Christmas Comes But Once A Year

You know it is approaching the Christmas Season at Brooks Tavern when you see the delivery of the bottle of Calvados...for the Eggnog, of course! We may not (yet) have a single decoration up in the dining room, but the Calvados is here and the Eggnog, of course!

Actually we are going to start putting up our minimalist holiday decor today. The geese will get some ribbon around their necks, the cork wreath will appear on the door, and colorful Christmas balls will ornament the counter tops. Next week we'll bring in some fragrant greens and seasonal holly, and the tree will appear on the deck, sparkling with lights. It's a nice way to chase away the darkness of winter, if only for a few weeks.

Meanwhile, we are enjoying some of our usual seasonal delights - you can check the archives for more on those - and starting to think about D'Artagnan and Fran's. I suppose in one "weigh", it's good that Christmas only comes once a year!! Still, for lives that revolve around food 24/7, the weeks beginning with Thanksgiving and continuing through the New Year are basically time and a half. We enjoy the seasonal quality of Winter choices just about as much as those that arrive with the Spring and Summer. I mean, what's not to like about Meyer Lemon Marmalade or Cranberry Walnut Upside-down Cake? Rockfish with Oysters, Rockfish with Crab - both winners. Mussels are fatter and brinier this time of year; cauliflower and spinach, root vegetables and winter squashes are local and sweet; pomegranates and artichokes, clementines and chestnuts appear in the grocery store. And for sure the Oyster Fritter is as eagerly awaited in the fall as the CrabSteak is in the late spring. The best part of eating with the season is that just about the time you get bored with the current offerings, a new season begins with new "crops" to enjoy.

Let the Holly Daze Food Traditions begin - pass me some of that Hot Chocolate and Fruitcake!