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Mystic Seaport is a maritime museum on Long Island Sound in Mystic, Connecticut, and a favorite destination for our family. At Christmas time, the museum and village sparkle with lantern light, decorated evergreen trees sprout from ships’ masts, and the pine-tar smell of nautical stores is softened by the scent of gingerbread and plum pudding. On a visit years ago, we bought a copy of Christmas Memories Cookbook, published in 1985 and still in print. The recipes in the book were all contributed by museum members.
The book is truly an inspiration during the holidays, when the pressure is on all of us to turn out memorable foods, whether for an office party, potluck supper, or special dinner for family and friends. If you already have your own repertoire of "special" holiday dishes that you always make, this cookbook may give you ideas for fresh variations on your classics. And if you are looking for recipes that will create new memories, you can happily cook your way through this entire book, a great blend of traditional, ethnic, and new dishes.
There are old New England favorites like roast good with apple-prune stuffing, Nantucket cranberry dumplings, seafood bisque, and Block Island "turkey" (hint: this turkey swims in the sea); ethnic specialties such as German fruit stöllen, Russian salmon loaf in pastry, and Hopping John; and twelve (!) variations on fruitcake. Plus more cakes, cookies, trifles, and pies than you can shake a spoon at.
To order a copy of the cookbook, go to www.mysticseaport.com (where you may also be tempted by the other books and recipe cards sold at the museum store); call toll-free 800-331-2665; or order from amazon.com (although you’ll get your book faster through the museum’s web site). May your holidays be memorable to your taste buds.
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