A Taste for the Holidays

OK, so maybe you’re not the kind to deliver only handmade presents wrapped in handmade paper and bound by handmade ribbon. And maybe the centerpiece on your holiday table will be a big roast rather than a handmade dried-fruit Christmas tree. But would it kill you to do just a little more?

For those who can’t quite be hectored into full-blown Martha-dom, Bay Area cookbook writer Georgeanne Brennan has “Holiday Fruit” and “Holiday Sweets” (Smithmark, $14.98 each), a couple of elegant little books for those who want to dabble in the world of frippery without fully crossing over.

There are simple jams and flavored oils and vinegars that can be used as gifts. How bad can cranberry, dried cherry and almond conserve be? Or fruit jellies? And then there are the pretties: a centerpiece of pine interspersed with fresh lemons looks very Southern California. Be careful, though. Before you know it, you, too, may be scouring flea markets for antique preserve jars.