Christmas Cooking
We celebrated Christmas with our wonderful neighbours before the big day. My husband made Glühwein which smelt so amazing. I cooked and made bags of shortbread as gifts. We took a plate, an Australian expression meaning to take a plate of food to share and we all met for an evening together. This is a lovely chance to hear everyone’s news and plans and just relax together, sharing delicious food and stories. Best way to start the Christmas Week.
What’s in the pot? Gingerbread men! Gingerbread dough smells so good.
These dear little men look a bit rough but it is years since I have done any decorative icing. Decorated birthday cakes are a thing of the past. Even finding the nozzles and icing bag was a bit of a challenge. They don’t look elegant but they taste great!
Some other little treats, too. Pre Covid our Christmas holidays were often overseas and I loved being given marzipan mice and pigs. No trips to Europe now, but a wonderful delivery from overseas to remind me of those precious times.
Then it was time to cook the ham. I like a leg ham with the bone in. I have tried many glazes and prefer a sticky mix with a citrus base. The glaze for this leg of ham is an aromatic mix of maple syrup, mustard, brown sugar, marmalade, cinnamon and allspice. For a similar mix with exact measurements, look at recipetineats.com.
Glossy, delicious glaze. Back, brown sugar, front marmalade, cinnamon, Dijon mustard, allspice and maple syrup.
Still picking tomatoes and spring onions plus masses of herbs including mint, parsley, chives, basil and rosemary. Love the smell of herbs. Did you know you lose less flavour if you snip your herbs with scissors rather than chopping them? Next time you chop herbs look at all the colour and flavour left on the chopping board.
All this cooking is the result of a lot of shopping. Shopping at this time of the year is a bit fraught. First trial is finding parking but not too bad if you set off early. The next challenge is the gaps on some of the shelves. Flooding in the east and a train derailment are the reasons given, also the favourite reasons given by Australia Post for snail like delivery times of anything ordered online. The next shopping drama is the checkout queue. It can be long. It’s that time of the year. Being cross with the checkout person doesn’t make the process any quicker.
Grumping at the checkout person reminds me of one my rare shopping excursions in the early days of Covid. I was in a long line, standing on my safe social distancing spot when the man going through the checkout was mouthing off loudly about social distancing, wearing a mask and the lack of checkouts operating. The girl operating the checkout looked about 17, probably a student. Did he think the board of this Australia wide supermarket had sought her opinion on safe checkouts? Did he think she had any say in Covid rules?
Image Pexels
Which makes me think about all the people who work hard around Christmas time to make everything happen and keep us safe. All the retail workers, the nurses and doctors and masses of support people in hospitals, the police, the rubbish collectors and delivery drivers, the farmers getting the highly sought after products picked, packed and off to the shops along with all the meat we’ll consume. Thank you, too, to the plumber who solved a problem three doors down our street, all the careworkers assisting their clients and all the people I’ve missed.
Louis
Last week Louis, our groodle, was very fluffy and very hot. We’d made a grooming appointment three months ago not realizing it was going to get hot so quickly.
BEFORE
This week Louis is trimmed and cool. He is very pleased with his sleek new state and very active and playful.
AFTER
Wishing you a joyful holiday break with lots of good food and good company!
merry christmas !