Christmas traditions?
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Neither. I use these 
Actually, I really like my wife’s uncle Mike’s Chile. It is super flavorful but last couple years he’s been growing fresh green Chile vs taking the time to mature & dry red pods. I can’t begrudge the guy though as he’s 82 this year lol. But my build is simple:
toasted pods, garlic cloves, yellow onion, salt, sugar, brown chicken or pork stock & thickened with a nutty deep blonde roux. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer & cook until everything is soft. Whirl it up in a blender, pass through a chinois, & thicken with roux.
Anyways, the pic above is what my sauce started out as Friday afternoon.
Actually, I really like my wife’s uncle Mike’s Chile. It is super flavorful but last couple years he’s been growing fresh green Chile vs taking the time to mature & dry red pods. I can’t begrudge the guy though as he’s 82 this year lol. But my build is simple:
toasted pods, garlic cloves, yellow onion, salt, sugar, brown chicken or pork stock & thickened with a nutty deep blonde roux. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer & cook until everything is soft. Whirl it up in a blender, pass through a chinois, & thicken with roux.
Anyways, the pic above is what my sauce started out as Friday afternoon.
How about going from Med to X Hot? 
I am sure Med is enough, right? 
Sometimes when I make the food very spicy, I add something to balance it out, so it tastes like a kick punch rather than burning the tongue off. 
I am sure Med is enough, right? Sometimes when I make the food very spicy, I add something to balance it out, so it tastes like a kick punch rather than burning the tongue off.
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I am not a crazy hot chile guy nor is my wife. Now her folks and family on the other hand eat absolute fire. I do like a tingle and agree that you need to get the capsaicin to really experience the flavor of the Chile but don’t understand the penchant to destroy one’s pallet with atomic, face melting, chile consumption.
I like Medium-medium hot but my wife likes mild (lol) so I end up getting mild chilies so she can eat them.
I like Medium-medium hot but my wife likes mild (lol) so I end up getting mild chilies so she can eat them.
Nibbles. Bowls upon bowls of nibbles.
Back when my mum was still alive, Christmas involved not just the tree and decorations, it was important that all visitors and guests have the ability to munch. On seemingly everything. There were typically: Pretzel Sticks, Cashew Nuts, Dry Roasted Peanuts, Salted Peanuts, Seasonal nut bowl (walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, brazil nuts), enough clementines to stock an 18th century british naval vessel, chocolate coins, chocolate balls, chocolate truffles (handmade), melting moments, christmas cake and finally, mince pies. All on the sideboards. Every surface, every inch, COVERED WITH FOOD.
Back when my mum was still alive, Christmas involved not just the tree and decorations, it was important that all visitors and guests have the ability to munch. On seemingly everything. There were typically: Pretzel Sticks, Cashew Nuts, Dry Roasted Peanuts, Salted Peanuts, Seasonal nut bowl (walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, brazil nuts), enough clementines to stock an 18th century british naval vessel, chocolate coins, chocolate balls, chocolate truffles (handmade), melting moments, christmas cake and finally, mince pies. All on the sideboards. Every surface, every inch, COVERED WITH FOOD.
That sounds delicious and inviting. I’m sure visitors were happy to visit and this made memories that will last a lifetime
I did the same and thought back to when I was a kittle kid and the traditions of my family. They were of German immigrants so we always had pfeffernusse, various forms of Lebkuchen, ( my favorite was a chocolate dipped, soft orange/honey ginger bread cookie) and sometimes stollen for breakfast Christmas morning. Yum I Hold dear, the memories of my grandma and grandpa's Schaefer/Kinazel people. Most died when I was pretty young, but getting prodded by my great grandpa Schaefer with his cane while he smoked his pipe in his rocking chair - that will never leave me. Memories like that and obviously the immigrant food surrounding that.
To this day I love a fat slice of Stollen with a glass of warm whole milk ... well nowadays it would most likely be with coffee but the 8 y/o me would be washing that stollen down with buttery, warm whole milk.
I did the same and thought back to when I was a kittle kid and the traditions of my family. They were of German immigrants so we always had pfeffernusse, various forms of Lebkuchen, ( my favorite was a chocolate dipped, soft orange/honey ginger bread cookie) and sometimes stollen for breakfast Christmas morning. Yum
I Hold dear, the memories of my grandma and grandpa's Schaefer/Kinazel people. Most died when I was pretty young, but getting prodded by my great grandpa Schaefer with his cane while he smoked his pipe in his rocking chair - that will never leave me. Memories like that and obviously the immigrant food surrounding that.To this day I love a fat slice of Stollen with a glass of warm whole milk ... well nowadays it would most likely be with coffee but the 8 y/o me would be washing that stollen down with buttery, warm whole milk.
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