Chef Flemming Pedersen poses with a yule log at Chef Flemmings Bake Shop, a European-style bakery, on Water Street in downtown Henderson Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012.
Friday, Dec. 22, 2023 | 2 a.m.
The holidays are a time to gather with family, friends and loved ones, and it’s hard to think of two pastimes more communal than sports and food.
In the spirit of past columns, where we have listened to festive music with the Scarlet and Gray, watched classic movies and memorable TV specials and handed out must-have gifts, let’s get into the kitchen and whip up some tasty dishes for Christmas 2023.
Christmas Tree Cakes
If you want to get real hyper, real fast, nothing does the job better than these sugar-infused Little Debbie snack cakes, as a couple trees will send any kid bouncing off the walls. That sounds a lot like Brennan Marion’s go-go offense, which turned UNLV into an explosive, fast-paced unit capable of scoring with anyone. Another thing about Christmas Tree Cakes is that they are stuffed with preservatives to last a really, really long time; let’s hope Marion has an equally far-off expiration date at UNLV.
Candy canes
Santa gives out candy canes as Station Casinos and Wildfire Gaming team members distribute holiday gifts to all 600 students at Whitney Elementary School on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017.
These classics are sweet enough to satisfy a sugar fix if you get really desperate, but they are better as a decoration than a food. That’s how Allegiant Stadium has felt for UNLV football since 2020: More decorative than a substantive homefield advantage. Barry Odom is trying to change that, and the Scarlet and Gray did draw a Mountain West record 31,473 for the conference title game. Here’s to bigger crowds and a sea of Scarlet in 2024.
Cookies with a bite taken out
Freed’s Bakery’s salted toffee cookies.
They may not be whole cookies, but these treats possess a certain magical quality. The same could be said for D.J. Thomas, UNLV’s preternatural point guard who should still be in high school. Thomas graduated a year early from Liberty, and though he’s still learning on the job, the 18-year old clearly has “it.” On Dec. 13, he kicked off the twelve days of Christmas by posting 16 points and nine assists to lead the Scarlet and Gray to an upset win over No. 8 Creighton.
Hanukkah gelt
Everyone can agree, these addictive foil-wrapped chocolate coins are impossible to resist. That’s how it must feel for UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava when receiver Ricky White is on the field. The junior is constantly open for big plays, making it tough to spread the ball around in the passing game. That’s how White ended up setting a school record for receiving this year with 1,386 yards. Simply put, White is money.
Fruit cakes
There was a time in America when fruit cakes reigned supreme during the holidays, but now this curious Boomer artifact serves as a warning to UNLV basketball. No matter how popular something may have been, it can get left behind as tastes evolve. There are a plethora of sports teams to follow in Las Vegas, including multiple defending champions; with a few more years of mediocre results, the once-proud UNLV program risks falling into the same fate as the fruit cake.
Egg nog
White Elephant Nog (Yasmina Chavez / Staff)
Nog is a rocking-chair favorite due to its smooth, substantial texture. The same could be said of Erick Harper after he nailed his first hire as UNLV’s athletic director. He tabbed Barry Odom to replace Marcus Arroyo and was rewarded with the football team’s first trip to the Mountain West championship game. Now the program is set up for long-term success, or in other words, the Harper’s hire was pretty smooth and substantial.
Gingerbread
Gingerbread houses made by Chef Jesus Castillo, of MGM/Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, are on display during the “We Knead the Dough” at Faith Lutheran School campus Saturday, December 8, 2012.
Few sweets are as versatile as gingerbread, which can come in the form of a man or a house or a snap. Just like this dish can be many things, the transfer portal served many needs for the UNLV football team. In one offseason, the program imported an All-America kicker in Jose Pizano, an All-America kick returner in Jacob De Jesus, an All-Mountain West linebacker in Jackson Woodard and a bunch more impact players. Like Santa’s sack, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Figgy pudding
This dish is traditionally presented with a sprig leaf on top, serving as a “crown.” That sounds like Desi-Rae Young to us. After leading the UNLV women’s basketball team to consecutive Mountain West titles and a 10-0 start this season — including the team’s first-ever appearance in the AP Top 25 — Young certainly deserves the royal treatment.
Chestnuts
Are nuts technically a dessert? It’s debatable, but they certainly class up a joint. That’s what Barry Odom has done for the UNLV football program, which floundered as riff-raff for most of the 50 years prior to his arrival. It wasn’t just the losing, it was the slipshod manner in which the team was run — poor funding begat poor execution. With Odom calling the shots, the Scarlet and Gray are not just at the top of the Mountain West, but acting like they belong there.
Advent calendar
Unfortunately for the UNLV basketball team, a slow start in non-conference play has pretty much taken an at-large bid off the table for the Scarlet and Gray. If they want to achieve their preseason goal of making the NCAA Tournament, they’ll have to punch their ticket by winning the Mountain West tournament, which begins on March 13. Perhaps an advent calendar counting down to that date rather than Dec. 25 would make a good stocking stuffer.
Yule log
A Yule log and a pumpkin pie are displayed at Chef Flemmings Bake Shop, a European-style bakery, on Water Street in downtown Henderson Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012.
The best holiday dessert is reserved for the best coach in the city, so come on down, Lindy La Rocque. The Las Vegas native has turned UNLV women’s basketball into a Mountain West dynasty overnight, complete with an undefeated campaign in 2022-23 and back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament. Now the ladies are ranked No. 23 in the nation and looking poised for a deep run in March. I guess you could say that, like the yule log, Lindy is…on a roll.
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
