CONTINUING LAST
week’s column (as"' - -
promised), some more of our.
“wonderful Vancouver chefs
and their wari recollections

“of Christmases past.

Ihave been cooking quite a few
sumptuous meals myself, and the -
guests.of honor have been many of :

the chefs I have been writing about. .

-No, they are not difficult 10 cook
for (although they may be a wee bit
intimidating, I do admit). But the
point is to share each other’s warm
company and bask in all that is the

:, Season, together... -.. so

.<° Sol crammed my larder with
turkey and goose and duck and ham
and lots of condiments and even
home-made schnapps! .

- So, read on, as all the last of

the Christmas cookies out of the
oven, set the table, light the candles

alder, and fasten that zany electric .
flashing iedog Angus (a sift) on

“In my native village in Austria,
my brothers and sisters and I were
all eagerly awaiting the Chris stkind
on Dec.24,

* “For our Christmas tree, we
went out into the forest to pick a sil-
Ver pine in just the exact propor- .
“tions, and decorated the tree in rea!
“candles, nuts, fruits and straw stars
“which we kids had made in school.
“Our Christmas menu featured
: foods that were all grown right on
“our own farm (even the sausages).
':, “Our menu was curly winter
‘endive salad with bacon and potato
“dressing, fresh sauerkraut and
‘smoked sausage, home-cured ham
_with horseradish sauce, potatoes,

“Christmas baking began weeks
in advance, we learned a play at_.

- other kids in

bakes alot of
’ Christmas cookies

school, and we children had to
recite a Christmas poem before
retiring to bed on Christmas Eve.

“And most of our toys were
made by hand, of wood, as my
father and one of my brothers were
fine cabinet-makers.

“This year, our Christmas (with
sons Oliver, Marc and Sasha) fea-
tured a roasted turkey with bread
dumpling roll, cranberries, brussels
sprouts with bacon and onions and
creamed savoy cabbage.

“When my kids were younger,
we used to have beef tenderloin”
with a peppercorn or bernaise
sauce. But when they grew older, °

‘they asked i why

we didn't have
turkey like the

school.
“So we gave

* in, and now they

love it —except ©
for the brussels
sprouts!

“My Swiss
wife Margrit

and lebkuchen for
the’ season. They

hot only taste

good -— her bak-

ing gives the

house an air filled with memorable
Christmas smells.” *:

Le Crocedile’s chef-owner
Michel Jacob:

“Each Christmas in Strasbourg,
when I was young, my mom and
twin brother would decorate the

- Christmas tree, while my father and

I stayed in the kitchen,
~ “Twas 12 years old, and was in
charge of making the escargot .

“My mother purchased lots of
wonderful foods (things we ate only
once a year) like pate in croute,
frog’s legs and smoked salmon.

“My dad and I were in charge of
making the Christmas dinner .
together. It was all in the presenta-

- tion, and all done with love. This

was my beginning inspiration to be
achef. ..

_“My father was:an excellent
saucier and cooked only meat and
fish. I've ended up doing what my

’ dad would have done.

“On Christmas, my mom and

‘brother and | went to church in the

evening. We were altar boys.

. “Dad would have prepared a
fresh rabbit for us, accompanied by
fresh noodles that were laid out all
over our living room on crisp white
tablecloths to dry all Saturday night
for Sunday dinner. .

“Mom cooked those noodles,
These are wonderful memories for
me.

“Now, my own family hére in
Vancouver, my wife Helene and

selected pottery, shelving wrought iron,

pine furniture, and lots of udder stuff. . .

w

Jackee’s homecraft gallery itd.

1445 Marine Drive, West Vancouver |

926-5711

66 Our Christmas
menu featured
foods that were all

grown on our own
farm, 99

- Chef Erns! Dortfler,
Pan Pacific Hotel

our young son Anthony Michel,
celebrate Christmas Eve at my sis-
ter-in-law’s home with lots of home
cooking.

“The last thing [ want to do is to
cook, after a busy month at the
restaurant!”

Executive chef Pierre Delacote
of Seasons in the Park:

“We were seven kids, and two
parents. St. Nicholas came to us on
Dec. 6, with a very intense celebra-
tion. . ;
“Our top-floor neighbors would.
have mandarins and nuts for us, and
we would always drink thick, hot
Van Houton
chocolate. ~ ”

“Then, St.
Nicholas (really —
our neighbor, ¢;
Madame Boithrot)
would knock on
the door.

“Our Christmas
Eve menu began
with vin chaud and
home-made cook-
ies. We kids were
too excited to eat.

- “I would deco-
rate the Christmas
tree with my mom.
We always kept
the living room
door closed until Santa Claus
arrived.

“Our Christmas Day menu in my

. native Colmar would begin at

lunchtime. with pastis, and always

‘featured a roasted bird, a rich stew,

or meat.
“Toys were the main thing.

“Under the Christmas tree there was

always more than one gift for each
of us.

“This year, I am so far’ away 7
from my family in France, I had to

‘find Christmas somewhere else, and

I’m honored to have spent the day

with the author of this column, her .
husband and their dog Angus, who
L lovingly refer to as /e petit ange.”

Chef Adam Busby of the Star
Anise restaurant:

: “On Christmas Eve, we go
Danish (my mum) with roast goose
stuffed with prunes and apples, red
cabbage, browned potatoes, and
really rich goose-gravy.

“Cold rice pudding with a hid-
den almond for dessert — he who
finds the almond gets to wash all
the dinner dishes!

_.“We drink Dad's home-made
wine, and retire to the living zoom
to light the real candles on the tree.

CORRECTION
— "NOTICE

In our B11-3 Christmas flyer, Texmade
Duvet Covers King size on page 43 is not
available for this promotion.

In our B11-4 Halt Price Sale flyer, Northern
Spirit excluding Christmas Tops, Fairset
and Bay Club Turtlenecks, Bay Ciub
Denim on Page 1 of pull-out; Ladies'
Selected Designer Fashions on page 2 of
pull-cut; Charter Collection Robes, Men's
Pierre Cardin Outerwear on page 3 of pull-
out; Boys' 7-16 Denim Pants, Blanket
Sleepers on page 8 should have stated
prices in effect until December 22, 1993,
Adults’ Skiwear and Outerwear on page 4
of pull-out should have stated ‘on selected
styles only”. Art Riot on page 11 should
have stated “while quantities last".

In our B11-5 Boxing Day flyer, G.E. VCR
4VG2021 on page 13 will be late - will be
substituted at the store,

Sorry for any inconvenience this may have
caused.

THE HOLIDAY celebration continues with a traditional French
yule log, German sfoffen and Christmas cookies from Van den”
Bosch Bakery in Park Royal’s marketplace. - ;

“We break out coffee, port,
cognac and chocolates and sing
Christmas carols.

“Then, finally, we open all our
gifts before passing out in the wee
smal] hours of the morning.

“Christmas Day lunch is
English/South African with roast
turkey stuffed with chestnuts and
forcemeat.

“Bread sauce, gravy, brussels
sprouts and cranberry salsa. For -
dessert, a one- or two-year-old

plum pudding flamed with rum at -

the table and served with rum but-
ter. :
“Boxing Day lunch is all
Danish, with dishes in the hun-
dreds.

“Aquavit and tuborg, herrings,

graaviax, dark rye bread, cold cuts,
pate, salads, pickles, cheeses and an”
almond and raspberry t torte to fin-

ish.

Host-owner Sam Lalji of the
Star Anise restaurant:

“Our dinner begins with smoked
salmon pizza and a glass of white
wine. Then, a roast turkey coated |
with mustard, herbs and bacon.

“Our stuffing is made with figs
and pears, and there is sweet potato
puree and cranberry compote.

“Our wines are a 92 Haut Brion

and a ‘73 Vega Sicilia, and Ellen’s
muin brings dessert, which is usual-
ly angel cake.

“We open our gifts before our-
cinner.”

Moin Pat Girling and Pat Cilinghon|
(formerly of Jeanne Dorse) at -

30.502

Selected Housecoats, Nighties,
Pyjamas, and Loungewear

: Sale Starts Today |
241 7 Marine Dr. West Vancouver 922- 961 5h}