Participants in a survey conducted by Opinionated About included Dan Barber (Blue Hill, New York), “No Reservations” host Anthony Bourdain, Sean Brock (McCrady’s Charleston, SC), Michael Carlson (Schwa, Chicago), David Chang (Momofuku, New York), Daniel Humm (Eleven Madison Park, New York), Gale Gand (Tru, Chicago), Krista Kern Darjelais (Bresca, Portland, ME), Paul Liebrandt (Corton, New York), Thomas Keller (French Laundry, Napa Valley), Danny Meyer (Union Square Hospitality Group, New York), Daniel Patterson (Coi, San Francisco), Eric Ripert (Le Bernardin, New York), Anna Sortun (Oleana, Cambridge, MA) and Cindy Wolf (Charleston, Baltimore, MD).

Responses range from casual to fine dining establishments around the world. Restaurants named most frequently include:

• Aldea, New York City, Chef George Mendes
• Corton, New York City, Chef Paul Liebrandt
• Ferraro Bociarent, Spain, Chef Paco Morales
• Marea/Alto New York City, Chef Michael White
• McCrady’s Charleston, South Carolina, Chef Sean Brock
• Mugaritz Errenteria, Spain, Chef Adoni Aduriz
• Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark, Chef Rene Redzepi
• Ubuntu Napa, California, Chef Jeremy Fox

A new take on linguine and clam sauce.
Photo courtesy of Chef George Mendes,
Aldea restaurant, New York City.

Copper cookie cutter from Amazon.

1. For an ice cream “shortcake,” slice regular or chocolate pound cake into 1/2″-3/4″ slices and use large cookie cutters to cut shapes into the cake—use a tree- or star-shaped cutter for Christmas. If the cake isn’t dense, you may have to toast it lightly in order to cut out the shapes—but toasted cake is just as delicious.

2. Top with vanilla, mint or candy cane ice cream, fresh strawberries and mint leaves, drizzled with chocolate sauce if you like. You can place more than one piece of cake on the plate before topping with ice cream. Or “deconstruct” the shortcake and scoop the ice cream next to the cake to better show off the tree (or star) design.

Use heart cookie cutters and other theme shapes to make these special (and easy) desserts for every holiday.

Don’t look for bargains when buying cookie cutters; pay more for the sturdiest cookie cutters you can find. The inexpensive ones will bend out of shape. You can find other ways to save money—for example, using the star shape for both Christmas and Independence Day.

As is our tradition, the Top Picks of the last two weeks of the year present the best products we’ve tried during the year—everyday specialty food products that can make every day special.

This week, in Part I of “The Best Of 2009,” we present in alphabetical order our favorite savory foods and beverages.

You can click to the original reviews via the links links below, or read our “Best Gourmet & Specialty Foods of 2009” full review to learn why these have become permanent additions to our home pantry (and to THE NIBBLE kitchen as well).

 
CONTINUE TO PART 2, OUR FAVORITE SWEETS.

Deck the halls with Cranberry Tequila
Cocktails. Photo courtesy Don Julio.

The recipe, courtesy of Brian Van Flandern, Tequila Don Julio Global Brand Ambassador, is made with a clove-infused agave nectar.

Not familiar with agave nectar? Find out more about this low-glycemic sweetener, much better for you than sugar.

• Make the Cranberry Tequila Cocktail.
• Find more cranberry cocktails, mulled wine and other holiday cocktails in our Cocktails & Spirits Section.

The easiest technique is to tie cellophane-wrapped treats with ribbon and hang them on the tree with ornament hooks.

But it makes an even prettier presentation if you cut pliable pieces of clear plastic from the craft store, punch holes for the hooks, and “glue” the treats to them with a paste of confectioners sugar.

• See our 2009 Christmas cookie recipe collection.
• Find favorites in our 2008 Christmas cookie recipes.

Salted ginger crisps. The recipe is in the
2008 cookie collection. Photo courtesy
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.