Edible offerings

How to make presents of provisions

By Jill strauss

THE ’JOY OF COOKING: Rick’s, on the Hill, is clean, simple, and delicious.

I watched a bunch of keyed-up little kids in the Maine Mall last week, itching to whisper their heart’s desires into Santa’s ear, and I realized that I felt jealous of Mr. Claus. I wished my adult friends would just tell me what they really want for Christmas. Adults are so difficult. “Oh, we don’t need anything. Just make a donation in our names to the Salvation Army,” a couple of constant companions told me. Except that if I followed their advice and neglected to give them a personal present, I’d never hear the end of it.

Fortunately, all of my loved ones are foodies, so the only reasonable solution to my dilemma is to host a sit-down dinner party for them. In addition to a lavish home cooked meal, each guest will receive a wrapped gift (under $20) specially suited to his or her food needs. The menu will include a compilation of classic dishes I’ve prepared before: scallop mousse with caviar, homemade potato chips, wild mushroom soup, chateaubriand with potatoes gratin and glazed carrots, mixed baby greens with truffle oil and sherry vinaigrette, and finally a choice of lemon tart or dark chocolate brownies served with homemade ice creams and sorbets. When my friends ask me: How can I help? What can I bring? I will put my pride aside and answer truthfully: I need one sous chef, one dishwasher, and several bottles of fine wine.

It takes time to research products and establish relationships with vendors, but at Christmas-time, when the pressure is on, this knowledge and these relationships can pay off. The best caviar in town, for example, can be had at Browne Trading Gourmet Market. Chef Kraig Friedman will let me taste a variety of cured sturgeon roe, though I know I will choose the buttery Karaburun caviar from Iran. One 20 oz. jar of these glossy eggs is $41. It’s an elegant garnish for the scallop mousse I’ll be preparing and it’s still cheaper than some of the other premium caviars that are offered. I will make two other costly purchases here: one pound of glistening diver scallops ($16.99) and some truffle oil. If you’ve never tasted truffle oil, don’t. Its earthy flavor is haunting and addictive and an 8 oz. bottle costs $33.79.

Browne Trading Gourmet Market, 262 Commercial St., Portland, (207) 775-7560. The Portland Greengrocer, 211 Commercial St., Portland, (207) 761-9232. Natural Butcher 25 Preble St., Portland Public Market, Portland, (207) 228-2044. Williams-Sonoma, 384 Maine Mall Rd., South Portland, (207) 772-9175.

Next stop on my list is The Portland Greengrocer. Of course, I will get some fresh herbs and produce here, but most importantly I will pick up my chocolate ingredients. I can always count on co-owner Nick Witte to have plenty of Valrhona cocoa powder and dark, bittersweet bars in stock. He initially ordered them especially for me when I explained that I loved this smooth and sophisticated chocolate above all others. Valrhona chocolate is made from the finest cocoa beans of Madagascar, the same place I want my vanilla beans to come from, and, sure enough, there are two perfect pods in a tube for only $3.99. This little treat is priced much higher just about anywhere you go and I am once again impressed by Witte’s effort to offer superior products at reasonable prices. I will get extra bars and cocoa powder and vanilla beans and wrap them for my chocoholic friends.

The chateaubriand is really the star of this showy dinner and since I infrequently indulge in beef, especially this cut of beef, I want it to be the best. Wayne Haan, the butcher at Natural Butcher in the Portland Public Market says his Wolfe Neck Farm Chateaubriand will not disappoint me. It looks marvelous — and at $22.99 per pound it should! Anything else that I have missed on my list can be purchased at the Market, and I am relieved to realize this since there is a limit to the number of specialty food stores I want to visit in one day.

The last trip I will take is to the Maine Mall. This is a courageous act and I always remind myself that a trip to Williams-Sonoma, located in the bustling complex, is worth the hassle. Williams-Sonoma is the chic-est kitchen store around and I can never help admiring the shop’s whimsical displays, educated staff, and stunning products. Keeping in mind my pledge to keep my gifts under $20, I’ll probably purchase red silicone spatulas, steel crepe pans, microplane fine graters, and digital timers. (The spatulas are heatproof and will not melt when they are placed in hot liquids, the crepe pans turn out perfect eight-inch crepes, the microplane fine graters remove just the skin of citrus, not the pith, and the timers beep to let you know when your food is cooked to perfection.)

Even if I decide to forgo these charming and practical gifts, the total cost of dinner for ten without wine is about $30 per person. Obviously, it is not essential to be so extravagant in order to have a happy holiday celebration with your dearest friends, but every once in a while it’s fun to splurge on people who really appreciate luxury and the effort that goes into preparing a sumptuous repast.

Jill Strauss can be reached at straussj@adelphia.net