Three Kings Day or Epiphany, celebrated by Roman Catholics on January 6, is the culmination of the 12 days of Christmas. It’s known as the day the three wise men saw baby Jesus and brought him gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh. To get into the spirit of the jolly Three Kings Day this year, here is a recipe for Chocolate Horchata to brighten the day and remember the holiday’s roots.
1 cup long-grain white rice
3/4 cup toasted almonds
4 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups water
TO MAKE CHOCOLATE HORCHATA
1/2 cup water
4 tbsp cocoa
1 1/2 cup horchata
4 oz dark chocolate
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
The night before: Mix rice, almonds, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, and water into a bowl. Refrigerate for 16 hours.
Place mixture in a food processor and pulse to break up ingredients. Press mixture through a mesh sleeve and discard the pulp. Remaining horchata mixture is ready for use.
In a small sauce pot, add water, cocoa, horchata, chocolate, and spices. Heat to desired temperature and top with whipped cream.
Recipe by Chef Kate Kobylinski, Bistro to Go Café & Catering / Photography by Laura Petrilla
Three Kings Day or Epiphany, celebrated by Roman Catholics on January 6, is the culmination of the 12 days of Christmas. It’s known as the day the three wise men saw baby Jesus and brought him gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh. To get into the spirit of the jolly Three Kings Day this year, here is a recipe for Hibiscus Adajio Tea to brighten the day and remember the holiday’s roots.
Brew tea to desired strength. Add fruit slices, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 scored nutmeg seed, and a few cloves. Let rest overnight. Remove fruit and spices through a strainer, reheat, or enjoy chilled.
Check out our recipe for King Cake to go along with your tea!
Recipe by Chef Kate Kobylinski, Bistro to Go Café & Catering / Photography by Laura Petrilla
Kwanzaa is an annual holiday from December 26 through January 1. During the weeklong celebration, families and friends come together in fellowship to share meaningful dialogue on how to incorporate the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa, known as Nguzo Saba, in daily life, and to reflect on our ancestors. Try Chef Jackie Page’s excellent recipe for Black Eyed Peas and Rice at your feasting table.
About Chef Jackie Page
Page’s journey into the culinary world is an unorthodox one. Although she knew her way around a kitchen, she didn’t graduate from culinary school until she was 47 years old. Since graduating, she has become one of Pittsburgh’s sought-after culinary experts. Moreover, she represents Pennsylvania on a national level at the Great American Seafood Cookoff, which is held annually in New Orleans. She’s shared this black eyed peas and rice recipe for her Kwanzaa table, and it has all the hallmarks of her cooking, the warmth, the attention to detail, and the hefty portions.
Chef Jackie Page has her hands in many different buckets of work: not only is she the owner and operator of Jackie Kennedy Catering, she is the food coordinator for the nonprofit Buy Fresh Buy Local/ Farm to Table of Western PA. She also prepares 100 meals for 412 Food Rescue twice a week and still finds time to do her most important jobs, being a mother to her two daughters, Satchel and Asantewaa, and grandmother to her grandson, Sage.
Page’s journey into the culinary world is an unorthodox one. Although she knew her way around a kitchen, she didn’t graduate from culinary school until she was 47 years old. Since graduating, she has become one of Pittsburgh’s sought-after culinary experts. Moreover, she represents Pennsylvania on a national level at the Great American Seafood Cookoff, which is held annually in New Orleans.
When to Eat Jerk Chicken on Kwanzaa
On December 31, the sixth day of the seven-day observance of Kwanzaa, a Feast of Faith (Karamu) is held with African American and African fare, libations, and entertainment. The week culminates with gifts (Zawadi), which traditionally include books, heritage symbols, or something handmade. Chef Jackie observes it as you would think: with a table full of deliciousness. Here she shares a WONDERFUL main dish of Jerk Chicken.
Whisk together lime juice and soy sauce. In a large freezer bag, toss chick with the mixture and let sit while preparing the marinade.
In a food processor, purée all remaining ingredients into a paste. Add a teaspoon of water if needed. When ready, add to the freezer bag. Seal carefully and toss until the chicken is coated evenly and thoroughly. Place in refrigerator overnight to marinate.
About an hour before cooking time, place the chicken on a plate. Put as much sauce as possible from the bag and place it in the saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching. Use this as a basting paste or as a sauce for eating.
Grill chicken over medium heat until done, or roast on a cooking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Baste occasionally with extra sauce.
For an extra special feast, add more of Chef Jackie’s dishes to your table:
Kwanzaa is an annual holiday that focuses on seven principles and is observed from December 26 through January 1. During the weeklong celebration, families and friends come together in fellowship to share meaningful dialogue on how to incorporate the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa, known as Nguzo Saba, in daily life, and to reflect on our ancestors.
The Principles of Kwanzaa
The seven principles of Kwanzaa are:
UMOJA (UNITY) focuses on maintaining unity within family, community, nation, and race.
KUJICHAGULIA (SELF-DETERMINATION) speaks to defining and naming as well as to creating and speaking for ourselves.
UJIMA (COLLECTIVE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITY) encourages us to build and maintain our community together and to solve problems together.
UJAMAA (COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS) is all about building and maintaining our own stores and businesses and making a profit together.
NIA (PURPOSE) directs us toward collective vocation in the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
KUUMBA (CREATIVITY) inspires us to do as much as we can, in the way we can, to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
IMANI (FAITH) encourages us to believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, teachers, leaders and the righteousness and and victory of our struggle.
How Do You Celebrate Kwanzaa?
In addition to the principles, there are seven table setting pieces that are symbolic and offer a look into African traditions and history. The kinara is a candelabra for the Mishumaa Saba – the seven candles of Kwanzaa. One is lit every day of the celebration. There are three green, one black, and three red candles that represent the colors of Africa. The Kikombe cha Umoja (Unity Cup) is used to commemorate our African ancestors. Muhindi (ears of corn) represent children and the promise of their future, and corn is also often part of the holiday meal as well. The crops – mazao – show respect for the people that grew them. There’s also a mat (mkeka) on which these items are displayed.
Try Chef Jackie’s excellent recipe for Collard Greens and Corn and Okra at your feasting table.
Try a Greek seafood-focused dish with Salted Cod and Fermented Beets for a melody of Mediterranean flavors. The combination of garlic and potato let the accompaniment ingredients shine. We recommend you use whole-grain pita in your wrap for the ultimate Mediterranean experience which you can make from scratch below or buy from your local store.
Start by fermenting your beets. Clean and sterilize a large glass jar in boiling water for a few minutes.
Thinly slice or shred the beets, cabbage, and carrots. Place into a bowl and weigh it.
Calculate 2.2% of salt based on the weight of the combined beets, cabbage, and carrots and add it to the bowl. Wear gloves and gently massage the vegetables in the bowl for a few minutes, then let them sit covered on the counter for 10-15 minutes to let the salt draw out moisture.
Place the vegetables in the jar packed tightly and pour any liquid from the bowl over it; weigh down with a small Ziplock bag filled with water to make sure the vegetables are submerged in liquid.
Seal the jar and let it ferment at room temperature for at least 2 weeks.
Open and “burp” the jar every 4-5 days depending on activity and keep fermenting until desired intensity of flavor, then place in the refrigerator for long storage.
For the skordalia:
Begin by simmering your potatoes until cooked thoroughly.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine almonds, garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil and process until garlic and almonds are reduced to a paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Peel and mash the potatoes into a bowl. Then with a spatula, fold in the garlic, almond paste, and yogurt. Taste and season again if needed.
For the 12, whole-grain pitas:
In a large bowl, dissolve all the yeast and the sugar in the water and let it sit for a few minutes while you measure and combine the flours in a separate bowl.
Add the flours to the bowl of water and mix by hand until there are no dry bits left then add salt.
Knead the dough by hand for 7-10 minutes, or until smooth and homogenous then roll it into a tight ball and place it into a large mixing ball covered with a towel.
Let the dough rise until it almost doubles in size (60-90 minutes), then transfer it to a clean countertop and divide it into a 60 g (2-oz) piece and roll each piece into a tight ball.
Let the pre-shaped balls rest again for 10-15 minutes on your countertop covered with a towel, then with the help of a rolling pin roll each pita into a 1/4 inch thick round and lay them again on a towel to proof for an additional 20-30 minutes. Always covered with another towel on top.
Preheat a cast-iron pan or a large heavy pan on medium heat for 3-5 minutes then turn the heat to low.
Cook pitas in the hot pan for 10-15 seconds per side until golden brown then move onto a tray and cover with a towel to prevent from drying.
Assemble pitas as desired with salted cod, fermented beets, and skordalia.
What Wine Should I Pair with Skordalia, Salted Cod, and Fermented Beets?
Garalis, Terra Ambera, Muscat of Alexandria, Lemnos Greece from Tina’s Bottle Shop
Daniele Brenci and Sarah Shaffer
Matching this seafood-focused dish of Greek origin with a Muscat of Alexandria from the island of Lemnos seemed a natural fit. This is the oldest vine genetically unmodified still in existence and was spread throughout the Mediterranean by early Roman trade. The muted acidity of this slight skin contact white wine allows it to play nicely with the brine of the pickled beets. The fruit and white flower aromatics complement the natural, earthy, sea tones and scents of the cod. This pairing also works well with meat or roasted vegetables, if you’d prefer a vegetarian-forward snack.
Recipe by Daniele Brenci Wine Pairings by Sarah Shaffer Photography by Chrissie Knudsen Styling by Anna Franklin
Hors d’oeuvres at New Year’s Eve parties (or any get together for that matter) genuinely get the party started. There’s something deeply human about the chatty relaxation that sets in when everyone has a bit of good food and drink in hand. The conversation starts with an ooo and an aaah about something delicious…and then it’s like plane rolling down the runway as the party gathers momentum and takes flight.
Add something special to the festive journey with a culinary flex. Here’s a list of options that will help you deck a table with treat tastes that look good, too. Plus, there are some vegan and vegetarian picks so that everyone has something to snack on.
Wow your guests with an elevated take on Deviled Eggs with Caviar. It’s simple, elegant, and decadent. The best part of this dish is that the combination of eggs and caviar brings the best out of both flavor profiles, allowing them to shine in their own right and as a team.
Our Roasted Oysters aren’t your basic hors d’oeuvres. The subtle sweetness of the cornbread joins with the savory depth of leek and the heat of banana pepper to make a crumble that will capture, and hold, your attention. Atop roasted oysters, the combination is an impressive symphony of flavors and textures.
Lumpia are Filipino spring rolls packed with delectable goodness. Savory ground pork, earthy carrots, and bottle gourd are all rolled into one carry-along treat for a dish you can eat while socializing with friends or family.
You can’t go wrong with Marinated Chicken Tostadas. This flavorful morsel puts chicken, queso fresco, salsa verde, cilantro, and lime into one small bite so you can savor all the ingredients at once. Serve alongside pineapple habañero margaritas to really make it a party.
These Easy Mexican Corn Fritters are a fast and simple solution for a delicious bite. The sweetness from the corn and the smokiness of the paprika offer a nice balance of flavors that will be a hit among the entire family or group of friends. Serve alongside your favorite grilled meat, or on their own.
This Pear and Goat Cheese Bites recipe combines warm, crispy phyllo, an indulgent filling, and a drizzle of hot honey. Beware! You’ll have trouble limiting yourself to just one. We recommend a glass of chilled mineral-inflected rosé as a companion to this lovely starter.
The underknown wineberry is often thought to be an undersized raspberry, but its smaller, glossier fruit signals a separate species. In the wintertime, store-bought raspberries are a perfectly good substitute. Combine fresh berries and stone fruits with this easy, crowd-pleasing flatbread recipe. Along with chèvre cheese and prosciutto, feel free to sprinkle in a fresh blackberry or blueberry, too.
This traditional Italian dish features crispy, toasted bread topped with a flavorful mixture of fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, and olive oil. It’s the perfect way to whet your guests’ appetites and get the conversation flowing. Plus, Classic Tomato Bruschetta is so simple to prepare that you can have it on the table in just a few minutes.
Make sure you sip on New Year’s Eve cocktails worthy of celebration when you get together with friends to watch the ball drop. You have a few days left to curate a cocktail menu full of variety and love rather than settling for a punch…that resembles the collection of complaints you’d like to leave behind in the old year! New Year’s Eve is a huge and hopeful celebration of what’s to come, so let’s ring in the new year with intentionality and love. Goodbye to the old, and a BIG hello to the new!
New Year’s Eve Cocktails for An Exciting Fresh Start
Celebrate the Pantone color of the year, 13-1023 Peach Fuzz, with a tasty Peach Basil Bellini. This cocktail can easily be made as a mocktail for everyone’s enjoyment. Its mellow flavor and warm appearance are served in a champagne flute topped with your favorite sparking white wine for a touch of classic elegance.
The Oxford University Press coined “rizz” as the word of the year in 2023, so embrace your inner rizz thanks to our Gin Fizz with Rizz. The cocktail embodies the trendy, suave, and seductive nature of the word. Try the charm of a feel-good cocktail in the style of a classic.
We’re taking the classic French 75 to a new level with this luxurious Cognac and Cardamom French 75. The aromatic notes of cardamom and the caramelized richness of cognac are stunning… and so easy to combine. This elevated cocktail is sure to impress in flavor and design.
The Ultimate Cranberry Mimosa requires making your own cranberry juice, but the work is well worth it. Bid adieu to the old year and ring in the new with natural cranberry flavor, a festive red color, and the bright bubbles of sparkling wine.
Savor one last taste of the holiday season with our Kentucky Pom Mule. It has all the attributes of a holiday cocktail that you love. Plus, this refreshing cocktail takes no time at all featuring the warmth of bourbon, effervescence of ginger beer, and the pleasing aroma of rosemary.
This drink’s for those who brave the cold to celebrate outdoors with the crowd of ball-drop-watchers. They’ll need a warm-up! This hot chocolate blends chocolate, milk, alcohol, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and other aromatic spices. It’s a fantastic modern choc-toddy cocktail with a nod to the ancient Mesoamerican roots of chocolate.
You don’t have to look far to find cookies that take the cake. For nearly 10 years, Rude Boy Cookies has rocked Albuquerque with incredible edible art, handcrafted in an array of inventive flavors, colors, and shapes.
Unique, Addictive Flavors
Think German Chocolate Cake, Hot Fudge Sundae, and Red Velvet cookies, creatively painted with royal icing to resemble hot air balloons, hearts, superheroes, real-life heroes and dozens of other tempting treats. Rude Boy Cookies also customizes festive cookies for birthdays, weddings, and holidays and serves up homemade ice cream and milkshakes. It’s no surprise that in 2023, USA Today named Rude Boy Cookies one of the top 10 cookie shops in the country.
Musical Inspiration
One ingredient in Rude Boy Cookies’ success is the irresistible beat of ska, rooted in Jamaican music and culture of the 1960s. “I set out to open a business that combined my loves—music and chocolate chip cookies,” says co-owner Mike Silva. “Especially ska. Fans of ska music are called Rude Boys.”
Silva jazzed up the Rude Boy Cookies shop with ska imagery inside and out, including iconic ska checkerboards and the joyful silhouette of a ska dancer wearing a signature suit and a porkpie hat. Rude Boy Cookies evens hosts live music and bands often stop in for cookies.
It’s Always Been Cookies
The sweet shop wouldn’t have a cult following without its magician in the kitchen, co-owner Kristin Dowling. She took gold, along with the $10,000 purse, at the 2017 Food Network Christmas Cookie Challenge. For one of her winning creations, she artfully painted biscochitos with a snowy New Mexico holiday scene: an adobe church and chile ristras beneath a starry sky.
“Kristin’s created all our cookie recipes,” says Silva. “She’s been baking since she was a kid in the kitchen with her grandmother. She excels at creativity. She’s an artist, able to transform her creative ability onto the cookie. She found a way to combine her love of cooking and art.”
Dowling’s award-winning biscochitos make delectable holiday gifts, and so do dozens of other enchanting sweets from Rude Boy Cookies, which ships its treats around the country. The only challenge to shopping online, or in person at the two Albuquerque locations, is resisting the temptation to purchase one of each extraordinary edible masterpiece.
Pudding shots are the boozy sister shooter option to the better-known Jell-O shot. What’s it all about? A cup of creamy sweetness with a hint, or maybe more, of a variety of liquors with seasonal flare. What fun these will be when added to your holiday offerings! Less of a shot and more of a dessert option that doesn’t necessarily require a spoon, just a feverish desire to remove every ounce of goodness with a little dedication of the tongue. These Christmas and NYE Festive Pudding Shots include alcohol in the recipes, but you can easily leave the alcohol out for the kiddos and those who choose not to imbibe.
Christmas and NYE Festive Pudding Shots
Carrying a bit of holiday flavor into the new year, here’s a trio of pudding shots we thought would be great for your NYE celebration. Because, let’s be honest, savoring festive flavors for just a while longer helps us hold onto that warm fuzzy feeling that comes along with the season. Those cold and dreary January and February days come soon enough.
Candy Cane Pudding Shots Recipe
INGREDIENTS
One 3 1/2 ounce package instant red velvet pudding mix
One 3 1/2 ounce package instant white chocolate pudding mix
1 1/2 cups milk, divided
3/4 cup RumChata or spiced rum
1/2 cup crème de menthe or peppermint schnapps
16 ounces Cool Whip plus more for topping, divided
chopped candy canes for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Place 12 pudding shot cups (soufflé cups) on a large baking sheet.
In a small bowl, mix red velvet pudding, 3/4 cup milk, and Rumchata until well blended
In another small bowl, mix white chocolate pudding, remaining milk and Crème de menthe until well blended.
Place pudding mixes into the fridge for 10 minutes.
Fold in 1/2 of whipped topping into each pudding mixture until blended.
Divide red velvet pudding mixture into individual 1.5-ounce cups.
Top equally with white chocolate mint pudding mixture. I use a pastry bag to pipe in the pudding.
Garnish with candy cane pieces.
Eggnog Pudding Shots Recipe
INGREDIENTS
One 3 oz box vanilla instant pudding mix
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1½ cups Turner’s Dairy Eggnog
½ cup Wigle Whiskey Bourbon
8 oz tub Cool Whip Whipped Cream, for garnish
nutmeg, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Place 12 pudding shot cups (soufflé cups) on a large baking sheet.
Pour the contents of one small (3oz) box of instant vanilla pudding mix into a medium mixing bowl.
Add ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, whisk together.
Add 1½ cups eggnog. Mix well.
Add ½ cup Bourbon. Stir until the pudding mixture is thickened.
Fold in 8 ounces of cool whip and stir until the pudding mixture is light and fluffy and you no longer see any white streaks from the whipped topping.
Spoon the eggnog pudding mixture into small cups, filling up to the top of each rim.
Chill for at least 4 hours, but overnight works best!
Garnish with whipped cream and nutmeg before serving.
Place 12 pudding shot cups (soufflé cups) on a large baking sheet.
In a large bowl, add the milk, and Rum Chata, and stir well to mix.
Add the pudding mix, and stir until thick. Crumble 1/2 cup of cereal into the pudding mixture, and stir.
Fill shot glasses 3/4 full with the pudding mixture.
Place the filled shot glasses on a tray, or cookie sheet, and place them in the refrigerator for about 3 hours, to make sure they’re chilled through and set up.
Garnish with whipped cream and cookie pieces before serving.
There you have it! A trio of boozy pudding shots for all of your festive holiday gatherings during the wintry months.
Recipe and Styling by Anna Franklin / Story and Photography by Star Laliberte
