No one knows how to prepare a meal like Scituate High School’s culinary arts teacher, Jennifer Wade-Baker, and her holiday table always has something for everyone.
Wade-Bake said the classic holiday dish, roasted turkey, is her favorite. She enjoys adding herbs and even bacon to the stuffing. She noted, “It’s decadent and fabulous!” According to Wade-Baker, herb and cranberry stuffing is “very New England.” Nevertheless, an assortment of food is the key to a perfect meal. She stated, “To make everybody in the family happy, you gotta have a variety.”
While the holiday season is beloved by most Americans, some people associate the days of eating with an excuse to binge and overindulge. This aspect of the holiday season can be uncomfortable, but Wade-Baker embraces the opportunity to discuss ways to integrate good habits: “It’s okay to have a little sample of everything, but really consider portion control,” she said, adding, “Get a small plate, which is what I personally do myself to keep my food in check.”
Portion control can help regulate food consumption, but monitoring the ingredients in holiday recipes is an important part of healthy eating. Wade-Baker shared her theories about what oils to cook with and what to stay away from. For instance, she always uses butter or olive oil in her holiday dishes. Another healthy option is to eliminate some of the sugar. She suggested, “You don’t always have to have a ton of sugar in something to make it sweet. I like to balance it with seasoning and spices.”
People all over the world come together during the holiday season to share the joy and prosperity that the holiday season brings. As far as Wade-Baker and her traditions go, she celebrates the holidays with her friends since her sisters are usually traveling: “We have quite a collection of characters that come for Friendsgiving,” she said. Each friend brings a dish, adding to the assortment of foods that she already cooks. Wade-Baker enjoys sharing family recipes, too: “There are things that my Grandmother Wade did, my dad’s mom, that we still do. My friend who comes, she does things that her mother does that I grew up with them.” Everyone has their different respective traditions throughout each holiday season, which makes it special and unique for everyone.