Impressions of December

December 21, 2019

“Who can know the secret of musical composition? The sound of the sea, the curve of a horizon, the wind in the leaves, leave us with a multitude of impressions. And suddenly, without our wishing it at all, one of these memories spills from us and finds expression in musical language.”
~ Claude Debussy

 

Happy Winter Solstice!

The word solstice comes from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and longest night of the year is named as such because the Sun appears to stand still directly overhead at high noon on this day. This seeming stillness, as well as the increased time spent indoors, is why winter is also known as the quiet season. However, with holiday tunes seemingly playing on a loop from store loudspeakers, video and audio advertisements, and at social gatherings, this time of year can seem more like the jingle-jangly season.

I enjoy singing and hearing Christmas carols. I know by heart the lyrics and melodies of most standard carols and modern holiday tunes, including “The Hanukkah Song” by Adam Sandler. In addition, I enjoy singing along with all of the soprano parts for the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah and can keep up with the Middle English poetry of Benjamin Briton’s A Ceremony of Carols.

Sometimes though, even the most holiday music-enthusiastic folks among us need a break from the soundtrack of the season. If your nerves are frayed from too much rockin’ around the Christmas tree and too many jingling bells, try wrapping your gifts to the latest release by Italian pianist and composer Zafìs, “Impressioni di Dicembre”. This dreamy, musically-poetic piece offers the perfect mix of relaxing and inspiring for this time of year:

 

 

You can enjoy all of Zafìs’ beautiful, ethereal piano compositions via these links:

Spotify here
Apple Music here
Google Play here
Search “Zafìs” to listen or gift from iTunes and Amazon

A bit of musical trivia: Prog fans among you will recognize the title’s nod to legendary Italian prog band PFM and their 1971 anthem “Impressioni di Settembre“. I imagine George Frideric Handel, who spent time in Italy, would approve.

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After filling millions of stockings, perhaps Santa would appreciate a plate of Squid Ink Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, instead of cookies.

Both Santa’s heart and yours will benefit from choosing butter made from the milk of pasture-raised, grass-fed cows. Essential fatty acids, created in the green leaves of plants, have been linked to protection against coronary heart disease. The greater percentage of a cow’s diet that comes from grass, the greater the amount of unsaturated fatty acids, the lower the amount of saturated fatty acids and the more optimal the ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids in the milk. Look for the words “grass fed” or “pasture raised” on your dairy products.

Sockeye Salmon Christmas Ornament can be purchased here

 

Squid Ink Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon
A simple and elegant dish. Don’t let the “Squid Ink” in the name fool you, this pasta is absolutely delicious! The combination of jet-black spaghetti, sockeye salmon, fresh parsley, zesty lemon, butter and black pepper is a perfect addition to a Christmas eve table as a first course or main course.

Serve it with a green salad and some crusty bread so you can “fare la scarpetta” and clean your plate of all that yummy, buttery sauce.

Known in Italy as Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia (also found as linguini, penne and other pasta shapes), this jet-black pasta gets its chic color and delicately-salty flavor from squid ink. I purchased the brand below at Trader Joe’s, but you can find squid ink pasta at most stores that carry a wide selection of Italian products or find it online.

This recipe is for two, but it is easily doubled:

8oz squid ink spaghetti
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (I used salted)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, lightly smashed
4oz Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon, sliced into thin strips
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Zest of half a lemon
2 tablespoons (packed) chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

 

Boil the water for the pasta. Meanwhile, make the sauce.

In a medium saucepan, stir together butter, olive oil and garlic clove over medium-low heat. When butter begins to sizzle, discard the garlic clove.

Add sliced salmon to the pan and stir. Stir in lemon juice, zest and parsley. Simmer for a couple of minutes and add freshly-ground black pepper to your taste. Reduce heat to low.

Boil the spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente. When the pasta is almost done, add about 1/4 cup of the hot pasta cooking water into the pan with the salmon sauce and stir. Drain the cooked pasta and add to the pan with the sauce. Toss for a couple of minutes to mix together well and coat the spaghetti with the sauce.

Serve immediately.

Serves 2

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