We asked three Phoenix chefs to share their holiday food traditions – past and present – along with recipes to try at home. Chef Matt Carter of The Mission, Fat Ox and Zinc Bistro makes a decadent creamed spinach. Lori Hashimoto of Hana Japanese Eatery knows its time to celebrate when her family makes fried wontons. And chef Dana Dumas sticks to a classic.
Chef Dana Dumas
Sugar Jam The Southern KitchenWhen it comes to the holidays, Dana Dumas, the chef and owner of SugarJam The Southern Kitchen, features classic dishes she grew up with maybe a little twist of her own.
A brown-sugar glazed ham, deviled eggs, homemade cranberry sauce and honey cornbread served with cinnamon butter are guaranteed to make appearances.
“I like having something that reminds you of yesteryear and some of my family who are not here anymore,” Dumas says. “It’s about trying to keep traditions alive and sharing those through food.”
Growing up, Dumas’ aunt Cheryl Thompson’s home was the spot for large family affairs. Dumas is overcome with emotion while recalling her aunt allowing her to have a tiny taste of wine when they ate together.
Although it was just a thimble’s worth, her aunt served it to Dumas in an espresso mug.
“A little demitasse cup was where my place setting would be,” Dumas says, as her voice cracks. “That's one of many cherished memories of the holidays and my Aunt Cheryl.”
One of her aunt’s popular holiday dishes was mushrooms filled with her legendary oyster sausage stuffing.
“Everyone always teased me because I’d eat the stuffing and leave the mushroom caps behind,” says Dumas, whose own stuffing recipe is a slight twist on her aunt’s. “There are family recipes that you modify, but there’s still that essence of them being there.”
Stuffing may be a family tradition, but the main attraction on Dumas' holiday table is her spin on the classic Christmas ham. Her version features a brown sugar bourbon glaze.
Dana Dumas’ Christmas Ham
8 to 9-pound bone-in spiral-cut ham1 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup pineapple juice
½-cup packed dark brown sugar
½-cup (4 ounces) bourbon (Dumas uses Jack Daniels)
¼-teaspoon grated fresh ginger
¼-teaspoon fresh orange zest
¼-teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼- teaspoon allspice
¼-teaspoon ground clove
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
5 orange slices
Olive oil spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make the glaze: Mix all wet ingredients and then fold in dry ingredients, except the orange slices and olive oil spray. Reserve 1/4 cup of the glaze for basting later.
Mix the remaining glaze with four tablespoons of water.
Spray a baking pan with olive oil and place ham on the pan.
Brush the glaze and water mixture on the ham, pouring some in between the spirals, and also pour the mixture onto the pan around the ham. Lay orange slices on the ham.
Cover the ham with tin foil and place on the center rack. Bake for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Uncover, baste the ham with half of the reserved glaze and bake for another 20 minutes. Baste again with remaining glaze and bake for 10 minutes more. Your ham should be at 145 degrees in the thickest part. Don't let it burn while basting.
Remove the pan from the oven. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Move to a pretty platter and serve.
