Time for Christmas, then!

[karadekoolaid Profile]

There! I´ve done it!
Our first Xmas Bazaar is on Sunday. I might go, but I don´t want an apoplexy when I see the prices.
Maybe I´ll just have a cold beverage and plan lunch

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I have recycled the Christmas Catalogues (unread)

Diwali has just gone, which seems to be the start of the local winter season

The street lights are up

The local WI has had it’s winter party tonight. We always have it in November as it gets too much in December, though we will be wrestling holly and ivy to make wreaths or table centres next month

The countdown has started

[Joanbunting Profile]

Apart from buying my cards from UK - French ones are awful and expensive. Anyway I like to get charity ones and we have to write them soon because a friend will take them back to UK to post them. Tight fisted, Moi?

Preparations will kick of on 25th when we and some friends gather in my kitchen to stir-up! The following weekend is the open house at the local winery andvarious small producers come from elsewhereto sell their stuff. The cognac and champagne producers are old friends now and will always get our cutom,

In Provence the Christmas season traditionally starts onn Ste Barbe - 4th December. when 3 saucers of wheat are sown. These form part of the table decoration and stand by the cheche. If they are still flourishing on Candlemas , 2nd February, prosperity will ensue for the rest of that year. With Brexit looming I think I'll have to tend my saucers very carefully.

[Pampy Profile]

Well, I've got the sprouts on!

[Alexandria Profile]

Spain shall be Christmas decorating the main shopping districts and áreas throughout the península shortly (15th November - 20th approx. ) ..

My parents, twin sons, 2 grandsons, 2 daughter in laws & inlaws put up their decorations & trees at the weekend of December 7th, during National Holidays.

We are never home during the holidays, as we go up to my our apartment (condo) on the northern Costa Brava during the holidays and travel during the week of January 2nd, so we do not put up a tree .. Just a collection of ceramic Caganers ( Catalan Tradition ), a Nativity ( Belén ) and 2 Christmas Stockings ..


Happy Holidays ..

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

I was cruising in August, feeling rather smug with 2 gift purchases under my belt.
But I'm starting to panic now as that's all I've done.

Still.
I've got a London visit coming up = Fortnums foodie trip.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Gird your loins up then as the price of a cup of coffee there now will set you a' gagging....!

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I had to visit the restaurant I work with yesterday, to give them some cocktail snacks for an event they had. They gave me half a kilo of freshly ground, organic, carefully selected artisan coffee.............which is currently providing a glorious perfume to the kitchen!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Fortnum’s seems to me less and less a food shop and more and more a destination for American and Oriental tourists

I used to like Jackson’s of Piccadilly a few doors down - the Earl Grey tea people - that was a proper old fashioned grocery, albeit a posh one. Long gone.

Pop out the back to Paxton & Whitfield on Jermyn Street and get stuck into the cheese

Having said which, and coming back to Christmas, I do really like Fortnum’s Christmas puds

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

I'm going to have to go get that coffee now, aren't I.
Don't tell me how much it is just yet ...... I'll surprise myself.

I like the cheese shop in Jermyn St. Last time I was there, a woman was trying to get a free sample. And they weren't allowing her.
She seemed to go in there a lot, expecting samplers, but never buying anything.
There's a pretty chemist down there too, with lovely gifts if my memory serves me well.

Talking of delis, I was looking at Partridges, which has move to Chelsea a while ago. Good God, 500 squid! https://www.partridges.co.uk/buckingham-hamper.html

Sue
I shall check out the Xmas puds and mince pies. Last time I looked, they had a best before date of 24th December. How odd.
I do like to get loose tea in Fortnums.

Enjoy that coffee, KKA.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Looks like Fortnums has won the best Xmas puddings taste test this year:

https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/in ... 60451.html

[Stokey Sue Profile]

For me it’s not just the flavour of the Fortnum’s pud, I really like the texture too with the sprinkling of shredded almondsh

[Alexandria Profile]

Bon Nadal ( Catalan ) ..

The Christmas Markets shall be opening and the city´s lights are always quite amazingly extraordinary ..

So this is a favorite time of year ..

Temperatures range from 5 - 10 degrees centigrade early mornings and late evenings however, during the day, 16 - 20 degrees and sunny ..

Have a lovely holiday and weekend ..

[Joanbunting Profile]

Looks like Fortnums has won the best Xmas puddings taste test this year:

https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/in ... 60451.html

I'm shocked Gill. There is only one Christmas pudding and you know where that come from!

[Wic Profile]

I have to make two dozen mince pies for our Christmas committee meeting next week. We don’t meet in December, which is why it’s so early. I don’t mind making them - and, actually, my husband would be entirely happy if I made a batch most weeks throughout the year - but I seem to be the only one who doesn’t mind. All the others say they’d rather do something else. It doesn’t stop them eating them, though.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Baking does take up time, doesn't it Wic.
I can see why others who aren't so inclined want the rewards, but don't want to work for it too.

There is only one Christmas pudding and you know where that come from!

Ha ha ha.
Too right Joan. Yours is the best Tony has had in his life.

You should apply to Fortnums?

[Sakkarin Profile]

Saw an ad featuring mince pies last night, and it prompted me to dig out last year's mincemeat (Delia's recipe) and make a small batch (pastry made with 120g of flour/70g fat made five).

I'm glad I tried it out in advance, because it was actually not particularly pleasant. I think I might have overcooked it last year (Delia's mincemeat recipe involves heating in a cool oven for 3 hours to avoid fermentation).

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Well at least you tried well in advance.
Leaving yourself plenty of time to try another recipe source.

I've been meaning to make vienna swirl type ones.

[Joanbunting Profile]

I've got all the ingredients to assemble this years mincemeat on Friday. It takes a while here because things like currants atr sometimes hard to find. I don't cook mine as I know some people do because I make fresh every year and I prefer it to be - well fresh! I do use an awful lots of rum though

I promised and extra jar to our chef friend who learned about it when he worked with Michelle Roux snr. He likes my Christmas pudding too.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Christmas pudding story alert.

A neighbour here was dating a Greek girl. The age gap was twice her own age.
She took him home to meet her Greek parents finally at Christmas - but lied about his age to soften the blow, saying he was 32. It didn't, he wasn't blessed with good genes.
The father asked why she'd brought a grandfather home with her.
The mother had to be driven to the hospital as she suffered a heart attack (yeah right). "You are killing your mother".

Anyway
He was told not to take whisky for the father, as he got mean on whisky. He did take a Christmas pudding for the entire family to try. Hoping they'd douse the warm dessert in brandy or cream or whatever.
The Greek family got the ice cream out.
Their mouths were full of frozen solid fats from the pudding - spitting it out into their napkins.

Disastrous.
The pressure from the family was too great, and they did break up.