HOLLY NADLER

508-274-2329

(hollynadler@gmail.com)

The best Christmas present, for my money (and my money translates to $12 for this item): Go to Linda Jean’s and purchase the in-house cookbook, Favorite Recipes, A Collection by the Waitstaff and Patrons of Linda Jean’s Restaurant.

The definition of comfort food is that which we love above all other meals. For some of us it’s meatloaf and mashed potatoes. For the rest of us it’s meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I’m a vegetarian but I still dream of meatloaf. Linda Jean’s for us Islanders is like that unbeatable corner coffeehouse for New Yorkers; when they leave town they miss their dog, their coffeehouse and their kids, in that order.

Last winter Robin Ayres on the waitstaff at LJ’s heard the 119th patron say after breakfasting on the Mess (scrambled eggs, fresh spinach, onions and Swiss cheese), “You guys should write a cookbook.” Robin proceeded to do just that, gathering recipes from colleagues, chefs, friends and customers. All entries were put to the LJ seal-of-approval test: It’s got to be delicious for 10-year-olds as well as 90-year-olds, and if you’ve had a long, wearisome winter day, it’ll restore rose to both your cheeks and your outlook.

The other day at the LJ counter, I opened the cookbook at random and came upon a four-ingredient recipe for Shepherd’s Pie by Kandace Sylvia: one pound of hamburger meat, one can of corn (drained), four potatoes and one can of beef gravy. Ms. Sylvia broke the most popular pub dish in the world down to four ingredients, just like the late comedian George Carlin repackaged the Ten Commandments into Two. It was nothing short of breath-taking, both the Shepherd’s Pie and the comedy act.

Each section of Favorite Recipes begins with a page of helpful hints; for instance Appetizers suggests adding fresh mint to the bottom of a mug about to receive hot chocolate. Also, cheeses should be left at room temperature before eating. How true this is! I had an aunt in Chester, Conn., who used to leave her cheeses in a dining room drawer overnight with no dire consequences to her guests. (Another hint: Don’t try this at home.)

The appetizers section is loaded with great and easy dips, crab cakes, grilled shrimp — everything that everybody loves, barring allergies. I zeroed in on something that would dispatch leftovers in my own fridge: Gorgonzola Stuffed Celery by Amy Love-Heflin calls for 1/2 cup of gorgonzola to be mashed with 1/2 of softened cream cheese. Next you fill 12 fresh-washed, ends-trimmed stalks of celery; garnish with chives.

Soups and Salads starts with helpful hints including: To perk up soggy lettuce, spritz with a mixture of lemon juice and cold water. For fruit salad, cut strawberries, kiwis and bananas with an egg slicer for perfect-sized wedges. Some recipes that riveted my hungry eye were Red Pepper Carrot Soup by Jenell Vasiliadis (special ingredients are curry, garlic and lemon juice), and Watercress Salad by Charlotte Coveney, a salad green that reminded me we don’t seem to serve watercress as frequently as we once did. You know where the secret Oak Bluffs supply happens to be, don’t you? I promised my late friend, Nan Rheault, who lived on the Lagoon, that I would never divulge the hidden watercress trove, but if you stop me on the street, I’ll tell you.

Next week I’ll report on the side dishes, entrees and desserts portion of the LJ’s cookbook, but in the meantime, while supplies last (they really are running out of their first printing), go and get some copies for friends and family who will then proceed to cook for you while you kick back with your feet on their coffee-tables!

By the way, this past Wednesday at LJ’s, staffer Tania Tucker covered the counter. She told me her husband, chef Peter “Papa Tuck” Tucker, with his own local cooking show on Channel 13 every Thursday night at 7 p.m., contributed to the cookbook his famous Ham Fettucine: Take three one-pound boxes of fettucine, one quart of heavy cream, 1/2 cup olive oil, three eight-ounce packages of shredded Parmesan cheese, three cups Baby Bella mushrooms and one-pound of deli ham. You ready? In a large saucepan, saute ham in oil, stir in cream and simmer three to five minutes; add cheese, cook until melted, add cooked fettucine and serve 12 of your best friends. Bon appetit!

This is one of the nicest things to do for the season: Attend the Hospice Concert, Reflections of Peace, on Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Oak Bluffs. The concert is directed by the illustrious Peter Boak, and the lush Christmas music will be accompanied by candles, white lights, and the scent of evergreens. Tickets of $15 will be available at the door.

Friends of the Oak Bluffs Library have planned a wonderful day trip to Newport, R.I., on Tuesday, Dec. 14. Travelers will catch a 7 a.m. ferry, with a return trip of 6:15 p.m. or earlier. The total cost for bus and admission to two of Newport’s mansions, Breakers and The Elms — with self-guided audio tours — is $46. In Newport, the bus will deliver its passengers to the harbor for lunch (meal not included in price). To reserve, call Karen Achille at 508-693-0165 and call her soon — this bus is leaving!