A Christmas to Remember

As a little girl growing up in Quebec, Christmas Eve was always idyllic. Snow blanketed ground and trees, the smell of firewood drifting on the frigid winter wind and glowing lights twinkling against the white landscape, reminiscent of a Thomas Kinkade painting. However, the best part was gathering in the basement of some family friends and spending Christmas Eve together. The wine flowed for the adults, and finger food flew off the platters as songs and laughter filled the air, allowing time to pass seamlessly into Christmas Day.

Now, as an adult living in Tucson, Christmas couldn't be more different. With the sparkle of lights glinting against the snow and the wind's frozen caress replaced with decorations set on rock yards and a gentle nip in the air, one can imagine just how different it is. The one thing that hadn't changed, though, is how the wine did flow, and the finger food disappeared. That is, until 2018. That was the last Christmas we spent with my mom, and the worst part was knowing it.

How do you plan a Christmas when you know it's someone's last? That is a difficult question to answer, but I chose to make it as close as possible to those nights we spent with our beloved family friends. My mother was weak from chemotherapy, and I knew she wouldn't have much of an appetite, so I focused on making her favorites that year. More than anything, I remembered how her best friend used to make crackers with warmed brie, and it was her favorite dish of the night. Although I was not too fond of brie, I decided to try my hand at a slightly different version.

I scoured through recipe after recipe to find the perfect topping for the brie pastries and finally stumbled across what seemed to be my best option—spiced pear chutney. Without hesitation, I ran out and found all the ingredients the recipe called for and hurried back home. There was still enough time before Christmas to make it, but I wanted to make sure it would taste just right. Of course, I can never follow a recipe just so, so I decided to improvise with some of the spices. My mother wasn't fond of nutmeg or allspice, so I replaced those with a touch of clove and cinnamon. I used the most stunning anjou pears I could find. I let the concoction simmer for a few hours until it was reduced just right and used my husband as an eager guinea pig for my little experiment. As he eagerly finished the testers and scrapped the bottom of the pot, he gave me his seal of approval. The only thing left to do was to find the perfect wine.

Christmas Eve came, and my mother and step-father arrived while the little pastries of brie and chutney, along with some other finger foods, were still in the oven. When I explained what I was making, she was delighted. She settled on the couch with a thick blanket, as she was always cold, and I put on a classic Christmas movie marathon. Once she was comfortable, I poured her a glass of Moscato, filled a plate with several of the filled puffed pastries, and watched with delight as her expression melted to pure enjoyment. It had been such a long time since I'd seen her eat so much that I gladly obliged every time she asked for more. The wine flowed, and so did the laughter, just like it had when I was young.

She didn't have the energy to stay awake as late as she used to, so it was still quite early when she went home to rest. But, before she left, she thanked me for working so hard to make this last Christmas the best she ever had. As I held her in my arms in a tight hug, I thanked her for being my mom.

By the time Christmas 2019 had come, she was gone, and I had to face my first Christmas ever without her. Sullenly, I made the chutney and brie, I poured the same Moscato as the year before and tried to enjoy the sweet morsels with my husband in a quiet Christmas celebration. Tears would randomly stream down our faces as we spoke of the memories, but every sweet bite slightly lifted our hearts as the flavors triggered reminders of the year before. This year, in her honor, the pear chutney, brie and, puff pastry delights will grace our table again.

Recipe for the pear chutney:

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds firm pears, peeled, cored and diced

2 yellow onions, peeled and diced

2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 cup dried cranberries

2 cups light brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground clove

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 cups cider vinegar (3 cups)

1 small can of tomato puree

Directions:

Chop the pears and onions, put it in a deep pot over medium heat until the pears start to brown. Add the other ingredients, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until the consistency you desire is reached. Store in sterilized mason jars.

Note- Pairs well with Moscato or Riesling, especially if eating on top of brie cheese.