Boxing Day used to be a day for eating things up left over from the the big day. Now, as a priest I work on Christmas Day so my first real test of cooking skill is always on Boxing Day. We had a wonderful turkey dinner yesterday at the local when we ate too much and drank quite a lot too so what we should have today is a bit of a problem. In the past we have had roast beef or a duck, but this time we thought very hard about what food we most enjoy and came up with sea food...
One of our lovely church wardens has a thriving business selling what he catches at sea so I ordered lobster, crab, mussels etc....and this morning I am looking for recipes for thermidor......mmm
We will have moules in a cream sauce for a starter but I've never made thermidor before.....if its too complicated the lobsters may have to stay simple!
I love cooking and in the past have spent a great deal of time making cakes and pies and biscuits but now I don't. A further complication is that for the last three years we have gone away soon after New year so I've had to throw out loads of stuff and this year is going to be different! In theory.
The only present that might be difficult to eat up is a giant box of chocolates from school....but if we apply ourselves manfully to the task we might just manage it!
We shall have help. My son is coming for lunch today which will be a great treat. To cook for those you love is one of life's great pleasures......and he remembers the days when cooking was a great family occasion especially in the years when we went vegetarian... One day of every school holiday was given up to the great bake up....The kids loved it and so did I ...
I went on with it for quite a long time but when my daughter left home and I still kept making the cakes and pies, me and the dog had to eat them and we got fatter and fatter until I stopped baking altogether...
So now I am just putting off the moment when I find out whether its lobster thermidor or just plain old lobster......
My son says he'll be happy with a crab sandwich so thats all right then!
1 comment:
We had seafood yesterday, due to our vegetarian diet. Today is a veggie Stir Fry and a chocolate desert. And of course, we're alcohol free. Tea is our main beverage with iced water with meals.
Avoiding Christmas excess seems to me to be about keeping things simple and trying to see the true meaning of Christmas underlying it all.
Off course, our family are dispersed - and we saw our Grand Children early. We are to visit friends on Thursday, which will be an opportunity to break our fast a little, but as they have two under three children, it will be lively and fun filled as well.
In our view, Children and Christmas are both our future and go naturally together. The awe and wonder they feel at Christmas is how we should approach life - I wonder why Jen sometimes calls me a 'big kid' :)
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