Happy Holidays

Wishing you Happy Holidays — assuming you celebrate a holiday this time of year.

Despite being atheists, my husband and I put up a Xmas tree and will host three members of his family for lunch tomorrow. For me, the holidays are about family and good food made from scratch.

I’m writing this on Wednesday morning, but I’ve got to get into the kitchen to make a couple of things my mom always used to make in December — divinity & fudge. I’ll also be making something my husband’s German grandparents made for the holidays — stollen. Friday morning my husband will prepare another holiday tradition from their family gatherings — deviled eggs as an appetizer.

Next year I’ll introduce his family to zwieback:

Russian Mennonite zwieback, called Tweebak in Plautdietsch, is a yeast bread roll formed from two pieces of dough that are pulled apart when eaten. Placing the two balls of dough one on top of the other so that the top one does not fall off during the baking process is part of the art and challenge that must be mastered by the baker. Traditionally, this type of zwieback is baked Saturday and eaten Sunday morning and for afternoon Faspa (Standard German: “Vesper”), a light meal.

This zwieback originated in the port cities of the Netherlands or Danzig, where toasted, dried buns were used to provision ships. Mennonite immigrants from the Netherlands, who settled in around Danzig in West Prussia continued this practice and brought it to Russia, when they migrated to new colonies in what is today Ukraine.

If I have time I’ll make zwieback today — brings back so many memories of the holidays at my maternal grandparents.

Next new post will be a new poll on Sunday morning at 8am.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Support or Oppose New St. Louis County Minimum Police Standards?

Twelve of the 90 municipalities in St. Louis County don’t like the county’s new minimum police standards, see Dozen municipalities file formal challenge to St. Louis County police standards ordinance. There are 57 police departments in St. Louis County. A good topic for today’s poll.

Usually I randomize the poll but someone suggested on polls with a logical order that they be presented as such, so this week everyone will see the answers in the same order. As always, the poll closes at 8pm tonight.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Approve or disapprove of financing plan for a new stadium up for final vote by the Board of Aldermen on Tuesday?

Last week a Board of Aldermen committee moved forward a plan for the financing of $150 million of a $1 billion dollar new stadium. Though our Edward Jones Dome is only 20 years old, St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke wants to move the team back to Los Angeles.

On Thursday, an aldermanic committee voted 7-2 to push the bill forward to a vote of the full Board of Aldermen.

The board could debate the matter as early as Friday, but procedural rules will require the board to come back next week for at least one special session to take a final vote. In order to debate the matter at Friday’s planned second reading, the aldermen will need to suspend the rules, requiring support from two-thirds of those present, and fast-track the bill. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

On Friday the bill wasn’t fast tracked so a special session will be held on Tuesday to meet the NFL’s end of the year financing deadline.

The poll closes at 8pm tonight, the answers are randomized.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: What Would You Like To See Happen To Grant’s Farm?

It’s been in the news the last week or so, six Busch siblings can’t agree on what to do with Grant’s Farm.

The choices are in random order, or you can provide your own brief answer. The poll closes at 8pm tonight.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: What Should We Do About Washington Ave’s “Zipper” Motif?

The Washington Ave streetscape was completed more than a dozen years ago.

Today’s poll question is about one aspect of the streetscape: the zipper motif.

The poll is open until 8pm, the answers are random — feel free to include your own.

— Steve Patterson