(no subject)

[pensnest]

Well, that went off very nicely.

The mighty Christmas joint (boned and rolled shoulder) of pork proved to be splendidly tender, and the crackling was crisp and crunchy (thanks, Delia). Roast potatoes and nips worked well, and the Proper Gravy, as made by Bun, was a triumph. I wish I'd remembered the apple sauce, but never mind—we had it with warmed-up leftovers in sandwiches on Boxing Day. Bread and butter pudding made with panettone for afters, and cheesecake on Boxing Day.

I have, sadly, discovered that I am an incompetent cookie-maker. Bun and I had a go at making American cookies—much more interesting than mince pies, as those are only sublime when made with my grandma's pastry, which is no longer available. The cookies taste nice, but they look… shall we say, like dog turds unfortunate.

My family have clued in to my inability to concentrate on anything so complex as a book these days, so I received an excellent selection of DVDs instead. And Beast did very well: a few days before Christmas, my watch stopped working. It was a cheap Timex, and had done fair service for its price. So Beast and I wandered into town together and I pointed out watches I liked and went somewhere else while he bought my Christmas present, because it's nice to have a surprise. And he picked the right one—the one I *really* liked. So I am now the happy owner of an oval-faced Seiko, which not coincidentally strongly resembles the one his parents gave me as a wedding present many years ago, which was stolen, to my great woe.

I have been rationing my consumption of MTYG stories, partly in order to be sociable—we have been playing board games together, which is nice (I win at Dixit and lose horribly at Monuments)—partly in order to make sure I can give each one thoughtful consideration, and partly in order to prolong the time when there are new popslash stories I haven't read yet. Which is a nice feeling. This year I may do actual recs, I think. I'm a bit sad not to have read more on-journal squee from recipients, and feedback seems a bit hard to come by. Perhaps people are still busy with Christmas?

And now the Brats have returned to Norwich. Which is nice, actually, although it was also nice to have them here. Trashy telly is so much more fun when you share it with somebody, and my Beast could not possibly be less interested, but Bun and I have a high tolerance for low programmes about bridalwear.

Comments

[sperrywink]

Sounds like a lovely Christmas. Glad it went well.

I actually read more MtYG stories this year than last, I think. I'm assuming people are still busy with the holidays.

[wenchpixie]

all hail St. Delia!

Your festive sounds delightful :)

[ullman]

Your Christmas sounds lovely! And I'm not much of a cookie-maker either - which I don't mind most of the year but over the holidays I'd love to show up with a batch of freshly baked cookies. Of course now I'm thinking about white chocolate chip cookies and remembering why it's probably a good thing that I suck at baking (and my oven isn't working): it's a big enough struggle as it is to keep the pounds off, heh.

Also, I hear you re MtYG (especially the lack of on-journal squee - that used to be one of my favorite things about the exchange whether I'd participated or not, hee). And I'm reading selectively this year mostly because I've been sick since Christmas and have a little trouble focusing. Which means the handful of stories I have read probably received somewhat incoherent feedback but I for one take my feedback where I can get it so I'm sure no one will have minded that too much. ;-)

[carolyn_claire]

We had a picnic cut pork shoulder roast, too, and white wine peach sauce (yum) but no Proper Gravy--what do you put into yours? We also roasted baby red potatoes and carrots and broccoli, but not as roast-y as I usually like them as the SIL has an aversion to fully-cooked veggies and took them out early (he's a cook with a lot of odd food quirks, silly boy). This year's roast came skin-on, which kind of horrified me (I'm a weenie), and I flayed it off before applying the rub and got a good workout out of it (I need sharper knives). Sandwiches after for days! So awesome.

This year I cut corners and bought pre-made cookie dough that we rolled out and cut on the pan--so much easier that way. I have leftover, frozen dough waiting for future cookies and/or dough eating, too, including a tube of gingerbread dough that we didn't use. The cookies came out perfectly (if a little indistinct, shape-wise--our coloring pens fixed that) and didn't burn on the bottom, largely because I wasn't responsible for taking them out on time.

I've tried and tried to wear watches--we kill them, my youngest and I, along with any other electronics we keep close to our persons. I try not to be any closer to my phone than is necessary, most of the time. Pockets are a last resort.

Ooooh, low programs about bridalwear--along the lines of "Say Yes to the Dress" or "Bridezillas"? We love those. :)

[pensnest]

We have a pretty small family so it's quite downbeat, but fun.

I'm treasuring the last few stories... will read them all before the reveal, though!

[pensnest]

It was a very good dinner :-)

[pensnest]

I was very impressed when quiet000001 gave me a selection of cookies, when she happened to be living hereabouts one year. Very nommy. We don't have the same tradition, and I've never been a person who bakes - I prefer cooking, which is a lot more forgiving of my natural free-form style.

I have seen a few people comment in their journals, and I suppose not everyone participates in LJ/DW fandom to the same extent... but I think popslash could use the squee, so I miss it.

[pensnest]

White wine peach sauce sounds delish! The gravy was fat and meat juices from the pan, plus flour, plus vegetable water from the potatoes/parsnips/broccoli, and a jar of bought turkey+cranberry gravy which I think added an extra zing to the flavour. I'm afraid I usually use gravy powder instead of making a proper roux, but I think I may have to try it Bun's way sometime.

Please tell me you cooked and ate the skin - it's the Best Bit of roast pork!

I still regret losing the recipe for freezer cookies that I used many years ago. I made biscuit salamis in vanilla/lemon/cinnamon flavours and stored them in the freezer, ready to slice and bake. Brilliant.

I'm sorry to say we watched a Whole Bunch of Say Yes to the Dress. We like Randy and Keasha, we don't care for Diane, and we despise the brides who ignore the budget and fall in love with Pnina dresses. It's fun!

[frausorge]

Congratulations on your culinary victories!

[carolyn_claire]

Oh, I hadn't thought of souping up a bought gravy that way--that's kind of brilliant, actually. Gravy isn't my best thing. Nor is rind, so I didn't do anything with that, no. I'm a bad Okie. *unrepentant*

SYttD is way fun--we even got the eldest's fiance watching it with us; then he developed opinions about dresses, so that may have backfired on us. (He thinks the sort with the fluttery, ruffled skirts look like they've been attacked by a cat, for instance.) She wanted to have that teary moment when she found her dress, like the women on the show do, and she did! Surprised us all. :)

[turlough]

It sounds like you'd a lovely holiday. And so much lovely food!

[brandywine28.livejournal.com]

Congrats on a successful Christmas, dog turd cookies and all!

"Rationing"--I like that. It sound so much more dignified than "hoarding them like a panicky, wild-eyed fiend" (even if that's pretty much what I've been doing). *sheepish grin* I'd like to do a rec list, but not before I've finished them all! Seems like it'd be unfair, no?