A Season of Delicacies

Thinking of celebrating Christmas Day in outback Australia brings back richly festive memories for me. Down under, Christmas ushers in the beginning of summer school holidays, and life begins to take on a relaxed pace. It’s the time of year when everyone comes home to their nuclear family, leaving the worry and pace of a busier life behind.

In my family, Christmas day traditionally starts on the verandah with a luscious tropical fruit salad for breakfast, followed by a dip in the river and French champagne on the rocks (as in river rocks, not ice). The river is a short wander through the forest from my mother’s house and was central to enjoying summer my whole childhood.

Cool, refreshed and slightly tipsy, we make our way up to the kitchen to begin preparing food for Christmas lunch. Around two o’clock, a gaggle of friends and neighbours gathers on my mother’s large verandah. Everyone brings their specialty dish to share; there are rich walnut balls baked in béchamel sauce, homemade pierogies and dolmades, platters of roasted seasonal vegetables, and salads containing just-picked tender lettuces and sorrel from the garden.

The day is usually hot, and the distinct summer sounds of cicadas are a constant in the background. Getting everyone together is always exciting, and most feel the urge to dress for the occasion. The long lunch is usually followed by another swim before lingering over blackberry pie with whipped cream, panforte and espresso.

Today, when getting into the holiday spirit, what inspires me is my mother’s homemade gift of food. Over the years, her gifts have changed, according to what she had abundantly on hand. The years she kept bees, it was gallon jars of honey, and my sister and I would make candles from the beeswax and decorate them with holly. Other years, it was kalamata olives marinated in olive oil and herbs from the garden. Another, which we loved to help make, was clove-covered oranges with a ribbon threaded through, that you could hang in your closet to freshen your clothes and keep moths away.

To this day, she still makes panforte, a rich, dense Italian Christmas cake made from dried fruit, melted chocolate, hazelnuts and honey. These are wrapped in coloured cellophane and tied with ribbons.

I have distinct memories of the years she made marinated feta because our kitchen shelves were heavy with large jars of cubed feta, whole chilies, garlic, rosemary, cloves, peppercorns and grassy olive oil. When I was alone in the kitchen, I would climb up on the dresser and sneak a few cubes of the rich, salty and creamy feta.

I love homemade food gifts, especially the ones that last and can be enjoyed well into the New Year.

Marinated Goat Feta Recipe