My CSA or community supported agriculture box of produce from Eatwell Farms challenges me with every delivery this season. Bok choy? Cabbage? Celery root? Sure I have a recipe or two for each of those, but week after week and I get bored and need to find something new. As much as I love celery root salad and mash I think I've discovered a recipe I like even better, Chestnut and Celery Root Soup. It would be perfect to serve on Christmas or on New Year's Eve. 

This is the epitome of a shortcut recipe with few ingredients and a reliance on a couple of convenience items namely roasted, peeled and vacuum packed chestnuts I find at Trader Joe's and canned chicken broth. I've mentioned it before, but when I don't have homemade chicken broth, I find Swanson's to be the next best thing. The prep for this soup takes more time than the cooking and it's just a matter of peeling, slicing and dicing onions, celery root and an apple pear. 

Chestnut and Celery Root Soup is really very elegant and rich despite the fact that it has no cream in it. I took my inspiration from a Daniel Boulud recipe I found on Dorie Greenspan's blog, In the Kitchen and on the Road with Dorie Greenspan. That recipe is much more of a chef recipe than mine, but trust me, mine is delicious! It has lots of depth and  a nice balance of sweetness and earthy flavors. 

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon oil

1 small onion, peeled and sliced thinly 

1 apple pear (you could use an apple or a pear if you prefer), peeled and diced

1 celery root, peeled and diced 

1 14.5 ounce can chicken broth or homemade

1/2 cup cooked and peeled chestnuts

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Nutmeg

Cream or sour cream, optional for garnish

Instructions

Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan. When the butter melts, add the onion. Cook gently for 5 minutes or until soft, then ad the pear and celery root and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, then fill the can with water and add that as well. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes or until the celery root is very tender. 

Add the chestnuts to the soup and puree in the blender in batches until creamy. Season with salt and add a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg. Serve with a swirl of sour cream or cream and a few bits of chestnut if desired. 

Enjoy! 

My latest stories on Recipe.com and 7x7.com

AnySharp bills itself at the world's best knife sharpener. I'd say it has the world's best knife sharpening video ever. I can't say if it's the best, but it is definitely the smallest, most convenient and easy to use sharpener. It uses a powerful suction cup to keep it in place and lets you sharpen serrated knives as well as scissors. The Pro model is $26.97 on Amazon

I have gone through more kitchen shears than I can count. They just don't seem to hold up very well. But so far I am having great success with the Smart Sizzors (from the makers of the AnySharp) They have lots of nifty features that allow you to open bottles, crack nuts or even crush garlic. Mainly I like the feel of them and how well they work on poultry. $20 on Amazon. 

Once you become a customer of Thermoworks, you may find you want a little bit of everything in their product line. I have been using and abusing the Thermapen for months and it is a trooper. It's my favorite instant read thermometer of all times. It is splash proof, shuts off automatically and easy to use and clean. Expensive, but awesome. $96.

Another item I got a chance to test from Thermoworks is the ChefAlarm with high temp cooking probe. This does not have a remote, like the older model I had from another manufacturer, but it is much better quality and has a loud alarm when it reaches temperature. It also has a second probe for sous vide if you need that. It's designed for commercial kitchens. $59.00

ProCook cast iron cookware. I wrote about this earlier in the year and for anyone who wants to invest in a piece, the prices are simply unbeatable and the styling very attractive. I use my cast iron cookware for saut�ing, braising, frying, baking, roasting--you name it. I always leave a piece on the stove because I use it so often. I love that you can use it on the stove or in the oven. It's also great for serving because it holds the heat so well. You can buy a set or just one piece. Right now an 8 inch 3.1 inch round casserole is $50 and there's a additional 20% off coupon if you use the code Extra20 and free shipping! You simply won't find cast iron cookware at a better price than that. $40 with discount

Berry Breeze is a very practical gift. Instead of placing a box of baking soda in your refrigerator, the Berry Breeze uses activated oxygen to help keep food fresher much longer. It's battery operated and takes up very little space. I definitely have noticed a difference since I started using it. Produce stays fresher longer and there is no odor. $49.95 

Last but not least, in the practical but also fun category, check out these great SealedWithaCase iPhone cases available on Etsy that are not only very real looking, but brilliantly mirror the shape of real-life items including sushi, chocolates, matzah, pop-tart and a TV dinner. I'm torn between the ice cream sandwich and the tin of sardines! $17.99 each

Straus Family Creamery: $6.49/quart, Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified

A big thank you to Whole Foods for hosting our little tasting party, Organic Valley for sending me a sample, and to my pals on the tasting panel. 

More? 
Check out Sean's review and Molly's review

Inside the California Food Revolution is an amazing book that details the "thirty years that changed our culinary consciousness." It WAS a revolution that took place in California, but truly the effects were felt all across the country. Joyce Goldstein was there, a successful restaurateur and chef as well as food writer and so her connections and knowledge of the time make this book really stand out. She tells the stories of the people who shaped what and how we eat in the crucial era from 1970 until 2000. Her admiration for the pioneers of the time comes through and her engaging style make this a must read. No recipes are in the book, but a number of menus that help document the time. 

A Century of Restaurants is another definite "keeper" because it combines food, history and travel. It must have been a very enjoyable book to research and write, because it catalogues stories and recipes from one hundred of America's most historic and successful restaurants. It's just good fun to look up iconic restaurants and read about them and see a recipe. For California the book includes Philippe the Original in Los Angeles, Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero. The Tadich Grill in San Francisco and Fenton's Creamery in Oakland. If you are planning a trip, it's a perfect book to reference before you go. Some of my favorite old time places are here such as Durgin Park and The Union Oyster House in Boston, Commander's Palace in New Orleans and Ferrara in New York. It's wonderfully researched and well written. 

The Way We Ate calls upon one hundred chefs and food writers to share recipes they associate with a specific year or in some cases decade in American cooking, between 1900 until 2000. The connection of the recipe to the year may seem like a stretch but you can't argue with the results. You will want to try Michael White's Polenta con Ragu di Salsiccia or Ben Polinger's Raspberry-Cured Salmon with Salmon Tartare, Ginger and Meyer Lemon. I was a little dismayed at what seems like recipes only from New York based chefs and food writers. It would have been nice to have seen more contributors from beyond the 212 area code.


Not a cookbook at all, but a history book. Repast, Dining out at the Dawn of the New American Century, 1900-1910 shares menus, photographs and the stories of the day as they pertain to the history and culture of cuisine. From the tenements of Chinatown to the stately hotels and presidential dinners, it's detailed with lots of anecdotes and stories you probably haven't heard before. Learn about early tea rooms where ladies dined and the precursors to fast food restaurants. Or how wealthy magnates threw lavish dinner parties transforming dining rooms and hotel ballrooms into farm yards, goldmines and miniature Versailles gardens. It's definitely for the history buff.

The documentary juxtaposes the personal stories of the women, who have suffered so much as widows, orphans and children of some the murderous perpetrators during the genocide in their country, with the story of their journey forward, trying to find meaning, reconciliation and joy again--all in a country where there is no ice cream. And so the Sweet Dreams are for the future, a future you can actually taste. 

It's impossible not to be moved by these women, and to admire their resilience, creative artistry, hard work and hopes for the future. Can the land of "milk and honey" find redemption? That's the real question because this is not just the story of a group of women, but the story of Rwanda. Their path is not without drama and setbacks, but ultimately it's a story of triumph and an inspiring one that will make you believe in the power of the human spirit.   At 84 minutes it's a tightly edited gripping film and every scene counts. 

Sweet Dreams has frequently been an audience favorite at film festivals. It's opens tonight in the Bay Area, though there are multiple showings, only one per theater will feature the filmmakers and stars of the film. Don't miss it! 

Italians really know how to celebrate Christmas, called Natale in Italian. It's not about tacky decorations or shopping frenzy, if there is any excess, it's of delicious food, well wishes and love for family. The traditional celebration of "La Befana" for the epiphany, Christmas eve midnight mass and multi course meals with lots of special dishes are all wonderful, but it's the "fare gli auguri" that I appreciate most about Natale. 

Like so many concepts in Italian auguri which is translated as "best wishes" is a multilayered and complex concept and almost impossible to fully translate into English, and it has significant religious and moral dimension. And I promise if you spend time with Italians around the holidays,  you will experience it. My friend Valeria describes it much better than I possibly could. 

Really, what could be better than that? But it has to be experienced. Short of going to Italy for the holiday, I encourage you to attend some of the Italian events in the Bay Area where you can enjoy a bit of this very Italian, true spirit of Christmas.

Germans aren't the only ones with Christmas markets! This Italian Christmas market takes place this Saturday and Sunday December 7 & 8 from 10 am - 6 pm at the Museo Italo-Americano at Fort Mason Center Building C. There will be artisanal Italian foods, handmade jewelry, accessories, craft items and more. I hope to see you there! 

This annual holiday event at the Museo Italo Americano is hosted by the Museo Auxiliary. Wine, prosecco, cheese and fabulous sweet and savory treats prepared by Auxiliary members will be served. RSVP to 415.673.2200 or email for an invitation. 

Learn to make Casunziei all'Ampezzana (red beet tortelli with brown butter and poppy seeds)

I highly recommend Viola Buitoni's classes. I can't imagine a better Christmas present for yourself or someone you love. I finally got to take one and it was even better than I could have imagined. Viola is from a family famous in Italy and the world for both pasta (yes, that Buitoni) and Perugina chocolates. While the family no longer runs either of those companies, Viola's firsthand knowledge and her warm and encouraging manner will inspire you to tackle any Italian cooking project with confidence. Her classes virtually always sell out, so sign up for updates from her blog so you will know as soon as classes are announced.  Her pasta and polenta classes in January still have a few spaces at 18 Reasons (check the schedule for more details). 

November means the arrival of cooler weather, and the beginning of the holiday season. Cranberries play a starring role in holiday fare, in part because their season is so fleeting. But raspberries, which grow practically year round here in California make for attractive co-stars (check out their availability on the Driscoll's calendar). With this in mind, I set out to make a jam bar that would highlight both fresh berries.

Tangy and buttery my Cran Raspberry Crumb Bars are the result of a happy accident because I let the food processor run a little too long. Instead of chopping the nuts, I pulsed the almonds along with the sugar until they were completely pulverized. Oops! But all is well that ends well. Perhaps jam bars are popular because they are hard to mess up? 

Cran Raspberry Crumb Bars would be perfect for a holiday cookie party or to give as a gift. The bottom of the bars is basically almond shortbread and the filling is a very lightly sweetened combination of the fresh cranberries and raspberries. The organic raspberries I used were grown in the US and provided courtesy of Driscoll's. They balanced out the strong sour flavor of the fresh cranberries. 

Driscoll's offers lots of recipes for using berries and a system for identifying where berries were grown. Look for the code on the bottom of the clam shell package and enter the number at mydriscolls.com. Now through December 31st Driscoll's is running a Made with Love holiday sweepstakes where you can win a bright red Kitchenaid stand mixer and berries for a year  or berries for a year. 

I am also offering one lucky reader $100 in Driscoll's coupons to use on berries all year long! Simply leave a comment telling me your favorite berry idea for the holidays and I will choose a winner on December 10th. One entry per person and you must leave your email address and have a US mailing address to win. Only I will see your email address. 

Makes 25 bar cookies

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup blanched almonds (whole, sliced or slivered)

1 cup sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon almond extract 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling

1 cup cranberries

6 ounce Driscoll's fresh raspberries

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop the cranberries or pulse them about 20 times in a food processor. Combine the cranberries, raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan and gently cook for 5 minutes, mashing the berries with a wooden spoon or spatula. Set aside and let cool.

Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, extending it over the edges. 

Pulse the almonds and sugar in a food processor. Transfer sugar mixture to a large mixing bowl. Cream the sugar and nut mixture with the butter until creamy. Mix in the egg and almond extract. Add the flour and stir until a crumbly dough forms.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the dough; set aside.

Press rest of the dough on bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread filling to within 1/2 inch of edge. Crumble reserved dough over the top of the pan. Bake 35 - 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a rack then use the parchment to lift  out of the pan and cut into bars. 

Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: Driscoll's provided me with coupons for myself and the giveaway. They did not compensate me financially for this or any other post. 

There are cooking oils, and then there are finishing oils. Finishing oils are used as a condiment, to finish a dish. They add flavor and texture and generally a little goes a long way. Use finishing oils on salads, pasta, pesto, vegetables and grilled meats. Some finishing oils can also be used in cooking or baking, but that's not their primary use. The less heat they are exposed to, the more nutritional value and the more you will be able to enjoy their flavor.


The roasted nut and seed oils from La Tourangelle are made from local ingredients, pressed in a traditional French oil mill. They are particularly great for salad dressings. If you are using pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts, adding a splash of these roasted nut oils really intensifies the flavor. Because they are roasted, they have a natural sweetness to them. But they are very delicate and need to be stored in a cool dark place. You can also use them in baked goods, especially nut cakes and tossed with pasta. My favorite is the roasted pistachio. La Tourangelle offers plenty of recipes online.


This past Summer I was sent samples of ?Stoger Oils--tomato seed, chili seed and organic pumpkin seed oil. They are very intense, and really complement the raw or cooked flavors of tomatoes, chili and winter squash. They are not just infused, but made from the actual seeds of the fruits and vegetables. I liked the pumpkin seed oil best (it's also the least expensive), and used it in a butternut squash filling for an appetizer. Stoger recommends using the pumpkin seed oil on ice cream too! It has a rich warm flavor with a hint of sweetness. The tomato oil definitely reminds me of the smell of tomatoes cooked in olive oil.



If you're interested in local oils, you need to check out Round Pond Estate. In addition to making a reasonably priced Rutherford Cabernet, they have a beautiful garden and they not only grow olives, but press them at their own olive oil mill. They offer various opportunities for the public to visit the olive mill and experience fresh olive oil. The next �Fresh Olive Oil Day� is on December 8. Free and open to the public with a reservation (required), Fresh Olive Oil Day gives you the chance to taste different oil varieties both Spanish and Italian, before they are blended and get the freshest, purest oil available. The cost to purchase the fresh pressed oil is 12 cents/ml, with a 250ml minimum. Empty bottles will be provided by Round Pond at $4 per bottle.


Nudo offers the opportunity to "adopt" an olive tree and reap the rewards in olive oil. You choose the orchard and variety of oil tree and receive oil shipments. It's a really unique idea and just reading the different stories behind the different groves transports you. Today only, December 2, 2013, Nudo is offering $20 off your first delivery on all Adopt-an-Olive-Tree personal subscriptions (just use code CYBERNUD69), as well as 20% off their Adopt an Olive Tree gifts (with code CYBERNUD49).

You can also buy extra virgin olive oils from Nudo. I've tried their citrus oils at the Fancy Food Show and recommend them. Today only (December 2, 2013) use the code AMYCITRUS to receive 50% off the Citrus Club Box, which contains a tin each of extra virgin olive oil, zesty lemon oil, and stoneground mandarin oil. Perfect for any dish that needs some brightness.  $19 with discount code.

Or use the code AMYFLAVOR to receive 40% off the Flavor Box Set, which contains 8 tins of Nudo's freshly pressed, beautifully packaged flavored olive oils, including Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lemon, Chili, Mandarin, Thyme, Basil, Garlic, and Mint. $60 with discount code.



Disclaimer: I received some, but not all  of these oils as review samples. I was not paid to write this post and there are no affiliate links.