If you appreciate great cookware, you may wish to treat yourself to a set for Christmas; specifically, the new Aurora cookware from Zwilling J.A. Henckels.

This is sexy cookware for a serious cook. First, the looks: a gleaming satin finish 18/10 magnetic stainless steel exterior, mirror finished, with gently curved sides.

But more important is the beauty of the engineering.

 
The Sigma Clad five-ply construction both guarantees even heat distribution and makes the cookware stove top-flexible. Three aluminum layers are sandwiched between two stainless steel outer layers, making Aurora compatible with induction stove tops.

USING THE COOKWARE

Although the recommendation from the manufacturer is not to use high heat (if possible), I had no problems using the skillet to sauté the skin side chicken breast at high heat with little more than a light coating of oil.

On another occasion, I left the oil in a pan heating for too long and a distinct brown stain appeared. It did take some elbow grease to clean afterwards but it was restored to its original pristine condition.

The only issue for some people desirous of Zwilling’s Aurora cookware set is the price. But you do get what you pay for. For serious cooks and for others willing to take care of their set, the longevity of these pieces will cancel out the cost in the long run. I expect to get full use out of this set for the next 12-15 years. (There’s a lifetime warranty.)

At CutleryAndMore.com, the price is:

 
The 10-piece set includes a 9.5-inch stainless steel skillet, 11-inch stainless steel skillet, 1.5-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart saute pan with lid and 8-quart stock pot with lid. (If you’re new to buying cookware, lids are counted as separate pieces.)

To dip a toe in the water, you can buy an individual piece. The 9½-inch skillet is the lowest priced, at $79.95 (list $138).

Aurora is the Latin word for sunrise, and Roman goddess of dawn. It’s the sunrise of a terrific line of cookware that we can’t recommend highly enough.

For more information visit ZwillingOnline.com.
—Kris Prasad

If you live in a community where you can walk from home to home, how about going a-wassailing?

No one has to sing—that’s caroling. But you certainly can combine the two.

Line up friends to participate, have everyone make a different punch (or egg nog). Start at one house, work your way down the line and then, if you like, vote on the best. Make it an annual tradition.
 
WHAT EXACTLY IS WASSAIL?

“Wassail” began as a greeting among Anglo-Saxons, early Englishmen. Pronounced WASS-ul from the Middle English wæs hæil, it means “good health.” Centuries later, the term evolved into a drinking toast.

The wassail bowl tradition began in the 14th century in southern England, home to apple groves galore and a lot of apple cider. The first wassail bowls contained hot mulled cider. When you come across references to “a cup of good cheer,” that’s what you were served.

During the holiday season in Merrie Olde [medieval] England, a host would invite friends over for a celebratory drink. The festivities began when the host held up the big bowl* of drink and exclaimed, “Wassail!”

As wine became more plentiful—and there was a need to salvage bad batches of wine—hot mulled wine became an alternative to mulled cider.

Both are still traditional Christmas drinks in Europe. Mulled wine is called Gløg in Sweden, Glögi in Finland and Glühwein in Germany.

You don’t have to serve mulled cider or wine in your wassail bowl. There are many, many Christmas punch recipes, made with your favorite spirit or alcohol-free.

 
*Today that big bowl is known as a punch bowl, but punch was not to arrive in Europe for three more centuries. Details below.

If you consult a dictionary, you’d think that mulled wine is one that is studied or pondered. According to Harvard University, the origin of the word “mull” to mean heated and spiced is shrouded in mystery.

Mulling spices are a blend of allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg (what some Americans call “pumpkin pie spices”). The recipe varies, and star anise, cardamom and peppercorns can also be included, along with dried fruit such as apples, orange rind and raisins.

Thus, a “mulled” drink is one which has been prepared with these spices. The technique is to heat the drink with the spices and then strain them out before serving. Mulling spices may also be added to the brewing process to make spiced beer.

 
HOW DOES PUNCH FIT IN?

In the 17th century, merchant travelers of the British East India Company discovered the festive Indian drink, punch.

The word “punch” is an English variation of the Hindi word, “panch.” Panch was made from five different ingredients: sugar, lemon, water, tea or spices and an alcoholic spirit. The word for “five” in Sanskrit is panchan–hence the name.

After carbonated water (soda water) became available in the late 18th century, it became a sixth ingredient, added to the punch for some effervescence. However, the word for six in Sanskrit is shata. “Shat” just doesn’t work, so we’ll stick with “punch.”
Here’s a video recipe for wassail.

This non-alcoholic version of a wassail recipe combines apple cider and pineapple juice: certain to be popular with the kids.

Start planning to go a-wassailing!
  

The first, Orange Twigs, delicate milk chocolate butter truffles that melt in your mouth.

They have a hint of fresh orange, a divine combination. The ganache is coated in a thin layer of 65% bittersweet chocolate and finished with a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar.

A 6.3-ounce box is $ 16.00.

How about a gift box made from chocolate, filled with more chocolate?

Second on our menu are the company’s signature chocolate boxes. The square gift boxes made entirely of chocolate are filled with assorted bonbons (details below). After the chocolates are consumed, you eat the box!

What’s in the boxes?

Cinnamon Spice Truffles, Orange Zest Truffles, Pecan Fleur de Sel Caramels, Peppermint Cremes, Bittersweet Peanut Butterflies, Poire William Caramels, Maple Truffles, Fleur de Sel Caramels and Bourbon Truffles.

Each box is 17 ounces, $65.00.

Five Sparrows is a line developed by coffee shop owners, who wanted commercial products created specifically for handcrafted beverages. They are now available to consumers as well.

The company makes hot chocolate, chai and frappe mixes, which are available in versions sweetened with sugar or a combination of stevia and xylitol.

Today’s recommendation is for the stevia products. It isn’t difficult to find a quality hot chocolate mix made with sugar, but good sugar-free versions are hard to come by. These taste very natural—no “artificial sweetener” aftertaste. They dissolve easily into milk.

(And note that neither stevia nor xylitol are artificial ingredients. Here are the different types of zero-calorie, a.k.a. non-caloric, sweeteners.)

For friends and family who prefer a beverage with zero-calorie sweeteners, here are:

Just because Thanksgiving is over doesn’t mean sweet potatoes are over.

You don’t have to make an elaborate Thanksgiving-style dish, or even take the energy to mash or whip. Simple baked sweet potatoes with a pat of butter are delicious. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon if you like.

You can go whole hog (pun intended) with little extra effort by stuffing the baked potatoes with pulled pork barbecue.

This recipe is from Byron’s BBQ, which sells a delicious barbecued pull pork shoulder, cooked and frozen, at Sam’s Clubs. If you don’t like sweet potatoes, there’s a variation using the pulled pork with white baking potatoes, below.
 
 
RECIPE #1: BARBECUE-STUFFED SWEET POTATOES

Ingredients For 4 Servings

An entire main course: barbecue-stuffed sweet potatoes (photo © Byron’s BBQ).

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

2. PIERCE each potato with the tines of a fork and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.

3. HEAT the barbecue according to package directions.

4. MAKE a slit in the top of each sweet potato and season with salt and pepper. Top each potato with BBQ. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and chopped chives if desired.
 

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SWEET POTATOES & YAMS

The U.S. government makes mistakes. There are no buffalo in America; the big, wooly animal that roams the Great Plains is a bison—a different genus entirely. Yet, our mint produces a buffalo nickel. Hmm.

So it goes with many other items, including the tomato (classified as a vegetable, but it’s a fruit) and the sweet potato or yam—the words used interchangeably, although like the buffalo and bison issue, the yam is from a completely different botanical family.

You can’t fight city hall—or the Federal government or the produce manager—but here’s the difference between sweet potatoes and yams.

Add while you’re at it, here’s the difference between buffalo and bison.

Ingredients For 4 Servings

1. PREPARE the pulled pork according to package instructions.

2. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. Poke holes in the potatoes and wrap in foil. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until tender. Alternative microwave directions: Poke holes in the potatoes and microwave on high for 10 minutes or until done, turning the potatoes after 5 minutes. While potatoes cook…

3. COMBINE the sour cream and 2 tablespoons green onions. Set aside.

4. SLICE the baked potatoes lengthwise and fluff the flesh with a fork. Top each potato evenly with the barbecue, sour cream mixture, shredded cheese and remaining green onions.
 
 
ABOUT BYRON’S BBQ

Byron’s has been making authentic American barbecue since 1957, when Byron Charleton started selling the homemade BBQ recipe that made him famous in his hometown for years.

The barbecue is still made the same way on the same plot of land in Gallatin, Tennessee where Byron set up his first smokehouse. The pit master slowly smokes quality meat over an open-pit hardwood fire and slathers on a signature spicy-sweet sauce. The quick freeze technique enables the company to avoid any added chemical preservatives.

Learn more at ByronsBBQ.com.