Lizzie Kamenetzky - Fireside Food for Cold Winter Night

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. US Library of Congress CIP data has been applied for. Printed and bound in China Notes Both British (Metric) and American (Imperial plus US cups) measurements are included in these recipes for your convenience. Work with one set of measurements only and not alternate between the two within a recipe. All spoon measurements are level unless otherwise stated. Eggs are medium (UK) or large (US) unless otherwise specified.

Uncooked or partly cooked eggs should not be served to the very old, the frail, young children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems. When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Mountains are a place of magic. From the smallest Cairngorm to the highest Rocky or Himalaya, there is something that draws you in, and up. I love the way you feel so small in the mountains, their untameable peaks watching over you from above.

Breathing in that clear, crisp mountain air, just thinking about it makes me ravenously hungry. The pace of mountain life is something that we should all embrace from time to time. We move so fast through our lives, always rushing, never enough time to cook, to eat, to enjoy, but in the mountains, life slows down. You cant get anywhere fast in the mountains, so you might as well relax and let it wash over you. These are places of long, schnapps-filled lunches and relaxed, laid back dinners with friends and family as the snow falls quietly around and time ceases to matter. Ive been lucky enough to grow up spending many happy holidays in the mountains and confess to being completely besotted with the way of life there, but more than anything I love the food.

It is real, honest food that I want to get stuck into with both hands. In many ways unchanged for years. The emphasis is on local produce, with each region of the mountains having its specialities of which it is inordinately proud. Winter is a particularly amazing time in any mountain range, and it is this winter fare that this book celebrates. Hearty food for cold days, full of flavour and warmth. I learned to ski from a young age.

My childhood vacations were not spent in the big Alpine resorts (although in later years I have visited and skied in many of them, and grown to love them in their own way), instead my parents chose to spend our breaks in a small and beautiful village, nestled in the Swiss Alps in the shadow of Mont Dolon and the Grand St Bernard Pass. When I am there, I can imagine the monks in centuries past, on their fur-lined skis, climbing the passes to their lofty monasteries, offering welcome sanctuary and simple repast to travellers and pilgrims coming in from the snow. As the snow falls and covers the trees and cabins, a hush falls over the mountains. I could stand for hours just watching and listening to the snow fall, the way it makes everything so quiet that your ears somehow ring with the absence of sound. Even better is watching the snow from inside a cosy cabin, with a fire crackling and a steaming bowl of hot chocolate to warm you. The mountains of Central Europe are famous for their variety of traditional dishes beloved by skiers and non-skiers alike.

The food has developed over the centuries, influenced by the countries that make up its whole. There are the Western Alps of Slovenia and Austria (the Tyrol) with their rich stews, noodles and dumplings. Further to the East you have Switzerland, France, Germany and Liechtenstein, famous for Savoie cheeses, rustic breads, schnitzels and sausages. In the South are Italy and Monaco, full of warming rags, polenta and gnocchi. Where the borders of these countries meet, the most wonderful fusion of flavours and traditions mingle to create some truly spectacular and memorable dishes for which the region as a whole has become famous. Skiing is not just part of European culture, however, and, as a vacation, it has taken off around the world.

The skiing food culture in the US and Canada has taken much of its influence from the mountain regions of Europe, but with their own twists and the additions of various celebrated national dishes. Even if you dont enjoy throwing yourself down a frozen mountain on little wooden planks, you cannot fail to fall in love with the simplicity and deliciousness of the food of the mountains. The romanticism of the traditional ski chalet, of coming in from the cold air with rosy cheeks to be greeted by the amazing warmth and aroma of a hearty supper. This is food for warming the soul, for snuggling up against the cold chill outside. For firesides and crackling logs, blankets and slippers. WINTER SALADS & SMALL PLATES SALAD PAYSANNE Peasant salad, the name of this dish, seems to me like a misnomer, as it is filled with all kinds of delicious goodies those mountain peasants of old really do seem to have had all the best ingredients lying around!