Giving the Gift of Food

I give food gifts all year round to friends, neighbors, relatives and teachers. But the holidays are my favorite time of year to share food with others. The gifts I give are usually homemade or local food products. You can find all kinds of recipes and ideas on the Internet at websites like MarthaStewart, Epicurious and Foodtv. Try wrapping your gift in a tea towel or cloth napkin tied with ribbon for a gift that lasts after the food goodies are gone.

Homemade Food Gift Ideas:
 Cinnamon or vanilla sugar in small glass jars
 Hot fudge or butterscotch sauce
 Mini loaf of quick bread such as cranberry, pumpkin or zucchini
 Fruit and nut granola in cellophane bags
 Tin of your favorite holiday cookies and a copy of the recipe
 Chocolate truffles in candy boxes
 Basket of muffins or scones with a jar of honey butter
 Buttermilk pancake mix with blueberry lemon sauce (see recipes)

Buttermilk Pancake Mix
(Makes approximately 4 ½ cups dry mix)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup sugar
½ cup dry buttermilk powder
2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt

Combine all the ingredients and whisk together to distribute evenly. Refrigerate the mix in a sealed container and use within three months.

Instructions for use:
1. Measure 1 ½ cups mix into a large bowl
2. Whisk together 1 large egg, 1 ½ tbsp melted butter or oil, and 2/3 cup water in another bowl or large measuring cup.
3. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mix and stir until just combined. If the batter seems too thick, add more water by the tablespoonful to reach the desired consistency.

Blueberry Lemon Sauce
(Makes 2 ½ cups)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups frozen blueberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Cook in a saucepan on medium heat until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir frequently. Cool completely and store in glass jars in the refrigerator.

Thanksgiving Wines: Are You Sweet or Savory?

If ask Chuck Warinner, owner of the Dilly Deli in Mariemont, for a recommendation for a Thanksgiving wine, he is likely to ask if you have a sweet or savory family meal. According to Chuck, when you pair wine for Thanksgiving, it is important to consider the entire meal, not just the turkey. Does your family tend to serve sweet potatoes with mini marshmallows and sweet cranberry relish? Then you are a sweet family. If you all go for sage dressing, herbed beans and mashed potatoes, you are the savory type.

For the sweet meal, Chuck recommends a dry or slightly sweet Riesling, a light and fruity Beajolais or a Pinot Noir. He says, “Throw a Riesling on the table and it will go with just about anything.” Rieslings tend to leave the palate cleansed and refreshed. For Thanksgiving, Chuck likes a Riesling the deli is currently offering as one if its wines-by-the-glass, a 2007 Kerpen Riesling Kabinett for $21.99. For a Pinot Noir, he likes 2007 Row Eleven Viñas 3 at $18.99.

Chuck believes that a savory meal can handle a wine with more weight, like a bold, spicy red. At his Thanksgiving table, Chuck always serves an American Red Zinfandel. Red Zins are considered America’s heritage grape and some of the best wines produced in California. Chuck likes the Zin’s spicy, jammy, and peppery hints. He favors the 2006 Burnet Ridge Zinfandel North Coast (the label reads “a wine made among friends”) for $18.99 and a 2007 Saldo from Orin Swift Cellars for $29.99.

Others choices for the savory meal include Syrahs and Cabernet Francs. Chuck likes a locally produced 2007 Kinkead Ridge Cab Franc for $17.99. In fact, Chuck believes the Kinkead Ridge wine is outstanding and possibly the best Cabernet Franc produced by the winery.

You don’t want the wine to dominate the meal, according to Chuck. The focus should be on the food. So he stays away from recommending big, dry Cabernets or buttery Chardonnays. He thinks it is better to stick with wines that have a simple fruitiness and spicy character. Having said that, Chuck emphasizes that it is important not to sweat it too much and serve what you like. Also, he suggests offering a few types of wine to appeal to a variety of palates.

Sometime in November, the Dilly Deli will have shelf labels shaped like turkeys to indicate their Thanksgiving recommendations. Three turkeys are reserved for staff personal favorites and their top recommendations. The Dilly Deli Wines & Gourmet, located in the Mariemont Strand next to Starbucks, is open Monday through Thursday, 10am-9pm, and Friday and Saturday, 10am-11pm.

Fresh Turkey Talk

When Erin Payne, Herdsman at Greenacres Farm in Indian Hill, tells you that their fresh, free-range turkeys are “the best turkey you’ve ever tasted, hands down,” you believe her. Erin comes across as an honest, down-to-earth animal authority. When we visited the turkeys, Erin talked to them using their language, making some pretty impressive turkey sounds.

Every year, Greenacres raises turkeys for Thanksgiving without using artificial stimulants or antibiotics. The turkeys are rotated on pastures that are so full of worms and bugs this year that they are expected to average around 20 pounds. This season, Greenacres has 265 Domestic White and Broad-Breasted Bronze turkeys to sell and will accept orders until they are sold out.

According to Peggy Schatz, Farm Sales Director, the turkeys are processed on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and are available for pickup on Wednesday. When you pick up your bird, she includes a helpful booklet with recipes for preparing turkey, dressing and gravy. Additionally, the farm store has fresh eggs, herbs and seasonal vegetables from the farm available for purchase.

Erin likes to brine her turkey overnight to add flavor and seasonings to the bird. In addition to roasting, many customers smoke or grill their Greenacres turkey. Generally, their turkeys are too large to be deep-fried. However you choose to prepare your turkey, Peggy and Erin believe there is no comparison between their fresh, locally-raised, sustainable turkeys and conventional frozen birds you find in most supermarkets.

Fresh Turkey Tips
• When ordering, plan for 1/12 to 2 pounds per person, plus extra for leftovers.
• Order ahead, but pick up one to two days in advance at most.
• Remove giblets and save for gravy stock.
• Before cooking, rinse bird under cool running water and dry inside and out with paper towel.
• Coat outside with olive oil or softened butter for even browning.
• Instead of stuffing, fill turkey cavity with aromatic vegetables such as carrots, celery, onions and garlic, for better cooking and food safety.
• Use a sturdy stainless steel roasting pan with a rack.
• Plan on cooking time of 10-15 minutes per pound.
• Contrary to most recipes, it is generally better to roast at lower temperatures first and save higher heat for the end to brown the bird and avoid drying it out.
• Remove turkey when temperature reads 180°F with an instant read thermometer inserted between the breast and leg.
• Let rest 30 minutes before carving with a sharp knife.

Greenacres Farm is located seven miles from Mariemont at 8255 Spooky Hollow Road. For more information, you can contact them at 891-4227 or store@green-acresfarm.com.