How Wine Enthusiast Survives the Holidays with a Little Help from Wine—and Sugar
How Wine Enthusiast Survives the Holidays
Hint: Wine helps—and so does sugar.
By The Editors of Wine Enthusiast
We asked the team here at Wine Enthusiast to share their sugar plum-tinted memories of holidays past. You could wait until the end of the meal to indulge in these sweet treats, but you probably won’t. You have days and days to dig in. How long has that panettone been sitting there? Are those cookies really for Santa? And when did he start preferring Madeira to milk?
“On Orthodox Christmas Eve, when dairy and other animal products are forbidden, my mom makes djul pita— basically baklava’s drier, meaner cousin. You choke it down because tradition says so, but it’s like eating soil. Every year we down drinks (most likely my mom’s mulled wine, but I’d prefer a bottle of the juicy Beaujolais my cousin makes at Domaine du Château du Grand Pré Fleurie Cuvée Spaciale) to survive it.” –Aleks Zecevic, Writer-at-Large, Alsace, Vin de France, Austria & Germany
“My grandfather’s peach cobbler was the heart of our holiday gatherings. The house smelled of warm peaches, and we couldn’t dig in until the dishes from dinner were cleaned and put away, but once we could, it was pure joy. Back then, we paired it with butter pecan ice cream—now, I’d enjoy it with a glass of Champagne.” –Chelsea Rush, Talent Acquisition Lead
“When I stayed with my mother-in-law in Cincinnati, Ohio, on holidays, we always had eggnog—laced with Kentucky Bourbon, of course. Only one brand of eggnog would do: United Dairy Farmers, a family-owned Cincinnati institution. One eggnog seemed enough, except on very special occasions.” –Roger Voss, Writer-at-Large, Portugal & France
My grandmother used to love to sneak us alcohol—not because she wanted us to develop taste or embrace our Italian heritage, but because she wanted to break the rules and piss off our parents. It still tastes better to me for that reason, that hint of illicit behavior.
Danielle Callegari, Writer-at-Large, Italy
“My sweetest memory from family holiday traditions was having La Florentine Torrone at the table. My brother and I always delighted in opening those little boxes with different Italian characters on them to get to the soft and chewy almond nougat candy.” –Laura Newman, Copy Director, Catalog
“My favorite treat around the holidays is Peanut Butter Hershey’s Kisses cookies. I have countless memories of arguing with my sister about who got the honor of baking them, who made them best, and who got to deliver them to our friends before the holidays. They were everyone’s favorite and never lasted past December 24. –Molly Tuohy, Junior Designer, Client Success
“POV: You arrive home in Staten Island for the holidays and it’s sweet-treat o’clock. Your first stop? The local Italian bakery for a box of rainbow cookies before they sell out. It’s just a matter of priorities.” –Samantha Sette, Senior Producer, Web
“My inner Norwegian comes out around the holidays, when I make seven Norwegian cookies (syv slag) to give to friends and neighbors. But instead of aquavit or gløgg, my drink of choice is cozy Uruguayan Tannat, with all my favorite flavors of Norwegian Christmas: cardamom, star anise, black currant and smoked meat.” –Nils Bernstein, Contributing Editor, Food
“My favorite holiday dessert is Sans Rival—a classic Filipino treat with layer upon layer of delicate meringue and plenty of rich French buttercream, garnished with crushed pistachios or cashews for nuttiness and extra texture. The wait for this to thaw from its frozen wafer-butter block state to the perfect crunchy-chewy texture is pure agony. Pair it with Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, which brings decadent toasty caramel flavors and the ultra fancy-schmancy holiday touch. Follow that next sip with another bite and maybe a Lipitor. (I did mention the generous slather of buttercream, right?)” –Anna-Christina Cabrales, Tasting Director
“Growing up in Colombia, any holiday party meant loud music, people dancing anywhere that could pass for a dance floor, drinking hard liquor named Aguardiente made out of anis and sugarcane (it literally means “firewater”) and eating natilla con buñuelos. Natilla is a firm, sweet custard made from whole milk, cane sugar and cinnamon, and buñuelos are round, deep-fried cheese fritters that are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. It’s a beautiful combination of sweet and salty.” –Monica Simon, Art Director
PRO TIP: Eat a bite of cold natilla and then a bite of savory buñuelo together. They will taste different if you eat them separately.
“My mom always says that See’s Candies is the real San Francisco treat, and that’s especially true on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter when you get a giant chocolate turkey, Santa or Easter Bunny, respectively. Reliably, our neighbor (slash adopted grandmother) would always bring two—one for me and one for my brother—to the family gathering.” –Stacy Briscoe, Managing Editor, Print
PRO TIP: These things are huge. But hollow. Crack them up to add as the chocolate chips to any cookie recipe and make the holidays last even longer.
“A very common treat all year long in many California households, See’s Candies was ubiquitous at my family’s Christmas gatherings in San Jose. You couldn’t quite tell which chocolate was which, so we’d jostle to identify and then snag our favorites, only to frequently find that many of the bottoms were already picked out. That was my mom, using her nails to weed out anything with cherry, coconut or rum. She only wanted candies with caramel or nuts, and she still does it today.” —Matt Kettmann, Writer-at-Large, Central & Southern California
“My grandmother, aunt, sister, my three girls and I always make struffoli, Italian honey balls, from scratch. Every December we gather in the kitchen, each of us assigned a specific task—making the dough to the perfect consistency, younger kids rolling it out, teens cutting it into little pieces and grandparents graduating to frying, a task reserved only for those who’ve mastered the earlier steps. As the familiar aroma fills the house, we enjoy the lovely puffs of golden fried struffoli drizzled with honey and colorful sprinkles with a rich espresso.” –Denise Valenza, Director of Strategy and Sales, Tasting & Travel
“Christmas dinner in my family always concluded with the grandkids huddled around a heaping platter of holiday cookies made by my Italian-American grandmother, scrambling to secure the most prized cookie of them all: the peanut butter balls. Back then we’d wash them down with a glass of cold milk. Grandma, now 92, still makes her cookies but it’s my kids who now jostle for them. If I’m lucky enough to find a stray ball left, I savor its sweetness with the dregs of whatever wine is left in my glass. Hopefully, it’s a splash of an Aussie fortified wine—Seppeltsfield Para Grand Tawny or Chambers Rare Muscat.” –Christina Pickard, Writer-at-Large, Australia, New Zealand & New York
“Grasshopper pie was one of my favorite holiday treats. If you want it done quickly, just enlist the most ‘holiday-stressed’ person to smash the Oreos in a bag with a metal spoon. The more frustrated they are, the better the pie crust will be.” –Brooke Barber, Graphic Designer
“A large scoop of green pistachio gelato with a drizzle of rich créme de menthe. Add some cookies with red frosting and you have all the colors of Christmas.” –Adam Strum, Chairman and CEO
“When I was a kid, for years my cousin Helen brought the most amazing chocolate brownies to family gatherings. Perfectly fudgy, chocolate frosting, sometimes with walnuts, always down to the last crumb by the end of the night. Just saw her last week, and reminisced about how good those brownies were. She leaned over and whispered: ‘It’s Duncan Hines!’ Pair it with a Tawny Port, and hide the box.” –Kara Newman, Writer-at-Large, Spirits
“I loathed vanilla wafers when I was young because they were too sweet for me. However, the pinnacle of a family gathering was the vanilla pudding pie my aunt would bring. Pudding oozed between layers of vanilla wafers, bananas and whipped cream, atop a house-made graham cracker crust. Every holiday was like meeting the vanilla wafer for the first time. Pair it with Rare Wine Company Boston Bual Madeira, to accentuate the vanilla and nutty aspect of the wafers when they are submerged and integrated into the pudding.” –Cheron Cowan, Writer-at-Large, Virginia
I couldn’t stop yammering when I saw my first gingerbread house. I was six years old. Perhaps out of desperation to keep me occupied, the babysitter who looked after me while my parents worked asked me to write a story about the house. My first commissioned piece featured Archie and Jughead building the house with Moose’s gingerbread. To this day, I smell that sweet gingerbread when writing.
Michael Alberty, Writer-at-Large, Oregon, Washington & Canada
“My father would go to South 9th Street in Philly near where he grew up and deliver to us suburbanites a tower of pignolis, leaf, rainbow and cavallucci cookies, ricotta cannolis, plus a few boxes of Ferrara branded Torrones candies. My mom taught me how to make proper pizzelles with the iron. And on Christmas Day, I’d stuff myself knowing it would be a year before I could indulge again. I continue the tradition with my own family, firing up the pizzelle iron and dragging my husband from our home in Westchester to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx the day before to bring home all the beloved treats (get thee to Madonia Bakery). Of course, I turn a blind eye when my kids fill up on sweets after opening their gifts, leaving little room for a proper meal.” –Dara Kapoor, Vice President of Content
“Jammy may not be a word all people love when it comes to wine, but with desserts, it’s a different story. Fried desserts are traditional during Hanukkah, and there is something very special about eating sufganiyot (Israeli donuts) in a warm house filled with family. Pair with a Malbec—the dark berry flavors will complement the dessert nicely.” –Sherrill Flaum, Advertising Director
“No holiday is complete without my mother’s must-have strawberry cheesecake. It is a unique blend of New York and Italian styles, and she swears by her secret ingredient: love. No matter how full we all are at the end of our feasts, there is always room for cheesecake.” –Michelle Shkreli, Product Manager, Catalog
“My grandfather’s favorite sweet was babà Napoletano, or Neapolitan rum cake, basically like eating a slightly citrus mushroom-shaped buttery sponge soaked in rum and rolled in sugar. He always made sure to get enough that we’d each have our own. If you are not seven years old (and maybe don’t give this to kids at all), pair it with Pineau des Charentes or another bright brandy that would elevate the citrus and complement the richness.” –John Capone, Executive Editor
The family recipe, handed down for generations, is simply called ‘whisky cake.’ A vanilla and pudding cake is poured into a ringed tree-shaped mold (also passed down the generations). After baking and while it sets, a cup of whisky is poured over the bottom allowing it to soak into the cake. A glaze of confectioner’s sugar and more whisky is poured over the finished cake, giving the appearance of an ice-glazed forest. Two slice maximum. –John Holl, Beer Writer
“Any family event of significance was never complete without my grandmother’s pound cake. A seemingly humble treat that by the powers of (possibly more than) a pound of butter, sugar and love, she was able to bewitch the family with. Combined with some good ol’ Cool Whip and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, we were all guaranteed to pass out on the car ride home (after crashing from the sugar high).” –Tom Arena, Photo Producer
PRO TIP: Snag the middle pieces where the pound cake cracks at the top.
“Panettone has been on our table every single Christmas. Throughout the years we tasted different brands and different flavors. Here’s my favorite: Loison Veneziana al Mandarino Di Ciaculli. We always pair it with a Passito di Pantelleria. The more I think about it, the more I realize that Christmas is not Christmas without a panettone.” –Sara Maule, Advertising Consultant (who lives in Milan, Italy)
“Panettone is… not for everyone. But if your family is of Italian descent you’re probably going to end up with one on your counter around the holidays. But don’t despair—my wife, Allison, unlocked the secret to making panettone palatable: Turn it into bread pudding. You could easily adapt this to make French Toast if you like.” –Tom Capo, Writer-at-Large, Sonoma, California
Recipe
How to Make Panettone Edible
Courtesy of Tom’s wife Allison
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup mixed white and brown sugar
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix eggs, cream, milk, sugar and vanilla together to create a simple custard (you can add additional flavors here if desired; citrus zest is a winner).
Add panettone cubes to a buttered 9×13-inch casserole dish and cover with the custard (you may have extra); sure to mix gently so all the bread cubes have some custardy goodness. Rest the bread pudding for 30–45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the center has set, and the custard is cooked through. Serve with cinnamon ice cream, or if this is breakfast, butter and maple syrup. We won’t tell anyone you are pretty much having dessert for breakfast.
Bottles to Bring
Marsala
–Danielle Callegari
- Cantine Florio 2015 Marsala Superiore Riserva Semisecco (Marsala)
- Marco de Bartoli 1988 Marsala Superiore Oro Riserva (Marsala)
- Curatolo Arini 2012 Marsala Superiore Riserva (Marsala)
- Francesco Intorcia Heritage 1980 Marsala Riserva Vergine (Marsala)
- Cantine Pellegrino 2012 Miss Honor Marsala Superiore Ambra Dolce (Marsala)
Muscat
–Jeff Porter
- Azienda Agricola 2020 499 “Enigma” Moscato Bianco (Piedmont)
- Albert Boxler “Réserve” Muscat 2022 (Alsace)
- Seppeltsfield Solero DP 63 Grand Muscat (Rutherglen)
- Donnafugata “Ben Ryé” 2020 Passito di Pantelleria (Sicily)
- Lustau “Emilín” Moscatel JerezManzanilla (Sherry)
Sherry
–Reggie Solomon
- Valdespino, Single-Vineyard Fino Sherry (Andalucia)
- Fernando de Castilla, Antique Amontillado Sherry (Andalucia)
- Lustau, Don Nuño Oloroso Sherry (Andalucia)
- Bodegas Tradicion, VORS 30 Years Old Palo Cortado Sherry (Andalucia)
- Valdespino, Moscatel Promesa Sherry, (Andalucia)
Madeira
–Roger Voss
- Cossart Gordon 1988 Bual (Madeira)
- Blandy’s 2011 Colheita Malmsey (Madeira)
- Blandy’s 2011 Colheita Sercial (Madeira)
- Blandy’s 1987 Terrantez (Madeira)
In the Shop
Flex Your Collection
Transform your home into a wine lover’s paradise with a custom wine cellar. From design to functionality, Wine Enthusiast can create the perfect storage solution.
The post How Wine Enthusiast Survives the Holidays with a Little Help from Wine—and Sugar appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.
