December 23rd is National Pfeffernüsse Day, celebrating a traditional German Christmas cookie: rounded, spicy, and coated in powdered sugar.

Pronounced FEH-fehr-NEE-suh, the word means “pepper nuts.” The “nuts” refer to the nut-like hardness of the cookie; there are no nuts in the recipe.

Rather, these cookies are laden with gingerbread spices (anise, cloves, nutmeg), and pepper, plus citron*, candied lemon peel, and/or candied orange peel. The black pepper adds to the spiciness without adding heat. The result is sweet pepperiness.

 
The recipe below doesn’t use the candied citrus peel, but here’s one that does. Another variation: Pfeffernusse topped with royal icing and cubes of candied citrus peel.
 
 
> The pfeffernüsse recipe, below.

> Beverages to pair with pfeffernüsse.

> The difference between pfeffernüsse and lebkuchen, below.

> The history of pfeffernüsse, below.

> The different types of cookies: a photo glossary.

> The history of cookies.

> The year’s 44 cookie holidays.
 
 
PFEFFERNÜSSE VS. LEBKUCHEN: THE DIFFERENCE 

Pfeffernüsse are similar to Lebkuchen, but the latter are flat spice cookies topped with a thin white icing or chocolate glaze, while as previously mentioned, Pfeffernüsse are almost always small, rounded cookies with a powdered sugar glaze.

Instead of powdered sugar, Lebkuchen can be iced or dipped in chocolate. In photo #4, the baker did both! Lebkuchen can be shaped like regular cookies or cut into bars.

Pfeffernüsse and lebkuchen are both similarly flavored with honey and lots of warm baking spices

Some people think Lebkuchen are gingerbread, but they’re different†.

To soften the hard cookie, Lebkuchen (and Pfeffernüsse without powdered sugar) are often dunked in sweet wine, similar to the Italian practice of dunking biscotti in vin santo.
 
 
PFEFFERNÜSSE BEVERAGE PAIRINGS

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Hot Beverages: coffee, hot chocolate, mulled cider or wine, spiced tea (chai, Constant Comment, and numerous others).

Cold Beverages: iced coffee or chai, milk.

Alcoholic Beverages

Beer: chocolate stout, dark beer, or porter.

Dessert wines: sweet German wines like Eiswein, Spätlese Riesling or Auslese Riesling. In the footnote below‡‡ are more dessert wines from the Continent and the New World.

Others: eggnog, spiced rum.
 
 
RECIPE: PFEFFERNÜSSE SPICE COOKIES

This recipe is from Pillsbury. Grinding whole spices provides a more exciting flavor than using pre-ground spices. Here’s more about it.

You’ll love the aroma that wafts through the house as the cookies bake.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE in a large bowl the butter and brown sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the molasses and water. Lightly spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level off. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, anise seed, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and pepper; blend well. Stir in the nuts. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 2 hours for easier handling.

2. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls; place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. BAKE for 9 to 12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. Immediately remove from the cookie sheets and roll in powdered sugar.

[2] If you don’t want a lot of powdered sugar, sift it over the cookies instead of rolling them in the sugar. Here’s the recipe from McCormick.

[3] Instead of powdered sugar, use royal icing. This version tops it with candied citrus peel (recipe—it’s lemon peel, not candied citron). Here’s the recipe from Chatelaine.

[4] Why choose: Use both royal icing and chocolate! Here’s the recipe from Alnatura.

[5] An easy garnish: crushed pink peppercorns. Here’s the recipe from London Eats (photo © London Eats).

[6] Instead of pink peppercorns (or in addition to them), how about mini chocolate chips (Abacus Photo)?

The exact origin of pfeffernüsse is uncertain, but they are believed to have first appeared in Europe in the 17th century. Whoever made them first, they are commonly linked to Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Pfeffernüsse, which translates to “pepper nuts,” were named for their use of pepper and chopped nuts.

In Germany, Pfeffernüsse has become a traditional Christmas cookie [source].

Pfeffernüsse, along with lebkuchen (gingerbread), gingerbread (Germany), pepparkakor (Sweden), speculaas (The Netherlands), plus subsequent entries like biscochito (Spain) and pryaniky (Russia), were made possible by the medieval spice trade, which brought exotic ingredients like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper to Europe. Trade evolved over time so that these early, extremely costly ingredients, were made affordable to regular folks.

Historically, pfeffernüsse were baked in December for St. Nicholas Day (December 6th), a significant festive occasion in many European countries (although St. Nicholas pre-dates the cookies). They have become a beloved Christmas treat across the pond as well, thanks to the emigration of Europeans bringing their recipes.

St. Nicholas, called Sinterklaas (Santa Claus)**, arrives in many parts of Europe, children leave out their shoes or stockings to be filled with small gifts on St. Nicholas Day.

In the 19th century, bakers incorporated potash or potassium carbonate (the primary component of potash), into the dough, along with ammonium carbonate. These acted as leavening agents to achieve a superior consistency.

The recipes became more sophisticated over time. The conventional ingredients—flour, sugar, brown sugar, cloves, and cinnamon—have been expanded over the years to include some of the following: anise, black pepper, candied fruit, cardamom, honey, molasses, nutmeg, nuts, rum, and powdered sugar for dusting [source].

________________

*Citron is a large, fragrant citrus fruit with a very thick rind. There is little fruit inside, and its main contribution is the candied peel. It is one of the four original citrus fruits—along with mandarin, papeda, and pomelo—from which all other citrus types developed through natural hybrid speciation or artificial hybridization. Here’s a photo.

**Sinterklaas is based on Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bearded Greek bishop known for his generosity and miracles. The Santa Claus tradition evolved when the Dutch brought their celebration of Sinterklaas to New Amsterdam (modern-day New York) in the 17th century. The Sinterklaas tradition began to blend with other European customs such that eventually, a bearded jolly man named Santa Claus arrived on Christmas Eve, December 24th, larger gifts.

The English had Father Christmas, who appeared in the 16th century during the reign of Henry VIII. Pictured as a large man in green or scarlet robes lined with fur (like the king?), he was the spirit of good cheer at Christmas, bringing peace, joy, good food and wine and revelry. As Protestant England no longer kept the feast day of Saint Nicholas on December 6th, the Father Christmas celebration was moved to December 25th, Christmas Day.

The history of Santa Claus: In 1809, Washington Irving’s “Knickerbocker’s History of New York” mentioned “Saint Nicholas,” a jolly, pipe-smoking, gift-giving figure who traveled in a wagon. Irving Americanized the character, making him less of a bishop and more of a folklore figure. By the late 19th century, the American version of Santa Claus had spread internationally through advertising, literature, and the press. Though jump-started by Sinterklaas, Santa Claus—a jolly old portly, white-bearded elf in red suit, cap, and black boots—became the father of Christmas. Along the way were born The North Pole, elves who made gifts in a magical toy workshop, eight reindeer pulling Santa in his sled of gifts, and a jolly .

Today, Sinterklaas and Santa Claus coexist in their respective cultures, with Sinterklaas celebrated primarily in the Netherlands and Belgium, and Santa Claus being the central figure of Christmas celebrations worldwide.

†Both Lebkuchen and gingerbread are spice cookies, but Lebkuchen has more layers of flavor and is softer/chewier. Lebkuchen spices include aniseed, cardamom, cloves, coriander, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper or paprika. Candied citrus peel—lemon and orange—are added. These spices are also used in Pfeffernüsse.

Vis-a-vis gingerbread, lebkuchen cookies use almond and hazelnut flours instead of wheat flour, and brown sugar instead of molasses. A classic lebkuchen cookie is gluten-free. Here’s a recipe and more about lebkuchen spices, Lebkuchengewürz in German.

The name of the cookie is uncertain. Kuchen is the German word for cake, but the “leb” portion might be any (or none) of the following: the Germanic words Laib (loaf), Lebbe (very sweet), or an old term for crystallized honey, Leb-Honig, that cannot be used for much beside baking. There’s also Leibspeise, which means “a favorite food.”

‡Pink peppercorns, also called red peppercorns or rose peppercorns, and rose baises, may look like black and white peppercorns (Piper nigrum, family Piperaceae, order Piperales) but they’re no relative of any kind. They’re berries from the Baies Rose plant (Schinus molle, family Anacardiaceae), order Sapindales. They unite only in the topmost clade of the botanical hierarachy, which is one step below Plantae, the plant kingdom.

Now that you know they aren’t related in any way to black pepper (or chile peppers), what exactly are pink peppercorns? They are the fruit (berries) of a small mastic tree related to the rose bush, commonly called the Peruvian peppertree. The tree is native to northern South America and Peru’s Andean deserts. They are now crown in various parts of the world, including Brazil, Madagascar, and the French Island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. The trees are often sprayed with PE3, a pesticide; but organic pink pepper is available. And, you can grow your own. They can also be eaten raw, and are often used as a colorful garnish.

Pink peppercorn flavor is slightly sweet and fruity, with subtle berry-like notes. They have a hint of spice, but it’s nothing compared to the sharp heat of black pepper. They have a delicate, aromatic quality, with floral undertones.

‡‡Dessert wines are plentiful in Europe. Just a few: Brachetto d’Acqui, Muscat, Tokaji, Sauternes, and Vin Santo. There are also fortified wines: Cream Sherry or Pedro Ximénez Sherry, Madiera, and Port. Sweet sparkling European wines include Champagne (Demi-Sec or Sec), Lambrusco, and Moscato d’Asti. The U.S. makes several of these varieties, along with Ice Wine, Late Harvest Zinfandel, and Orange Muscat.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] For single portions or a fun family approach, pack salads into mason jars—not big ones, since the fork has to reach the bottom! (photo California Avocados).

[3] Spinach and bacon layered salad layered with peas, red bell pepper and cheddar, with ranch dressing (photo courtesy Kraft).

[3] Classic layered salad with blue cheese dressing. A year-round favorite, in the winter, exchange the chopped tomatoes for pimento or red bell pepper.

[4] Add protein for a luncheon salad; here, ham and hard-boiled eggs (photo courtesy McCormick).

[5] Cruciferous layered salad: broccoli and cauliflower florets with leafy crucifers—arugula, kale, mustard greens, etc.—and ranch dressing (photo courtesy Hidden Valley).

[6] Beans and grains combine in this tasty salad. The recipe is below (photo courtesy Whole Foods Market).

We’re two days into winter, it’s gray outside and the produce department of our supermarket isn’t providing much inspiration.

A solution: layered salad. Layering the ingredients in a glass bowl provides an more eye-appealing presentation for crunchy, good-for-you ingredients.

For red color, skip the out-of-season tomatoes and choose from beets, mild red peppers (Anaheim, Italian sweet chili peppers), peppadews, pimento, radishes, radicchio, red bell pepper, red cabbage, red grapefruit, red onions, red potatoes or sundried tomatoes…and perhaps a garnish of pomegranate arils.

A yellow or orange layer is also welcome: canned corn, carrots, orange or yellow bell peppers, sweet potatoes, winter squash, yellow beets…and cheddar cheese.

And toss in the other ingredients groups below. You’ll have an eye-appealing, nutritious treat instead of the same old salad.
 
 
1. PICK YOUR BASE

 
2. ADD A CHEESE

 
3. ADD A GRAIN OR LEGUME

 
4. ADD A FRUIT

 
5. SALAD IDEAS

Think beyond your regular salad ingredient combinations. Add to your base greens of choice (or eliminate the base greens as desired):

 
6. FOR A MAIN COURSE SALAD, ADD:

 
7. PICK A DRESSING

Your favorite dressing is the right dressing. Our favorites include:

 
 
RECIPE: BARLEY & BEAN SALAD WITH HERB PESTO

You can skip the salad greens and serve a grain and bean salad, with a pesto dressing to stand in for the greens (photo #6).

We adapted this recipe from Whole Foods Market.

Ingredients

For the Salad

 
For The Herb Pesto Dressing

1. MAKE the herb pesto: Blend all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor with 1 tablespoon water. Cover and refrigerate.

2. MAKE the salad: Bring 2 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the barley, lower the heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender and most of the water has evaporated, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool.

3. LAYER the barley, beans, tomatoes, avocado and corn in a large (2-quart) bowl, preferably glass. Top with the pesto. Toss at the table and serve.
  

We haven’t begun holiday shopping yet. But we’re not worried. Our list isn’t huge; and since no one we know needs any material possession we can afford, we long ago settled on disposable gifts—i.e., food.

This year we have three favorites (and might we add, we’re gifting all three to ourself, as well).
 
 
1. HONEY BAKED HAM

We received a gift of a Honey Baked Ham from the producer, and now proclaim it our favorite ham (photo #1).

There is no saltiness; salt in our opinion plagues many hams on the market. Instead, there’s a very light dusting of brown sugar, a perfect complement to the rich, juicy ham.

Hams are available in five sizes, from 6 pounds (serves 8-10) to 10 pounds (serves 18-22).

The hams are spiral cut on the bone. Not only is serving a cinch, but the bone is a bone-us (bad pun) waiting to be used in cooking beans, collards and kale, hearty soups, even Asian congee.

Lean cuts of premium pork are slowly roasting over hardwood chips for more than 20 hours. They are finished with the sweet-and-crunchy signature HoneyBaked Ham glaze.

We’re now a devoted customer, and promise that any ham-lover you gift one to will be most appreciative.

The hams are available at select retailers, but we find it convenient to buy online.

You can send a ham or a gift card. Head to HoneyBaked.com..
 
 
2. MOET & CHANDON HOLIDAY BOTTLE

A gift of Moët & Chandon champagne is always welcome. But as a holiday special, the vintner has created a limited edition bottle cloaked in gold (SRP $39.99).

The Moët Impérial Golden Sparkle Bottle contains the ever-popular Impérial Brut champagne, dressed up for the holidays.

Tip: Buy as much as you can. You’ll want your own supply for New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day.

The bottles are available at stores nationwide, along with a selection of gift boxed bottles and

See the entire selection at US.Moet.com.
 
 
3. JOSEPH DROUHIN CHOREY-LES-BEAUNE

You can never go wrong gifting a good bottle of Burgundy, but how to you choose among the many bottles on the shelf?

The venerable house of Joseph Drouhin has been bottling fine burgundies for 130 years. There are some 90 appellations—no wonder it’s so hard for the less-than-expert to buy burgundy.

We suggest starting with a bottle of from the appellation Chorey-Les-Beaune, a commune in the Côte-d’Or department in eastern France, northeast of the city of Beaune.

This luscious, supple red wine is moderately tannic and full of character. The nose is dominated by small red fruits (raspberry, Morello cherry) and black fruits (blackberry).

Its well-rounded structure leaves an aftertaste of fruit on the palate. When you buy it, it’s ready to drink.

[2] Moët et Chandon champagne dresses up for the holidays.

[3] A burgundy that won’t break the bank: Chorey-Les-Beaune from Joseph Drouhin (photo courtesy 1jour1vin.com.

Find it at retailers nationwide. Depending on the store and the vintage, it’s about $25 a bottle.

Discover more at M.Drouhin.com.
  

[2] To retain the best properties, the olives are pressed and bottled in just four hours.

[3] Just a drizzle adds silky, peppery flavor to anything on your table.

A business titan from Vancouver and an olive grower from Italy share a passion for creating great organic extra virgin olive oil

In 2010 they secure an estate in the rolling hills of Umbria, a region known for exceptional soil for olive groves: Olive oil production that dates back to Etruscan* times.

Overlooking the medieval village of Orvieto, they set out to nurture the groves.

Canadian Frank Giustra, who loves to cook and uses a lot of olive oil, fell in love with the land, and its promise, and purchased the surrounding orchards in 2010. He named it after his Italian mother, Domenica Fiore.

An Orvietano preservationist, Cesare Bianchini, joined the team to contribute his expertise in producing great Umbrian olive oils. He oversees all farming and olive oil production.

In fact, Domenica Fiore controls all aspects of the process: cultivation, milling, storage, packaging and sales. This allows you to know when the olives in your bottle were harvested, milled and bottled, along with the values of their chemical constituency.

The company prides itself in bringing you the freshest olive oil possible, bottling the oils within four hours of harvesting. Using state-of-the-art nitrogen sealed 18/10 stainless steel bottles—a rarity even among the finest oils—enables the preservation of extremely high antioxidants levels and polyphenol counts.
 
 
THE OILS

Domenica Fiore produces five different blends:

 
Each of the oils has its own personality, but they are definitely siblings, bursting with flavor, brightness and complexity.

How to choose? Start with whatever pops out at you; then try another, and another.

There are two sizes, 250 ml and 500 ml; prices range from $21.95 to $39.95.

Unlike the other four which are bottled within hours, the Riserva is allowed to rest for four months, where it acquires even more layers of complexity and is ideal for situations where the nuances of the oil will shine.

In addition to the conventional ideas, here’s an opportunity to display its breed: Domenica Fiore oils as a topping for vanilla ice cream is an exquisite experience.
 
 
SLOW FOOD

Organically grown, Domenica Fiore is the essence of Slow Food: delicious food created with care, grown and harvested with methods that have a positive impact on the land and ecosystems.

Every step of production is slow and deliberate. It’s not about speed or quantity: It’s all about quality and what helps the olives show their best.

Are there are other superlatives to say about an olive oil? We don’t think so.
 
 
AWARDS

The oils consistently win awards at international competitions.

In a category where there are so many entrants with “artisan” credentials, that says a lot.
 
 
OLIVE OIL GIFTS

What could be a better gift: delicious, healthful, environmentally sustainable, beautifully packaged: Domenica Fiore is something everyone can use and appreciate.

The line is certified organic and certified kosher.

There’s a store locator on the website, or select your oils online at DomenicaFiore.com.
 
 
OLIVE OIL LEARNING

________________

*The Etruscans were a wealthy and powerful people of ancient Italy. They inhabited the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany, western Umbria and northern Lazio, and were roughly contemporaneous with the founding of Rome, to the south. At the conclusion of the Roman–Etruscan Wars, in the 4th century B.C.E., the Etruscans were assimilated into the Roman Republic [source].

†Stainless steel is the best material for preserving olive oil’s nutritional and flavor characteristics.

January 11th is National Hot Toddy Day; January 17th is National Hot Buttered Rum Day. But we think this Chocolate Hot Toddy recipe (photo #1) is so full of holiday cheer, it deserves to be enjoyed now.

Hot buttered rum, also called a rum toddy, is a type of hot toddy, a venerable warm cocktail made with rum or another spirit, boiling water, sugar or honey, spices, and in this case, butter.

They’re almost the same drink. The difference: A hot toddy can be made with any spirit, whereas hot buttered rum is made with rum.

The word toddy, which first appears in English around 1600-1610, comes from the Hindi word tari, meaning palm sap—the juice of the palmyra palm tree, which was fermented into an alcoholic drink.

For food trivia lovers: The word punch also derives from Hindi, panch, after the Sanskrit panchan, meaning five. It refers to the five different ingredients of punch. Here’s more about it.

The history of the hot toddy follows. Elsewhere on The Nibble, you’ll find:

> Hot Toddy relatives (Glögg, Mulled Wine, etc.)

> The year’s 49 cocktail and spirits holidays.

> More hot toddy recipes.

> Snacks to serve with hot toddies.
 
 
TODDY HISTORY

Warm alcoholic beverages such as glögg, mulled wine and toddies originated in Northern Europe, where beer, cider, wine and spirits were mulled with sugar and spices to add some cheer to cold winter days.

Northern Europeans took their cue from the Romans, who, by the 2nd century, were heating wine to warm themselves [source]. They occupied Britain from the first through fifth centuries C.E.

Over the centuries, the cold weather drink became a standard during the holiday season. It’s what you received when you were offered a “cup of cheer” or “holiday cheer” in Merrie Olde England.
 
 
Toddy Comes To The New World

Hot buttered rum was a favorite in Colonial America. Rum is a New World spirit* made from molasses, a by-product of sugar refining. Distilleries in the Colonies† were making rum from molasses by the 1650s, and “hot buttered rum” joined the toddies and nogs of English tradition.

Hot buttered rum is traditionally made with dark rum, which has been aged in oak barrels to develop a deeper, molasses flavor. You can use light rum or spiced rum for a milder or spicier flavor, respectively.

You may see recipes for, creamy toddies, which add cream or ice cream to the basic recipe. These are new interpretations, not traditional toddies, which were not cream beverages.

Toddies can be made of any spirit; bourbon, brandy, tequila, Scotch, and other whiskeys are popular, as is sherry.

Hot toddy’s relatives include glogg, mulled wine, nog, and other spirited drinks. Here are the differences.
 
 
RECIPE: CHOCOLATE HOT BUTTERED RUM (CHOCOLATE RUM TODDY)

This recipe was created by chocolatier John Anderson of Napa Valley’s Woodhouse Chocolate, using dark cocoa powder.

He notes: “You can adjust the cocoa in the recipe according to your desired chocolate intensity. Personally, I like a subtle chocolate flavor in this drink, but you can certainly go full chocolate if you so desire. This is just one more thing to be thankful for around the holidays!”

Base For 10-12 Servings

 
Ingredients Per Drink

[2] Hot buttered rum in a glamorous glass. In Colonial times, metal or stone steins were used (photo © Ron Abuelo).

[3] Do marshmallows work in a cocktail? Try this recipe from The Cookie Rookie.

[4] A conventional toddy. In Colonial times it was served in a stein (photo © Hella Cocktail Co).

1. MAKE the base: Beat the ingredients together in a mixer until fluffy and smooth.

2. PLACE the base into a mug (preferably a glass mug) and add the rum and the water. Stir vigorously until well-combined.

3. TOPP with whipped cream if desired, and serve.
 
 
MORE HOT TODDY RECIPES