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By Root 943 0

food is probably eating food that has some integrity. People who hold their traditions of food preparation and presentation in high regard don’t tend to bargain-shop for cheap calories. Associating food with emotional comfort can lead to a life of scary habits and pitfalls, if the training ground is candy bars for good report cards and suckers for bravery during a booster shot. But there are other ways to go. Some of my happiest family memories involve making and eating elaborate meals for special occasions. Food turns events into celebrations. It’s not just about the food, but the experience of creating and then consuming it. People need families and communities for this kind of experience. Kids need parents, or some kind of guide, to lead them toward the food routines our bodies need. Becoming familiar with the process of food production generates both respect and a greater sense of calm about the whole idea of dinner.

This Thanksgiving corn pudding goes with one of our roasted turkeys, baked sweet potatoes, steamed Brussels sprouts or braised winter squash, and more than enough stuffing. Here, also, is a recipe for pan de muerto, the traditional food for Day of the Dead celebrations. Finally, I’ve included some recipes we developed for our preserved tomatoes. Dried tomatoes are one of many foods that are ridiculously expensive to buy, inexpensive to make. If you have (or can borrow) a food dryer, you can save a hundred dollars fast by purchasing five extra pounds of small tomatoes every time you visit the market and dehydrating them. In winter we toss them into soups and stews as well as making this antipasto and pesto, which we often pack in fancy anchovy jars for holiday gifts.

HOLIDAY CORN PUDDING A NINE-YEAR-OLD CAN MAKE

3 cups corn kernels

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 cup grated Gouda or Jack cheese

2 tablespoons parsley (dried)

1 tablespoon marjoram (dried)

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and pour into greased baking dish. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until top is puffy and golden.

FRIDA KAHLO’S PAN DE MUERTO

This recipe makes 30 small breads. The hard part is making them look like she did: shaped like skulls and dancing whirligig bones. Just making it tasty is not complicated, but you do have to start the dough the evening before your party is scheduled, then bake them just beforehand.

7½ cups white flour, sifted

2 cups sugar (or 1½ cups honey)

1¼ cups butter

2 packages active dry yeast dissolved in 5 tablespoons warm milk

12 eggs

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Put flour into a large bowl, cut in the butter, make a well in the center, and pour in the yeast and milk, eggs, sugar or honey, cinnamon, and vanilla. Work it with a spoon, then your hands, until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If dough is too soft, knead in more flour. If using honey, more flour will be necessary. Shape into a ball, grease and flour it lightly, and let stand in a warm place for 2 ½ hours, until doubled. Refrigerate overnight. Shape chilled dough into balls the size of a peach. Then shape or decorate them in any way that makes you think of your deceased ancestors. Place on greased baking sheets and let rise until doubled, about 1½ hours. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon, and bake at 350° for 30 minutes, until the bottoms sound hollow when tapped.

ANTIPASTO TOMATOES

Lots of tomatoes

This step involves thinking ahead. Small tomatoes work best for drying—Juliets, Principe Borgheses, Sun Golds, or cherry types. Cut in half and arrange skin-side-down on trays in a food dehydrator, or the sun if you live in a dry climate. Dry until they feel between leathery and brittle.

Vinegar

Dried thyme

Capers

Olive oil

Place dried tomatoes in a bowl. Heat vinegar in a saucepan or microwave, then pour enough into the bowl to cover the tomatoes. Soak for 10 minutes, then pour it off and save (it makes a great vinaigrette). Press off excess vinegar with the back of a wooden spoon. Then toss the damp tomatoes with thyme, or other spices that appeal to you. Pack loosely in glass