December’s cuisine can be highlighted with concepts which include green tones – think Florentine. The word Florentine is derived from and refers to Florence, Italy. It is also a culinary word which refers to spinach. For example, Oysters Florentine, Poached Eggs Florentine and Crepes Florentine can be holiday hits. Fresh cooked spinach can be utilized to line a terrine by lining the terrine with plastic wrap first and carefully lining the terrine, leaf by leaf, to coat the terrine mold. Then, the terrine mold can be filled with alternating layers of cooked spinach and chicken filling. When inverted the terrine is a stunning presentation! Remember that fresh spinach needs to be washed. It only takes 10 to 20 seconds to cook fresh spinach in boiling water. Know that cooked spinach greatly reduces in “bulk”; so, more is better. After boiling the spinach, quickly, squeeze the wet spinach between two plates to drain off the moisture effectively. Then, create your favorite Florentine specialty. A lovely Christmas brunch could include Omelets Florentine. Spray the skillet with non-stick spray. Lightly whip the eggs in a mixer. I add two extra egg whites for more fluff and touch of cream. So, per person, that would be 2 eggs and 2 more egg whites. Pour this into the prepared skillet. Just before flipping, add lightly salted cooked spinach and sprinkle on your favorite cheese. You’ll feel like a pro! © Kelly McBride Loft