Allow me to reiterate once again, I love this time of year — especially Christmas.
My family is from Haiti so we weren’t always accustomed to the classic rib roast and and rack of lamb dishes but over the years, we have adopted these classic American dishes and made them our own.
Eggnog
No batch of eggnog is complete in my house without lots of rum, whisky, bourbon or whatever liquor we happen to have around the house on Christmas day.
Rib Roast
My mother often sprinkles her special mixture of exotic seasoning on the rib roast just a few minutes before its done cooking, which creates a sinfully delicious, crackly crust — so good!
Roasted Rack of Lamb
I’ve always found something so elegant about serving rack of lamb to dinner guests. My mother often slathers them in her special wet Haitian spice mixture called epis — which consists of scallions, onions, garlic, parsley, cloves, bell peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, bouillon cubes and a spoonful of mayo (mommy’s special twist). But, every Haitian household has their own variation of epis.
Glazed Ham
Ham has always been a staple in our house on Christmas day. We often experiment with this classic dish, one year we’ll opt for the sweet glaze and others, we’ll forgo the saccharine mixture and brush the outer layer with a savory concoction.
Gingerbread Cookies
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| Pictures courtesy of Gabriela Herman, Food Network and Saveur |
Gingerbread cookies are as much fun to make as they are to eat. My mother is not too fond of baking so these little treats are my domain. I sometimes add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the batter for a little unexpected kick.
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