As a former winery owner, I was quite on board with the culturally accepted norm that a good bottle of wine (or whiskey) is the ultimate gift. It’s the price of admission. It makes the host squeal or say “ooooohhhhhhh, very nice!”, nod very approvingly and swing the door open to let you in!!

When we’re drinking less or not at all, how do we get over that old saw…that long-baked belief that alcohol = holiday indulgence, celebration and largesse?

One of my secrets to freedom was to double-down on the pursuit of sensory pleasures in the realm of wining and dining, not to retreat from them.

To be clear, I'm not at all recommending that we just swap one dependency for another. In fact, I've talked and written about occasionally thinking about Creating vs Consuming Fun (ie a bike ride or game vs just another trip to get donuts).

However, food can be fun, playful, joyful, indulgent, decadent, sensuous, exciting, daring, loving!! It involves our senses of touch, vision, smell, taste and hearing (I did a recording of the crackling of my morning baguette!! ). It can involve a challenge, a new culture or tradition, and even a friendly competition....fun to consider for the holidays!

The thing is….really when we stop to think about it….in popping the cork….we were relying on an easy-button and asking alcohol to do a LOT of jobs. Asking alcohol to foster the festivity, create the connection, make the mood, and build the bond.

But when we open our eyes and our minds, there are many more paths to pleasure via flavor than alcohol — ones that involve more diversity, more fun, more inspiration and even more inclusivity since you don’t have to be a certain age to indulge in them.

See photo above - I had fun this week shopping for, staging, photographing and then EATING my still-life!!! I’ve never peeled and eaten lychee. It’s a total revelation to me. It tastes like a tropical melon and like roses! Persimmons also are a recent discovery and I love their mango-like, warm spiced sweetness. (I think I’m going to make this simple Apple Crumble again which was a hit for Thanksgiving, but substitute persimmons!)

How about enjoying for yourself or taking over to a party a beautiful wooden tray with cut up figs, persimmons, lychee and pears, combined with a dark chocolate dip, and/or whipped feta, honey and walnuts. Do you think anyone will say you’re no fun when you show up with that?!

Maybe you’ll offer yourself or others an assortment of imported cheese with a chutney, or cranberry or fig jam.

A beloved client is making her own focaccia and English muffins for morning treats.

My friend Meri makes a platter with feta drizzled with a honey-rosemary syrup. So simple but elegant and sexy even.

I make my granola and add cranberries, pecans and dark chocolate.

Our daughter has taken to making butter for our celebration meals - which can become a group activity with everyone taking turns to shake the jar.

Do you like the sound of popcorn drizzled with good olive oil and maybe sprinkled with parmesan and a little cayenne?

Have I ever been guilty of sautéing peaches in bacon fat and then putting that, along with some crisp bacon and maple syrup on my morning yogurt or on pancakes?! Well, yes, I have!!

(My every day breakfast consists of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese topped with a mix of dark cocoa, hemp hearts and flax, pumpkin seeds, dried mulberries, fresh fruit and walnuts - yum!)

What about bringing over a platter of steamed artichokes, leaves and hearts, plus some garlic aioli?!

For our winery events, I used to make this Mushroom Walnut Paté and this Smoked Trout/Salmon Spread.

You know what we forget? If you invite people over for a hot out-of-the-oven bread and butter tasting…they’ll come!!

They’ll come for a Pajama Pancake with DIY toppings/dance party too!

I know this is sacrilege, but my hubby and I are in agreement now that pancakes are maybe overrated and that French Toast/Pain Perdu, made with briche and some orange zest in the custard is where it’s at!! I top it with sautéed fruit and maybe even whipped cream or ice cream.

There's skillet jam that is endlessly adaptable for berries, figs, or anything you like.

Are you curious to try some homemade hot chocolate or to stage a dark chocolate tasting?

Ever been to or organized a tamale making party? We were once invited over to pick Oregon Dungeness crabs and then assemble big plates of Crab Louie Salad! Great conversations happen when we sit together and our hands are busy.

These spiced nuts are a family favorite.

I hope by now you are smacking your lips!

The point is, our taste buds are a gift from the universe and we were designed to interact with the natural world around us, including by tasting!

When we get a little distance from it, a wine-only agenda starts to feel less imaginative and actually dulls our ability to taste and to fully suck the marrow out of life!

Get out there and tickle and tease and please your taste buds! Your guests or hosts will love it! But most importantly, I hope you will!!

The more we are satiated, inspired, having fun and filled up in our cup of life, the less appeal alcohol holds!!

Wishing a whole lot of yumminess to you and yours!!

xo,
Martha