Christmas 2022

 

Christmas Eve was quiet and although we had a few last minute errands the temperature was cold and kept us indoors for the evening, so ordering from our favourite Chinese restaurant was a must. 

Christmas morning we woke to a light snowfall and a slice of Métis cranberry bread, topped with a coconut whip cream and a dusting of cinnamon sugar... and a couple of Bucks fizz to toast the day and family. 

No lunch was needed after breakfast, nibbles and Buck's fizz. An early dinner did nicely, traditional turkey dinner with trimmings of herbed mashed potatoes, carrots with squash, savoury stuffing and mushy peas with lashing of gravy and cranberry sauce. White wine was our beverage of choice for the meal and although not the typical wine option, most often it is red, it accompanied well with crisp refreshing notes.

Dessert was Fortnum and Mason's Magnificent Plum Pudding... and it was gloriously magnificent! Decadent, rich and seasonally moist and flavourful, it was divine. It was, the most flawless way to end Christmas dinner.

      

Boxing Day was shared with friends and guests. A midday brunch fare that consisted of homemade bacon and bean soup, a selection of cheese and biscuits, pickled onions and beets, Tuscan herbed olives, munchies of Mackie's crisps in turkey dinner and Boxing Day curry, corn chips and Baba Ghanoush for dipping, savoury nibbles, toasty cheese sticks, my baking, Border's section of chocolate biscuits and a delightful Pandan cake. Wine along with non alcoholic drinks were served as the conversation and laughter flowed. 

... and of course our Christmas would not be complete without our annual Fortnum and Mason order. A lovely selections of teas, biscuits, crackers, coffee, mustard, honey, jams, pickle and savouries to see us through the coming year.  

Christmas came with a few surprises, such as this gift, of Marks and Spencer's and British food. An abundant selection of scrumptious sweet and savouries for us to devour, enjoy and share.  

The Green Man

 

It is said that seeing a robin during winter was a sign that the Oak King and summer would return. The robin is associated with the Oak King and the wren associated with the Holly King. Both the robin and the wren can be seen during the winter and summer months, it's a sign of the Oak Kings reign however it is also a reminder that the Holly King is never far away.

In Celtic myth and legend the Oak King is comparable to the Green Man, a legendary being who is a symbol of rebirth. The Green Man like the Oak King was seen as a figure of fertility and is most commonly depicted as having a face made from sprouting oak leaves whereas the Holly King is depicted as having a face made from sprouting holly leaves. Both are a symbol of seasonal renewal.  

It is believed that the Oak King and the Holly King are brothers and represent their reign and defeat over one another, twice a year, through transformation at the equinoxes, Spring and Autumn, with the Holly King ruling over the dark part of the year and the Oak King ruling over the light part of the year. 

Honey Cranberry Hazelnut Cookies

There came a time when I would make these cookies quite regularly over the holidays for my mum. She absolutely loved them and would request I make them for her often. I can understand why, they are a delightfully light semi-soft cookie with a sweet rich  taste. Throughout the years I have made different variations and this year I added them to my holiday baking, except with the addition of cranberries and hazelnuts. You can omit the cranberries and hazelnuts, if you wish, and add another nut or fruit which you may like or leave them out all together and opt for a more delicate straightforward biscuit. Either way, to me, these bring back fond memories and are extremely reminiscent of time and years gone by. 

Honey Cranberry Hazelnut Cookies

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1 cup butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon British mixed spice

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

cinnamon sugar, to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper.

In a large bowl mix throughly together the butter, brown sugar and eggs. Stir in the honey and vanilla. 

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, British mixed spice, chopped cranberries and chopped hazelnuts. Add the flour mixture to the butter and honey mixture and blend together until you have a nice semi firm dough. Roll into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using floured tines of a fork, gently press each dough ball. Sprinkle with Autumn sugar or cinnamon sugar. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until puffed up and set along the edges. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool. Repeat until all the dough has been used up.  

Yule ~ Winter Solstice ~ Christmas ~ Irish Coffee Muffins

Yule - Winter Solstice - typically falls between December 21st and December 22nd, in the Northern Hemisphere and occurs in the Southern Hemisphere between June 21st - 22nd and the Celtic celebrations may vary from year to year depending on when the Sun reaches the southern most point in its yearly cycle. Yule celebrations are believed to be connected to the original celebrations of Yule with the Wild Hunt (the Norse god, Odin) and the pagan Anglo-Saxon Modraniht/Modranicht (Mother's Night). 

Winter Solstice is a time for gathering in darkness and honouring and celebrating the return of light and the rebirth of the Sun. It also marks the beginning of Winter with the shortest day and the longest night of the year and because of that the days grow longer. Darkness begins to diminish as the returning light brings hope and promise. As the days become longer think perseverance, transformation and renewal as the increase of daylight will lift your spirit with hope of what lies ahead, Spring.   

Christmas, December 25th to December 27th, is linked with Winter Solstice and most customs, lore, symbols and rituals are similar. Other festivals or celebrations at this time include: Yuletide (Various/Germanic/Northern European, Dec 21st-Jan 1st), Wren Day/Wren's Day (Irish), Alban Arthan (Celtic/Druidic), Finn's Day, Festival of Sol, Great Day of Cauldron, Festival of Growth, Koliada/Koleda (Slavic), Lohri (Punjabi), Julebord (Scandinavian), Yalda Night/Chelle Night (Iranian), Hanukkah (Jewish, Dec 10th -18th), Kwanzaa (African-American Dec 26th-Jan 1st), Las Pasadas (Spanish, Dec 16-24), Soyal (Zuni and Hopi, Dec 20-22) and Saturnalia (Ancient Roman, Dec 17-23). 

Making a batch of Irish Coffee Muffins is a marvellous way to celebrate Yule and Winter Solstice. Happy Yule, Winter Solstice, Holidays and Christmas to all! 

Irish Coffee Muffins

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2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon British mixed spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup of heavy cream, unwhipped

1/2 cup coffee liqueur

1/4 cup Irish whiskey

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC) 

Line muffin tin cups with paper liners or silicone baking cups. 

In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, British mixed spice and salt. 

Stir in the beaten egg, heavy cream, coffee liqueur and Irish whiskey until moistened. Fill the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until done.

Sprinkle delicately with icing sugar before serving. 

Lentil Curry Soup

With minimal effort and in about thirty minutes you can enjoy a nourishing soup to see you through the most wintery of days. 

Lentil Curry Soup

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4 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 cups water

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/3 cups red lentils

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon Garam masala

1/2 teaspoon thyme

salt and pepper, to taste

2 bay leaves

In a large stock pot combine all the ingredients.

Heat, stirring often until soup comes to a boil.

Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Leftovers #60 ~ Chilli Poutine

Forlorn potatoes and yams, leftover chilli and shredded mozzarella cheese hanging about the kitchen, you can create a scrumptious meal such as this chilli poutine. It's a bit of a mix due to the fact that I used potatoes and yams, rather than strictly potatoes, which are used in classic poutine. The potatoes and yams were cut into chunky wedges, tossed in olive oil and mixed herbs and then oven roasted until golden brown. The leftover chili was warmed up and spooned over the heap of mixed roasted potato and yam wedges and topped with a hand full of mozzarella cheese. This may not replace traditional poutine however it created a scrumptious dinner... a culinary bliss of creating a wonderful meal from leftovers that otherwise might get overlooked. 

Meaty Tomato Sauce

 

Tomato sauce, in its simplicity is a tangy seasoned palette pleaser, add in other ingredients like spinach, onions, herbs, red wine, vodka, meat or a soy meat substitute and that enhances not only the flavour but the depth of something so fluid, so generously spoonable over any pasta... simply delectable and savoury. You can omit the meat, if you wish, it will still be a wonderful sauce for pasta and to dip pieces of a crusty Italian bread into or use it as a base for lasagnes and other saucy pasta dishes.  

Meaty Tomato Sauce

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1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. ground beef 

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 large can of low salt diced tomatoes

1 small tin of tomato paste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence 

1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes

salt and pepper, to taste

In a large deep fry pan over medium-high heat add the olive oil wait a few minutes for the oil to warm up then add the chopped onions. Stir and allow the onions to get semi transparent. Add the ground beef and using a wooden spoon break up the beef and mix with the onions. Stir constantly, allowing the beef to brown. Once the beef has browned add the can of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, Herbs de Provence, red chili flakes and salt and pepper. Stir to combine together. Reduce heat to low-medium and allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Taste and adjust the seasoning according to preference.