Holidays are only 7 weeks away. Plans ?

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Well done Joan.
I was talking to a friend who is travelling on to Toulouse today to avoid being stranded in France.
I guess the weather is gentler there at the moment.

I've got 6 magazines to trawl through today and harvest some recipe ideas. All Waitrose so they'll be online.
I'll post them here when I've got them whittled down.

Going to get our new Danish chairs today, and our big antique table arrives Wednesday - if I can trust man with a van to collect from Derby.


Oh, and it's December ...... don't leave it too late now ................

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Hooray, I was able to buy our pheasant for the Strictly Christmas Dinner today at Horsham Farmers Market. I bought 2 for £6.00, not bad as they were £4 each.

I also bought Mr Strictly's Christmas present as I was near a branch of Waterstones. He wanted the new Brian Blessed memoir 'A Panther in my Kitchen'. I make have to wrap up a box of paracetamol tablets with it as a joke! I thought I knew what I wanted from him, which is the new Hairy Bikers book on Mediterranean cooking. However, whilst I was in Waterstones, I spotted a copy of a book written by Julian Norton, who features heavily in the TV series The Yorkshire Vet because he is one of the partners of the practice. It's a series that I absolutely love, and I do have a bit of a crush on said Mr Norton; he is also my aunt and uncle in law's vet as they have a mixed farm near Thirsk, where the practice is - yes it is modernised version of the James Herriott one! I am, therefore, now torn between the two books. Decisions, decisions, and all that.....

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Get Both Strictly - it's Christmas.......!

I used to work up in Horsham & often went to the farmers markets there - very good stalls - & plenty of farm shops in the area too.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Going to get our new Danish chairs today, and our big antique table arrives Wednesday

Does this mean your having a big Crimbo gathering....?

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Get Both Strictly - it's Christmas.......!

I used to work up in Horsham & often went to the farmers markets there - very good stalls - & plenty of farm shops in the area too.

Funnily enough, a friend of mine on Facebook read my similar post on there and said exactly the same thing!

[Petronius Profile]

Well, our family Christmas is well under control – the Tesco delivery booked for the Thursday, 4pm – 8pm; 4pm is check in time for us. No pressure then – fortunately I'm not driving. Emails are flying everywhere, the cousins are loving the prospect of meeting up for an extended time, apparently five of them were chatting on-line the other evening.

Saturday night we've booked a caterer, someone's organising pre-meal cocktails - visit to a pantomime, games evening, eight of us are going to watch Norwich at some point and huge amounts of cider has been ordered - well most of us come from Somerset!

We're now down to 19 – grandson's girlfriend has decided he's not the one for her and a granddaughter has decided the same for her fella. The upside is, the configuration of bedrooms is now perfect for us all.

I've been allocated to the fish pie on one evening. My recipe is based on Delia's, involving flour for the sauce. I've questioned whether we want to buy a bag of flour as doubtful we'd use it up and space in cars is at premium, going and coming back.

It's over to you for fish pies ideas, please.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Hi Petronius

Could you put a small amount of flour in a plastic sandwich box or empty horseradish sauce sized jar to take with you? I think that's what I would do under those circumstances.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Make a flour roux and take it with you, Dennis?
Or make a parsley sauce in advance and freeze it. It will be fine defrosted in the car on the way.

Make the pie in advance, and take it on the back parcel shelf. Defrosting in the car may be a bit smelly .......

Personally, I'd take a Colman sauce packet, if flour is causing a dilemma.
I use them sometimes.

[QinNortham Profile]

Petronius. why not buy a small bag of flour, may be useful for other meals?

I have no doubt that you have explored every detail of your Family Festive Fun....but. A friend of mine went with friends on a Country House w/e recently. The hostess had to take things like J Cloths, washing up liquid, dishwasher tabs, loo rolls, kitchen roll - the list went on and on. I would add cling film, foil and greaseproof. Just a thought.

Mr Q has agreed that he doesn't want woodcock so it's a lovely piece of fillet, rare roasted with plenty left over Boxing Day.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

There's only the 2 of us, Lush. Although New Year is a large family affair.
We've booked the premier inn for £44 a night ................ I know, £44!!!

I have to calm Tony down with food prep, as he wants huge elaborate meals, unlike the rest of the year.
But give him one such meal on Xmas Eve, and he's not hungry for the rest of the time, totally disinterested.

And it's more of a food management/ crushing into the freezer project when he's like that.

I make a detailed menu plan for the 3 or 4 days to be sure not to overdo things.

The opposite is so for family gatherings.
They clear absolutely everything lovingly. It's rewarding. This year I shall prepare the NY Eve food for about 30 or so.
Toddlers, uni-returners = ah bless. Adults, oldies who cannot make it past 9pm, neighbours and life long friends.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Q, is that fillet steak?
I may do that this year again, with a bit more effort on my part. A Rossini perhaps.

[QinNortham Profile]

Gill, what a wonderful sounding NYE. Rather suspect we will be in bed by about 10pm!

Re the fillet. The local butchers do it in a rather odd way, it's not a fillet as we know it but rather a sort of lump, works really well for a roast. I pan fry to brown then in the oven for about 20 minutes. We like our beef very, very rare. Gosh, haven't had Rossini for years. When I was about 16 my Bro took me to Bertorellis in Charlotte St. Started with lobster cocktail, Rossini, Zabaglioni and I finished with another lobster cocktail because the head waitress bet I couldn't eat another, I could. I was so slim then, don't know where I put it all. One lobster cocktail would probably do me these days.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

i'm with you on the beef and the cooking.
As rare as you dare.

Good for you with the lobby!
I had my first zabaglioni at Q-Verde. I cannot manage 3 courses these days. Puddings are out.
Starter + main meal for me.

[QinNortham Profile]

Gill, Q Verde is one of the few things we miss about Kew. We usually went on a Friday lunchtime, always said before setting out (2 minutes walk) "we'll only have some pasta" - ho ho. Always ended up with grilled Dover sole, best either of us have had anywhere, utter perfection. The day we left Kew both The Chaps came out to say goodbye, many tears all round

[Alexandria Profile]

Yesterday, my husband and I and a few work mates, decorated the Office real pine and put up some decorations ..

After our apertifs and Cava we all headed to a local ( In Borne ) Greek Tavern for some Mezze and Greek Wines.

Lovely ..

[Renée Profile]

What a lovely way to start the Christmas celebrations, Alexandria! The gym that I go to is putting on a Christmas meal, which I shall be having with two of my friends there.

[Alexandria Profile]

@ Renée,

Sounds wonderful ..

Have a fabulous holiday season ahead ..

We are a bit busy as we have quite a few family members with December birthdays from the 1st to the 19th .. And then the holidays as well ..

[Petronius Profile]

OH and daughter spent a couple of hours Sunday morning completing Tesco on-line order. Driving home, OH realised they'd forgotten the potatoes! Not a problem, but Q's post made me smile – I'm sure many a Granny who (got a bit terse when being told how to suck eggs) was extremely grateful when someone, innocently, asked, and what about soandso?

The reference number is being circulated to all, so we can add if we notice anything missing.

They've ordered a 1lb bag of flour, as it will be used for gravy. One of her friends uses crème fraiche, mmm OK, but she's a throw it altogether sort of cook, not for me if it's for the family – I need my street cred.

Sshh! Keep it to yourselves, but they forgot my fish as well – tee hee , perhaps I won't say anything and get myself out of a job . After all, same daughter is doing a cottage pie as an alternative.

I enjoyed Sunday morning – daughter has a lovely conservatory with wood burner, I'd bought a paper, they made me a coffee and everything was right with the world, well, not in the paper, but you know what I mean.

[Renée Profile]

There's always something that gets forgotten, Petronius as I know from my weekly shopping! I'm glad that you got the flour sorted out. Their conservatory sounds lovely and a peaceful place to escape to!

[Joanbunting Profile]

Today is Ste Barbe. In Provence it is the day on which Christmas preparations begin.

I have sown the three saucers of wheat which will be used to decorate the Christmas Eve table and stay near the Creche. They have to last until Chandeleur (Candlemass - 2nd February) to ensure good fortune and prosperity for the year to come.

We have some wonderful customs in this part of France and I always do my best to follow them. My Creche will go up soon.

If anyone is wondering I am not in the least bit religious but I have a huge respect for local traditions.