The Yule log is said to have its origins in Germanic paganism practiced during the early mediaeval period, in which the burning of the Yule log would welcome in the winter solstice. Enjoy your own slice of history this Christmas season with our delicious version of the rolled Yule log.
5 eggs, separated
1/3 cup sugar
3 ½ oz. dark chocolate, melted and cooled
2 tbsp. flour
2 1/2 tbsp. cocoa powder
½ tbsp. cinnamon
Chocolate shavings
White Chocolate Filling
2 oz white chocolate
2/3 cup double cream
Chocolate Icing
6 ½ oz dark chocolate, melted
2 oz butter, melted
Beat sugar and egg yolks with a fork until thick, then stir in chocolate, flour and cocoa powder.Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form and fold egg whites into chocolate mixture.Pour batter into a greased swill roll tin and bake for 15 minutes or until firm.Place cake on a towel sprinkled with sugar and roll up from the short end.Set aside to cool.To make filling, place white chocolate in bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook on medium, stirring constantly until smooth, then stir in cream.Cover and chill until thick and spreadable.Unroll cake and spread with filling, then roll up cake.To make icing, combine chocolate and butter and mix well.Spread icing over roll and decorate with chocolate shavings and dust with powdered sugar “snow” just before serving.Serves 8.
We all love a great glass of wine to accompany our holiday meal, but there are many other ways to toast the holiday season.From sparkling wine cocktails to a steaming cup of hot cocoa, we’re sharing our favorite festive drinks of the season.
Pomegranate Sparkling Wine Cocktail – this is a favorite at our house around the holidays.Not only does it taste like the perfect holiday drink, it looks like it to.Peel the fruit from a fresh pomegranate and place 4-5 seeds into a sparkling wine glass.Fill the glass with 2-3 oz of PAMA liqueur and 1-2 oz. of sparkling wine.Gently stir to mix and serve.
Holiday Sangria – no one says that Sangria has to be reserved for summertime.Make it special by using a nice Chianti and Port mixed with high quality brandy or cognac.Festive ingredients like pomegranate juice, mandarin oranges, cranberries and pears add a winter touch.
Kahlua Eggnog – we love this take on eggnog.Combine 1 oz Kahlua liqueur with 4 oz Eggnog.Sprinkle with your favorite holiday spices like nutmeg or cinnamon.
Steaming Hot Chocolate – there’s nothing wrong with making hot chocolate from a mix, but we prefer the not-so-sweet and homemade taste of this easy recipe.Combine 1 ½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 ½ teaspoons sugar, 1 cup whole milk and a pinch of salt.It’s optional to add just a pinch of cinnamon.Serve in mugs with a dollop of homemade whip cream on top.
There is just over a week left before Christmas and we bet that there are still a few people on your shopping list that you have yet to buy a gift for.Throughout the year, we’ve collected a list of our favorite food and wine products and we’re sharing the best with you to help give your gift-giving a much needed jumpstart.From decadent chocolates to local artisan honey, these gifts are sure to please everyone on your list.
Woodhouse Chocolates
The Anderson Family makes some of the best handmade chocolates you can find.Located in a small shop in downtown St. Helena, Woodhouse uses nothing but the highest quality ingredients and creates unique flavor combinations that melt in your mouth.Pick up a mix of chocolates in their festive red holiday box at their St. Helena store or order online at www.woodhousechocolates.com.Looking for a great stocking stuffer - we highly recommend the caramels dipped in milk or dark chocolate and topped with a sprinkling of Fleur de Sel.
Katz and Company Honey
It’s no secret that Katz and Company products are a favorite of ours and their California honeys are no exception.They make five varieties – Raspberry Flower, Citrus Blossom, Black Button Sage, Wild Blackberry and Wildflower.Each has a distinct and intoxicating flavor.You can find them in local specialty grocery stores like Dean & Deluca, Whole Foods Market, Sunshine Foods, Fourth Street Pasta Shop (in Berkeley) and many more locations throughout the Bay Area.You can also buy them online at www.katzandco.com.
Bread and Budder Buckets
We recently discovered these brightly wrapped buckets that are perfect for chilling a bottle of wine.In an old warehouse in Georgia, these galvanized steel buckets are transformed into artful pieces using fabrics and even vintage textiles.You can find them at the Sonoma Home store in downtown Sonoma or online at www.breadandbudder.com.
Napa Soap Company
We know it’s not food or wine, but Napa Soap Company makes some soaps that are so yummy, you almost want to eat them.With names like Soapignon Blanc and Tea-no Grigio, you can’t resist picking up a few bars.Napa Soap Company also makes lotions, dish soap, and great smelling household cleaners.And the chef in your life will be thrilled to get a bar of their Serious Chef’s Soap made with deodorizing properties like fresh coffee and peppermint essential oil to remove those tough kitchen odors.You can visit their store (and watch them make their soaps) located at 651 Main Street in St. Helena or order online at www.napasoapcompany.com.
Artisanal Cocktails
Scott Beattie moved to Healdsburg in 2005 to develop the bar program for the highly acclaimed Cyrus Restaurant.While tending the bar at Cyrus, Scott learned to combine fresh ingredients from the local farmer’s market to make unique seasonal cocktails.Scott recently released Artisanal Cocktails: Drinks Inspired by the Seasons From the Bar at Cyrus. The book follows the four seasons and provides tips and recipes for 50 different seasonal cocktails.Purchase online at Amazon.com or at www.scottbeattiecocktails.com.
Everybody is talking about being “green” these days and with the holidays approaching, it’s time to think about how to green up your festivities…and we don’t just mean with a tree. Gift wrapping, decorations and entertaining can add up to a lot of excess. According to TreeHugger.com, the average American’s trash output goes up 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. How do you still enjoy the holidays while making sure to leave a minimal footprint? Here are a few tips to get you started.
Cards – instead of sending out holiday cards, consider an email card. If you like the idea of sending a card, be sure to use cards made from recycled paper. And if you are really crafty and save all your old holiday cards, make your own “new” cards from last year’s holiday cards.
Tree – Every year, more than 35 million live Christmas trees are sold in the United States. Buy a live tree (native to your area) that you can plant in your backyard after the holidays.
Recycling – make sure you set aside a separate trash can for recycling at your holiday gatherings. Using your own dishes and silverware is the greenest route but if you don’t want the hassle, select bamboo utensils and earth-friendly plates, cups and bowls. You can usually find a good selection at Whole Foods or online at www.greenfeet.com.
Wine – many wineries and vineyard growers are starting to tout their sustainable, organic and biodynamic farming practices. Our favorites include Patianna Organic Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc from Mendocino, Frog’s Leap Zinfandel from Napa Valley and Clif Family Winery The Climber white wine blend. All made from organic, sustainable or biodynamically farmed fruit, these wines are sure to please your conscious and your palate!
Food - Make a pledge to buy local produce from the grocery store or your farmer’s market. Buying local saves on fuel costs, supports your local community and just tastes better! For a list of Farmer’s Markets and local farmers in your area visit www.localharvest.org.
Giving – your local food bank is in need of food this year. Help others put a warm holiday meal on their table by donating canned and dry goods. Visit www.feedingamerica.org to find a food bank near you.
Wrapping – gift wrap is probably one of the most wasteful parts of the holiday season. You can still get a festive look and feel without buying a bunch of new wrapping paper. Start by wrapping your gifts in newspaper or brown bags. Then use images from magazines and other things around the house to decorate. You can also give your gifts in reusable items like baskets, tote bags or a pretty decorative cloth that can be used as a kitchen towel later.
Travel – help to offset the greenhouse gas emissions from your holiday travel by purchasing carbon offsets from a company like NativeEnergy. Use NativeEnergy’s handy travel calculator to figure out what you need to offset to be carbon neutral.
