By Two weeks until Christmas. I'm not a Christmas person in the traditional sense — I don't decorate the house, I don't have a tree (the smoker is my tree), and I don't listen to Christmas music unless Mariah Carey ambushes me at the grocery store, which she does, every year, without my consent. But I am a Christmas food person. Christmas is when I go all-in on a menu that takes three days to execute and feeds everyone I love. That's my Christmas. The food is the celebration. The rest is wrapping paper.
Started planning the Christmas dinner. This year is significant because I'm going to give Mai the Vietnam tickets. Christmas Eve. The plan: cook a massive dinner, gather everyone, and after the meal, when Mai is full and content and her defenses are at their lowest, hand her the envelope. Linh knows. Nobody else does. The secrecy adds a pressure that I don't need but apparently enjoy, because here I am, planning a surprise for a woman who does not like surprises, from a man who is bad at keeping secrets.
The menu for Christmas: prime rib (a departure from brisket — I want something that says "this is special" even by Bobby Tran standards), Mai's pho (she insists on making it every holiday and I have no authority to stop her), a whole smoked duck (James is doing this one — I'm teaching him the technique with orange peel and star anise), and my thit kho — the caramelized pork and eggs that is the taste of Vietnamese New Year and, in our house, every significant occasion.
Emma stopped by Wednesday. She looked tired but she was smiling. She didn't tell me anything specific but she looked at the smoker and said, "How do you think this yard would handle grandkids?" I said, "The same way it handles everything else. With food and patience." She didn't say more. I didn't ask. But I noticed the way she put her hand on her stomach when she thought I wasn't looking. I'm a man who notices things. I'm just also a man who knows when to pretend he didn't.
Made a test run of the prime rib Sunday — a four-rib roast, reverse-seared: low and slow in the oven at 225 until the internal hit 120, then blasted at 500 for a crispy exterior. Rubbed with garlic, fresh rosemary, black pepper, and — because I am who I am — a thin layer of fish sauce mixed with butter. The fish sauce doesn't make it taste Vietnamese. It makes it taste like the best prime rib you've ever had, and you can't figure out why. That's the secret. Fish sauce is my secret to everything. It's umami in a bottle. It's the cheat code.
When you’re reverse-searing a prime rib and hiding Vietnam tickets in your back pocket, you need something in your glass that matches the occasion. Beer won’t do it. Wine is expected. But a Raspberry Bellini — cold, sparkling, a little sweet, a little sharp — that’s the kind of drink that says “something is about to happen.” I’m making a batch of these for Christmas Eve, right before I hand Mai the envelope. Everyone gets a glass. Nobody knows why we’re toasting yet. That’s the best part.
Raspberry Bellini
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh raspberries (or frozen, thawed)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 bottle (750 ml) prosecco, chilled
- Fresh raspberries, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the puree. Add raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Strain the seeds. Press the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, using the back of a spoon to push through as much liquid as possible. Discard the seeds.
- Chill the puree. Refrigerate the strained raspberry puree for at least 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.
- Assemble the bellinis. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of raspberry puree into each champagne flute. Slowly pour chilled prosecco over the puree, tilting the glass slightly to prevent too much fizzing.
- Stir gently. Use a long spoon or cocktail stirrer to gently combine the puree and prosecco. Do not over-stir — you want to keep the bubbles alive.
- Garnish and serve. Drop 2 to 3 fresh raspberries into each glass and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 130 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 5mg