LI 10
• DECEMBER 6, 2012 • LONG ISLANDER LIFE
Giving The Gift Of Good Taste
These sugarplum cottages are from Bon Bons Chocolatier in Huntington.
ments of Italian staples. Antipasto platters are a hit during the holiday season, they said, and popular orders often include fresh mozzarella, salami, olives, soppressata and lasagna, all prepared on site. Cold and hot platters typically start at $80 for up to 20 people. If your sweet tooth is particularly persistent, Chip’n Dipped is chock-full of chocolate, cookies and other assorted candies at their 342 New York Ave. location. The store offers chocolates in both Christmas and Hanukkah-inspired designs, such as large chocolate Santas ($39.95) and chocolate lollipops shaped like dredils ($5.95). Wild Flours Bake Shop (11 New St., Huntington) caters to a gluten-free audience, offering customers with dietary restrictions the opportunity to indulge with their family and friends over the holiday and year-round, too. The store has pre-made baskets with seasonal baked goods, such as peppermint scones and brownies, gingerbread scones and seasonally decorated cupcakes. Owner Carolyn Arcario said she plans to offer customers three types of baskets, including a breakfast basket for an office holiday party that includes gluten-free oats, maple syrup, fresh breakfast pastries or organic coffee, an assortment with a variety of baked goods, and a pasta dinner basket, including sauce, baguettes and pasta. And Reinwald’s Bakery (495 New York Ave., Huntington Station) thrives during the holiday months, as store owners Richard and Carole Reinwald see a season shift in customer’s requests. According to the couple, the Thanksgiving season is all about
LIfe photo/Jacqueline Birzon
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For their first Christmas in Huntington, owners Julius and Chris Binetti hope to bring the holiday spirit into the workplace, with antipasto platters and decorative baskets filled to the brim with chunks and wedges of their favorite cheeses. When serving cheese, never do so straight from the fridge, Julius said. “Cheese is always better when you leave it out for two to three hours before you serve it,” he explained. “That way, you get 100 percent of the flavor.” Italian specialty stores and butchers are always busy this time of year as Italians prepare for their Feast of the Seven Fishes. At Mr. Sausage (6 Union Place, Huntington), the Baldanza brothers offer authentic assort-
Reindeer and Christmas tree cupcakes are cute enough to dress up any holiday table. producing pies, whereas December brings a large volume of cookie and cake requests. “When you see a cookie platter on your kitchen table, it makes it really feel like home,” Rich said. Tradition and family are cornerstones of the bakery, and the couple said they enjoy introducing their patrons to traditional German desserts that they were raised on. Holiday favorites include their spekulatius cookies, a spiced cookie rich in butter and ground nuts. The Reinwalds also said their authentic gingerbread recipe offers a different flavor than others, because the recipe is over 100 years old and was passed down from relatives in Germany. The gingerbread recipe calls for baking soda and is unique because there is no sugar added, and no fat
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in the final product. And in Northport, Copenhagen Bakery on Woodbine Avenue said one pastry rises above all comers this time of year. “Cookies, cookies, cookies. A lot of cookie trays,” owner Flemming Hansen said. “You can bring flowers, wine or cookies [to a holiday party]. Those are your easy choices. It’s not refrigerated, it’s easy to grab a tray and people can pick at it.” Special features include brunkager, a Danish spice cookie, and German spice cookies. There’s also plenty of gingerbread houses, gingerbread men, Yule logs and other Scandinavian specialties like the Paris-Brest, a large baked ring of choux pastry that is cut in half and filled with whipped cream.