More Christmas

People keep talking about the goodies we are going to have over the holidays. I don’t think I am fixing a lot more than any of you would and in some instances probably a lot less. However, starting with Christmas Eve, we had Sweet and Sour Shrimp which I posted on May 1, 2014. It is a very simple recipe and quick to do. We followed it with a slice of the mincemeat tart I bought in November at the Crossroads Restaurant when we went on our Travel League Bowling.

Once upon a time my family used to serve slices of delectable ham and champagne as a brunch. Matt and I turned that into champagne cocktails as Matt isn’t that enamoured of champagne. Then I found out I had diabetes so we have changed it so that I have breakfast at the normal time and the ham for lunch. I will probably have a Kir Royale and Matt, still not being that keen on champagne, will probably have beer. When I say delectable ham, in those days first my parents and later on us, would buy a cooked ham such as a York ham (not available in North America) or the best we could find. A good ham should still have the fat on it too which improves the taste. We did not make the mistake of cooking it again. Unfortunately these days it really isn’t worth it for the two of us to buy a large ham (and we can’t get small ones, not like I am describing) so we are having thin slices of Black Forest ham. The other important thing is, of course, Colman’s Mustard. That is a must. I guess that is a play on words but… I am sure there are other English hams as good but after 40 odd years away from the UK, I don’t remember what they were. The mustard should be powder form that you mix fresh as needed. I don’t wish to imply one cannot buy good ham in Canada, in fact the Black Forest ham we had was delicious.

Then for dinner I cooked a turkey breast, which I served with homemade gravy, roast potatoes, Brussels Sprouts and bread sauce. How odd, I have mentioned bread sauce several times since I started blogging but I have never given a recipe. This will be followed by Christmas Pudding (Plum Pudding) and rum butter sauce.  No, no cranberry. I recently discovered the reason it’s called plum pudding, when there are no plums in it, is because the Victorians used to call raisins, plums. We will be drinking a white wine with dinner, probably La Vielle Ferme which is a wine we both enjoy very much.

Tomorrow a large piece of pork leg. I should say today I guess.

Bread Sauce

I make bread sauce the way my mother used to make it. I don’t know, and have never worked out the amounts, I use a small pan and a small onion so I am guessing not a lot more than 1 cup of milk – enough to just cover the onion. I then use three slices of bread from which I have cut the crusts and crumbed them in the blender.
Stick whole cloves into a small onion and place in a pan of milk. Sweat this as long as possible. I usually start early in the morning so it can really absorb the flavours. I then throw away the onion and add fresh breadcrumbs, a knob of butter and add cream until I get a nice creamy consistency.

Have a great day