If there were one spice that really exemplifies the holidays, for me it would poultry seasoning.

What, you say? Not cinnamon or pumpkin spice?

Don't get me wrong, I love those, too, those warming spices that summon visions of hot cider, Christmas cookies and Rudolph and the gang.

But poultry seasoning — usually some combination of sage, savory, rosemary, thyme and marjoram, among others — conjures the family dinner, everyone gathered around a holiday roast, an array of vegetables, a pan of dressing and a bowl of gravy.

Stick your nose right into the jar and that rich, piney sage is what hits you first — the aroma somehow equal parts dinner and freshly cut Christmas tree. Of course, this seasoning is terrific with poultry, but what it does to pork really rings my holiday bell. Especially for breakfast.

My mom was not an early riser, so it was my dad who got us up for school. And once we were old enough to use the toaster and reach the milk, we were on our own when it came to breakfast.

But Christmas morning was another story. The festivities began as soon as everyone arrived and the adults had a cup of coffee in hand. Someone would play Santa, doling out the gifts from under the tree, and the wild, joyous frenzy of unwrapping would begin. We didn't take turns. We dove right in. There were squeals of delight, babies crawling into boxes, cats chasing ribbon — glorious holiday madness unleashed.

When the dust cleared, my dad would break out the first special treat of the day, brown-and-serve sausages. They'd sizzle in the pan for what seemed like forever, perfuming the whole house with that pork and sage goodness and making our bellies growl.

If you're feeding a crowd for breakfast at some point this year, I suggest celebrating with a big pot of sausage gravy. My favorite recipe calls for an extra shot of poultry seasoning and hits of nutmeg and hot sauce in the gravy, suspending the sausage in a creamy, decadent blanket of Christmas. 

You can make it ahead, then reheat it in the morning and serve it from a slow-cooker set on low. That way, it will stay hot while people make there way through your menu. You can serve it as is, over biscuits or toast, or add a pile of scrambled eggs and a dollop of applesauce on the side. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, you can serve it over a pile of sautéed spinach. So good. And you can enjoy the leftovers, if there are any, later for dinner.

The recipe is from Marcia Adams' "Cooking from Quilt Country," a book that celebrates America's Amish and Mennonite kitchens. Adams recommends no less than three biscuit halves swimming in gravy as a single serving. Of course, she's talking about feeding people that have been up since dawn working the farm. For those of us who don't plan to break a sweat before breakfast, I recommend half a biscuit drenched in gravy as a serving.

Enjoy!

Jill Blanchette is the multiplatform production editor at The Day. Share recipes and comments with her at j.blanchette@theday.com.

Sausage Gravy

Serves 6 to 8

1 pound sage-flavored bulk sausage, as lean as possible

2 tablespoons finely minced onion

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 quart milk (skim, 2 percent, whatever you have)

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, rounded

¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning, rounded

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Dash of Tabasco

Crumble the sausage into a large saucepan and sauté over medium-low heat, breaking the meat into small pieces while it cooks; do not allow it to brown or get crisp. When meat is about three-quarters cooked, add the onion and cook until it's transparent.

Drain off all but about 2 tablespoons of the meat drippings. You don't have to be too precise about this. Thoroughly stir in the flour and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 7 minutes, or until the fat-flour mix turns golden and bubbles up.

Pour in the milk all at once, and add the seasonings. Cook and whisk until the mixture thickens. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve generously over warm baking powder biscuits that have been split in half.

Original recipe from Marcia Adams' "Cooking from Quilt Country."