January Flavors

by forumholitorium

When I returned from my winter migration, having finally escaped O’Hare airport during the first snowstorm of 2024, two gold-rimmed espresso cups and saucers were waiting for me in my dear and narrow galley kitchen in Vienna. Salvaged by KA from a bag of abandoned dishes, they are the perfect size for my morning espresso, and they match my knitting journal and desk to boot. I like the subtle bumpy texture of the otherwise plain Gönül Collection pieces, and the little upwards pointing thingie on the handle has started to grow on me. Who did they belong to? I conjure up a story: An older Turkish woman has died; her grandchildren who have grown up in Vienna and prefer to shop at IKEA don’t want old Turkish porcelain to remind them of the old country. Regardless of their history, the cups have found a good home.

I returned just in time to bake KA a birthday cake. Over the holidays, I discovered the cookbooks of Skye McAlpine, a British woman who grew up and still lives in Venice. While the recipes are heavy on meat and dairy as is much northern Italian as well as British cuisine, I enjoy her approach to food, namely that cooking for people is a way of showing love. Her latest cookbook from 2023 is entitled A Table Full of Love, and KA was treated to her orange loaf cake. Orange juice and zest meet almond flour in an aromatic and lightly textured dairy-free cake. KA found it sehr gut, and what more can you ask of a birthday cake than that it satisfy the Geburtstagskind? If I had to choose a flavor motif for the past few months, it would be oranges and almonds. Of all the cookies and cakes I baked over the holidays, those that included one or both of these two ingredients were hands down my favorites: almond crinkle cookies, Swedish almond wreath (Mandelkrans), and said orange loaf cake, which I baked for the first time on New Year’s Eve. Furthermore, the black platter on which the birthday cake was served is now overflowing with Sicilian blood oranges and Greek navel oranges.

The birthday cake was the final chapter in holiday baking. Savory soup season is here, the perfect way to recover from the sweet excesses of Christmas. How about pasta e ceci (pasta and chickpea soup) in just thirty minutes? Sauté a little garlic in olive oil and toss in a few sprigs of chopped fresh rosemary. Open a small can of tomatoes – diced or whole, your call – and add the entire contents to the pot. Simmer them for around ten minutes, smashing the whole tomatoes into smaller pieces, then add a small can of (drained) chickpeas and a liter of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for ten minutes. If you like, blend some of the soup with an immersion blender, then add some small pasta shapes and cook until they are al dente. Salt and pepper to taste. Decorate with a drizzle of olive oil (vegan) and/or grated cheese (vegetarian). Enjoy watching the birds outside as you sit in a warm room nourished by a bowl of homemade soup.

May you find time to cook satisfying food for you and your loved ones!