We made it back to the mother country for Christmas. Isabel had the house dressed from chimney to floorboard with twinkling Christmas cheer. We piled into the car the morning after arrival and zoomed off to the Rothschild Estate. We were yelled at for being late by a small lady with not one hair out of place and sensible shoes. “That’s all right” my mother in law said, which threw the lady enough to leave plenty of time to shimmy past her through a Christmas fantasy land and onto the frosting on the cake of a dining room table. I have never seen so many proper people sitting so nicley in one room. We feasted on roast bird, brussel sprouts, sausage stuffing and creme brulee, and I wouldn’t have ordered brussel sprouts for Ferd except that he decided he needed them.
(and then) “What the heck, Mom!!! Why would you eat that?” We drove from there straight to the Royal Albert Hall smack in the middle of London, and had a first class box with a pile of sandwiches, sips of wine and spoons of raspberry mousse; I don’t know how to keep up that kind of eating. Christmas Eve I got the flu and watched some really good television and then rallied for the big day. Isabel (vegetarian) made her traditional pork roast, baked ham, stuffed turkey, andsausages stuffed with bacon. Plus soup, two kinds of potatoes, more brussels, carrots, and a few desserts, and when we were ready, mince pies and chocolates.
When the appetite kicked in again, it was up to Lincoln (picture perfect beautiful with massive cathedral) for another dinner at a 200 year old pub with Grandpa Frank, and all the aunts, uncles and cousins.
As soon as we landed back in the big apple, more family (adopted)–Ann and Carmen for the New York City tour and then Jeannie, Gary and Mads for dinner at the stardust diner in Times Square where the waiters jump up on the tables and sing their Broadway bound hearts out, then Kel for a great big pursuit of happiness secret. (just you wait)
How are you going to keep up that kind of schedule and grocery shop?
I defrosted a piece of leftover braised brisket and I’m going to rework it into a beef and leek pie with a pastry crust.
Shred the beef, cook up a big pan of leeks in butter with thyme and a bay leaf, add some cubes of peeled potato, dust with flour, saute a little longer to give the flour a toasted flavor, and add homemade stock or water. Simmer, covered until the potatotes are tender. Add the shredded beef to warm through, and a spill of heavy cream. Get it into a casserole dish and top with your favorite pie crust. (1 cup of flour, 7 tablespoons of butter, pinch salt, pinch of sugar and ice water to bring it together). Bake at 425 til the crust is golden. Serve with a big goblet of red wine and a tiny salad of bitter greens.
Tomorrow have cereal and peanuts.