FOREVER FESTIVE

abodes FOREVER FESTIVE

LET THIS YEAR’S CHRISTMAS MEMORIES GROW

BY FAITH LEWIS

Every year 120 million Christmas trees are cut down during the holiday season, with some 40 million of those finding their way into U.S. homes. This year, consider helping those trees find their way back out after the holidays.

There are a growing number of people who opt to buy a potted tree to plant after the holidays. Not only does this spruce up your garden, but it also means your tree can keep working hard to keep our air clean and provide a necessary habitat for birds and other critters. But what do you need to know before you get your forever tree?

Luckily, California winters are mild enough that conifers shouldn’t have any issues weathering the winter (another perk is that you don’t need to wait for spring to plant your tree after the holidays). However, you should double check how large the tree is expected to grow, what type of soil it needs to thrive, and if it prefers partial shade (like the shady side of a house) or full sun.

Once your living tree has made it home, leave it outside as long as possible. Having the tree inside the warm house for more than a week can cause it to break its winter dormancy, leading to damage when it’s moved back outside. If you keep it well watered and take care not to break any branches when decorating, your tree can be the gift that keeps giving year after year. YOUR DECEMBER GARDENING TO DO’S

Plant cyclamen and camellias for some late-season color

Check stored bulbs, corms, and tubers to ensure they’re not rotting or drying out

Fertilize winter-flowering shrubs (such as Vine Hill Manzanita)

Check for snails riding out the wet weather on your plants

Plant spring-blooming bulbs like tulips and hyacinth, as well as bare-root trees, shrubs, and roses

Cut back dormant grapevines. Bonus: these make great wreaths!

In the vegetable garden, plant artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, potatoes, and radishes

CHRISTMAS COMPOSTING

During the composting process, microorganisms break down organic material, leaving you with a nutrient-rich soil for gardening. In order to have a successful compost you will need to ensure microorganisms have plenty of air and water by mixing the compost every other day and keeping it moist (but not soaking wet). You can absolutely start a compost pile during the winter–and a surprising amount of holiday waste is compostable. Think of composting uncooked potato peels, carrot tops, and other fruit and veggie scraps from holiday meals, as well as plastic-free wrapping paper and greeting cards. If you haven’t opted to plant your tree this year, even that can be added to the mix (consider running it through a woodchipper so it breaks down faster).

To get your compost started, find a spot out of the wind and in the shade, both of which will keep it from drying out too quickly. Start with a layer of twigs to allow for better drainage. Top with leaves and then alternate between greens (nitrogen-rich materials like grass clippings, veggie and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, etc.) and browns (carbon-rich materials like dead leaves, straw, sawdust, newspaper, etc.). Be sure to include enough soil – this is where you’ll find those necessary microorganisms.

wine &dine

RESTAURANTS | WINE | DRINKS | SWEETS

Feliz Navidad

CELEBRATE MEXICO’S CHRISTMAS CULTURE WITH TRADITIONAL DISHES

BY FAITH LEWIS / D DAN HOOD

Everyone knows about tamales, but if you haven’t grown up around these traditions, many of the other popular Mexican Christmas dishes might be less familiar. Whether you’re looking to reconnect with your heritage or expand your cultural horizons this holiday season, you can’t go wrong with these dishes that make up the heart and soul of Christmas celebrations throughout Mexico.

Many are labors of love, taking hours to prepare with recipes that are passed down through generations. But even if you don’t have an abuela’s recipe, you can still perfect these authentic foods and add them to any holiday meal.

POZOLE

One of Mexico’s most-loved soups, pozole dates back to Aztec times and is now often at the heart of Christmas celebrations. The stew is typically made with pork and hominy, maize kernels that have undergone a special treatment to strip off the hulls and leaves the kernels plump and tender. Pozole can have a white, green, or red broth and is often garnished with cabbages, lime, cilantro, or radishes, making it both a flavorful and colorful addition to any festive feast.

CAPIROTADA

Even though this dish is often considered an Easter specialty, plenty of families pull out the recipe for Christmas as well. Sometimes called “Mexican bread pudding,” the recipe has evolved from a sweet and savory dish served in 15th century Spain. There are still plenty of variations, some embracing the savory roots of this dish and incorporating tomatoes and onions, but the most fundamental recipe will include cinnamon, piloncillo, raisins, bread, and cheese.

“Whether you’re looking to reconnect with your heritage or expand your cultural horizons this holiday season, you can’t go wrong with these dishes”

BOCALAO

Bocalao is actually not a dish in and of itself, but an ingredient that can be used as the base of many different holiday dishes. The popularity of this salted, dried cod (which is rehydrated before cooking) can be traced back to when the Catholic Church forbade eating meat on holy days. Fish became a popular standin and today bocalao is a versatile ingredient used in stew, or simply poached or baked.

ROMERITOS

This dish is made by boiling sprigs of romerito (a plant that resembles rosemary, but has a flavor closer to spinach), which is served in a mole sauce along with potatoes and shrimp.

CHAMPURRADO

Warm up with a traditional champurrado, a hot drink made with corn flour and Mexican chocolate. Popular with children and adults alike, champurrado predates Spanish presence in Middle America. All you’ll need to whip up your own batch is water (or milk), piloncillo (a type of unrefined, whole cane sugar), cinnamon sticks, Mexican chocolate, and masa harina (fine corn flour). While some southern states still serve pastry bunuelos that resemble a donut, the recipe has changed a lot since it was first introduced by the Spanish. Now, if you ask for a bunuelo, you’re likely to get a thin, fried fritter sprinkled with sugar and drizzled with a homemade guava syrup.

MARRANITOS

Put away the reindeer cookie cutters and find yourself a piggie instead. This pan dulce, or sweet bread, falls somewhere between a cake and a cookie and is flavored with molasses, honey, and cinnamon. Though the shape is a bit of a mystery, some say it appeared when pigs were first introduced to Central America by the Spanish.

PONCHE NAVIDEÑO

If you can’t get your hands on all the ingredients to make a traditional champurrado, this Mexican fruit punch is the way to go. Made by simmering fresh and dried fruits with hibiscus, sugar cane, cinnamon, and piloncillo, Ponche Navideño can be served with or without rum, based on your preference.