream briefly (in a large bowl) just to loosen it and make it smooth and creamy after chilling in the fridge. Add the whipped cream to the Lemon Mascarpone Cream and beat briefly to blend and thicken.
To create the Cookies and Cream Christmas Tree:

Simply pile up the various-sized ruffled cookies which had been trimmed in chopped green pistachio nuts from largest to smallest, placing a large dollop of snow/lemon cream carefully in the center of each cookie round before placing another cookie on top. Decorate by sprinkling the snow with colored sugar decorations.

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This post was written by JAMIE

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Signing Off For The Year

Well folks, we from the Daily Tiffin wanted to take this moment to wish you a Merry Christmas. Hope you have warm, happy and a fantastic holiday with your family and dear ones. Hope Santa brightens up the eyes of your little ones and the good food comforts the older ones :-).

We'd also like to wish you a Happy New Year and hope you have a fantastic start to 2008. May it be filled with joy, health and love. Our team will be taking a well deserved few days off to spend this time with our own families and friends. We hope you will join us on January 7th, when we will be back with a lot of great and exciting new lunch box ideas, fitness motivation, health tips, dating secrets and family rituals.

Thanks for your wonderful comments and readership. See you all in the new year.

Christmas: It's in the Decoration

What's in and what's not? Traditional or modern? Are these the type of questions you ask yourself and the rest of the family each Christmas?

After all a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and a warm and inviting home is one of the major things about Christmas. I have friends who start planning their Christmas decorations in November! As for me I believe I have found my style and it suits my family and me very well. Although I do pay close attention to what is happening on the Christmas decoration scene, finding my own theme is very important. It's something I too would seriously recommend because I have seen how quickly something good can get real tacky.

And that is something no one wants on such a special day.


Christmas decorations for the home and tree are often subject to the what's currently en vogue with regards to colors and impressions. I decided to put together a few ideas and themes that might help you find your own style for the perfect Christmas decoration.

Traditional Red
Clearly the classic choice. Rot epitomizes the color of Christmas in every way. It is ceremonial and radiates warmth. You can decorate with baubles, ribbons, bows, candles and tinsel. Combining red with gold or silver you'll add a warmer (with gold) or a cooler (with silver) touch.
For me I always seem to combine red with more natural items. It gives the whole look a homier feel. I often use straw stars, wooden figures, dried apples, oranges and limes, nuts and spices like cinnamon, cloves and star anis. I just love the wonderful aromas that linger in the air throughout the Christmas time. And it all comes from the decoration! This is what I have been decorating with for several years now and each time our eyes beam with joy when the tree is lit up.

Silver, White and Grey
With this combination you will conjure up a more modern and elegant decoration. Use ribbons in different widths, tie up bows below the candles or use unobtrusive angel hair. I am sure you will find a large variety of decorations in this color.

Brown and Beige
This is the hottest trend this year. I also do have to say that I was very tempted to try out this theme this year. It looked so gorgeous and rich in the stores. It gives a warm and cosey feeling all around. Depending on your taste you can add cream or white colored highlights to your entire look. I decided to stick to my usual decoration for the simple reason that I am not sure where we will be celebrating Christmas next year. There might be a move for us sometime next year and I just did not want to go out and buy an entire new decoration set. Otherwise this would have been my choice this year.



Table Decorations
For me an extremely important part of Christmas is the table decoration. There is nothing like gorgeous decorations and centerpiece to set the perfect accent to your dishes.

If you, like I have decided on the classic red theme then use cream or beige colored plates and combine with cream and red napkins. For the natural highlight I will be adding some holly, berries, and once again those wonderful aromatic spices. On the table spread a few straw stars and put up a few red or cream colored candles.

For the more modern look in silver, white and grey use mistletoe tied in bunches and place on white colored plates. In a large bowl place white, silver and grey baubles around a bunch of long white candles. These can be tied with beautiful satin bands.

If you are using the trendy brown and beige colors, then I would suggest adding a natural note here too. You can use wooden stars, pine cones and cinnamon sticks. Here too I would suggest using cream or beige colored plates and dishes with mocha colored napkins. You can simply roll the napkins and tie them with natural bast.

For my own centerpiece I am using a wreath made of natural grapevine. I tied a bit of fir branch and a twig with red berries. Then I simply glued some cute wooden figures, dried apples, oranges, limes, cinnamon and star anis for the final aroma. Easy to make and looks ravishing.



And finally, if you are now looking for something edible to place on those lovely plates I have the perfect Christmas menu for you:

Chestnut Potato Soup
Apple Glazed Duck Filets with Pomegranate Red Cabbage
Coconut Mousse With Mango Coulis

Hope you enjoy your Christmas. Happy decorating and happy holidays!

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: blogmeeta@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This Post was written by Meeta from What's For Lunch, Honey?

Love Food, Hate Waste

The recently launched Love Food, Hate Waste website reminded me that here in the UK, a third of the food we buy ends up being thrown away. Most of this is food that can be eaten, not just banana skins and tea bags.

For every three bags of food we carry home, we are effectively dropping one straight into the bin. As well as being a waste of money this is also a huge waste of resources.

As we approach Christmas, a time when many of us are buying more food than usual, it is particularly important that we think about how to ensure that we are not wasting food


Plan your meals and shop accordingly
Normally, keeping your cupboard and fridge stocked with the basics, and knowing what is in them and your freezer, is the best way to ensure that you can pull a meal together. Keeping an eye on best before dates and checking how your fruit and vegetables are every few days so you can use them up when they are at their freshest and ripest is also critical. For many of us there is no need for strict menu-planning.

However, during the festive season, when we often want to eat particular foods on particular days, planning meals becomes really important, both to ensure we shop for what we need but also to avoid waste.

Make a timetable and mark in the special meals that you want to cook and eat. Think about which of these are likely to result in leftovers and then work out how you can use these leftovers to make other dishes, not forgetting smaller meals when a sandwich or bowl of soup will be more than enough.

If you have gaps in your menu planner slot some of these in. If there aren’t enough gaps, think about which leftovers can be frozen for use another day. For example, if you are having turkey on Christmas Day you can freeze the carcass to make stock or, if you have the time, make and freeze the stock itself.

When you are shopping, obviously you’ll want to have some treats to hand for snacking on but don’t go over the top. So many festive meals are large and rich and those extra cakes, chocolates or nuts that you buy really aren’t going to get eaten. Or if they are it is just because they were there which is always a waste of calories!

Get your portion sizes right
When planning special meals it is so easy to get carried away. If you are anything like me, you write a list of everything that you traditionally have, add on a few of your new favourites and then an extra something, “just in case.”

Try and restrain yourself! If there are only two of you, that festive roast really doesn’t need six different vegetable accompaniments plus two types of potato dish as well as the usual trimmings of pigs in blankets, stuffing, bread sauce and Yorkshire puddings! Or if you can’t bear to cut back on the number of dishes, make smaller portions, particularly of those things that won’t freeze/work well as leftovers.

Think about eating your meals over an extended period of time. A mid-morning Christmas glass of something celebratory would be lovely with smoked salmon blinis, taking away the need to do a more formal starter. Similarly, your choice of pudding can easily be eaten an hour of two after your main course. This approach also helps your body digest the larger-than-usual amounts of food that many of us will be eating.

Think about smaller, lighter meals for the days when you’ll have already overindulged. Simple vegetable soups – using up some of those extra veggies you inevitably bought – are a lifesaver. And if you do cook too much of anything, portion it up and put it in the freezer.

Think about storage
Think about how you can store your food so that it lasts as long as possible. The Love Food, Hate Waste has some great tips about this as well as how to rescue foods that are becoming past their best.

It’s also important to be realistic about how much space you have and what space is needed for the festive food that you are planning to buy. If you have a garage think about using this for keeping drinks and vegetables cool, only bringing them in when you need them.

Fridges and freezers become particularly pressured at this time of year, so have a sort out and remove any items that are out of date or really don’t need to be in there. Using up almost empty jars can clear lots of valuable space. This weekend is a good time to go through your freezer and plan a few meals for next week that will use up large bulky items that could be cleared to make space.

And when you’ve done all of that, it’s time to think about how your saved pennies can be put to better use…

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This Post was written by abby from eat the right stuff

It's a Wrap

This holiday season, rather than wrapping all your gifts the same way, let the gift wrap hold some clues about the contents- see if your recipient can guess the gift just by looking at the way you have wrapped it. Chances are pretty good that you already have things around your home that would be useful for jazzing up your gifts.

Here are five ways to give your gifts a unique look:

1. Skip the store-bought gift wrap...and come up with your own. Sunday comics, old maps, calendar pages and foreign language newspapers all make interesting substitutes for wrapping paper. You can get kids to make their own signature wrapping paper by decorating plain brown or white paper. One of my favorite craft activities as a kid was to dip cut vegetables into paint and stamp paper with them- cut okra, carved potato halves and halved onions look just beautiful. Leaves and buttons are also great for stamping.


2. Skip the paper altogether and use fabric for wrapping. Fabric is especially great for wrapping gifts that are awkwardly shaped. Some ideas for pretty fabric wraps: scarves (could be made of a variety of fabrics), Indian dupattas, shawls, tea towels (for food gifts and kitchen-related gifts), bandanas. Scour thrift shops for old linens that will the gift an antique look. Furoshiki is the Japanese art of fabric gift wrap with many beautiful ways of neatly wrapping gifts in fabric.


3. Skip the bows and try some unusual package toppers. Found objects from nature look gorgeous as gift toppers- some examples include pine cones, dried leaves and flowers, perhaps a sprig of mistletoe? Shells and pebbles could be glued on too. A cute brooch or pair of earrings might be much appreciated as well. For a food related gift, spices like cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and star anise would be very suitable. Jingle bells or small ornaments would also be gorgeous toppers for the perfect look.


4. Skip the conventional ribbon and look around the home for something different to use instead. Bright shoelaces are a great way to tie a gift for a child or a teen, or if it is a sports-related gift. One could use beaded necklaces too. Yarn or lace might be cute for a gift for a crafter. For a festive look, use colorful tinsel.


5. Give a gift inside a gift. Use a nice tote bag or drawstring bags to package the gifts. All of us should be using reusable shopping bags anyway, so an extra tote bag is always welcome. Or you might give a gift card packaged inside a wallet. Flower pots or watering cans can be filled with gardening supplies. Homemade food gifts can be filled into a cute baking dish. A child's toy could be wrapped in a folded T-shirt. The possibilities are endless!

One tip that I have found very useful is to have a location in the home as a central spot for all things related to wrapping gifts. It could be a shelf or a drawer; I simply use a cardboard shoe box tucked into a closet. Throughout the year, any bits and bobs (trinkets/beads/ribbons), old cards, paper with interesting textures, gift bags that I receive- all of these things find their way into this box, ready to be recycled into fresh clothing for the next gift. Yes, I freely recycle wine bags and gift bags. There are those who believe that recycling gift bags is tacky. To me, being spoilt and wasteful and tossing perfectly good gift bags and boxes into the trash is waaaay tackier. A small pair of scissors and sticky tape also have a home in this little shoe box. It makes wrapping gifts a fun and interesting activity when you don't have to overturn the whole house to look for double-sided tape.

Happy Holidays!

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: blogmeeta@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This post was contributed by Nupur from One Hot Stove

Christmas Baking - A Family Affair

Covered in flour, sticky dough on the fingers and the good old fight over who gets to lick the chocolate covered spoon - it certainly can get chaotic in the home Christmas bakery. However, with a little bit of planning, baking cookies with the family can turn out into an unforgettable experience.

The best thing to do is discuss the types of cookies you would like to bake with the family a few days in advance. Everyone has a different favorite, so consider everyone's liking and disliking, otherwise you will have a few long faces around the kitchen table.


Weighing, whisking and mixing are exciting things for the children and they want to be a part of it right from the beginning. They want to see how the dough is made and formed and often cannot wait to get their hands into the dough.

Make room on the countertops of the kitchen. Move any machines, like the coffee machine, that are not going to be required while baking the cookies. Wipe the countertops clean and organize enough aprons for all the little ones.

Each task can be alloted according to the ages of your kids. So, make a list of the "to dos" and distribute the tasks accordingly. For example, allow the older kids to melt chocolate in a saucepan or weigh the ingredients, the younger ones can be responsible for mixing or whisking the dough. Everyone however can form or cut out their cookies. So, it is important to have enough cookie cutters and forms to go around.

As soon as you are ready to go - make sure you are always there to keep an eye on the kids and lend a helping hand whenever required. Take time to answer questions and explain the processes in detail. Show your little baker-boys and girls the tricks and tips that makes a professional baker. You will notice they will be in awe and will eagerly apply the learned lessons.

Being the grown up it is important to set an example for the children around you. Hot cookie trays or forms should be taken out of the oven using oven gloves and keep the little ones away from sharp knives, hot saucepans and other dangerous kitchen utensils (read more about Kitchen Safety with the kids).

Nibbling during baking is explicitly allowed. That's the fun part of any baking session. Just be careful about raw dough, as these often have raw eggs incorporated into them it would be advisable if the kids do not eat this.

Decorating is a process that everyone can join in. Make it fun and maybe even a small competition in teams will add to the motivation. Besides the regular sugar and chocolate frosting, you can find many decorating items in the stores. Colored frosting or sugar pearls, hearts or colorful sprinkles are great and make the cookies look very eye-catching.

I personally often find making a simple type of dough, like a shortcrust pastry dough, in larger quantities is the best way to go. It is a simple dough, even for the children to make. Once rolled out the children can cut out several forms and shapes. An additional advantage is that cookies from this dough often do not require long baking times.

Maybe you'd like to organize a cookie baking session and then donate them to charity for a good cause. Drop In & Decorate is an awesome way to share sweet moments with your children and then together sweeten someone else's day by bringing them some of those fresh cookies.

I wish you happy cookie baking!

Need a few good cookie recipes?
Marshmellow Chocolate Mud Cookies - Fun and Food
Mom's Shortbread Cookies - What Smells So Good
Nankatai - Indian Food Rocks
Hello Dolly Cookies - Food Blogga
Gluten Free Gingerbread - Saffron Trail
Gingerbread Man Cookies - Simply Recipes
Linzer Cupcakes - Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Raspberry Bars - Homesick Texan
Vanilla Kipferl - What's For Lunch, Honey?

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: blogmeeta@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This Post was written by Meeta from What's For Lunch, Honey?

10 Unique Christmas Gifts for Her

The holiday season is supposed to be about enjoying oneself, spending time with family, and enjoy the act of giving and receiving gifts. And it is the thought that counts when giving a gift – that is, the long thought required to make sure the gift is liked.

While getting the usual gifts can often times get you by, you should at least once in a few years put some effort into truly impressing your lady. There's also no requirement to break the bank in doing so, as many people assume. While knowing what the woman values, you can know what to give her that's surprising, unexpected, and most importantly appreciated and remembered for years.

Here's a starter list to give a few ideas. Think fast, though, the holidays are coming up quick!

1. A perfume she's never worn – The expected gift would be her usual fragrance, but why not shop around the department stores for something new? Find something you think will match her personality and style. Done right, this gift can be quite affectionate.


2. Custom portraits – Ask her friends or family if they'd be willing to take a trip to a photo studio (or take your own if it's more financially feasible). Add them to a collage, or buy a large frame with numerous smaller places for photos. Add hers to the center, surrounded by the portraits taken. Of course, be sure to include yourself.


3. Personalized bible – If the woman celebrates Christmas for religious reasons too, then she'd appreciate your acknowledgment of this by giving her a bible with her initials or name printed on it.
   
   Generally you have to order a bible with the included monogram, although if you look around you may be able to find a shop that will add one to a bible you already have. Do not alter one she already owns, and take any messages from yourself you decide to add lightly.


4. Book of Poetry – Writing one poem is great, but writing a few and adding them to a book says a whole lot more. Again this can go from simple craft style to elegant, handmade by you or professionally printed and bound.
   
   If you need fillers, draw a few pictures or include photos. Write the poetry about them if it's not written already. Other great, appropriate, and rather easy topics include the winter season and weather, holiday foods, and Christmas itself.
   
   It's also quite acceptable to give this gift privately, as there are very few men who would want to be seen by anyone other than their woman giving their own written works of art. And any woman who doesn't absolutely adore this can just enjoy the lump of coal she probably received this year!


5. Photo locket – avoid the cliché gold heart locket with a photo of her on one side, and one of you on the other. Why not a tree instead of a heart? Silver is also a great Christmas color (and less expensive!).
   
   Want to be seen as open minded and caring again? Rather than a picture of you, put in one of her mother. Want to be cute and funny? Make it her dog instead. While a locket is more on the expected side, you can add some twists to make it creative.


6. Music lessons – Sign her up for a few music lessons. For all either of you know, she's a great guitar player! An instrument is generally a better idea than vocal lessons. Also, make it something fun and easy like the guitar or drums.
   
   It could spark a new interest in music, and could lead into easy gift ideas for the next occasion.


7. Swimsuit – For the girl who hates the cold winter weather, buy a swimsuit along with the promise of a trip to the beach in the summer. Not meant to be the main gift, but something on the side for a laugh. Plus, she may just have to try it on for you!


8. Make her a Scarf – It's surprisingly easy to knit, and anyone with a little patience can pick it up rather quickly. The supplies are very cheap, and she's sure to love the effort you put into it. If you like what you're doing, you can even go onto knitting other articles of clothing, such as gloves or a sweater.


9. Bicycle – Certainly not expected for an adult, which is what makes it unique. Many bicycle manufactures still make the old-style bikes seen in the '50's, which when accompanied by a basket on the front and a big Christmas bow would be adorable.
   
   Intended not only to be in the style of Christmas, it's also a great hobby to take up for those who haven't peddled since they were in middle school.


10. Finally, something has to be said about jewelry. One problem that men make when buying jewelry for a woman is that they always stick to the expected, and they think that going over the top is the best.
    
    That may be fine for Valentine's Day when it's expected, or an anniversary, but it's not the best taste for Christmas. Take a step away from the tacky holiday sales at chain stores that advertise "Diamond heart pendant for only $59.99!" It's not worth your money, and it's definitely not something she'll want to wear after the season ends. Go for something elegant and stylish. Handpick a set (necklace and pendant, earrings, and bracelet, for example). Every piece, by no means, has to be encrusted with gemstones, and nor does it have to be gold.
    
    If you can afford it, it's certainly acceptable, but don't feel the obligation to spend hundreds or even thousands. Smaller, non-commercial jewelry stores often sell sterling silver with earth stones (Jade, Onyx, Turquoise, etc) that are much more affordable. This is by no standards "cheap" jewelry – it will still set you back a bit, but it's much better than truly "cheaping out" with low quality gold and gemstones.
    
    Plus, many women enjoy silver and stone jewelry. To go even further, get a set with stones that are her favorite color. Save spending a large sum of money on very valuable jewelry for a more personal time.

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: blogmeeta@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This Post was contributed by Vicky from Got A Crush

Magical December

Isn't December simply a magical month?

Candles, sparkling lights, smell of baking and spices, presents, family, food and so much more! We love the month and are counting down to Christmas just like you.

The whole Daily Tiffin team is so excited that we decided to share our joy and Christmas cheer with you.

All throughout December we'll be writing articles focusing on Christmas. As a matter of fact those regular readers might already have noticed we've started to spread the joy of Christmas and given you a few decoration ideas, we've also helped you tackle those Winter blues.

But there's more ... we'll be helping you with gifts, decorations and much more throughout December. So hope you will join us on the Daily Tiffin as we spread the Christmas spirit with a few great articles.

There's a little more going on behind the scenes here. We've got a few new members and contributors who will be joining us in the next few months. Last week we introduced you to our rooster and today I would like you to welcome two wonderful ladies.

Vicky Zhou will be joining us as a regular contributor. I am sure you ladies and many gents will love her. See Vicky is a dating expert, but I'll let her tell you a bit more about herself.

A bit about myself.. let's see. I'm half-Japanese, and was born in Tokyo. I lived in China for 5 years, and then in Brazil for 1, and since then, I have lived in the United States. My father was in the military, so generally we moved to where he had to work. As a result, I know a fair share of languages - Japanese, Chinese, some Spanish, and English of course.

I graduated with a BS from NYU, and a Masters degree in Journalism from UCLA. Since then, I have been spending my time doing freelance writing, and personal projects. I am currently occupied with writing my first book, and starting my own dating advice site at www.GotACrush.com.

Stay tuned for Vicky's first article this week. Pssssst! This one's going to be for all the men out there - ssshhhh!

The next lady probably needs no introduction at all. Lydia Walshin has that Perfect Pantry I am sure everyone wants. She is also the great mind behind Drop In & Decorate a great charity event.

Here is a bit more about Lydia:

I write the lively blog The Perfect Pantry and am a professional food writer. I am a contributing editor of Rhode Island Monthly magazine, where I write a monthly column called Local Flavor. Author of one cookbook -- South End Cooks: Recipes from a Boston Neighborhood -- I currently teach cooking classes at Rhode Island School of Design, a world-famous art college in Providence, Rhode Island (because artists make great cooks!), and also teach classes for adults and children in my log house kitchen. A long-time hunger relief activist, I am the founder of Drop In & Decorate Cookies for Donation, and a co-founder of Will Paint For Food, which works to help end hunger through education, outreach and food distribution. Oh -- and I am a grandmother of 4!

Lydia will start as a new Co-Admin in January, on her birthday, January 16th!

We do have one more person that we are really excited about but we would like to clear up the last few details before we introduce you to her. So, watch this space for more news!

If you want to know more about all our members and contributors check out our Hall of Fame!

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: blogmeeta@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

The Joy of Christmas

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer"
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year


Christmas is fast approaching and I'm very honoured to be the latest contributor to The Daily Tiffin. As a quick introduction, I'm from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, have two wonderful kids and a lovely wife. Yeap, you read right - I'm a MAN! So enough of introductions, let's get on with Christmas!


Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year. Not only does it invoke images of gaiety and festivity, it's also the end of the year and time for a short break!

Christmas has always been special to me, aside from the religious factor. It's a special time of sharing love and joy with family and friends. I also love all the traditions and especially the presents! Although now I take much greater joy in Giving rather than in Receiving

I remember when I was young, my parents used to get us to write letters to Santa Claus. My two brothers and I used to diligently write these letters detailing the toys and other stuff that we wanted. This practice went on till I was about 10 years old, even though we all knew (especially my 2 older brothers) that good ol' Santa was really only in our minds.

In those days, all the relatives used to congregate in my paternal grandmother's house for dinner before singing carols and then sitting down to open all our presents. We'd the count the clock down till 12am and gleefully shout "Merry Christmas" with plenty of hugs and kisses all round.

Nowadays, Christmas Eve is spent with my wife's side of the family. We all meet in her parents house for Christmas Eve Dinner before opening the presents. I take the role in giving out the presents each year, and in keeping with the tradition of Santa, I buy a 'dud' present as a gift from Santa Claus to all the children. One year it was a large carton of candies, the next year it was three bottles of Coke wrapped up in a box, then there was the one year with a large box of potato chips. All just for the fun of course.

Once we return home, my wife, the kids and I open up our own presents to each other. I prefer to keep our presents to each other private and thus more meaningful. The kids also get a special present from Santa although this is normally something nice rather than a 'dud' gift!

This year, I plan on printing out free Santa letters from the web (there are a lot of them out there) and send them to my kids by post. I'm sure they'll be excited to receive something in the post from Santa - regardless of whether they know he is real or not!

I try and make sure the kids get involved in celebrating Christmas and make sure they help in buying presents for both my wife and for each other. They take great delight in decorating the Christmas Tree and we have a new tradition now that each year, we buy a special decoration for each kid to hang on the tree. And of course, Church on Christmas Morning is a must!

The kids also enjoy helping me make the chocolate cake to take over to my parents place where we celebrate Christmas with friends and family, on Christmas Day itself. Last year, I made the cake in the shape of a log to every ones delight and I think I'll do it again this year.

Strangely enough, Christmas Dinners for us invariably end up being western influenced, even though we are in Asia, and are held on Christmas Eve. As I mentioned earlier, Christmas Dinner these days is at my in-laws and for some reason, they love to serve turkey. I'm not a great fan of turkey and the one time that we hosted the Christmas Dinner, I insisted there would be NO Turkey!

Sometimes a simple meal is best, as then you, as the cook, can sit down and enjoy the dinner and fellowship. For really, isn't that what Christmas Dinner is about?
What I would suggest is a nice, creamy soup or just a simple Greek Salad as the starter.

Of course eaten with loads of Garlic Bread. Or maybe for a change, try it with some Corn Bread



I like the corn bread because its fairly easy to make and doesn't use yeast. It's fabulous eaten with some garlic butter or herbed butter.

For the main course, how about some Chicken Pie? Don't let the pastry scare you! I use ready made frozen puff pastry and shortcrust pastry sheets for the top and base respectively. The filling is my own recipe using chicken chunks,mushrooms, carrots and cream with some bacon thrown in together with some herbs. If you are vegetarian, just omit the chicken and you have a lovely veetarian pie.
The beauty of this dish is that you can prepare it earlier and then put it in the oven just as your guests arrive.


And of course for the finishing touch you have to serve a decadent and scrumptious dessert. To me, there is nothing more decadent than chocolate and no dessert as satisfying as Chocolate Mousse. I've always loved Chocolate Mousse and this is my own recipe developed after many years of trial and error!



So there you have it. A lovely Christmas spread and before you dismiss it as being too complicated or difficult, bear in mind that I cooked each of these dishes. These are the actual pictures of the food that were taken for a feature I did for a local Malaysian website, The Weekend Chef. All this from a man that has had no formal training whatsoever, other than his love for food and of cooking for his wife and kids. So if I can do it, whats stopping you?

Have a Blessed Christmas everybody!


Recipe for Chicken Pie


Pastry
1 sheet frozen Puff Pastry
1 sheet frozen Shortcrust Pastry
1 Egg

Filling
400 gm Boneless Chicken Breast
250 gm Fresh Button Mushrooms
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Large Carrots
3 Potatoes
250 gm fresh Spinach (or use frozen if you like)
200 ml Cream
½ Tsp Black Pepper
½ tbsp Corn Flour
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Oregano
2 Bay Leaves
½ tsp Rosemary
8 Rashers Bacon (optional)

Method
Line bottom of 9” pie dish with shortcrust pastry. Trim edges and use to cover open areas of dish and line edges of dish. Bake Blind in pre-heated 190oC Oven for about 15 minutes. (Baking Blind means covering the pastry with baking parchment / greaseproff paper and filling the shell with rice or beans to prevent the pastry from rising. Baking blind ensures that the bottom layer stays firm and doesn’t get soggy once the filling is put in.) Remove and let cool.

While shell is baking, Cut chicken into small squares. Mix 1/2 tbsp corn flour with pepper and salt. Add in Chicken and mix well so that chicken pieces are coated. Let rest.
Meanwhile, slice mushrooms thinly, cut carrots and potatoes into squares. Heat oil in pan. Add in chopped garlic, Oregano, Bay leaves and Rosemary and fry lightly till fragrant. Add in Chicken and cook well. Add in bacon if using and cook well.
Add in Mushroom and cook till mushrooms are tender. Add in Potatoes and Carrots and simmer. Add in Cream. Mix well and simmer uncovered. Add in chopped spinach and mix well. Continue to simmer until mixture is thick and potatoes, carrots and spinach are all cooked. Allow to cool.
Fill shell with Chicken filling, taking care to fill evenly to corners and sides. Ensure that filling is COOL before filling pie. Cover with sheet of Puff Pastry. Moisten edges of pastry with water and press down firmly. Using a butter knife, trim the sides, cutting upwards. This helps the pastry from separating while baking.
Using left over pastry, decorate top of pie with pastry shapes. Beat the egg lightly and brush top and edges of pie. Bake in a Pre-Heated 2200C Oven on the middle tray for at least 20 minutes or until pastry has risen and is golden brown.
Serve Hot and Enjoy!

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: blogmeeta@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This Post was written by Dharm from Dad ~ Baker & Chef

Christmas Gift Guide: Books

In my last post I covered Homemade Gift ideas for Christmas. Something you can create with your kids or just yourself. Today I thought I would complement Shaheen's post and offer a few ideas on children's books and cookbooks.

I would love your feedback on this. If any of you already have one of these books let us know what you think of it. It might help others make a better decision.


Picture Books For Lil Ones

This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt; pictures by R.G. Roth (US$16, ages 3 to 7)

"This jazz man, he plays one, he plays rhythm with his thumb, with a Snap! Snap! Snazzy-Snap! Give the man a hand, this jazz man scats with the band."
Using this jazzy version of the old "This Old Man" rhyme The jazz Man introduces a famous ensemble of African-American jazz musicians as it counts to nine. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to name two, joyfully jam for the kiddies and illustrations give clues to the performers, and the end matter has a biographical sketch for each one. It has won three honors including the Nick Jr. Book of the Year for Children.
This will appeal most to preschoolers and kindergarteners.

G Is For Gzonk!" An Alpha-number-bet Bookby Tony DiTerlizzi (US$16.95, ages 5 to 7)

DiTerlizzi's Dr.Seuss will amuse and surprise as he invents imaginary animals to illustrate as he describes a "silly dilly take on abc". Among all the laughs you will have with your kids, the will be exposed to colors, numbers and letters. A great a fun way to engage the creative mind and help them learn. One of my faves for Soeren.


Our 50 States by by Lynne Cheney, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser (US$ 17.95, ages 4-8)

After America: A Patriotic Primer and A Is for Abigail, both Cheney and Preiss Glasser have compiled what in my opinion is their best yet. It is a story of a family who journey across the 50 states. Each page is a filled with colorful illustrations depicting the past and present. There are memorable song lyrics, historical data and famous landmarks are visited. Something that will have the kids glued to the sofa for hours.



Cookbooks

The Silver Spoon by Phaidon Press.

For fans of the Italian cuisine. A revised treasure of over 2,000 recipes, it is a true culinary bible that has been finally translated into English. Folks, this one is on my wishlist too! It contains everything from sauces, pastas, antipasti and sweet dishes.


Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme by Dorie Greenspan.

Another one on my own wishlist. Dorie Greenspan has compiled a divine chocolate desserts by the best pastry chef in the world, Pierre Herme. The recipe collection are compiled for the normal kitchen so even people like you and me can have a go at making some of these sensual creations. The photographs in this book are incredible. There are fantastic recipes for dacquoise, macroons and chocolate rice pudding. I have to stop here otherwise I will drool all over my notebook.
LOL!

King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains by King Arthur Flour

A 600 page baking bible for the health conscious with easy to follow recipes. A book with scrumptious recipes like brownies, flaky croissants and muffins all made with whole grain flour.


Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver.

Jamie shows his Italian soul in this book. He tours through Italy and collects awesome recipes from all over the country. Lovely photographs and candidly written. My current fave in my kitchen.

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Last but not least - a book that has made me find a new liking for baking. Easy to follow and written by Dorie Greenspan in a way you feel as if she was right there next to you in the kitchen. I love this book and have tried out a few recipes here and here. This cannot be missed out on. If you are interested in getting your hands on this book I am offering it as a prize for the Menu For Hope III auction.
Do something good - donate some money for a good cause and get your hands on this book.


You will also find several other great gift ideas on Chez Pim's campaign wesite. By bidding on any of the several prizes offered, you will also be helping some of the millions that desperately require every bit of support.

Please help us support Menu For Hope III by donationg generously.

Thank you!


This Post was written by Meeta from What's For Lunch, Honey?

The Children's Tree

One thing that really matters to children is having the chance to participate in getting ready for big events. Tiniest Tiffin loves decorating the tree, but it's so early we can't really bring ourselves to buy a lovely, expensive tree that we know is going to dry out and become a fire hazard well before December 25th.

Our compromise? We let him choose a very small tree to beautify for all of us. He decorated it with small woodland animal ornaments and put an angel near them to keep watch, added two glamorous bulbs, and a Santa on the top.

To help him manage his excitement, we put something fun under this tree: a stack of 24 (now though, we're down to 20) holiday books, books we've had for a long time, having collected them for years. He and his brothers wrapped these books up like presents, which gave them practice with scissors and tape. Every evening, we've been choosing, unwrapping and reading one book. As the stack under the children's tree gets smaller, it reminds us of how close we are to the Big Day. And even though the books are ones we know well, this doesn't seem to have diminished anyone's pleasure in either the wrapping or the unwrapping. (And don't despair: If you don't have 24 holiday books, there's no reason you can't use library books you've borrowed for the duration of the season, or even books that are favorites, and have no connection to the season. This is a tip that also works for counting down to birthdays: you can wrap in colorful birthday paper, a week of favorite books to help with that count-down.)

It's going to be a lovely holiday season. I hope your preparations are going well. If you'd like a recipe for yummy spice cookies, I'll be posting one over at the TiffinTin a little later today.

This Post was written by BlogLily from the TiffinTin.