The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Christmas cookie recipes are being tested right now
While we are enjoying the things that define summer — long warm nights, barbecues and farm-fresh produce — Sarah Thompson, culinary director of Taste of Home Magazine’s test kitchen in Milwaukee, and a staff of photographers, chefs, editors and food stylists are busy in the test kitchen and studio, full of the holiday spirit.
In fact, when Sarah and I spoke, she said Taste of Home (tasteofhome.com), the world’s biggest resource for home cooks around the world (circulation 2.5 million), is at its busiest, preparing for the November and December issues. Those pages will be filled with the recipes and ideas home cooks need to make the holiday season unforgettable for their families and friends.
The test kitchen staff works a season ahead so their readers can prepare thoroughly tested dishes with ease and astonishing results.
Racks of plates in every imaginable color, pattern and shape, and props and backdrops give inspiration to the stylists. A culinary assistant is assigned to do the food shopping for the dishes scheduled to be prepared. Sarah mentioned that the Taste of Home culinary assistant averages 200 grocery trips per year to about 20 different local vendors to purchase 450 pounds of butter, 600 pounds of flour, 300 pounds of sugar, 200 pounds of cream cheese, 100 pounds of chocolate chips, and hundreds of other ingredients needed to test recipes.
The kitchen is stocked with 20 stand mixers, 22 ovens, 10 stovetop ranges, more than 350 different sizes and shapes of cookie cutters, and more than 5,000 small appliances and prep tools.
This might seem like an easy job, but sourcing highquality seasonal ingredients several months ahead of their availability makes it a challenge. (Since I enjoy food shopping, I thought it would be the perfect job when I retire.)
So where do these recipes come from? Unlike most other cooking magazines, the recipes appearing in Taste of Home are submitted by home cooks, not gourmet chefs. About 10,000 recipes per year are received and 2,000 are published in their magazines, cookbooks, newsstand special editions and online. This cranberry swirl biscotti was featured in Taste of Home.
Imagine sorting through all of these recipes, and getting to taste many! For just one recipe contest, food editors sift through hundreds of entries to find the best ones to share.
Over the course of one day in July, a couple of the recipes for the November issue were photographed for the 2016 Baking Guide, including the Christmas star twisted bread, a delectable piece of culinary art. What turns out beautifully in the test kitchen will be made even more impressive when the food stylist team takes over in the photo studio.
Six to nine recipes are tested each day. At 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., the dinner bell rings for the tasting panel to sample bite-size portions, evaluating the recipes on several criteria: flavor, appearance, texture, method of preparation, enjoyment, and the accessibility of the ingredients.
The theme of this year’s Holiday Baking Guide feature is “Joy to the Swirl.” But because Sarah isn’t able to share recipes that have yet to be published, she provided similar types from previous holiday baking guide features that have the same feel as the recipes that will be in the December issue, like this one from a Connecticut resident.
“Pinwheels cookies with dates and walnuts are a family treasure. There are a few steps when prepping, so I sometimes freeze the dough and bake later.” — Frieda Whiteley, Lisbon. 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 large eggs 4 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda Filling 1 pound pitted dates 1 cup water ½ cup sugar ½ cup chopped walnuts
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough into three portions. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll.
For filling, place dates, water and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until dates are tender and liquid is almost evaporated. Stir in walnuts; cool completely.
Roll each portion between two sheets of waxed paper into a 12x10-inch rectangle. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove waxed paper. Spread a third of the filling over each rectangle. Roll up tightly, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/3inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Makes about 9 dozen.
For the recipe for Cranberry Swirl Biscotti, visit bit.ly/29X3PkG.
Would you like to see your recipe published in Taste of Home? Submit your best dish into one of the current recipe contests (tasteofhome.com/contests) for a chance to win big prizes and a featured spot in a Taste of Home publication.
Lynn Fischer of Branford wrote, “I am contacting you regarding a recipe that I am trying to track down. It is for the leek biscuits at 4 & Twenty Blackbirds Bakeshop in Guilford. I would be beyond grateful if you could get it!”
Lynn, I will check to see if they will share this recipe.
Which restaurant recipes or other recipes would you like to have? Which food products are you having difficulty finding? Do you have cooking questions? Send them to me. Contact Stephen Fries, professor and coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, at gw-stephen. fries@gwcc.commnet. edu or Dept. FC, Gateway Community College, 20 Church St., New Haven 06510. Include your full name, address and phone number. Due to volume, I might not be able to publish every request. For more, go to stephenfries. com.