We’re less than a week away before Santa brings his jolly, rotund self to our neighborhood. But after he has made his list, checked it twice, found out who was naughty or nice and delivered all of his gifts, he will be mighty hungry and suffering a serious sugar high from all of those sweets.
I hear Mrs. C has been dropping the hammer on Santa’s diet up at the Pole and plans to put him on a cleanse in the New Year, so she isn’t going to be cooking this year. Do you blame her, after holding down all of those elves while he is out circling the globe? Who wants to cook anything after all of that?
So this year, Santa has decided to surprise Mrs. Claus with Christmas dinner in Harlem. He concocted a ruse with his main elf, Marty, and backup lead reindeer, Malcolm; he will claim to need some last-minute help from Mrs. Claus to tag-team Harlem deliveries. Malcolm and his crew will then rendezvous with Rudolph and the DDPVCCDB on the top of the Harlem State Office Building at 8 p.m. Santa is still deciding on which place to surprise the missus with, but he’s got a few choices.
Perhaps Santa will take her to Red Rooster Harlem for their prix fixe dinner ($55). There will be a special menu created by Marcus Samuelsson. The chef will be serving a mixture of holiday favorites such as Swedish ham with stone-ground mustard and festive Swedish staples like Jansson’s temptation. That sounds like the most “local” (to Santa’s home) and familiar menu for the Clauses. We’ll see if Mrs. C lets Santa eat the ginger snaps and Lucia buns each guest who orders the menu receives.
Maybe Santa’s pass through France will inspire him to go to Chez Lucienne for their prix fixe ($45 adults; $30 kids) served on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The red-clad couple can start with lobster bisque, foie gras terrine, smoked salmon and caviar or seafood fricassee in puff pastry. Next, for entrees, there is a choice between filet mignon, potato-wrapped filet of seabass, grilled salmon with champagne sauce or chicken with black truffles. Decadent!
Dessert at Chez Lucienne is “Buche de Noel,” or a Yule log, a rolled sponge cake frosted and filled with buttercream. It is in honor of Santa’s one day of work. Surely Mrs. C will let him have a piece … for Malcolm then.
Now, you better watch out, you better not cry, if you do see Santa at one of our fine establishments or strolling down Lenox Avenue proudly with Mrs. Claus on his arm. Harlemites, don’t pout, and I have told you why (don’t ask how I know), Santa Claus is coming to Harlem!
Merry Christmas to all!
I am preparing an end-of-year wrap-up and am desperate for your Harlem culinary winners for the year. It can be a food, a dish, a restaurant or eatery or person. Please email, Facebook or tweet me with your nominations. Use #BestofHarlem2012.
Enjoy, get eating and thanks for reading!
Kysha Harris is a food writer, culinary producer, consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service offering weekly and in-home entertaining packages. Questions? Comments? Requests? Feedback? Invitations! Email her at kysha@iSCHOP.com, follow her on Twitter @SCHOPgirl or Facebook www.facebook.com/SCHOPnyc or chat with her on Instant Messenger at AskSCHOP, Monday-Friday, 6-8 p.m. For even more recipes, tips and food musings, subscribe to her blog at www.talkingSCHOP.wordpress.com.
