Boxing Day
And a recipe for a rejuvenating salad
Salad to the rescue!
Most of this post originally ran in the Centre Daily Times in 2015. It’s time to revisit!
There’s no need to stop celebrating, even though Christmas is over. Chanukah is still in full swing, and it’s only day two of the Twelve Days of Christmas, with more socializing on the horizon. Kwanzaa is starting today, a week-long observance of Black heritage, unity and culture. In Ireland, December 26th is Wren Day, with ties to the Druids who used the birds to predict the coming year. In ancient Rome, the feast of Saturnalia was observed around these dark December days, and gifts of candles were given to provide more light.
December 26th is known as Boxing Day in the United Kingdom and its affiliates worldwide. Though now primarily a shopping holiday similar to our Black Friday complete with sporting events to entertain stay-at-homes, the holiday was initially observed by “boxing up” seasonal gifts for the poor.
Caring for servants and others less fortunate on the day after Christmas has a long history. The timely carol “Good King Wenceslas” relates to St. Stephen’s Day, December 26th, and tells the story of the King Wenceslas of Bohemia, who ruled from 924 to 929. Though his reign and his life were short (the good king died when he was 23), his rule was beneficent and earned him enough respect to become the patron saint of Czechoslovakia.
Times were tough in the century preceding the first millennium. There was an ongoing power struggle between the Christians, like his father Ratislav, and the pagans, which included his mother, Drahomira, who secretly maintained her heathenism. Wenceslas was raised primarily by his paternal grandmother, Ludmila, who imparted the Christian faith to the observant boy, who enjoyed outdoor activities and helping with the harvest. The king sired some daughters and another son, Boleslav, with the queen biding her time.
When Wenceslas was thirteen, Ratislav died in battle, and Drahomira ascended to the throne and reverted to her pagan ways. She persecuted Christian priests and proved a most ungrateful daughter-in-law. She had babička Ludmila strangled in her castle in 921. Though Drahomira tried to get Wenceslas to forget about Christianity, the teenager was devoted to his religion. He participated secretly in Christian services and found that the Christian nobles were eager for him to seize the throne from his mother. When he was 18, they made their move and dethroned and exiled Drahomira—though he eventually allowed her to return.
Wenceslas reinstated Christianity and dedicated himself to helping the needy, who he clothed and sheltered. His acts of charity were renowned and even miraculous. A peace activist, he swore fealty to the king of Germany to avoid a conflict, which enraged his nobles, who felt Bohemia should remain sovereign. Meanwhile, the pagan underground, headed by his brother Boleslav, was secretly plotting his demise, which they achieved in 929, on the steps of a chapel.
Today we still sing of the generosity of Wenceslas on this feast of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, a sad story of another time. But for now, Happy Holidays—whichever you choose to celebrate!
Good King Wenceslas : Lyrics
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath'ring winter fuel
"Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know'st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes' fountain."
"Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither."
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather
"Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."
In his master's steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing
The day after Christmas, and Chanukah, is a fine time to make a big beautiful salad to share. Take a break from the endless snacking on cookies and rich appetizers and rejuvenate with whatever you have on hand to build a special cleansing salad supper.
Boxing Day Rejuvenation Salad
I just made this salad for dinner and I made a lot of substitutions that I will put in italics. The point is that a salad is a great way to use up lots of bits of fruits and veggies that you have on hand—so you can reap the benefits of the rainbow of phytonutrients.
Serves 6-8
Dressing:
1/4 cup pomegranate or cranberry juice I used apple juice
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar (or Tait Farm Raspberry Shrub) I used Cherry Balsamic vinegar from Michigan—because that is what I had on hand
1 medium shallot, peeled and chopped
1 small garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves I used lots of fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon each of salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of pomegranate or cranberry juice or water (to thin the dressing, if needed) I used about a tablespoon of water at the end
Salad:
8 ounces of arugula, frisee, or watercress, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
8 ounces red leaf lettuce or Romaine, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes I used a few tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese
1 tart apple, cored and sliced thin I used all the fruit I had on hand—raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, and kiwi
Spiced Pecans (recipe follows)
One small red onion, sliced thin I opted for no raw onion in the salad since the dressing had shallot and garlic
1/4 cup of dried cranberries I used half an avocado and some slivers of yellow pepper
2 cups leftover turkey, ham, roast beef, salmon, or roasted vegetables I used roasted beets
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
For the dressing: Combine the pomegranate or cranberry juice and dried cranberries in a microwave-safe bowl, top with a plate, and microwave on high power until hot, about 1 minute. Process the hot cranberry mixture, vinegar, shallot, garlic, thyme, mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender until the shallot and garlic are finely chopped, about 15 seconds. With the blender running, add the oil and continue to process until smooth and emulsified, about 15 seconds. Add the additional juice or water to thin the dressing and blend.
For the salad: Toss the greens, cheddar, apple, pecans, onion, and dried cranberries with 3/4 cup of the vinaigrette. Divide the salad among individual plates and top with the pomegranate seeds. Spoon the remaining vinaigrette over the salad or pass on the side. Serve immediately. I kept most of the dressing on the side and just drizzled some on the salad
Sweet and Spicy Pecans
Makes about 1 cup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup pecan halves
1 teaspoon sugar
Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, then stir in the pecans. Toast the nuts, stirring often, until the color of the nuts deepens slightly, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, toss with the sugar, and cool. I think it is easier to toast the pecans in the oven with the butter and spices and then add the sugar when you take them out.