Hosting the Holidays

By Jefery Ramon

I love celebrating the holidays just as much as others. This book was started for some time back while doing my research on the holidays. I was at the library reading up to get my citizenship, and the idea came up as I was researching on this great country's presidents. The idea was to write a cookbook, but I didn't have any idea how to start. But as time went by, it was clear to me that it was time to start writing. As a foreigner, not knowing the norms or what to do, I had a professor-who wrote many books on the Latin language-help me, and he was the person who inspired me in writing a book. Thanks to all of you who will be cooking from this book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 30, 2018
• ISBN: 9781642145069

Book preview

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Hosting the Holidays

Jefery Ramon

Copyright © 2018 Jefery Ramon

All rights reserved

First Edition

Page Publishing, Inc

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc 2018

ISBN 978-1-64214-505-2 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64214-506-9 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Acknowledgments

I gratefully acknowledge all the encouragement of my friend who was there to give me the advice I needed and those who inspired me to start writing and seeing the need to put my knowledge on paper. My deepest gratitude to Chef Terrillo, one of my instructors at the culinary school I attended. She was the best and very nice to me, and also Chef Joe Pace, the first chef I had at the Petrossian restaurant in New York; and Chef Tuman, also a chef instructor, one whom I favored in school for making me realize all the points that could be improved in my cooking skills. The majestic touch of each culinary dish only shows the better way of cooking and the techniques and the art it can bring out in the best of us. Each person will have his or her way of preparing, but it also shows the result of what we do know and what we can do. My culinary journey through the New York Restaurant School and in all the restaurants that I have worked in is unforgettable, even at the old Opera in Frankfurt, Germany—they were all great experiences. I would like to thank saucier Ramiro Rodrigues for his advice on how to prepare better sauces and showing me the better way in bone roasting. I would like to wish all the best to all you great audiences who will be cooking from my cookbook for all the holidays to come. I greatly acknowledge the artwork and the ideas that I have gotten from my friend on trying to make my food better and assisting me with the help I needed.

Preface

This Hosting the Holidays Cookbook is a look at the most-celebrated holidays of our time. The holiday tradition comes from a long ways back and has a lot to do with the way we prepare our dishes today. Sometime back, I tried to prepare a loin of veal I had in Strasbourg, France, that I wanted to share in writing this book, but I’ve come up with a different flavor. You may see that there is more than what I have written about pertaining to traditional recipes. The many recipes that are stressed in this holiday cookbook are just a few that people are preparing today. All the dishes that you will find in this cookbook are not all classic and contemporary but will be my reflection on the way I see the recipe. We may all put our finishing touches on dishes or recipes in the way we want or would like to improve the flavor or texture of the recipe. This Hosting the Holiday Cookbook is written for home entertainers who love to share traditionally made favorites, but again, it’s the way I’ve seen others make their favorites during their favorite holidays. I myself, traveling back and forth to Europe, have heightened my appreciation, and it has given me more discipline in my culinary experience and secrets. I’ve collaborated with chefs, culinary instructors, and cooks around the world to better the way I once looked at food.

In my next cookbook, I will not only have recipes, but it will be divided in different countries like Turkey, Poland, Germany, Japan, Greece, etc. It will not only be to celebrate food as art but the way it should be cooked. That is my culinary goal and what I would like to accomplish. These are only a few of over fifty holidays we have in the year and only some that are celebrated today. These holiday recipes are not to be taken as a standard guideline but to open our minds on better ways and ideas on what to cook for the holidays. Best wishes on the holidays to come.

Introduction

As time passes, the way we look at food and what we eat change, even in our walk of life. We are looking more at or healthier living and more of what is good for our bodies because nutrition is what will determine our everyday living and the conditions we will be treating ourselves. As a former organic food chef and paleo chef, my advice would be to make nutrition number one on our list because that will play a big factor in our everyday diet. We today are making healthier choices and making better choices of what we eat and from where we make our grocery choices. More and more vegetables, whole grains, salads, and less fatty foods are making its way to our kitchen tables; and less of those grassy foods that are full with cholesterol and injected hormones are off our food shopping list as we do our grocery shopping. Nothing is wrong with eating something sweet like chocolate or a piece of cake; all we must do is control the amount we eat. We have more and more people turning to organic foods and making better and better choices of what they eat on a daily basis, considering we also have vegans, vegetarians, and Paleo people who have their strictly guided diets respectively. As a former paleo chef, I know the way those diets have to be followed and kept.

Notes

Most of the holidays do not fall on the same day, or