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On day seven of this Holiday Countdown we shared the Sbriciolona from Macelleria Tozzetti as a fantastic alternative to steak gifts. However, we recognize that while the Sbriciolona is a delicious meat based product, it is ill suited for the vegans and vegetarians on your holiday gift list. Don't fret, we've got you covered! One of our team members shared that, for as long as she can remember, her uncle has sent crates of gorgeous fragrant pomelos (aka pummelos) to her father for Christmas. She recalled the experience of eating fresh sparkling citrus amidst the local produce dominated by winter tubers and squashes stored from the autumn. We love the idea of gifting fresh fruit so we compiled a list of our favorite shippable produce! Given the story we just shared, it feels only appropriate to begin with pomelos. These large 'grandparents of the grapefruit' are bursting with juicy pulp that's absolutely addictive. We find the flavour of pomelos to be sweeter and more mild than grapefruits, lacking the sharp bitterness and the slightly challenging acerbity. Pomelos are the largest citrus fruit but their substantial pith occupies much of the interior. They are typically a dazzling citron color— somewhere between a d'anjou pear and a golden delicious apple—so they'll add a beautiful radiance to any kitchen counter or dining room table. Pomelos are versatile ingredients but we love to eat them just on their own! California grown pomelos are available to ship from Pearson Ranch here. Next on our list we have the Six Date Variety Pack from California's seventeen acre Shields Date Garden. We just adore dates, and we can attest that this variety pack is brilliant. A sectioned container features 2.5 pounds of Halawi, Blondes, Deglet Noor, Abbada, Zahidi Dates, and Black Beauty in triangular rays of sweet sticky deliciousness. Some varieties have deep caramel flavor, others boast nutty or spicy notes, but each date variety is incredibly tasty and idyllically succulent (no dry, jerky-like dates here!). Dates are truly nature's candy and we firmly believe they should replace the boxes of assorted chocolates we too often gift one another! Find the Six Date Variety Pack here. Another amazing fruit gift is a variety or mystery box from Miami Fruit—as we are based in Miami, we'd be remiss to not include this epic fruit-sharing company! Sopadillas, sapotes, and soursops are all in season and their mouthwatering tropical flavors will be paradisiacal treat for those spending the holidays further north. For many these fruits will be unfamiliar, making a box of these fruits the ideal gift; not only are you gifting sweet succulent fruit but you are also sharing an adventurous experience where your recipients can indulge in newness. We close with another phenomenal citrus fruit, the calamansi lime (or calamondins), a small round fruit from the Philippines. Although you can enjoy a calamansi on its own (you can even eat the peel!), unlike the pomelo, they are remarkably tart. They look like a mix of kumquats and mandarin oranges with luminous orange or green coloured peels that thinly surround the juicy segmented interior. The flavour lies between a sour orange and a sweet lime, a taste that one of our coworkers immediately, and aptly, identified as that of the discontinued Tangerine Sours Altoids. Calamansi limes can transform your cooking; the unique notes of unidentifiable but subtly sweet citrus offer a dizzying amount of beaming acidic goodness to any dish. For the avid cooks in your life and those who enjoy exploring new culinary treasures, consider gifting calamansi limes! USA grown calamansi limes can be found at LA's Melissa's Produce here. Fruits are delicious, beautiful, and often unexpected gifts during the holidays. After feasting on hearty winter dishes, your loved ones will cherish the lifting sweetness of fruit!

This recipe by Aube Giroux of Kitchen Vignettes is one of the most stunning in our culinary arsenals and it comes from the magnificent Tunisian island of Djerba. Vibrant herbal greens add brightness alongside tomatoes and hot peppers, lightening the starches of basmati rice, potatoes, and chickpeas. Aromatic coriander and caraway seeds offer a subtle hint of citrus while paprika and turmeric provide a balancing earthiness and outstanding colour. The preparation for this dish is remarkably simply: the ingredients are chopped, combined in a large bowl, then steamed, making this the ideal recipe to prepare over the holidays when we don't have the time or cookware to accommodate complex recipes! We also learned we could save the remaining liquid from the steaming—which gets infused with the phenomenal flavors of the riz djerbien—as a vegetable stock an it has transformed our other holiday dishes! Written by Aube Giroux of Kitchen Vignettes I will never forget the first time I ate this dish. I was visiting my dear friend Synda in Tunisia, and her downstairs neighbour who is from the island of Djerba had offered to make us a big bowl of this rice, prepared in the authentic Djerbian way. We had barely eaten anything that day in anticipation of this meal, so by the time Khalti Baya called us downstairs, we were two very, very hungry girls. We sat in her tiny dark living room and she ceremoniously emerged from her kitchen with the largest bowl I'd ever seen, filled with a deep red rice flecked with dark green. The steamy fragrance emanating from the magical rice was out of this world. We each grabbed a spoon and dove in, eating straight out of the same bowl in traditional Tunisian style. Well. Our mouths began to burn, our cheeks turned bright red, and we broke into a sweat. But we couldn't slow our voracious feasting down because it was one of the most delicious things we had ever tasted in our lives. So we just kept eating and eating, moaning and panting through the pain and laughing with pleasure, sweat pouring down our faces, mouths on fire. My whole head felt like the lid on a boiling kettle of water, whistling and ready to pop right off. The memory is seared into my brain forever as an oddly wonderful blend of agony and delight. I guess that's why people like spicy food so much, it gives you such a strange pleasure high. It's a challenge to exactly recreate the magic of Khalti Baya's "Rouz Djerbi" or "Riz Djerbien" as it's called in Tunisia, but Synda's version is equally delicious, though a bit less spicy, especially when she makes it for a western audience :-) But you can adapt this recipe to the level of heat you like, adding more hot peppers or cayenne if you wish. And of course, if you can get your hands on some real Tunisian harissa, throw in a couple tablespoonfuls as well! One thing I love about this recipe is how you simply mix all the ingredients in one giant bowl. Then steam the whole thing for an hour. So aside from the rinsing and chopping of vegetables, it's really fairly quick and easy to prepare. Be sure to use a long grain white rice such as basmati, and not the short sweet brown rice you see in the above video, I made the mistake of thinking I could use another kind of rice than what is used in Tunisia and it was too heavy and sticky in the final dish. This dish is quite nourishing served on its own but it also makes a wonderful accompaniment served with grilled meat. In Tunisia, chopped meat is sometimes added directly to the rice mixture before the steaming stage. Feel free to add about 500 grams of either chopped lamb, chicken, or beef if you prefer a meaty version. Simply cube the raw meat into bite-size pieces and add it to the mixture before steaming(1) You can sub other greens in lieu of the spinach, but try to use spinach if you can, it will yield the best results. The gorgeous spinach you see in the video is from the one and only Hatchet Cove Farm in Maine. A large leaf, freshly harvested local organic spinach is recommended, if available. As they say in Tunisia, shehia taeeba (bon appétit)! Yield: 6-8 servings Ingredients 2 cups organic white basmati rice 1/3 cup olive oil 3 Tbsp tomato paste 1 pound (2 bunches) fresh organic spinach, chopped 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley (2 to 3 cups, chopped) 2 medium sweet white onions (about 2 cups chopped) 1 medium head of garlic, chopped finely (about 1/4 cup chopped) 2 medium potatoes, cubed 1 medium tomato, chopped 3 large carrots, chopped 1 cup cooked chickpeas 1 1/2 Tbsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground caraway 1 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika 1 small dried hot red pepper (or 1 tsp hot pepper flakes) 1 tsp turmeric 2 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper Directions Rinse the rice well. Drain the water out and place the rice in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and tomato paste and mix well. Now add the chopped spinach, chopped parsley, chopped onion, chopped garlic, cubed potatoes, chopped tomato, chopped carrots, chick peas, and all the spices to the rice. Mix everything together very well. Pour this mixture into the top part of a large deep steamer and place on top of approximately 1 inch of boiling water. Make sure the top of the water isn't touching the bottom of the steamer. Cover the steamer with a lid and allow the whole thing to steam on medium heat for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, check the water level in the bottom pot and add more water if necessary. Carefully spoon out the steaming rice into a large bowl and gently mix it with a large wooden spoon. This will allow the rice to finish steaming more evenly. Return the rice mixture to the steamer and continue steaming with the lid on for 30 more minutes or until the rice is cooked to perfection. Serve warm and enjoy!

Tablecloths and runners set the tone of a meal. Whether they are show-stealing statement pieces or solid backdrops that let your dishes shine, table coverings are impactful and beautiful additions to your dining room. We also believe they make incredible gifts, especially when you venture outside the world of traditional table linens and get creative with your textile choices! We start with one of our favorite, nontraditional tablecloths: the Tesfu Throw by Raven + Lily. Based in Austin Texas, Raven + Lily works with masterful Ethiopian artisans to create this magnificent textile, made using traditional weaving techniques and hand-dyed thread. Although this blanket is intended to keep you cozy, its striking dark tones and graphic stripes make it a stunning backdrop to your holiday meals. A dark table makes a meal feel luxurious and decadent and this throw, with its almost silken texture and spindly fringe, is the best expression of elegant darkness that we've found. We favor longevity over fleeting trends. Each piece has a purpose and lasting appeal. We want you to feel comfortable, capable, and at ease with Raven + Lily (1) We also adore this cross stitched table runner by Anchal. The simplicity of sparkling gold thread sewed in small irregular X's against the quieted tomato colour of the organic cotton fabric is pure magic. The table runner looks almost quilted, inspiring a feeling of homy nostalgia. Plus, it's wide enough to add gravitas to any table without becoming a distraction. Made by an artisan in Ajmer, India, [the cross stitched table runner] is Fair Trade Verified and features a hand-stitched signature of the maker (2) The Universal Blanket from Japanese brand Puebco makes a rustic and masculine table topper that is perfect for the holiday season. Too often we hear from men that tablecloths are 'feminine' and this blanket instantaneously challenges that misconception. Red and green stripes form a tradition plaid accent on a woven heather navy base made from 100% recycled fabric. The blanket is heavy and the conspicuous texture of the dark threads provides fantastic contrast to smooth glossy china plates and the cool fragility of glassware. It's an unexpected and warming tablecloth that will help transform your table into a welcoming homestyle stage. Also from Puebco is the Navy Blue Tent Mat. We don't usually feature brands multiple times on a single list, but we are such huge fans of Puebco's products that we really couldn't decide which of their nontraditional table coverings we should share! Back to the Tent Mat, it's insanely epic. This bold saturated navy cloth is made of waxed cotton so, not only does it provide a burst of phenomenal color to your table, it also makes cleanup a breeze (even at the kids' table!). The industrialism of silver grommets at the corners, the seemingly permanent wrinkling, and the touchable waxed finish make this mat undeniably cool and one of our favorite tablecloths. While the Tent Mat offers a magnificently solid backdrop, the Grey Peace Hands Woven Throw, by ELLE Decor International Design Award winning Safomasi, is a playful contemporary statement piece. This graphic throw is not for the faint of heart tablescape designer, but that's what makes it so exceptional. With hundreds of illustrative hands gesturing 'peace' scattered across the jacquard woven, 100% cotton throw, there is a demanding amount of visual texture. This presents an opportunity to use minimalistic dinnerware and let the throw turned tablecloth set a fun dramatic tone to your meal. We love that it's double-sided so we have the option of a white or black base to the hands. As most winter holidays aim to spread love and peace, this throw feels only too appropriate! Next we want to share this outstanding Autumn Jensen Blanket from the Serbian brand Niti by Ljubica Milutinović. Inspired by the autumn colors of Botunja, the blanket features a series of herringboned earth tone stripes that are strung on a pair of bands in inky navy and hunter green. The result is a contemporary interpretation of a plaid that's just fantastic. Two lines of plush knotted tassels on the ends of the blanket add a whisper of playfulness that complements the mature colour palette effortlessly. Made from 100% locally sourced Serbian wool, the textile is addictively soft—so much so that you may have a hard time keeping your arms off the table! The warmth of the earthtoned colours and the visual texture of the herringbone makes this blanket an adventurous but sophisticated table covering that makes the perfect gift. Weaving is not only a craft but a source of family income as well. Therefore, this project aims to encourage the employment of vulnerable groups (women, elderly, unemployed), preserve traditional craft and stimulate local economies, while also creating a contemporary Serbian brand. More than simply providing new business opportunities, NITI project offers a stronger regional identification and gives ordinary citizens a reason to take pride in the country from which they come (3) In France we find arguably our favorite table linen brand, Le Jacquard Français. For over 130 years, Le Jacquard Français has designed and manufactured truly exceptional textiles in their Vosges factory. Subtle variations of colour and texture reveal breathtakingly sophisticated patterns. Ranging from silken silvers to saturated saffrons, the colours of the table linens are thoughtful and never garish so you can confidently purchase linens in bold shades knowing their elegance will never be compromised. We first discovered Le Jacquard Français one summer after we took the Eurostar to Paris to pick up some skincare from Citypharma. Needless to say, we went back to London with a suitcase full of table linens and almost nothing for out skin! We own several tablecloths from Le Jacquard Français and each one is an artistically composed masterpiece of design that immediately makes our meals feel regal. This season's Sommets Enneigés tablecloth in the colour 'Snow' features a glistening winter scene—complete with pine trees, falling snow, a small cityscape with a télécabine, and reindeer—and a celebratory gold border that's absolutely enchanting and the ideal gift for anyone this holiday season! Warm and generous, our collections are rich in colour, joyful and shimmering. They are an invitation to travel, to tell a story, evoke a memory, express a desire, and they help create the soul and spirit of your home (4) We now move south to Australia where we find Casa Loom's Acapulco Rug. Before you scoff at the idea of putting a rug on your table, we assure you this rug is much more in line with traditional soft woven blankets than it is an area rug. The rug is surprisingly one of our favorite tablecloths. The warm amber and terracotta colors accented by rich chocolate and vibrant white geometric design create a textile that is simply outstanding. We love how this rug transforms a dining table into a bohemian picnic and invites some much needed brightness into the wintriness of the holiday season. Plus, you can rest a bit easier knowing the rugs are made of recycled polyester and cotton and shipped to you "using a 100% carbon-neutral courier in a biodegradable compostable grade satchel"(5). If we didn't manage to convince you to cover your table in a rug, this Abstract Coastal Twig and Mudcloth Table Runner sold by Swahili African Modern may be up your alley. Made in Mali by "a collaboration of 195 artisans that [sell] products through a boutique in Bamako and through international exports", the table runner is "created by weaving dried twigs through through hand-dyed mudcloth fabric" (6). We love the juxtaposition of the fluid abstracted pattern of the canvas with the inflexible linearity of the twigs. Shades of blue and green are a stunning reflection of coastal scenes and offer dynamic energy to the center of our table. While the preceding table-coverings drape over the surface of the tables, this table runner is notably rigid and offers a strong backdrop to our meals that doesn't waver as plates are passed and wine is poured. For another African table covering we travel to South Africa. Nkosikazi fabrics recently made this beautiful cotton textile available. While it's offered as a few unfinished yards of fabric, we think it would make a magnificent holiday tablecloth gift. The starburst pattern feels delightfully festive and the rich charcoal background color is a serene and grounding complement to the vibrant reds and whites of the design. A quick stitch to finish the edges and this fabric becomes a show-stopping tablecloth and DIY-ed gift that will be the envy of all dinner guests. Years ago we attended a truly outstanding party where the brilliant host used sarees as tablecloths. Since discovering that, we have amassed a collection of dupattas and sarees just for our tables. Minchu Design House and Rehabar Handloom Maheshwar offer the gorgeous sarees shown below but there is no shortage of companies selling staggeringly beautiful sarees that would make perfect additions to any dining room. Available in every pattern, texture, and weight imaginable, there is no question you can find a saree that meets the aesthetic needs of those on your holiday list. Personally, we love to look for broad accenting borders and slightly metallic, silken textiles to add a more glamorous look to our tablescapes. But be mindful of bead and sequin embellishments as they compromise the levelness of your table which can lead to spilled wine glasses! Last—but not at all least—is Mizar & Alcor. Founded on Turkey's Turquoise Coast, Mizar & Alcor offer a collection of delicate textiles that "represent the union of East and West as well as the integration of tradition into modern life" (7). While they do offer blankets—and by now we're confident you've learned that we love blankets as tablecloths!—it's their woven peshtemals that we turn to when we need to dress our tables. We personally own a few of their pieces, including some with deep rust colored and indigo stripes, but currently 'Linen Sand' is the object of our affection. The linen is a muted, mauved gray which provides the most remarkable backdrop when used as a tablecloth. Food seems more vibrant and enticing against the soft rustic color of the textile which, if you ask us, is the greatest compliment one can give a tablecloth! You can't go wrong gifting this phenomenal tablecloth this holiday! Their vision is to embrace forgotten skills from artisanal tradition, combining them with contemporary design inspired by the Mediterranean and African cultures. Mizar & Alcor works hand in hand with local artisans who remain faithful to a time-honoured process (7) Whether a rustic masculine plaid blanket or an etherial and vibrant dupatta, tablecloths make an aesthetic and functional gift that we encourage you to share this holiday season!

Is there anything more festive than cranberries? These tart beautiful berries feel like deep red ornaments in a moist bundt cake fragranced with fruity olive oil and vibrant zesty blood orange, along with the traditional holiday flavors of cinnamon and clove. The addition of buttermilk ensures a soft tender crumb, which is the ideal host for the bursts of tangy freshness from the cranberries. The recipe by Sonoma Farm, featuring their Blood Orange Infused Olive Oil, calls for a 9" bundt cake pan but we adore this holiday dessert as individual cakes. Believe us, everyone will want their own! We have tried a few variations over the years that we want to share. First, we always add more cranberries. For us, the berries are the best part and so we add as many as the batter will allow. We've also tried reducing the sugar quantity slightly and replacing fresh cranberries with dried cranberries rehydrated in dessert wine; the result is a completely different flavour profile but it's to die for! Some of our kids like these bundt cakes drizzled in local honey, but, for adult palettes, we find topping the cakes with a cranberry coulis, a cooked nut glaze with walnuts, hazelnuts, and pecans, slices of fresh pears soaked in grapefruit or blood orange liqueur, a dollop of Devonshire cream, or even a light brushing with olive oil and the zest of oranges to be most successful way to serve this phenomenal cake. We are not sponsored by Sonoma Farm so we have no issue noting that if you don't have Blood Orange Infused Olive Oil, you can absolutely substitute a good quality olive oil and add blood orange zest, or you can infuse your own olive oil. There are two primary methods to infuse olive oil. The first involves blending the oil with blood orange peels into a smooth slurry, then straining to remove the solids. In the second—a more involved process—blend olive oil with blood orange segments and water in a food processor to produce a slurry. Leave the slurry in the food processor and pulse every 5 minutes for an hour, then transfer the mixture to a large glass jar or pitcher and leave out until the mixture separates into three distinctive layers (the oil will rise and the solids will sink, with a layer of water separating the two). Gently transfer the jar to the refrigerator to encourage the oil to solidify, making it easier to remove the now perfectly infused olive oil! (1) By Sonoma Farms Ingredients: -6 egg whites -2 cups white sugar -1 cup Sonoma Farm Blood Orange Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil -2 cups all-purpose flour -1 teaspoon baking soda -1 teaspoon salt –3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon -3/4 teaspoon ground cloves -1 cup buttermilk -1 cup chopped cranberries Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9 inch Bundt pan with cooking spray, and dust with flour. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Beat in the sugar until fluffy. Mix in the blood orange infused olive oil. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Alternately mix the egg white mixture and the buttermilk into the flour mixture until smooth. Fold in the cranberries. Transfer the mixture to the prepared Bundt pan. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the cake comes out clean. Sonoma Farm

If we're being honest, 2020 has been a year dominated by an inordinate amount of movie and television watching on our part. While we are staying safe at home, we occupy our newly-found free time with Netflix, Amazon Prime, and even Curiosity Stream. But after a while, we noticed that, instead of exploring new unfamiliar titles, we got stuck in a rut of reruns. And we know many of our loved, and likely yours as well, ones are feeling the same cinematic boredom. That's where the gift of indie film streaming subscriptions come in! Streaming services carry massive collections of movies and series you likely haven't heard of, opening the door to new cinematic experiences and offering the joy of discovering new titles that you love. We've put together a list of a few of our favorite streaming services but there is no shortage of options! By giving the gift of film this holiday season, you will be sparking and supporting the curiosity of those you love. What's better than that? First up we have Mubi, one of the most engaging services on our list. Rather than hold titles for long periods, Mubi brilliantly makes films available for a single month and only carries 30 films at a time. Every day, the title that has been on the list longest is dropped, making room for a new film to be added to the library. We love that, with unwavering regularity, there is something new to discover. And, unlike big name services, Mubi, with only thirty features at one time, makes it easy to find and enjoy the their curated new releases without sifting through exhausted content. Mubi's world film selection is phenomenal and there is always a host of festival-winning titles. Themed seasons, exclusive content, and 'special discovery' series will surely keep you returning but, if for some reason you're longing for more, Mubi also offers titles you can rent. With almost 11,000,000 members, Mubi holds a well-deserved reputation for excellence in the world of indie films. Next is IndieFlix, which "aims to make life better through the power and enjoyment of film, driving community, conversation and change"(1). With a focus on social impact films, IndieFlix shares under-the-radar movies and series that provokes conversation on topics of global, individual, and social challenges, as well as a variety of classic, contemporary, and micro-budget features. In addition, they host offline educational film screenings at schools and corporate events and stream curated content from film festivals to ensure everyone has access to their collection of features. Offering thousands of titles to over 85 participating countries, IndieFlix is a great gift choice for the those on your list who have been motivated by the social activism in 2020. classic and contemporary independent features, shorts and documentaries from around the world, in an Aladdin’s Cave of thought-provoking well-known and off-the-radar content. We work directly with young up-and-coming film-makers to give them a royalty-free distribution avenue, and they are paid by each viewer and minute of their film watched.(1) Not to be confused with IndieFlix, IndiePix Unlimited is an outstanding streaming platform with a "commitment to bringing cutting edge international cinema to global indie fans"(2) Offering a brilliant collection of 'underdog' themed, award-winning features from around the world, IndiePix streams hundreds of titles that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you root for the success of characters you'll find instant connection to. IndiePix Unlimited is available as an Amazon Video channel making it only too easy to watching their collection anywhere! Since 2004, New York-based IndiePix Films® has delivered a highly-curated collection of the best independent films from around the world. Offering a singular catalog of nearly 2,000 films across genres, the IndiePix team selects singular titles from the international festival circuit. Avenues for distribution include their streaming service, IndiePix Unlimited, their dedicated commerce site, IndiePixFilms.com, which offers download-to-own, streaming rental and physical media direct to consumers, and via national retail channels and select theatrical exhibition. Next we have the the Criterion Channel. The signature streaming service of the Criterion collection, which for more than 35 years has been dedicated to publishing important classic and contemporary films from around the world in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. No matter the medium—from laserdisc to DVD and Blu-ray to streaming—Criterion has maintained its pioneering commitment to presenting each film as its maker would want it seen, in state-of-the-art restorations with special features designed to encourage repeated watching and deepen the viewer’s appreciation of the art of film (3) Given the impressive, wide-spread reputation of the Criterion Collection in the world of cinephiles, it should come as no surprise that the Criterion Channel is a beloved and top-notch streaming service. With more than 1000 films and a whopping 3,500 "supplementary features, including trailers, introductions, behind-the-scenes documentaries, interviews, video essays, commentary tracks, and rare archival footage"(3), the Channel is the ideal service through which one can immerse themselves in classic and contemporary films alike with no risk of boredom. In addition to these picks, there are also a variety of streaming services that curate collections based on singular themes: Shudder shares an epic library of horror, suspense, and thriller titles, Dekkoo boasts the “largest collection of gay entertainment available anywhere”, Pantaya offers a collection of Latinx films, and Spuul is a mecca for fans of Bollywood productions with an impressive 10,000 hours of Bollywood film. Whatever the movie preference of your recipient, a subscription to a film streaming service will make an outstanding gift that can brighten even the toughest moments of quarantine-isolation as we move into a new year.

After reading the title, do we need to say more? We can't think of a recipe that sounds more luxurious or appropriate for a holiday celebration than Savory Truffle Mustard Knots by Rebecca Firth of Displaced Housewife. The tangy spice of mustard is the ideal carrier for luscious nutty earthy notes of black truffles. Thyme and parmesan offer an herbal softness and salty sharpness, respectively, beautifully finishing the flavour profile of the moist supple dough. Plus, they're beautiful! We love a knotted bread in place of a traditional holiday roll; the simple variation offers visual interested to the table and, for us, a heightened feeling of special celebration. We've tried to make these with a standard Grey Poupon and some shaved black truffle but it was challenging to get the right ratio so we encourage you to invest in the Maille's Black Truffle Mustard (the recipe by Firth was sponsored but we certainly are not!). We also read in the comments that someone substituted honey mustard for Maille's and we love the idea of an added sweet note so that adaptation is next on our list to try for the holidays —with some shaved truffle of course! By Rebecca Firth of Displaced Housewife I hope you have lots of festive occasions coming up this month and if so, I have the perfect holiday appetizer to share with you. I use one of my favorite doughs as a base (it’s a brioche dough with eggs and butter and lots of richness) and then fold in Parmesan, fresh thyme and cracked pepper. It already sounds good, doesn’t it? I put a thin smear of Maille’s Black Truffle Mustard With Chablis Wine over the top, knot and twist these babies and then bake until golden and bronzed. These truffle mustard knots are delicious all by themselves (Great as a side to soup? In place of a dinner roll? New Year’s Eve nosh?) or as we’ve been enjoying them with a wee more Black Truffle Mustard (because I can’t get enough of it) or as part of a simple charcuterie board. One of my favorite bits about this dough is that it gets better and improves the longer you let it sit in the fridge. Although I suppose the same could be said for most all yeasty treats? If I have an event on a Friday, this dough can be made on Wednesday and then shoved to the back of the fridge until ready to deal with it. On Friday, a quick rise with the aid of steam + an unheated oven and bam, they’re ready to bake off. I truly prefer these mustard knots fresh-from-the-oven so plan your baking-entertaining schedule accordingly. Since these really should be the star of any appetizer board, I went for something super simple to let them shine. Your formula should be this: Lots of Savory Truffle Mustard Knots More Maille Mustard non-negotiable Winter citrus for color and contrast…I can’t get enough of Cara Cara’s right now Nuts…I went for some marcona almonds Cured meat…prosciutto is never a bad idea Some dried fruit…dried tart cherries add a pretty pop of color Fresh herbs…to add around the board for color This Maille mustard is so freaking delicious and would make an AMAZING stocking stuffer for the food lovers in your life…I’m just saying! Before We Get Started Make Ahead. These are perfect for entertaining because they can be mostly all prepped ahead of time as noted above. When it’s time to knot + bake, just have everything prepped and it will go fast. Rise Time. Make sure you allow enough time for the dough to get its’ proper rise on. You want the dough to double in size before putting them in the fridge and then again after they’ve had their steam rise in the oven. If they don’t properly double at either point, add more time to let them get where they need to be. Humidity. Humidity can be tricky this time of year and low humidity can be a killer to your dough. When it’s dry out I’ll often simmer some water on the stove to get some moisture in the air if I have dough rising on the counter. A damp cloth over the top can also keep things moist. What you don’t want is for your dough to develop dry scabs…this can inhibit the dough from getting its’ proper rise. One last note on this, when putting your dough in the fridge for an extended time, make sure it is wrapped tightly so that it doesn’t develop any dry spots as well. Flexible. You can add in the Parmesan, thyme and cracked pepper or nothing at all. Swap in another cheese, skip the herb…make them yours! Mustard. Whatever you do, you can’t skip the truffle mustard because even the small bit smeared over the top gives mega flavor to these guys. And to that end, don’t think you have to add a ton to get the flavor. It’s actually more messy than anything else if you add more than the recommend amount. To Serve. Definitely serve with more mustard and they don’t need much else. We loved them as appetizers, but they could be so much more. They would work for a more casual, elegant dinner paired with soup (can we make causal-elegant a thing?). Doesn’t that sound cozy? Or as a side to something more formal and sophisticated…these little mustard knots can hold their weight either way. Let’s bake some savory mustard knots, shall we? Savory Truffle Mustard Knots Makes 24 Mustard Knots INGREDIENTS: For the Dough 1 cup buttermilk, milk or water, warmed to the touch but not burn-your-finger hot 1 package instant or active dry yeast, approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional flour for dusting your surfaces (use as little extra flour as possible) 3 large egg yolks, room temperature 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 2 tablespoons honey 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper ½ cup finely grated parmesan 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for the bowl For the Filling 4-6 tablespoons Maille Black Truffle Mustard With Chablis White Wine For the Tops 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon cream 3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan INSTRUCTIONS: In an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix the yeast and buttermilk and let sit for 15 minutes. Add in the flour, melted butter, egg yolks, honey, sea salt and pepper and knead on low until everything is mixed together (you may need to scrape down the sides to get everything incorporated) and then turn the machine up to medium for about 15 minutes or until the dough ball becomes shiny and smooth. Add the parmesan and thyme leaves running the machine 1 minute more. Rub 1 tablespoon of oil around a large bowl. Set the dough inside, turning to coat with the oil. Loosely cover the bowl (use a damp towel if the humidity is low) and let the dough double in size…it should take 1 ½ to 2 hours. Then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for at least 12 hours and up to several days. When ready to bake, divide the cool dough into two equal-size chunks. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll each piece into a 12 X 9 inch rectangle. Try to make sure the edges are squared off and not rounded. Brush the topside of each dough rectangle with 2-3 tablespoons of Maille Black Truffle Mustard. With the long side nearest you, grab the two closest edges and fold the dough halfway up the dough, on top of itself. Then, like you’re folding a letter, grab the top edges of the dough and fold them down over the top. Square out the edges of the dough a bit. Repeat with the other piece of dough. Now we’re going to cut each dough half into 12 strips. I like to use a pizza cutter, but you could also use a very sharp knife, bench scraper or dental floss (I’ve never had much luck with the latter, but maybe you’ll love it). Each piece should be roughly 1 ½ centimeters wide…but don’t stress out on that too much as these are rustic little knots. Each dough log should yield 12 strips of dough, for a total of 24. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Grab one strip of dough. Holding each end gently twist the dough moving your hands in opposite directions and then we’re going to tie it into a simple knot. Wrap the dough (adding some more twists if you like) around your index and middle finger and then tuck the ends underneath as you slide it off of your fingers. This is A) a bit messy and B) an imperfect process. Go with it. As you shape the knots place them the prepared baking sheet, allowing several inches in between knots for rising. Place an oven-safe skillet on the bottom rack of the oven, put the baking sheets with the buns on the top rack of the oven and pour the boiling water in the skillet on the bottom rack. Quickly shut the door and let the dough rise in the cool oven for about 30 minutes or until double in size by the aid of the steam. Take the knots and the skillet out of the oven. In a small bowl, whisk together the yolk + cream and lightly brush over the knots, taking care not to let any of the egg mixture pool. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of the grated parmesan. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and bake the knots in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until lightly bronzed and an internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F. These are best served immediately. Thank you for making these beautiful mustard knots! Tag me on social @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife so I can see them!!!

There is something magically intimate about gifting art. As art is highly personal, when selected thoughtfully and carefully, it can show a lucky recipient that you understand them and their artistic aesthetic. It can be challenging to confidently find the right piece of art to gift, but, if done correctly, art is one of the most meaningful gifts you can give. Art prints are excellent alternatives to one-of-a-kind works as they're often less expensive, meaning you can take a gift-giving risk without breaking the bank. We've pulled together some of our favorite artists who offer prints of their pieces. Some are painters, some printmakers, some textile craftsmen, but all produce magnificent works of art that we would love to receive this holiday season! Also, don't be afraid to reach out to artists you love and ask if they can make a single print of a piece that isn't available (we've done this a few times with works of art that previously sold but that we can't live without!). We start with Kelvin Mann. The New Zealand born Dublin resident offers a remarkably stunning collection of printed works. Mann's series on Black robins is one of our favorites. Ranging from a single image of the Eve of the Black robins, Old Blue, to a towering pyramid of hundreds of her descendants, the prints are enchanting retellings of the story of one powerful bird who helped rescued her species. The Chatham Island robin or Black robin is native to a group of islands off the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Prior to the arrival of Polynesian and later European settlers, the country had effectively been a bird sanctuary...By 1979 the population had dwindled to only five birds, two female and three males. A conservation team lead by Don Merton embarked on a breeding program that involved taking the eggs before hatching and placing them in the nests of other birds, specifically the Chatham Island Tomtit. Of the two remaining females only one managed to successfully reproduce. She was named Old Blue after the blue band she wore for identification. The average life span of a Black robin is 4 years. Old Blue lived to be 13 and is undoubtedly the mother of her species. Currently the population is approximately 250, each of which is a direct descendent of this remarkably little bird (1). Mann's illustrative talent is undeniable. We love his ability to translate the soft feathered fragility of tiny birds through the linearity of etchings. We own one of his Old Blue prints and we cherish it; each time we see it, it's a motivating reminder of strength, perseverance, and natural beauty. Alison Wake of Cognissant in central England also captures the essence of natural beauty. Wake's pieces, constructed using predominantly locally-sourced hand-dyed wool, are expressive thread paintings that depict the majesty of the Peak District National Park. ​Whilst walking the paths and trails of the Peak District I see, hear, smell and feel the natural and manmade features which make this area so unique. I try to communicate my experience through the colour, texture and imagery of my pictures (2). We especially adore her winter-scape embroidery prints (which are also available in card form!). The way Wake captures the trailing shadows of bare trees stretched over the snow using embroidered lines is absolute mastery and is an almost dizzying expression of artistic talent. The nuanced texture of the wool thread and the subtle shadowed contours of the embroidery translate beautifully to two dimensional paper. Each December, we replace some of the art in our homes with seasonal holiday pieces and Allison Wake's work is definitely included in this rotation! Making our way to America, specifically to Palm Springs, California, we discover Gustavo Rimada, a Mexico-born artist and Army veteran who creates phenomenal tattoo-inspired paintings that feature vivid planes of solid saturated color, paperesque rose petals atop succulent thorny stems, and smoothly shadowed, almost porcelainized, portraits. The subjects of his pieces are depicted with such honor, strength, and grace that the images that have the ascendancy and presence of religious icons. Rimada's works are nothing short of bold, in the most outstanding way. New Zealand's Rebekah Codlin paints equally beautiful portraits, but with hyperrealistic precision rather than the graphic stylization of Rimada. Every painting she shares is pure magic as well as a technical masterpiece. Her Ethiopia series, "[portraying] the raw beauty of people...[and] a common depth and complexity in humanity we all share when we strip back the layers"(3), depicts young Ethiopians adorned with subtly cracked traditional face paint. Codlin's ability to capture the humanity and authenticity of her subjects is spellbinding. Our favorite pieces from Codlin are her portraits of Charlie. The mesmeric gaze, the illuminated contours of Charlie's body against a long supple black dress, and the subtle shadows of trees against the walls in the background all relay the "sense of peace and contentment one can have in their place of solitude". It's a truly successful and genuinely beautiful series that Codlin brilliantly offers as prints! We take a turn to Rome next to find Sibomana, an Iranian-Belgian artist. We are so smitten with his work we actually struggled to find the words! His graphic street-art style pieces in the 'Waves of Heroes' collection feature black and white photographic portraits of refugees surrounded by collages of vibrant patterned scales resulting in a submersion of color and dynamic movement. With the project Waves of the Heroes, initiated in 2015, Sibomana drew posters on immigration in the main cities of the European migrant routes. This posters can be seen in in Lesvos Island, Athens, Istanbul, Rome, Berlin and London. In 2016, he created a project with Kurema Kureba Kwiga (Art Collective from Rwanda) in Kigali, wich resulted in a series of twenty six portraits by ten different artists, reminding us the sacrifice and bravery of refugees (4). They are striking and gloriously powerful—but not somber—depictions of the immigrant experience. With their flawless composition of color, pattern, and texture, these prints make phenomenal additions to any space. The surrealist paintings of Jeremy Olson are downright cool. Featuring dramatic contrasting colors and appearing almost like digital renderings, Olson's pieces range from geometrically deconstructed faces (reminding us of Alma Haser) and tangled structures of glossy masticated gum, to weirdly aggressive anthropomorphized produce. This produce is the subject of his 'Three Musicians' print available from London's Unit Drops. The instruments themselves are botanical, played by an architectural mushroom (maybe an enoki?), a fanned leafy green kale, and a slithering snake-like bundle of asparagus. The tiered stage sits atop a richly organic brown floor that makes it seem as though the vegetation has been lifted from the soil. It's strange and fantastic and a really successful lithograph! Jeremy Olson’s practice began with a considered exploration of geometric structure and fragmentation within portraiture. While retaining this interest in geometric structures through the presence of fictive architectural features, Olson’s practice has now morphed into an ultra-contemporary exploration of the grotesque(5). Jo Israel also creates fantastic surrealist pieces. By layering pages of books atop each other in front of a small light source, Israel is able to photograph a jumbled and dizzying composition of overlapping imagery. The light renders the negative space of the pages a rich vibrant yellow that offers a striking contrast to the blacks of the printed images. When speaking with Israel, we learned that she creates these pieces at night by only the light she uses to illuminate the book pages and we were reminded of when we would read under the bed covers with a torch! It's completely magic! My Betwixt series rescues images from time. I appropriate pages from bygone picture books that have images on either sides of the page. Through the process of shining light through the page I invite the previously separated images to meet and fuse, creating a metamorphic space where two worlds magically collide(6). The final images are oddly haunting leaving us voyeurs of a surrealist tangled of forgotten images. They are riddled with transfixing texture, pattern, and unnatural beauty and we are consistently and very pleasantly awe-struck. Entrancing in a slightly different way are the prints by Louisa Boyd. Webs of fragile cartographic lines and coils are corroded by invasive inky spots. The result is a series of stunning astronomical abstractions that are utterly enrapturing. We first saw one of Louisa Boyd's works in the flat of a male friend and the print felt so commanding and masculine that it brilliantly transformed the atmosphere of the space. We can't put into words how successful we think Boyd's prints are! Anyone who knows us is aware of our infatuation with Ivan Bautista. We have yet to come across a single one of his pieces that isn't sheer perfection. We wrote a complete Artist Spotlight on Bautista if you are looking for more information about his work but we are confident that—as pictures are worth a thousand words—the images below will communicate how unparalleled his art is. Next on our list is Turkish Aykut Aydogdu who created one of our all time favorite pieces of digital art, that happens to be available as a print. The piece, entitled "Black", is a contemporary interpretation of a classical painting featuring three stately, silken dobermans wrapped around a young woman clad in an ethereal gossamer dress. Her hazel eye, the only feature of her face in view, casts a salient feeling of saudade that blankets us with emotion. A large sumptuously regal earring drips onto her shoulder and offers a luminous counterpoint to the glossy coats of the dogs. This new media work is truly magnificent and will certainly be a statement piece of art in any home. Next we share the work of British artist Neil Bousfield. In his pieces, scenes are distorted by layers of gradient lines and patterned blocks. Hatch marks offer additional texture and delineating geometry that beautifully emphasize the overlapping shapes. We love Bousfield's 'Land and Sea' series, where sharp speckled waves peak and spray, walls of rock are outlined with trailing white borders that offer contrast to the serenity of the horizon, and soft sage abstractions form collages that imply the division between land and sea. We also adore the prints Bousfield made available through the Artist Support Pledge; the tiled texture in 'Leslie Paton: Memorable Places' and the luminous white haze in 'Halvergate' are absolutely entrancing. Moving through Europe to France, we find artist Lucie Spartacus who creates magnificently detailed linocuts and rubber stamps. What we appreciate about Spartacus's work is the thoughtfulness; while the imagery is highly and masterfully detailed, the faces are communicated with minimalist line work that allows for uninterrupted swaths of refreshing negative space. Spartacus's "Jane Morris" works are some of our favorites. Dense robes and blackened hair frame the lightness of Morris's skin and offer a sense of grounding contrast against a swarming filigree pattern reminiscent of William Morris's iconic designs. The prints are feminine and nuanced and, as they are available in deep inky navy and vintaged tomato colours, offer unique accents to any art collection To conclude our list we want to feature two artists, Tabitha Whitley and Alan Altamirano. In our office, we have two of their pieces hanging as a pair. We are just overwhelmed by our love for the conversation the two works have; while they are both printed portraits of entrancing woman framed by flowers, the differing emotions and the energies are magnificently complementary. Several members of our team confidently declare that this print by Alan Altamirano is their favorite piece of art. There is something about the haunting somberness of the subject's expression, effortlessly permeating the obstruction of a winding thread of linework, that leaves us breathless. The flowers aren't vibrant or joyful, rather they are fingers of leaves and petals that seem to bend to the waves of her blackened hair. It's nothing short of mesmerizing. Tabitha Whitley's linocut piece, Afro Flowers, is similarly remarkable. The subject, with eyes closed, epitomizes serenity. A bouquet of joyous flowers bloom under her chin while chrysanthemum-like flowers embellish her magnificent coiled hair. Much like Altamirano's print, the conspicuous line work used to illustrate the face is beautiful without distracting or detracting from the expression of the woman. We just adore the print, especially in striking and balancing harmony with Altamirano's print. Hopefully this list has inspired you to explore gifting art prints this holiday season! Should you be looking for even more print options, we recommend you check out Imprinted.

Did you know that the USDA recognizes December as national pear month? This beautiful fruit is the ideal complement to a December holiday table. Pears add freshness and brightness to the caramelized earthiness of roasted parsnips, the sharpness of stilton, and the comforting herbal notes of sage, thyme, and bay leaves to create a soup that is cheerful and indulgent. The addition of white wine rounds out the flavour profile with acidity and sweetness ensuring each bowl is beautifully balanced. By blending only half of the soup, the base becomes thick and rich while maintaining the textural interest of softened vegetables. We were once told to add a pinch of cardamom or nutmeg and we've found this addition elevates the decadence of this dish—especially if you're a cardamom fan. With or without cardamom, this soup is an impressive and unexpected addition to any meal. Recipe by MiNDFOOD Roasted Parsnip & Pear Soup. This rich and warming soup is the ultimate cool-weather comfort food. Serves 6 INGREDIENTS: 750g small parsnips (about 5) 2 onions, thickly sliced 2 Beurre Bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced in wedges 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves 2 tbsp olive oil 275g chilli speck or pancetta, chopped into 1cm pieces – leave out if making vegetarian version 1 leek, trimmed, halved lengthways and thinly sliced 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tbsp chopped sage leaves 1 cup white wine 2 litres chicken stock or vegetable is making vegetarian version 2 bay leaves 175g stilton, crumbled PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 180˚C. Peel the parsnips and slice lengthways in quarters. Combine parsnips, onion, pear, thyme and the olive oil in a large roasting pan. Season and cover tightly with foil. Roast for 35 minutes. Remove foil. Cook for a further 35 minutes, or until golden, tossing once. Set aside half the roasted parsnips for garnish. Heat an oiled stock pot over a medium heat. Add speck. Cook, stirring, for 
4 minutes or until golden. Add the leek, celery, garlic and sage. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until tender. Add wine. Reduce by half. Add the stock, bay leaves and roasted vegetables. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Blend half the soup until smooth, then return reserved soup to pot and reheat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve soup with the roasted parsnips and stilton.

Bookplates are a bibliophilic treasure and often a more intimate gift than books themselves. Small sheets of paper, adorned with decorative imagery and the name of the owner, offer people the opportunity to respectfully leave their aesthetic mark on their library of books. Bookplates are an expression of style and personality, transforming a book into a unique and personal prize. In addition to being beautiful and expressive, bookplates also help ensure that any lent out book makes its way home! Endlessly diverse and appealing, bookplates (also called ex libris, Latin for "from the books of") are small decorative labels to be pasted inside a book's cover to express personal ownership. Originating in their modern printed form in 16th-century Germany, where books were highly valuable and treasured, bookplates became an art form practiced by artists across Europe and beyond. (1) One of the most exciting things about bookplates is the variety; there is no limit to what one can include on an ex libris label. Many feature animals or family crests, some are contemporary and feature poems or geometric abstracted designs. There is a style for everyone on your list, most of which are customizable to include a printed name! We tend to prefer bookplates that feature the name of the owner as they feel established and formal, but those that leave space for handwritten name additions are charming in their own right. Although ex libris designs are available in stamp form, we find stamps are often inconsistent—and there is no worse feeling than attempting a stamp only to see the result and feel heart-wrenchingly like you've ruined something you love! So we stick to pasting sheets—much less room for error! The first book plate we want to feature is the plate several members of our team use on their own books: the slightly foxed illustrative bookplate. Featuring a gorgeous contemporary fox leaping between three books that are set in a countryside landscape, the bookplate feels elegant and modern and just a tad whimsical. It's a lovely illustration by Clare Curtis and we are sentimentally reminded of Slightly Foxed, one of our favorite publications, every time we open a book with this plate. Next we have an antiqued mountainscape design printed on rustic kraft coloured paper by Sunshine and Ravioli. The masculine landscape imagery is complemented effortlessly by a decorative vine frame that culminates with a rolling scalloped edge. Pasted inside our books, this bookplate offers an antiqued flare that makes our book collections feel like they arrive straight from a luxuriously dark wood-paneled library. Also available on Etsy are these glorious thistle bookplates. This beautiful illustration is adapted from the cover of a book published in 1896. A gorgeous design of celery-green and gold thistles with stylized foliage wind around the name; the background is a deep emerald green, and richly-textured. (2) While most bookplates use understated colour palettes, this striking green is properly bold in the best way! The art nouveau pattern is beautiful without being overpowering, ensuring that these bookplates are full of personality and offer a burst of style without detracting from the books themselves. Artist Leslie Evans also utilizes color in her bookplate design. A majestically snow-blanketed sleeping fox offers a curled up knot of fur behind a cloud of falling snow dots. A bold initialling in the bottom corners offers identification without detracting from the simplicity and serenity of the image. It's so endearing and we especially adore how the winter theme aptly nods to the holiday season! This dark minimalist design is actually the box to an Ex Libris Collection by artist Marcin Bialis but we are slightly smitten with the idea that it would make an impossibly chic ex libris itself! Masculine, graphic, and hyper-expressive despite the predominantly uninterrupted background, this bookplate inspiration make us want to add our signature to dark textured paper for some pretty epic book labels! Bialis's work is itself a bit sinister so a collection of bookplates like this would fit right in with his current offerings. Another contemporary bookplate design comes from printmaker Tomas Hijo. Featuring a chameleon with a phenomenal spiraled tail, the linocut design utilizes bold line work to capture the characteristics of both the creature and a sprawling scroll that marks the owners name. It's a gorgeous and fun design that adds a striking graphic to our books. Last, but absolutely not least, is Felix Doolittle. Hong Kong born Felix Fu shares an impressive collection of bookplates featuring his delicate and often whimsical illustrations. We love the diversity in the imagery, everything from upholstered chairs to newts are available to decorate the inside of your book covers. We also appreciate that many of the designs are cheerfully appropriate for children, giving you the opportunity to introduce young ones to the magic of books and bookplates. A personalized bookplate makes a book infinitely more valuable in the eyes of children and adults alike! There is just something about the mark of ownership that is irresistible. A gift of bookplates isn't a one-and-done present; rather you are providing someone with a signature they can continue to use as their library collection grows. Should you give bookplates to someone you regularly purchase books for (we know several couples who annually buy each other 12 books, one for each month before the next holiday book exchange!) be sure to buy an extra set of plates so that you can add a bookplate to every book you gift to that person ensuring their collection of books remains cohesively marked!

This dish blows our minds. We have long been fans of Om Ali and, for many years, we made it with puff pastry as we had been taught. But after finding this recipe from Tasbih of Cleobuttera we haven't looked back! We'll introduce the dish for you but we are going to let Tasbih describe it (as she does so with unbelievable detail and eloquence!). Tasbih instructs us to replace the bread with French palmiers, beautiful elephant ear shaped pastries made from tender flaky dough and luxuriously caramelized sugar. Because these cookies are so crisp, they maintain a luscious soggy-less texture when prepared in the bread-pudding-like Om Ali. Some areas soften and become almost silky because of the fat in the pastry, other layers caramelize adding a depth of flavor that is stunning against the smooth richness of the milk. Topped off with the earthy crunch of nuts and fruity brightness of raisins (or other dried fruits like apricots or cherries), this dish is a perfectly balanced and undeniably decadent dessert that will transform your perception of bread pudding! An Egyptian classic as old as time, gets an upgrade with the use of delightfully delicious PALMIERS (lunettes) instead of regular ‘ol puff pastry or roaa (Egyptian flat bread). Oodles of crushed palmiers get mixed with nuts, sweetened hot milk, topped with whipped cream and broiled to perfection. The result…crunchy and caramelized on top, deliciously creamy and silky in the bottom. As tempting as it may be, I tend to refrain from labeling any of the recipes you see here with high status claims like “The Best,” or “Best Ever,” simply because the definition of what makes something “the best” differs from one person to another. And also because I’m chicken and I’m scared that you’ll hate me forever if a recipe doesn’t turn out the way it should. And then I’ll lose my sleep for 3 weeks and resort to eating copious amounts of these therapy cookies to lift my spirit. But then I’ll put on so much weight, get depressed because I’ve turned into an Oompa Lumpa and then eat my feelings through this molten chocolate mug. Alone! Its a vicious cycle I tell ya. Sob sob… And this, my friends, is why I’ve never titled any of my recipes with “Best Ever,” even if I’m convinced that they are…like these cookies and these muffins. Until today. Because this version of Om Ali…is worth taking my chances. I’ve been eating Om Ali all my life, and this is by far the best one I’ve ever tasted. And I have high hopes that you’ll agree once you try it for yourself. Before we get elbow deep into the recipe, let’s just back up a little bit to explain what Om Ali is, in case you’ve never been acquainted. Om Ali is…Ali’s mother. Literally. LOL! I know how ridiculous that sounds, but one mouthful of this delicious dessert, will make you care less what it’s called; and you’ll end up loving Ali, his mother, and his whole family:) Legend has it that Om Ali is named after Sultan Ezz El Din Aybak’s wife, back in the 13th century. She made it for a victory celebration, and distributed it among the people of the land. Her name stuck to this tasty dish ever since. You could think of Om Ali as the Egyptian cousin of the ever-so-popular bread pudding. Same idea of soaking some type of bready carb with dairy and sugar and baking it in the oven. Om Ali skips the eggs though, which makes it lighter in texture, looser and milkier as opposed to custardy. Instead of bread, it is traditionally made with baked puff pastry, phyllo or roaa (Egyptian flat bread) combined with milk and nuts. To be honest, I’ve never been that much into it, because of its monotonous texture. The bread part often gets too soggy and slurpy and one dimensional. As delicious as it tastes, but all creamy, all the time could be boring guys! Yes, the nuts do surprise you every other bite or so, but I’m very particular about nuts in dessert so it was’t really the most pleasant surprise. So I set myself on a mission to find a “better” Om Ali recipe. I discovered recipes that use croissants instead, which sound promising, but there were several that use cornflakes. Like…really? But then when I asked around, all fingers pointed to my friend Dina. Apparently, Dina is famous for her Om Ali and I had no idea. A few hundred text messages between Dina & I later, I was able to get the recipe! Kinda. Sorta. You see, Dina is one of those amazingly talented women who cook by sense, which is the complete opposite of obsessive compulsive, meticulous bakers like myself. Gosh, I wish I was like her! So eventhough she’s been making this for years, she had never measured anything. She simply senses the quantities. She amazes me! Long story short, after spamming her what’sapp feed with a flood of questions for 7 consecutive days, she was able to give me rounded amounts that I later measured. I hope she still likes me. The secret that sets her Om Ali apart from all the others is the use of quality dairy products, as she stressed, and these… Palmiers. Which are also known as lunettes. I mean just by looking at its caramelized edges, you know it’s oughta make a knock-your-socks-off dessert. It’s pure genius! These heart shaped, super crunchy cookies made from puff pastry rolled with sugar are the perfect base for Om Ali. Why? Their firm, crunchy texture, prevents them from soaking up too much milk like the traditional “breads.” So while the bottom layer will soften, it won’t disintegrate and turn into mush like the others. It will still have some bite into it. The top layer, on the other hand, will turn into this heavenly, caramelized, crunchy topping that beautifully contrasts the creamy bottom. The palmiers, as they are, are so flavorful, so imagine the amount of flavor they’ll add to your Om Ali, compared to bland, plain puff pastry or roaa. The caramelized sugar around the edges will melt into the milk, giving it caramel undertones. DELISH! Dina uses very high quality store-bought palmiers and so did I, which makes the dessert a breeze to put together. If you can’t find them or would prefer to make them at home, check out this great tutorial. Skip the cinnamon though. Once you get your hands on some palmiers, fresh (preferably organic buffalo) milk, eshta (or whipped cream), sugar and nuts, this dessert is easy as throwing everything in a pan. You’ll just break some palmiers in a baking dish (forget the pictures, and use a shallow rectangular dish instead of a deep one for better texture. I was going for a country Egyptian look by using a traditional deep dish, but I found that a shallow one gives more surface area for a crunchier top). Then all you’ll need to do, is boil the milk with some sugar, then pour it all over two-thirds the amount palmiers. Note that I’m not adding the nuts at this stage, which is the traditional route, because some people (like someone I know) have nut issues. But if you like them inside, go ahead and knock yourself out! Then top with the remaining one-third of palmiers. This will give you an extra-crunchy topping. Yum! My favorite part. You’ll then dot the surface with eshta (country-style clotted cream), no worries if you can’t find it, whipped cream works just as well. This will melt under the broiler and browns to a beautiful golden brown color like this… Mmmmmm…someone hand me a spoon. Oh and sprinkle on some nuts to garnish, if you wish, or leave it bald… and let everyone be their own boss. Like Tooki…she likes nail polish, funky accessories and raisins. Nuts or no nuts…this Om Ali is a real game changer! “I’m lovin’ it” and so will you! YIELD: MAKES A 9X13 BAKING DISH OR 2 QUART DEEP DISH prep time15 MINUTES cook time5 MINUTES total time20 MINUTES INGREDIENTS 500 g/1lb palmiers (also known as lunettes), storebought or homemade* 1 liter/1 quart (4 1/4 cups) full fat milk, preferably organic buffalo* 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar 250g/8oz (1 cup) fresh eshta balady (country-style clotted cream) or 1 cup heavy whipping cream, (whipped to medium peaks) OPTIONAL ASSORTED NUTS OF YOUR CHOICE (TO SERVE ON THE SIDE OR TO INCORPORATE INTO THE DESSERT) L USED: 1/2 cup (57g) toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup (57g) pistachios, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup (75g) raisins 1/4 cup (20g) shredded coconut INSTRUCTIONS You could either use a baking dish around the dimensions of 9X13 inches or 2 quart deep dish (buram) for this recipe. However, I've found that unlike the deep dish used in the pictures, a shallower rectangle or oval dish produces much better texture. The larger surface area of the wide, shallow dish allows for a greater amount of browning and crunch on top, which ensures crispy, caramelized bites with every mouthful. Adjust the oven rack to medium position and preheat the oven's broiler to 200C/390F. In an oven safe baking dish, break in half 3/4 of the amount of palmiers, and arrange in layers. Set aside the remaining 1/4 of the palmiers. Add in the nuts, if using. I prefer to serve it on the side as not everyone likes nuts. In a medium saucepan, over medium-hight heat, stir together the milk and sugar, until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil. Pour the boiling milk mixture over the palmiers. Use the reserved 1/4 amount of palmers to top the surface of the milk-soaked palmiers. This will create an extra crunchy topping. Dot the surface of the dish with spoons of eshta. No need to spread it. If using whipped cream, evenly spread it all over to cover the entire surface of the dish. Place the dish under the oven's broiler until bubbling around the edges and the top turns golden brown; about 10 minutes. Keep a close eye over it as it might brown in less time. Serve right away, hot with assorted nuts on the side (if you haven't already added them in the dessert before baking) *RECIPE NOTES For best results, use palmiers for this dish, which could be found at most bakery shops and big supermarkets. I get mine from Souffle, a bakery in New Cairo. Tel: 01002100137/ 01112100137. If you can't find palmiers or prefer to make them at home, click here for a great quick and easy tutorial. They are so simple to make and are basically just puff pastry rolled with sugar, sliced and baked in the oven. Just leave out the cinnamon for this recipe. As another alternative, baked puff pastry or toasted croissants could be used instead of the palmiers. Though still delicious, the results won't be same. You'll also need to up the sugar by about 2 tablespoons to accommodate for the missing sweetness of the palmiers. Organic buffalo full-fat milk, sold at milk shops, gives this dish the best flavor and creamy texture. However, it could be substituted by using 4 cups regular full-fat cow's milk, combined with 1/4 cup heavy cream. Feel free to leave the nuts out, increase or decrease them or substitute one or the other with almonds, walnuts or pecans