Hello friends! Today we a celebrating the festive season with another lovely homemade gift. Unlike the Sparkling Lavender Mustard or my Christmas Pudding, each of which need to rest for about a month before being ready to gift, the St Niklas Granola can be whipped up in an hour or so and gifted as soon as it cools!

Annabel Crabb & David Sedaris

The recipe for the St Niklas Granola comes from the Book Special Guest by Australian Journalist, Annabel Crabb.  I adore Annabel Crabb, she is smart and funny and she writes a good recipe!  The St Niklas Granola is inspired by those spicy Dutch Christmas cookies called Peppernoten.  In the introduction, to the granola, she also speaks of the rather suspect story surrounding them. I believe this is the same story as told by David Sedaris in his story “Six To Eight Black Men”.  I linked to his reading of this way back in 2015 and can heartily recommend it.  It is so funny!  (And the Fig, Fennel and Pistachio Roulade that was the featured recipe would also make a wonderful Christmas gift for the Foodie in your life!  

Listening to Six to Eight Black Men has become one of my Christmas traditions.  Making the St Niklas granola may well become one too.  

Speaking of Christmas traditions, Fairytale of New York is one of my favourite (Christmas) songs and features on any Christmas playlist I compile.  I was upset to hear of the recent passing of Shane McGowan.  His duet with Sinead O’Connor, Haunted is also one of my favourite songs.  How beautiful is her voice here?  It gives me shivers to hear it.  It is so sad to think that we have lost two such talented musicians this year.  

But back to the granola…

St Niklas Granola Recipe

I am not much of a breakfast person, so I usually eat my Granola as an after-dinner treat instead of dessert.  Sometimes, I also just grab a handful for a little snack on the go.  Some yoghurt and fresh fruit make it as good in the morning as it is in the evening.  The hit of spice and, especially the little hits of ginger when you get them are soooo good!  I love Annabelle’s suggestion of serving it with ice cream as a dessert too! 

And of course, when I suggest you give this as a gift, what I really mean is make an entire batch and keep half for yourself!

Have a wonderful week!