Less is More – A Bossanova Tradition

Time does not slow down for anyone, and in our collective race to accomplishing more of our perceived finish lines—work, family, travel, development—we can’t help craving the chance to pause and gain more time with those we love, in the places and activities that bring us utmost joy. When we value our time, our time seems to have more value.

Maybe you decorate and dress up in the holiday spirit so fervently that you can hardly wait to go out gift shopping or plan all your party outfits, hopping from event to event, bringing and receiving more gifts, taking selfies and Insta stories like nobody’s business while making your mark on the holiday parade this year. Yeah, that can be a lot of fun.

But if you’ve been-there-done-that, and the sparkle didn’t last through February, and beyond, perhaps you want more meaningful, lasting and ultimately more valuable experiences out of this season.

For instance:

You value more joy that comes with less sacrificing.

You value more meals lacking guilt.

You value more bubbly with no hangovers. (one can dream, right?)

You value more laughter with your favorite people.

You value more goals achieved with less hustle.

You desire more people who value you for your company, instead of all the stuff you may have to offer.

And the list goes on…

It is our tradition to spend Christmas Eve and Day and New Year’s Eve surrounded by family and close friends in our kitchen and living room. We believe in preparing and sharing meals together, telling stories, giving and receiving words of wisdom and support through happy or challenging times. We believe in toasting all our wins and lifting each other up during the losses. We value this time as though it were the currency of our lives, and it, therefore, transcends its value and becomes that elusive “invaluable” result. We love that.

It is with this yearning for more meaning with less rush or stuff that we come to wish you a Bossanova Christmas and plant the seed for a much more lavish feeling this holiday season, grounded in the timeless simplicity of the belief that “Less is More.”

Consider these “Less is More” ideas:

Re-use or at least recycle all gift wrapping and ribbons—it will feel great to save all those trees.

Give more experiences and less stuff that will end up in someone’s closet or in a landfill.

Buy less, re-purpose more, yes we said it: re-gift —we hear we are not the only ones who have unwrapped generic gifts in our home that could be saying “I care” to the right home out there.

Get involved with at least one charitable cause close to your heart that could use your time more than your stuff – bring your kids or a friend to participate.

Cook a simple meal with or for friends and family.

And speaking of cooking, this year we made our family’s traditional gnocchi – recipe included below – for our team at Dell Anno and served it with a homemade tomato and vegetable sauce from our garden harvest this past summer. The oohs and ahhs warmed our hearts and will last a lifetime in our memory.

We hope you take the opportunity to build in some “invaluable” time with your friends and loved ones this holiday season. Let us know which beautiful, simple, and yet rich experiences you create!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Potato Gnocchi – total time until ready 1 hour and 30 minutes, serves 4

Ingredients:

4-5 Yukon Gold Potatoes, or Russets (second choice)
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp salt
½ cup of 00 flour
Butter or olive oil + Parmesan cheese, or
Sauce of choice
How to Make It:

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork. Bake the potatoes in the oven for about 1 hour, until tender. Do not boil the potatoes, the moisture levels will increase, and the desired fluffy result will be compromised by having to add more flour.

Step 2

Halve the potatoes. Scoop the flesh into a ricer and rice the potatoes. If not using a ricer, you might end up with chunks, which is not the end of the world, but do not blend the potatoes. Transfer 2 slightly packed cups of riced potatoes to a bowl. Stir in the egg yolks and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the 1/2 cup of flour; stir until a stiff dough forms. Knead the dough gently until smooth but slightly sticky.

Step 3

Line a baking sheet with wax paper and dust with flour. On a floured surface, cut the dough into 4 pieces, rolling each into a 3/4-inch-thick rope. Cut the ropes into 3/4-inch pieces. Roll each piece against the tines of a fork to make ridges (optional); transfer to the baking sheet.

Step 4

In a large, deep skillet of simmering salted water, cook the gnocchi until they rise to the surface, then simmer for 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a warm serving dish and drizzle with olive oil until ready to serve with sauce of choice. If serving with oil or butter only, heat up a skillet, melt the butter and transfer gnocchi to coat, sprinkle salt and pepper, and parmesan cheese just before serving.

Prep Pro Tip

The uncooked gnocchi pieces can be frozen on the prepared baking sheet, then transferred to a resealable plastic bag and frozen for up to 1 month. Boil without defrosting.