Coping with Christmas Tree Syndrome

Posted on December 28, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

As someone who has year-round allergies—pollen, ragweed, mold, dust, pet dander (especially cats and horses), nuts (specifically, walnuts and almonds), MSG, food additives and preservatives—I was distressed to add yet another allergen to my list last week: Christmas trees.

Yep.  I refused to believe it…at first.  But when I had a whopping allergy attack—on Christmas Day, no less—I had no choice but to acknowledge that I had Christmas Tree Syndrome—a condition where breathing in mold spores that grow on Christmas trees causes an allergic reaction. Continue reading →

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An “Explosive” German Riesling

Posted on December 26, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews

My wine tastes and affinities are wide-ranging.  But one constant staple at our table is Riesling. In particular German Riesling, which remains the benchmark for most Riesling styles — and quality — for what has become a truly international grape. It’s also the one varietal wine I can usually count on to please Kathryn’s finicky wine palate! (For more on German wines, see previous post.)

Just before Christmas, I headed to  Crush Wine and Spirits in midtown — my go-to store for compelling (and fairly priced) wine choices — to stock up for the holidays. It’s a shop run by, and for, wine geeks, with a German Riesling selection second to none. I asked the knowledgeable staff for an inexpensive recommendation from the recently arrived 2010 vintage from Germany.  Their suggestion? The 2010 Immich-Batterieberg Riesling C.A.I. (Kabinett, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region), priced at $19.95.

Immich-Batterieberg's famous "Jugendstil" label

Continue reading →

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Birthday on the Hudson

Posted on December 16, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

BREAKFAST!!! Buttercup's three-layer chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting

Most years, I’ve hinted broadly­—and often bluntly—to my husband Christopher about how I’d like to celebrate my birthday.  (OK…so I’m a control freak who hates being disappointed).  This year, however, otherwise preoccupied, I surrendered the fate of my day entirely to him. Plus, my birthday fell on a Sunday—December 11th—a non-event in my book.  I gave no directive other than “Make my day special”… (No pressure, honey!) And one non-negotiable: cake for my birthday breakfast.

Letting go of any expectations for a “perfect” birthday proved oddly liberating. The universe was magnanimous, providing plenty of lovely, sensual surprises along the way. Continue reading →

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Merrier with Molasses

Posted on December 14, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

Just Molasses! In our gingerbread...

Molasses makes our Christmas merry.

It’s the foundation sweetener for two of our favorite holiday treats: gingerbread and spiced ginger cookies.  We appreciate molasses for so many reasons….how it produces a lovely dark golden-brown hue, a soft cookie “chew”, a lushly moist cake texture, and, as a sultry flavor complement to ginger, cinnamon, clove and other spices.

Continue reading →

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A Golden (Delicious) Memory

Posted on December 12, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews

Taste memories can be powerful — and unexpected.

I experienced such a moment the other day, on a back-country walk near our house upstate, something I especially enjoy in the colder months, when the deer ticks are dormant, and the raptor-watching is spectacular.

A Golden Delicious apple

My route usually takes me through an orchard, adjacent to our property. Last weekend, on a seasonably chilly and bright December day, I was passing through rows of now barren, leafless apple trees when a single golden orb caught my eye. Drawn to it, I thought it might be rotten, but it was still firm, bright golden-yellow and without blemish—a tree-ripe Golden Delicious apple. Unable to resist, I took a bite. Its incredibly sweet, unmistakable flavor zapped me back to my grandmother Louise’s kitchen.

Continue reading →

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The Puppy That Came For Christmas

Posted on December 9, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

“I’d been taking some herbs, agnus castus and black cohosh….I had changed my diet to take more foods rich in folic acid…  I’d also contracted a charity called Baby Makers, who support people having difficulty getting pregnant….” writes Megan Rix who shares her hopes, disappointments and fertility travails in The Puppy That Came for Christmas (Plume 2011).

When I first received a review copy of this book, the cover, featuring a sweet-faced puppy (a golden retriever – Labrador cross), struck me as gimmicky.  Was this a children’s book?  Was this a story told from a dog’s P.O.V.?  I’ll confess: it took me a while to get around to reading it.

But once I began turning the pages, I was hooked. Continue reading →

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Get Naked. It’s Healthy.

Posted on December 4, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

Naked Pizza in NYC!That’s the promise Naked Pizza makes: they’re naked…and you’re gonna feel good.

”Naked”, in this case, refers to a pizza stripped of processed ingredients.

Pizza is one of those foods I’d never miss if it suddenly disappeared.  In New York City, I’m singularly unimpressed by the thick, doughy, overly cheesy, greasy orange glop that often passes for “pizza”— a gateway to indigestion, bloating and gas for the gluttonous.  And, yes, I know there are designer pizzerias…but—fancy or not—pizza is usually a calorie-loaded cheese, processed meat and starch-carb fest.

So, when I spotted a Naked Pizza flyer peeking underneath my apartment door, I nearly threw it out.  But its provocative question caught my eye: “What if pizza were good for you?” Continue reading →

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Hard Cider from the Big Apple

Posted on December 2, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews

If New York City had an official apple — and some folks are indeed working on this — it should be the heirloom Newtown Pippin variety. And now, thanks to the award-winning, New York City-based Original Sin Cider, you can sample this historic apple the “hard” way, in liquid form, as a single heirloom varietal cider.

Original Sin Newtown Pippin Hard Cider (Courtesy Hanna Lee Communications)

Continue reading →

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Less Meat, More Plants: One Home Cook’s Journey

Posted on November 30, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

Winter Vegetable Pot Pie; haricot verts and wild rice

Here’s the wonderful thing about my recent, albeit way-too-short, visit to Pittsburgh…good as the burgeoning, local-minded restaurant scene is here (and which I highlighted earlier this year in my NYT article), I didn’t have to set foot in a single restaurant to enjoy locally sourced, healthfully prepared, delicious food.  My mother’s awesome cooking held us captive, of course.

And my longtime friends, Dan and Doug, surprised—and honored—us with a beautiful, home-cooked dinner the day before we headed back to NYC.

Doug, an IT executive, has always been passionate about food and cooking.

Over the last few years, however, Doug has shifted to a more vegetarian and locally sourced diet.  Why?  His health was a strong, motivating force.  Continue reading →

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Turkey on a Road Trip

Posted on November 26, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

Northwind Farms' Heritage Bronze turkey (Courtesy of Hudson Valley Magazine)

There’s something romantic about a road trip.  It sparks my spirit of adventure.  So, this year, not only did we drive 8-1/2 hours to Pittsburgh to spend Thanksgiving with family…we also volunteered to cook the entire Thanksgiving dinner upon arrival…

For the occasion, we hauled a locally raised Hudson Valley turkey (a Heritage Bronze from Northwind Farms in Tivoli, N.Y.; right) across state lines, along with herbs from our garden, bags of produce, my favorite roasting pan, a heavy-duty food processor, my beloved chef’s knife, and a mishmash of other cooking paraphernalia. Continue reading →

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