With Christmas fast approaching, I am searching for something different to make that will maybe become a tradition in our house or maybe just be a fun conversation piece. Couple my love of cookbooks with this obsession to always have something new to cook, and I’m digging Santa’s North Pole Cookbook: Classic Christmas Recipes from Saint Nicholas Himself by Jeff Guinn.
The book is a small paperback that doesn’t just include recipes for unique Christmas dishes from around the world from the North Pole to Sweden to Ghana. I will fully admit that I would never make every recipe in this book, such as the Capitone Fritto from Italy (Festive Fried Eel) or Kutya from Poland (wheat porridge). I’m ok with that though because I never make any recipe in any cookbook I own. There are over 70 holiday recipes in this cookbook, plenty for anyone to find some they just can’t wait to try.
Part of the fun of cookbooks for me is looking at what options are out there and how various chefs have put together flavor combinations so that I can later use those inspirations in my own cooking. I’m intrigued with the use of poppy seeds with walnuts and honey in the Kutya, for example, and may use that in another dish down the line.
This cookbook doesn’t have any photos of the dishes, which is something I greatly love in cookbooks, but it has some of my favorite other characteristics. Many of the dishes specify what they go well with, so you know to make the Kissel (cranberry puree) with the roast goose or turkey or Christmas Fufu (mashed yams) pairs nicely with Doro Wat (also in the book) or any other poultry dish. The recipes also include how long they take to prep and cook, along with how many they serve – definitely handy bits of info to know.
But I think my favorite part of this book is actually the stories behind each recipe. Before the ingredients and directions begin, each recipe has information on its origin, as well as much of the traditions of the country where it originated. I find that information fascinating, as I always love to know the story behind each recipe. There are also “Lars Says” tips for just about every recipe from Lars, the official North Pole chef. He has hints about how to make recipes turn out and other tidbits of information interspersed to make the cookbook even more interesting and useful.
As for me, you’ll know it’s my house come Christmas morning when you can smell the Varm Rökt Lax Med Smör (hot smoked salmon with savory butter). We just might have to put our holiday plum pie cookies for Santa the night before, too – just to see if they’re as good as the ones he gets in the North Pole.
We have a copy of Santa’s North Pole Cookbook to give to one of you (U.S. only). Just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter below, starting by telling us what your favorite Christmas dish is. The winner will be announced in our column on January 7.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received a copy of this book for review. I was not otherwise compensated, and all opinions remain my own.
Written by 5MinutesforBooks contributor Michelle who is currently debating which recipe to try first. See what else she’s cooked up with her Tasty Tuesday’s on her blog Honest & Truly! or follow along on Twitter where she is also @HonestAndTruly.
Stuffing or apple pie.
I love making Candied Yams.
I love pumpkin Pie
I like the turkey and stuffing.
Green Bean Casserole
green bean casserole
Bacon Cheddar Potato Casserole. Yumm!
I like to make ham glazed with lots of brown sugar, honey, and mustard.
Pecan pie is my fave 🙂
stuffing for sure
sweet potatoes with brown sugar
I love Green Bean Casserole!
Not a dish, but dark chocolate!
Turkey is my fav
sugar cookies go hand in hand with thhoe lidays and i love them
mashed potato’s
ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com
I love pumpkin pie
green bean cassorole
We love having stuffed potatoes thru the holidays
I look forward to making candy at Christmas. I love to make caramels, peanut brittle and anything candy.
Cranberry orange bread is my favorite holiday dish.
I love mashed potatoes and gravy.
i love green bean casserole
peppermint cake is the best for Christmas.
I love Christmas ham!
Pecan Pie is my favorite holiday dessert.
My favorite is Polish kielbasa
Mine is Stuffing!
I love Turkey. I can’t go a Christmas without it.
Green Bean Casserole…yummy
The stuffing my in-laws makes is my favorite
candied sweet potatoes!
pumpkin cheesecake i only make it once a year
I love pumpkin cake roll.
Peppermint cheesecake that my mother in law makes…mmmm! lol
My favorite holiday food is ham.
Turkey and dressing!
Mom’s Spritz Cookies!
green bean casserole.
Turkey and stuffing
i enjoy a good apple pie
My mom’s smoked sausage stuffing
tamales on xmas eve
My son loves ham…
My is a Orange Slice Cake I make each year for my family – it takes 3 days but it is yummy. I want to thank you for this awesome sweep and hope to win 🙂 Thanks !!!
my mom’s stuffing!
pumpkin pie and candied sweet potato’s
I love potato salad!
pecan pie
vmkids3 at msn dot com
swedish meatballs
rypm25@aol.com
I love cornbread stuffing
My favorite holiday dish is spanakopita
My mom’s pork dressing
I love sweet potatoes with marshmallows and brown sugar!
I like Christmas decorated cupcakes
I like my green bean casserole or any cornbread stuffing
Homemade Peppermint Bark
I love candied sweet potatoes.
NEW YORK CHEESECAKE
I love fudge at the holidays.
i like pumpkin pie
Sausage stuffing is my fave!
Stuffing on Thanksgiving and sometimes for Christmas too. =)
Green Bean Casserole
stuffing from the turkey.
sweet potatoes with marshmallows
green bean cassrole
My favorite are potato pancakes the morning after the holiday meal
Roast duck is my favorite holiday dish.
I love green bean casserole! Thanks so much for the fantastic giveaway and happy New Year!
My aunts famous Marconi salad
Honey/Hawaiian ham!!
Garlic mashed potatoes
can’t beat honey glazed ham
There is a cookie that came from my grandmother who came from Croatia, it is Kipfel. It has a soft cream cheese dough and a cooked walnut filling. It is a putsy cookie to make but well worth the effort.
Christmas M&M cookies!
Sausage bread with spicy Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese rolled into a bread dough….it’s yummy right out of the oven.
sugar cookies are my favorite!!
Turkey and dressing!
glazed ham
freebiegoddess03@aol.com
the buffet of christmas cookies after dinner
I like a turkey dinner.
Ham baked with pineapple slices and whole cloves.
Green Bean Casserole 🙂
I absolutely love pumpkin pie!
I love my brocolli dish.
I love yams
I love the complete turkey dinner with the stuffing, mashed potatoes, etc
Turkey and Dressing!
Buttermilk pie. Thanks for the giveaway.
I make a Christmas Salad where all the ingredients are red, green and white.
Honey glazed ham
I also vote for Potato Candy. I love that stuff but it can be a bit of a pain to make 🙂
sausage cheese balls
prime rib with baked potato and mint swirled brownies for desert.
sweet potato casserole with pecan topping
Potato Candy! The holidays are the only time of year my family makes it and it is soooo good! More of a dessert than a dish, but still delicious!
choco chip pecan pie
I like all the different types of cookies during the holiday season.
Fudge! You just can’t beat fudge during the holidays!
Any type of stuffing and pumpkin pie.
I love tipsy sweet potatoes best, and I used to work with Jeff Guinn! I’d love to have one of his books!
How fun.
It’s not a dish, really, but rather an appetizer that we only have during the Christmas holidays — sausage balls! LOVE them. 🙂
My favorite is pumpkin pie
Pumpkin cheesecake or sweet potato pie
Anything with sweet potato, squash or cranberries!
I enjoy green bean casserole!
mashed potatoes with gravy
nannypanpan@gmail.com
I like all of it, but going to say the green bean casserole.
I love my moms stuffing.
My wife makes a mean Christmas meatloaf
Love cinnamon rolls!
I made a corn casserole this year that we all love!
Ham & scalloped potatoes are so good.
Cherry cheesecake is a favorite dessert.
Twiced baked potatoes and sweet potato casserole
Seafood and sushi.. 😀
Turkey & all it’s other tasty companions.
A side dish that is part of my Norwegian heritage…Surkaal (a sweet & sour cabbage). It is ridiculously good with a Christmas roast!!! (my hubby does not agree. lol)
Christmas ham and pumpkin pie 🙂
I love vegan lasagna for the holidays.
I make a dark chocolate peppermint ice cream cake that is really good.
My Grandmas Polish Cheese Blintzes…yum!
turkey is my fav
Stuffed duck is something we only have at Christmas!
Of course any kind of sweet is great, but I really love my homemade stuffing!!
the ham ranks among the top
Anything anyone other than myself cooks! Last night we had Chinese… 🙂
anything my mom cooks!!!
I like making Deviled eggs for every holiday.
I love bread pudding! Thanks!
Green bean casserole is so good during the holidays.
Wild rice with mushroom and grated Parmesan on top
My favorite holiday dish is cheesecake.
I make walnut chocolate toffee crunch!
love pecan pie
My mama’s Ham is my favorite.
A norweigen Christmas tradition – Romagrout!
my favorite holiday dish is honey ham =}
Yams are one of my favorites
Squash with cranberries.
Wild rice stuffing is one of my faves.