As the Winter deep freeze sets in and temperatures plummet to sub zero temperatures, I feel inspired. Chilly, but inspired.
I think about it this way: This is the only time of year when outside produces the very thing that is this blog’s namesake: The infamous Knickerbocker Glory. Or at least, snow and ice. What else would a self-proclaimed food lover like myself derive from those conditions other than ice cream? Which is pretty much the only mandatory ingredient in a Knickerbocker Glory. You know, besides some sort of vessel in which to put it in and a tool to get it from hand to mouth without causing a glutenous and delicious mess.
It’s been said before but I’ll say it again, knickerbocker glories are the thesis of innovation and creativity. And if Winter inspires them (at least in me), then Winter is all about being inspired by the past and creating something new! For the purposes of this conversation, a new dish!
Day dreams about knickerbocker glories aren’t the only thing that Winter inspires of course. Cold chilly months are famous for cultivating memories from childhood. Comfort food, if you will. Mac & cheese, stews, meatloaf, savoury pies, potatoes and pretty much anything loaded with soft, comforting carbs like homemade breads, pastas and sweet cakes. Oh, be still my beating heart!
As I’ve grown older of course, I’ve tweaked and fiddled with those classic dishes Mom and Dad used to make, creating whole new food experiences – and my own culinary traditions; my own comfort food; my own Winter recipes. While drawing from my history, I’m able to create something new in the kitchen, experience new flavors and ultimately continue the traditions of my childhood, in entirely different, yet oddly familiar ways.
Take a personal favorite of mine, mac and cheese. This is something my Dad fed us for supper every time Mom had to work late. It wasn’t anything fancy – Kraft Dinner, if I’m being entirely honest. But because of that (weekly) tradition, that dish is something that I feel compelled to regularly make when it’s blustery and cold outside.
However, I’ve diversified by making my own scratch sauce with macaroni pasta, adding tomatoes on some occasions, peas on others, and on rare but a luxurious drizzle of truffle oil or pancetta. I switch up the cheese each time too – oozy mozzarella, smoked gouda, sharp cheddar, even a little feta, blue cheese or chevre from time to time. But no matter what I do to it, it always reminds me of the evenings huddled around the table at home with Dad and Brother, shared over a big steaming pot of KD.
So I invite you – find inspiration in Winter. Use the snowy capped roofs and dishes of your childhood to create unique recipes, amazing dishes and spectacularly tasty wow moments. Winter recipes aren’t just for curating the old, they’re also for discovering the new.
Where do you find your kitchen inspiration? Have any favorite Winter recipes that you just crave in the cold weather?
