I'm Dreaming of a Vegetarian Christmas

My parents have finally come to terms with the fact that I am a vegetarian. They have also come to accept that I can cook a delicious meal without setting off the fire alarm.

So when I proposed cooking Christmas dinner this year, they did not discourage me from setting foot in the kitchen. Instead my mom asked what ingredients she should buy, and happily set out to buy every non-meat product from the grocery store.

I started out with Isa Chandra's recipe for roasted potato fennel soup. Easy: potatoes, fennel, and onion roasted for an hour, then blended with veggie broth and soy milk.

Second was Bon Appetit's ginger-miso glazed eggplant, baked and broiled to perfection. My dad, who doesn't care much for miso, inhaled the two slices set aside for him.

And the main dish: a recipe from Saveur's November issue. Vegetable autumn patties made from grated sweet potato, mashed Cannellini beans, spinach, dipped in bread crumbs and sauteéd. Adding a small layer of sour cream to the patties, my parents declared themselves full and satisfied after eating the three-course meal. My mom mentioned that vegetarian meals usually left her hungry, but the dishes I chose filled her up. Although I nudged her a bit after her comment, she still seemed set on being omnivorous. Oh well.

K is for Kruidnoten

Around this time last year, I was shoveling kruidnoten in my face while stirring a pot of fresh gluhwein. This time around I'm doing the same, except I'm making my own kruidnoten rather than running to Albert Heijn for a bag full of factory-made Dutch cookies.


I almost miss the cold that seared through my seven layers of tee shirts and two pea coats. Kidding, I was only wearing five layers and one pea coat. And leggings, pants, two pairs of socks, boots, gloves, a thick scarf, and a beanie.

December in California is pathetic compared to what I survived last year. It doesn't feel like winter, especially without the snowflakes decorating my iMac's dashboard weather report.