Getting a bit ahead of myself here, but it is never too early to plan if you wish to entertain during the Holidays...The following are excerpts from columns written for The Hamakua Times newspaper.
December 1, 2016
As you drive from Hilo and up through the Hamakua Coast, you can tell winter has come to Hawai’i, mostly by-passing the Fall Season! Temperatures are cooler, the pink plumes crowning the old sugar cane stalks wave in the breeze like a rosy shimmering sea, and the flame red poinsettias are beginning to bloom everywhere. In Hawaii, these are the signs that herald the arrival of winter and the holiday season…
Photo: Queen palm fronds, ironwood greenery, laced with tiny lights and decorated with Japanese paper lanterns and Chinese jade decorations form a balance over our living room windows.
We tend to let this season get the better of us…we stress over shopping, gift giving, decorating, cooking…it is just too much! What if I tell you to STOP. Right. This. Minute!…take a deep breath, sit down and think through what you really want from this season…reduce it to the simplest form and then start from there.
Just remember, ready or not, Christmas will be here on schedule (unfortunately, not usually on our own schedule!)…so just take time to enjoy it and don’t let yourself get frazzled over the many things you hope to accomplish. Even the most exacting hostess has to start planning from the very first step. Just remember, if everything does not get done like you dreamed, in the end the most important thing is sharing with family and friends.
The magic words to help you with all your tasks during this busy time of year is “Be Prepared but Keep It Simple”
Christmas lights say "celebrate" any time of the year; weave strands of tiny white lights through your house, around window frames, through potted plants, along a fence, your entrance gate or tree limbs to create elegant, intimate, and inexpensive lighting.
Fill clear glass or crystal bowls and vases with Christmas ball ornaments for quick, simple and easy touches. A few potted poinsettias and lit candles in mismatched candleholders scattered around always add a festive touch. Remember to place a welcoming wreath on your front door.
Add holiday fragrance throughout your home by simmering orange or tangerine peels, cinnamon and cloves in water on back of the stove or in a crock-pot. Remember to replenish the water from time to time.
Add sparkle to your dining or buffet table by scattering shiny confetti and glitter on the tablecloth. Scatter your treasured collections among greenery all down the center of the table.
Photo: My collection of bird nests grace a plaid Christmas Eve table
For impromptu party preparations, keep your pantry, freezer and refrigerator stocked with an assortment of crackers, Melba toast, chips, canned crabmeat, and assortment of cheeses, frozen shrimp, frozen spinach and ingredients for several different dips. Frozen puff pastry sheets or shells are convenient to have on hand, as well as several ready-made deep pie shells in the freezer for quick pies and quiches. Don't forget large olives, a selection of pickles and cans of roasted nuts.
Fixings for dips and fondue are simple; just check on-line or your favorite entertaining cookbooks for easy ideas. Remember to provide chunks of artisan bread, crackers, sliced mushrooms and or sliced apples and other fruit to serve with the dips and fondues. Hint: sliced apples are delicious with Swiss Cheese Fondue!
Cake-like ladyfingers, instant puddings and jams make quick and colorful trifles served in clear glass bowls or wineglasses.
Photo: Tiramisu Trifle
Remember to stock up on beverages such as wines, beer, sodas, and don't forget to include some festive sparkling non-alcoholic ciders. You have the makings for a quick punch with a selection of fruit juices and non-cola fizzy drinks.
If you would like to entertain but have a large list of friends and don’t have room for a large group all at one time, plan two or three small parties, each a week apart…You already have the house decorated, so you might as well host a few little gatherings instead of one large one. Serve basically, the same menu with a few little variations to keep it interesting for yourself.
You can never go wrong with a Cheese and Fruit Tray:
For your tray select at least 3 different cheeses; different textures, colors and tastes; at least 3 different fruits (such as seedless green and or red grapes, apples, pears, figs). Add several little bowls of nuts; caramelized or spiced pecans, and roasted cashew or macadamia nuts. You can also add walnuts or hazelnuts, still in their shell.
Don’t forget to provide cheese cutters, knives, spreaders, tongs, cheese forks, toothpicks and the nutcrackers and picks for guests to crack the nuts served in their shells!
Something I learned while serving as a judge in honey tasting contests, is that honey pairs deliciously with most cheeses! Honeys go well with aged cheeses such as Cheddar, Gruyére, Parmigiano-Romano or any other of the Alpine cheeses. We’re very fortunate on this island to have so many honey enthusiasts who happily work with their bees to provide us with excellent quality honey. So add a little pitcher or bowl of honey to your Cheese and Fruit Tray, and just remember, when buying honey, buy local!
At the end of the party, hand your guests a gift they can use as they leave; a handmade ornament or a gift from your kitchen such as jams, jellies, honey, chutneys or herbed vinegar you've made yourself.
…and if you have someone on your gift list who loves to cook, please remember that my cookbooks “From Soup to Nuts” or "Sonia Tastes Hawaii" would be just the perfect thing!
