Holiday Events - Holiday Snacks - Self Control?

This may be the first time I was at an event and did not sample the food.  Part of my life includes a weekly community column for an independently owned newspaper and I love it.  

I have the opportunity to attend events, get behind the scenes details and meet the wonderful people organizing or perhaps performing.

This past Saturday night in a nearby small town a Toys for Tots Pasta Dinner was held at the same time as a winter art show.  The artists donated their hanging fees to the Toys for Tots cause (cash donations are used to buy gifts for the age least likely represented with gifts - usually teens).  

The pasta dinner side of the event included a buffet of pasta, salad and bread served by a teen community service group.

Dessert was found on the art show side and included some usually irresistible sweets - chocolate covered strawberries.  I have a huge soft spot for these fancy fruits!  But, alas, I was working and had to pass.  So difficult!

And then a fabulous holiday serving dish caught my eye...one that I own and love!

Isn't he cute???

Also available on the holiday dessert buffet - yes, you guessed it - COOKIES!

Several platters, several varieties and I was able to use a vast reserve of self-control and walk away.  Somehow.

Hours later, at home, I wrote about the amazing event with my favorite ceramic cup of hot tea and yes, a chocolate chip cookie.

Community events, a job I love, being with people who care, including my husband, and a sweet bite all leave me feeling Fed Well in the middle of the holiday season!

Sort of Like Alice in Wonderland... the Office Holiday Party

Mt. Fuji

The Office Holiday Party.

Immediate thoughts may be concerns regarding drunken foolish behavior or boring small talk.  For the last almost 5 years I have been celebrating the holiday season with a vast array of multi-cultural co-workers at Mt. Fuji in Hillburn, New York.

After driving up the side of a mountain, guests are directed to the lower level dining room which features walls of windows overlooking the surrounding area.  The dining room is aptly named, "The Views."

Some of the unique aspects of our holiday party include the same D.J. for years.  He really knows people by name.  Good or bad - discuss.

The venue is quite Asian in decor and theme.  However, we seem to fight against what would seem natural by having a decidedly American menu.  Appetizers/hors d'oeuvres include California and Avocado Rolls, cheese and crackers, assorted vegetables with dip, spring rolls but also "pigs in a blanket," fried ravioli, mini quiches, and my favorite this year, stuffed clams topped with BACON.

Bacon is a word that simply must be exclaimed with excitement and passion.  It screams out in capital letters and demands attention.

The company generously offers beer, wine and soda or juice.  The wines I like are generally not included in this kind of setting (Moscatto or Reisling) and I am not a snob by any means, but simply don't like most wine.  I have had Plum Wine and a coworker and I talk this fact over before she checks to see if it is among the offered selections.  It is!

With about a 50 mile ride home, we each decide it may be best to simply split the glass and so she pours half into my coffee cup.  I am reminded of Alice in Wonderland for some reason and want to tie a "Drink Me" tag to the handle.

It also feels sort of closet-like behavior to drink alcohol from a cup but most of this celebration seems slightly off kilter.

The DJ randomly calls tables by number to the buffet.  Our choices include penne a la vodka, shredded beef,  chicken Marsala, roasted potatoes, salmon Teriyaki, cold sesame noodles, tomato and mozzarella salad.  Asian themed selections? Curiouser and curiouser.

The dessert buffet is set up.  Cakes - red velvet, chocolate, cheesecake, carrot...tarts of fruits and nuts.

The small sweet treats don't really need a tag to instruct, "Eat me," but one can still feel the presence of Lewis Carroll somehow...

Another year, another holiday party, but still managing to feel quite Fed Well when talking it over with some wonderful coworkers.

Koto Japanese Lunch and the Killer Cone

One of my best coworker buddies and I were in a bit of a lunch rut and our workplace cafeteria was offering something that neither of us were interested in so we decided on the Koto Japanese restaurant.  We don't typically eat here often because upper management tends to lunch in this small space, thus restricting our conversation to non-work related issues.

On this day, we took a chance and though we were seated right next to a department Director and manager, we stayed in our listening space (imagine the scene in Dirty Dancing where Jennifer Grey's character is taught by Patrick Swayze the definition of her dance space) and they stayed in their listening space.

The tea is wonderfully fragrant and piping hot!

Many of the regulars seem to arrive, seat themselves and I don't think I see or hear many of them order.  Their food seems to simply magically appear in front of them.

We are a bit restless and up to try something new to us so the shrimp skewers are a perfect appetizer choice.  The outside of the shrimp are crisp with a soft and sweet center.  They are bathed in a terikyaki glaze and alternated with scallion/green onion on the skewer.

With a fairly long list of lunch choices including sushi, sashimi, Bento boxes and other items, we decide on rolls.

 

I enjoy the simple and traditional California roll.

The ingredients are obviously fresh, the avocado is especially creamy and sweet.  I watched while they were prepared and smiled at the special silver box which contained the seaweed wrappers.  Food as art and ceremony can never be a bad thing.

We walk back to work and this is what we noticed in our employee parking lot:

Not sure why, but I found this hilarious.  How long had the driver had the orange cone wedged under the vehicle?  Turns out the driver had asked security if someone could help remove it.  My coworker and I find this hysterical as we see a member of the Facility Team go out to see if he can remove the offending orange cone.

A simple day at work and a lunch adventure, a good laugh and I am feeling Fed Well.

Meeting a Friend at Marcellos and Confirming I need a New Cell Phone

Marcello's Ristorante - Suffern, NY

We make friends in settings such as school and work and then when life shifts and we are no longer in the same circumstances we sometimes lose touch but mostly the feelings of friendship remain.  *Luckily, we now live in an age that may allow a simple Google search to put us back in touch or in this case Facebook.

*In this case the ability to find and be found via social media has a happy ending.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

I have reconnected with a friend from high school and though we were never "BFFs" I think we always enjoyed each other's company - ok and truth be known, smokers in high school had some kind of inexplicable bond.  I gave up the stinky smoking years ago, but I am happy to have found a long lost friend.

The two of us live far enough away from each other that meeting in a restaurant after work made the most sense since I work a mere 10 - 15 minutes from her job and so Marcello's is our restaurant of reunion.

After listening to the enticing specials, meeting and talking with Marcello himself, our orders are placed.  For me, the roast vegetable soup which was pureed veggies including squash with a toast round floating in the center with melted cheese.  My friend started with an appetizer of ricotta cheese wrapped in mozzarella (Burrata) over a bed of arugula and mushrooms.

Stories are shared, the plates are cleared and our entrees arrive.  No rushed feeling and no feelings of being ignored - the pace is enjoyable and suits our social agenda.

For me, the braised short rib stuffed ravioli with "hand picked mushrooms from the Catskills."  I smiled inside as I live in the Catskill area and find it funny when my area is a selling point for a meal that is prepared about one hour away.

My friend's meal was dark meat chicken with a small side of greens, perhaps spinach, and what looked to be lovely and crispy shoestring fries.

I took photos with my phone of my soup as well as both of our entrees and the results were a disaster.  I knew I needed a new phone and though I had been to the cell phone "store", I had been given so much information I hesitate to decide.  Today, I am fairly sure I will be reviewing the iphone once more as it has jumped to the top of the list.  In fact, it was among the topics of discussion over dinner.

Another unexpected treat during our meal was the annual parade complete with Santa Claus.  The lights and sirens from firetrucks filled the dining room and though a small percentage of the diners were interested in Santa, everyone loves a parade, right?

The plates are again cleared and we return to our life sharing.  My companion chooses the chocolate flourless cake.

I select the lemon tart.

It was a lovely meal indeed.  We feel Fed Well and caught up, a hug and the promise of another meal soon with maybe a few more guests at the table.  I am looking forward to it.

Holidays at the Office and a Fabulous Handmade Chocolate Gift Box

Office holiday traditions can be tricky to see the least.  At my current day job we have decided that if someone wants to celebrate their birthday, they are responsible for bringing a snack to share with the group. Some one's feelings were horribly hurt in the past when no one brought her a cake so this may seem strange, but at least no one's special day is forgotten.  As an added bonus, since it is your birthday, you get to pick the treat.  Some bring in bagels or even fruit instead of cake.

So for the December holidays, many choose to bring a special food item to share.  The first to arrive was this beautiful box of handmade goodies.

These yummy chocolate works of art are created by the giver's niece and are also available to buy/order.

It was such a feast for the eyes, I scooped the box away and put it on my desk to photograph before it could be disturbed.  Problem was, the giver had no idea what happened and thought someone ran off with her group gift.  :) 

Luckily once she figured out it was me, she understood my need to photograph it for Fed Well.

With all the time co-workers spend together it is comforting to know we are able to not only work together, but enjoy a few bites of culinary joy as well and feel Fed Well in the workplace.

Unusual or New Kitchen Gadget Gift Ideas

I must be a lazy gift giver.  Please don't tell my family.  For the past million years of gift giving I have been simply either directly asking what the person would like for their Birthday or Christmas or I need not so subtle hints thrown at me, circled in catalogs or sent to me as an email link.  To them, I apologize.  I am going to learn to spend a little more time and effort to find things that seem to scream your name to me.  For now, I am going to share a few links to things that screamed my name.



Unusual and High Tech Kitchen Gadgets



Good Housekeeping Kitchen Gadget Gift Ideas





MORE Kitchen Gadgets*

*Please note: It seems the Halo Heating Spoon pictured is a concept only and not yet available for purchase.

Do I need many of these "uni-taskers" as Alton Brown refers to them with disdain?  Probably not.  But honestly, I'd love to give the heated spoon a test ride. Who wouldn't love some of the other fabulous kitchen gadgets seen in just these three links?  They won't make me feel any more Fed Well since that comes from the soul, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't give a sense of joy and happiness to the user.  Take a breath, have a snack and dream a little dream of a happy holiday.

5 Holiday Gift Ideas (under $20) for Those Who Love to be Fed Well

As a tea lover, I love my electric kettle!  It boils water quickly and I've also used it to give pasta water a jump start before dumping in the pot on the stove or to heat water for the base of a double boiler or warmer for use with aluminum sterno pans for holiday buffets.


An Electric Kettle

Anyone in the kitchen can always use pot holders - square or mitt style!


Pot Holders - Square or Mitt

For the grill master or the carver - heat resistant gloves to handle hot meat.  These gloves will allow the wearer to pull pork or securely hold a turkey breast for slicing.





Heat Resistant Gloves for Grilling or Handling Hot Meat

Everyone is challenged by someone who is "difficult" to buy for and personalized gifts offer a solution.   This branding iron is unique in itself but to be able to spell out whatever is appropriate - what a nice touch!





Custom Branding Iron for the Griller who has Everything

And while we are personalizing...


Personalized Kitchen Towels

Happy Holidays to all and to all a season of being Fed Well!