A Taste of Christmas Past
I must confess, Christmas isn’t particularly my favourite time of year. Just ask any of my siblings, and they will tell you without hesitation that I usually disappear somewhere around late December. However, that is not to say I don’t have my share of fond memories and family traditions.
I will never forget my first Christmas away from home. It was 1988, and I was in Cannes, France, working as an au pair. I specifically recall the strangeness of not being surrounded by the familiar, yet the thrill of a new experience was quite exciting! The dinner table was decked out with massive pots of foie gras and sliced brioche, smoked salmon blinis with crème frâiche, and flutes of bubbly to wash it all down. This was unexpectedly followed by platters of fresh seafood, a traditional French cheese course and, finally, a buche de Noel for dessert. I can honestly admit I wasn’t missing the turkey! Nevertheless, as unforgettable as the food was on that particular Christmas in the south of France, I have come to realize just how deep the connection is between celebratory food and memories. Foods and recipes can instantly transport you to a familiar place, stirring up memories you may not have even known you had, no matter where you are. Dare I say, it’s the ultimate in comfort food!
I’ve taken these food journeys quite a bit in my life – having often travelled over Christmas. But a memory I’d like to share, one that particularly sticks out for me, is of Christmas morning breakfast. The ritual always began with champagne and orange juice. (No doubt, if I called any of my siblings, they would attest that this tradition still lives on in each of their own homes. I know it does in mine!) Then, still decked out in our PJs, having nominated who won “worst bed-head,” we would dig into our stockings while awaiting the main attraction of the morning – the “cheese royale.” Affectionately also known as “cheese soufflé,” since it behaves very much like a soufflé, puffing up while cooking and falling as it cools. But I think it’s safe to say this is more of a “cheater’s” soufflé. As my mom wrote to me recently: “it’s wonderful because you make it the night before and cook it the following day — no need to fuss after a late night”. The ingredients are so simple that I am still surprised at its wow factor when it comes out of the oven. Bread, cheese, milk, eggs and butter. That’s it.
Over the years, I’ve tried to make it my own – it’s just in my nature to experiment – adding crispy pancetta, baby spinach or fresh herbs, to mention a few. I once substituted Gruyere for the Cheddar, which resulted in a cheese royale very reminiscent of a Swiss fondue! But in my heart of hearts, I’ve come to the realization that some recipes just shouldn’t change. So I don’t play around with this one anymore. It’s perfect the way it is – the way my mom still makes it to this day (although she doesn’t bother to butter the bread, but I still do!). More so, I am even more in tune with the deep connection between food and emotions – feelings that we may not even be conscious of.
Andrea Stewart
It’s not surprising that three of Andrea Stewart’s favourite foods are bread, butter and champagne, since her approach to all things culinary has always been pure and simple. This experienced, creative and enterprising chef and editor approaches cooking and eating with a solid appreciation for fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. Andrea’s journey with food began while living in France, working as an au pair for Grace Jones. While feeding the young offspring of the famous singer, she was tempted on a daily basis by the busy, colourful French food markets. Later on, she spent a summer at Ecole de Gastronomie Francaise Ritz-Escoffier and fell in love all over again with everything France had to offer. Upon returning to Canada, she was accepted at the acclaimed Stratford Chefs School and after completing her first year she headed to New York to further sharpen her skills, working alongside some of the finest (including Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto) and catering Martha Stewart’s executive meetings. Andrea returned to Toronto in 1996, and further immersed herself in her career, working at some of the city’s top food fixtures, including Mildred Pierce and Ace Bakery. She eventually took a side-step out of the kitchen and into the halls of magazine publishing, landing a position as Food Editor of Wish Magazine in 2004. While inspiring busy Canadian wonder-women to cook from scratch, she published her first cookbook, Wish, Market to Table. From street food to fine dining to unfamiliar grocery stores, food still motivates Andrea at every turn. She recently sold everything but a prized collection of cookbooks and moved to the U.K., where her culinary library spans the two floors of her London flat. She won’t rest until she has cooked from every one of them!