theZoomer’s Holiday Special Serves Up Great Tastes and Timely Tips

While the holidays should be a joyful time of year spent with friends and family, the mountain of responsibilities and expectations we place on ourselves can often distract us from the true meaning of our celebrations. In this year’s special holiday edition of theZoomer, Marissa Semkiw hosts a group of professionals who share their unique tips and tricks on how to get the most out of the holiday season while reducing unnecessary stressors.

The lineup of guests includes Leks Maltby from Sheridan Nurseries to teach the audience how to get the most life out of a Christmas tree. Beth Edney, tree decorator for the Toronto Christmas Market, shares DIY decorating and design ideas to have a beautiful-looking tree that won’t break the bank. Tech reviewer Marc Saltzman highlights some of the hottest purchases this year, and The Ault Sisters, from VisionTV’s Your All Time Classic Hit Parade perform their new holiday single “Winter Wonderland” and “May You Always”.

For our holiday hosting needs, Chef Andrew Wilson from Toronto’s Cluny Bistro shows us how to spice up the holidays with two of the most popular selections at the Christmas Market this year; Mulled Wine and Truffle Cheese Sauce.

Mulled Wine

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 750ml Bottle Red Wine
  • 1 Navel Orange, cut into wheels
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 whole cloves ½ vanilla bean, sliced in half and scraped
  • 100 milliliters water
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 pieces star anise, whole

Directions:

  1. Take a 4 litre saucepan and empty in your bottle of wine and water
  2. Add all the other ingredients and stir together until all the sugar has dissolved
  3. Bring the wine up to a simmer, but never to the boil! and simmer gently for 45 minutes
  4. Let the wine steep for as long us you can hold off, drinking your fabulous mulled wine!
  5. Enjoy piping hot and garnish with a fresh slice of orange and a cinnamon stick

Notes:

  • Boiling the wine will reduce the alcohol content. If you want a full bodied alcoholic beverage, never boil
  • Pairs well with a traditional baked German pretzel

Truffle Cheese Sauce

Servings: 6

Yield: 600 mL

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 250 grams cremini mushroom, finely chopped and sautéed
  • 100 grams gruyere, grated
  • 25 grams truffle paste
  • 1 tablespoon white truffle oil
  • 5 sprigs fresh rosemary, picked and chopped finely kosher salt, to taste

Directions:

  1. Place your butter and flour in a heavy based saucepan, whisk together to cook out to form a blonde roux.
  2. Add your stock to form a veloute then add the sautéed mushrooms, cheese and rosemary off the heat. The sauce never goes back on the heat.
  3. Finish by adding the truffle paste and truffle oil and kosher salt to taste.
  4. Pour cheese sauce over everything and anything!

Catch theZoomer’s holiday special Monday Dec. 17 at 10pm ET/7 PT and Friday Dec. 21 at 2pm ET/11am PT and 11pm ET/8pm PT on VisionTV.