May luck be our companion
May friends stand by our side
May history remind us all
Of Ireland’s faith and pride.
May God bless us with happiness
May love and faith abide.
~Irish Blessing
Americans love St. Patrick’s Day for many reasons. Of course there is the fact that mass consumption of Guinness and Jameson is widely and publicly condoned. We certainly look forward to the release of painting the town green at least once a year. But it seems to go a little deeper than just the revelry. In a country divided in so many ways, St. Patrick’s Day is a joyful holiday we can all (well, except for the real scrooges) agree upon.
St. Patrick’s Day is also a part of our history as a nation. The holiday was first celebrated in the United States by Irish settlers in Boston, MA in 1737. The second largest St. Patrick’s Day parade and celebration in the United States was founded in Savannah, GA in 1813. Over time, the tradition spread from the large colonial cities to the newer states and gradually into smaller towns, anywhere the Irish congregated and lived. These days many, if not most, American cities host festivities that often span several days and offer a wide range of activities. Some are family-centered and religious; some are crowded parades or debaucherous parties that rival only those of Mardi Gras. Whatever your flavor, there is a way to celebrate.
Another tie that binds our love to the holiday is the large percentage of Americans who have at least some Irish ancestry, or claim to. I have never met anyone who wasn’t extremely proud of their Irish heritage, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. As the Irish saying goes, “There are only two kinds of people in the world, the Irish and those who wish they were.” You know it is a proud tradition when hoards of people are pretending to be Irish!
But the truth is no one has to pretend. We are all Irish in some way, shape or form—on St. Patrick’s Day and throughout the year. This is a holiday that has been celebrated in America since before our states were united. With time, and despite the significant opposition our early Irish faced, American traditions were gradually steeped in Irish traditions and vice versa. To the point that they became a significant part of who we all are and what we value. The laudable Irish traits of optimism, hope, faith and loyalty are an integral part of the American spirit as we know it. If you find nothing else to celebrate today, have a drink or two (or six) to that.
Many of our gift baskets come with delcious jams from Stonewall Kitchens. We also include Georgia peach preserves in our Atlanta Artisan gifts. If you are burnt out on toast, why not use your jar to make a jam tart? Look at this incredibly delicious recipe posted by David Leovitz on his blog, “Living the Sweet Life in Paris.” So beautifully simple. Let me know if you try it!
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/07/jam-tart/
Words can be hard to find, but beauty is undeniable. Why not let our flowers do the talking for you this Valentine’s Day? These arrangements and many more will soon be available for purchase at www.rumsongifts.com. Until then, write me at rumsongifts@gmail.com– I’ll be happy to send some on your behalf.
Purify the pleasure of eating simple butter cookies with this recipe from my mother, Eileen Dunham. Mom is an INCREDIBLE baker. Her cakes are legendary among her family and friends and she is an accountant so her recipes are incredibly precise. If you prefer treats that are not super-sweet these addictive cookies will be perfect for you. The recipe makes plenty, so there will be enough for you to eat and then some to give to all your valentines!
According to mom, the right techniques and ingredients make all the difference. Her technique assures a flat cookie, without air bubbles that can make decorating a little bit of a chore if you choose to ice them.
Eileen Dunham’s Premium Butter Cookies
Baker’s Note:
It’s ALL about the butter, so buy the best. French, Irish or Danish. Plugra is my favorite butter for baking. Remember to use unsalted butter. Also, since superfine sugar is expensive, you can make your own by putting the sugar in your Cuisinart for about two minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Step One. 2 Cups (One pound) COLD Imported Unsalted Butter. Cut into ½ inch cubes and set aside to soften a bit while doing step two.
Step Two. Mix these three ingredients in mixing bowl, using flat blade if you have the choice, for about ten seconds.
5 Cups all purpose flour
2 Tsp Salt
2 Cups superfine sugar
Step Three. Add the butter to flour mixture about half a cup at a time, completing the additions within a minute. Beat for another minute or two until crumbled and a bit wet looking.
Step Four. Stir the following well and add to flour/butter mixture. Mix just until combined.
2 Large eggs
2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
Step Five. Empty mixing bowl on work surface, cold if possible, shape into four or five disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Shaping the dough into separate disks instead of one big ball significantly reduces the chilling time. As soon as you finish wrapping the first disk put it in the refrigerator. It will be cool enough to use by the time you finish wrapping the remaining disks-no need to wait several hours.
Roll the first chilled disk of dough with a rolling pin with a piece of plastic wrap under the dough and a piece above it. Cut the cookies with the cookie cutters of your choice and set on a baking sheet. Try not to use any flour during the rolling and cutting process. Sprinkle colored sugar on top before baking.
Step Six. If you like a thinner, melt in your mouth bite, roll them thinner and bake until they’re lightly toasted (start checking after ten minutes). If you prefer a cookie you can sink your teeth into, something more like a shortbread, roll them thicker-about a quarter inch- and bake until just lightly browned on the edges (start checking after thirteen minutes).
Some additional pointers:
• You will have the best cookie if you bake one sheet at a time, and it takes about the same amount of time to prepare the second sheet as it does to bake the first batch.
• Rinse and dry the cookie sheet to cool it down between every batch.
• You can keep the dough in the fridge up to one week if you wish.
• These cookies are at their best if stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
With my interest in Chinese culture and parenting piqued by Amy Chua’s “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” I have been reading up on the year of the Rabbit which will begin with the Chinese New Year on February 3, 2011. By most accounts this year should be a good one, despite the fact that my attempts at Chua’s style of parenting are likely to prove only semi-feline (i.e., I signed both kids up for music lessons and summer tutoring but will opt out of the three hour practice sessions).
According to About.com, the focus of year of the Rabbit is on quiet refinement, family, education and culture. The peace and harmony of the Rabbit will be a welcome change from the pain and tumult of 2010, the year of the Tiger. Even a novice like me can recognize that the year of the Rabbit sounds particularly auspicious. I certainly hope this proves to be the case for your family and for mine as well.
A final note for those of you who are intrigued by interesting and possibly non-credible information from online sources… You should be aware that cleaning your house in the days that follow the beginning of the Chinese New Year may result in unwitting removal of the good luck the Rabbit brings. The recommendation is to avoid cleaning for several days this week. Happy New Year indeed!
Cross-stitch Rabbit image courtesy of Google Images.
Happy New Year! I am finally writing again after a wonderfully busy holiday season. Sincere thanks to everyone who sent Rumson Gifts for Christmas and the New Year. In this tough economy, we are grateful to have posted our largest sales to date in December 2010. But that’s not all. We sent your gifts AND did a lot of listening. Our customers really enjoy our gourmet food baskets so we are developing several enticing new lines as we speak. We are also developing several “dinner in a basket” options. There is nothing more gracious than sending an easy meal to a friend, neighbor or colleague when the going gets tough.
Now for the really exciting news. We received so many requests for floral arrangements last year that we are pleased to announce the launch of our RG Blooms service for customers in the Atlanta-metro area this February. Floral design has been a hobby for a long time and I am thrilled to be able to offer this service. Our beautiful floral offerings may be sent alone or paired with our other gifts for a spectacular presentation. The flowers are incredibly fresh and last longer than any you will buy in a store. And like all of our gifts, our floral arrangements are completely customizable. Just tell us what you want and what you would like to spend and we will take care of the rest! More on this over the next few weeks…
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Finally, if you are anything like me you have been searching for ways to freshen things up and usher in the new for 2011. A friend recommended Lonny Mag this month and I really enjoyed it. This magazine has lots of inspiration for gifts, clothes and the home in an easy online format. Check it out!
http://www.lonnymag.com/issues/13-jan-feb-2011/pages/1#p1
All the best for 2011!
Catherine McGahan
Are you planning to send gifts to your customers or clients this holiday season? Check out this article from the New York Times blog for small businesses. I could not have said it better myself! Memorable corporate gifts reflect the unique tastes and interests of the recipient and include something with your logo that will remain in their office after the holidays are over. We make sending this type of gift easy. Contact us at rumsongifts@gmail.com today for more information.
http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/what-do-your-holiday-gifts-say-about-you/
Just as I was wondering what to do with the gigantic bag of gala apples my husband bought at the Georgia State Farmer’s Market, I came accross this recipe post by Clockwork Lemon. The entire blog is great (http://seddy5.typepad.com/blog/), the pictures are beautiful, and I guarantee it will make you hungry.
These flavors would make for an incredible brunch gift basket, wouldn’t they? Thanks for the inspiration!
Click on the link below to access Clockwork Lemon and the recipe:
http://seddy5.typepad.com/blog/2010/10/apple-pancake-cupcakes-with-maple-bacon-frosting.html#
“Just before the death of flowers,
And before they are buried in snow,
There comes a festival season
When nature is all aglow.”
I wish I knew who wrote this poem because it perfectly describes my mood this time of year. During autumn, life feels like a celebration because the simplest pleasures—from jogging to reading a book—can be fully enjoyed, as you are not hot, not cold, and decidedly not covered in pollen.
Everyone has something to celebrate. The football flags are up, the baseball fans are out, and there is no better time to enjoy a game of golf or watch a tournament on TV. When it comes to entertaining, the mood is pleasant rather than panicked as it will be in a few short weeks when the holidays are upon us.
At our house, October means we gather to celebrate our German heritage with Oktoberfest, much the same way we celebrate our Irish heritage in March. That is part of the beauty of being American— our varied backgrounds mean that many of us have a variety of cultural traditions to choose from. And, as you may have guessed, we are really just looking for an excuse to throw a great party and enjoy our wonderful friends and family.
We serve homemade Bavarian pretzels, strong German beer, bratwurst, kosher hot dogs, and an incredible cabbage dish my friend Marta taught me to make. Marta is Polish and so is her recipe, but I won’t tell the Oktoberfest police if you don’t!
Even people who do not like sauerkraut will love this dish. Rinsing the sauerkraut mellows its flavor, and the carrots and Vegeta seasoning lend the dish incredible flavor and color. If you are curious about Vegeta seasoning, read the following article:
http://www.examiner.com/ethnic-restaurants-in-chicago/vegeta-seasoning
Marta’s Delicious Cabbage
2.5 lbs sauerkraut (from a bag), rinsed and drained in a colander. Reserve the liquid.
1 lb carrots, peeled and shredded with a box grater
2 Tbs. vegetable oil, plus a few drizzles more
1 lb fully cooked Polska kielbasa
1 white onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups water
2 tsp. Vegeta seasoning mix. (Look for it at international food markets or on Amazon.)
Set a stockpot on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the sauerkraut, shredded carrots, and two cups of water.
Next, heat two Tbs. vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sautee the onion for about five minutes until golden, and add the kielbasa. Cook the sausage and onion for about five minutes more, just until the sausage is browned.
Add the sausage and onion to the sauerkraut and carrot mixture in the stock pot. Raise the heat to medium-high bringing the liquid to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Add the Vegeta seasoning and drizzle the cabbage mixture with a little more vegetable oil (1/2 to 1 tsp.). Add salt and pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes if you like a little spice. Cover the pot and let the cabbage cook for about 10-15 more minutes until it is tender.
At this point, you can serve it immediately, or let it cool down and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days. This is the kind of dish that gets better after it sits for a bit, so make it in advance if you can.
To make it a meal, grill some bratwurst and kosher hot dogs. Meanwhile, warm the cabbage over medium-low heat, adding just a little vegetable oil to moisten it. Serve the cabbage on a large platter with the sausages on top, quartered cucumbers, and sour pickles. We also serve boiled potatoes with salt, pepper, and butter, along with steamed carrots. Much like fall itself, this meal is simple and delicious.
I am always on the lookout for Spanish recipes and products available here in the United States. This post from organicauthority.com is so comprehensive, I had to share it. Let me know if you try her recipe for minted lamb meatballs!