End of Year Rant

My mother's censorious voice is replaying itself in my mind as I type this. The ticking off being because in spite of my prolonged bout of flu, I went to the Torchlight Procession on Monday night and spent a while at the top of Calton Hill in the cold, therefore I can be judged to be an idiot in her eyes. Follow this up with standing in the freezing cold for three, yes 3 hours to pick up tickets for the Street Party, last night and you can see why I am putting off returning her calls. She will not really say anything I haven't said to myself, but with added guilt tripping.

Torchlight Procession.

This semi-pagan fire ceremony attracted 15-20,000 people depending on which report you read. It certainly looked impressive with the trail of fire coming down the Mound, along Princes St and up onto Calton Hill. Once there, some (not very intimidating) Vikings lit a fire, shaped as the Lion Rampant. Then, to the strains of Highland Cathedral, the most spectacular fireworks show began.
Next evening, was the picking-up-the-tickets fiasco. Let it be said that to muck up this grandly takes a degree of genius. Three ticket slots servicing many thousand people takes a while. I'd sauntered up early evening and just as well I did, as they shut the queue not many yards behind me. The (dis)organisers expect a large proportion of the 100,000 people planned at the Street Party, lots of whom just arrived in the country yesterday, to pick up their tickets but only provide three people to serve them!!!!!!!!! And these guests to Edinburgh have to freeze in the cold for hours with no option if they want their already booked and paid for tickets.

OK, I could have been far more organised and booked tickets early enough that they were sent out to me, but I didn't. Not everyone wants to be locked into plans that early. But I expect a sensible service.

This pic is from when I was standing in the very long queue in sub-zero temps doing my flu no good. It is of the BofS HQ on the Mound with risky fairground rides outside it instead of the arrogant risky business usually performed inside.

Of course, the human spirit perks up in these situations, and there was a very sweet moment when the friend of the shivering German in front of me arrived with his pal's 'tea' in tupperware and took the heavy bags off his shoulders and nearly fed the poor soul to keep him going. Awww!

Sig Other and I fortunately, had fortified ourselves with leek, potato and yellow split pea soup, followed by honeyed rice pudding and blueberry compote, but even that amount of starch couldn't keep the cold out for the whole three hours.

I won't forget this and can confidently predict I'll be moaning about it for months. I just won't tell my mother how long I stood in the cold. Perhaps, I'll have calmed down enough to enjoy myself tonight, but the end of the year is as good a time to have a rant as any. If I were the resolution-making type, I could resolve not to rant so much, but that wouldn't last far past the Bells!

In the meantime, Sig Other is being subjected to Scottish traditions and my haphazard explanations of why things are done the way they are at Hogmanay. I think he got a bit fed up when I pointed out steak pies in Sainsbury's earlier today - apparently he knew what they were, even though they don't have them where he comes from.

Daughter, longsufferingly accepted the text of the New Year joke I texted her. This is something that my father used to tell us each New Year, but he remembered it properly, whereas, with each passing year I forget bits of it. It no longer makes any sense, so I can't repeat it here!

Great Ladies We’ve Lost

It has been a year when some prominent women passed on. For me, most notably the recent death of Majel Barrett is saddening. However, I discover with pleasure that she managed to record the computer voice for the next ST film thereby maintaining her presence in most if not all ST incarnations.

This memorial is lovely:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uNNi8W8kEgw

Eartha Kitt too has gone. I well recall her individual style on numerous TV shows when I was growing up. Not until I read this article below, did I hear that she was outspoken about Vietnam causing her to be blacklisted in the states and that explains why this talented woman was so often on our TV screens.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-oped1229kittdec29,0,3382842.story


Miriam Makeba also died this year. She is another woman who refused to gloss over injustice and spoke out against apartheid which meant she lived in exile for thirty years. The obituary below is respectful and interesting.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/nov/11/miriam-makeba-obituary

There are probably other women whose lives have made a difference to the world of politics, campaigning and women’s rights, who have left us this year, but I have not heard of them. Perhaps because many women work in the background or in the spirit of much of the traditions of feminism, have not built a reputation as leaders or spokeswomen for other women and therefore are not remembered individually, but their efforts are felt and appreciated.

'Unusual Daal'

I finally got to the sales this afternoon. I managed to choose a new frying pan which is really all that I went for, but then I spotted a table. This fits in with my overall plan for decluttering and rearranging my living space. So this is the designated table that can live in the kitchen for everyday use and be taken into the sitting room and extended for special meals. This means that I can dispose of the small and infinitely annoying gate legged table in the sitting room thus freeing up more space in that room and a major declutter of the ornaments which adorn it.

Sig Other is willing to construct the flat pack table having heaved it into and out of the car and then into the hall where, I do so hope, he will get round to this vital task first thing tomorrow. Otherwise he may continue to imagine he is on holiday with only the King William College Quiz to occupy him – hah!

I bribed him with some unusual (his description) daal and korma.

Unusual daal

Moong daal
Monge tout
Fennel
Onion
Poblano chilli
Fresh coriander
Various spices e.g. coriander powder, clove, cardamom pods, amchoor, and probably lots more that I can’t recall.

Fry spices in groundnut oil, add veg, add daal then add water and cook till daal is done.

Mooli korma

Mooli
Coconut cream
Yoghurt
Ground almonds
Lime juice
Various spices (completely different from those in the ‘unusual daal’)

Fry Spices in groundnut oil, add mooli, add the remainder of the ingredients and some water and cook till the daal is ready.

All served with chopped coriander, tomato and brown rice.

Actually, this was all very tasty, especially the mooli korma which I will certainly attempt again.

At this rate, I’m getting through the umpteen different veggies in the fridge contributed by both myself and Sig Other, but not quite yet. We still have to do something with a butternut squash and some Jerusalem artichokes, as well as more celeriac and lots of herbs.

More festive food

Feeling enthused, I made buckwheat blueberry pancakes for brunch this morning. These are gluten free and somewhat wholesome as I only added three tsp castor sugar.

Buckwheat flour
Baking powder
Xanthan gum
Blueberries
Castor sugar
Glug of carnola oil
Egg
Milk to mix

I cooked these on the hob in my frying pan which needs replaced! I used spray oil to lubricate the pan. I keep finding more and more uses for this handy product!

I had intended to go to the sales today to get a new frying pan, but the flu still has a grip on me and the idea of going out into the frost defeated my spirits, but saved my credit card any more strain by avoiding them. Although, I’d hoped at some point to get to the Pier which has gone into administration to buy more serving dishes (not that I need them) and I’m more irked by that than the travesty of Woolies, as I’d intended to save up over the next year to treat myself to one of their dark wood bedroom furniture sets to replace the boring white IKEA stuff I’ve had for ages. Well, that is not to be!

Much more annoying is that I am missing drinks with K whose 40th is today. I am also becoming weary of being told to go to the doc. It’s flu, it’s a virus and there is not a lot the GP can do!

Sig Other is making asparagus risotto to tempt my appetite tonight. To go with this, I managed to rescue some marginal radicchio by marinating it in my best olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, chopped thyme and garlic before shoving in the oven to bake/roast for a while. I saved the remaining three persimmons I’d purchased for xmas dinner starter by sautéing in butter for a moment, sloshing in Havana Club rum and orange zest then baking in the oven before sprinkling toasted coconut on top.

http://www.havana-club.com/
Interesting site! Apparently the Yanks can't get this in their country as they are still in the huff with the Cubans. Eejits!

Food Update

The feasting began with the Xmas Eve meal I made for Sig Other coming to join me for several days over the festive period. I decided we needed to have something wholesome as we'd likely overeat for at least some of the time.

White Beetroot and Quinoa

Basically, just a veg stew, but thickened with quinoa which has lots of protein even though it is a type of grain.

white beetroot (scrub the skins and leave on)
carrot
celery
onion
tomatoes
quinoa
veg stock and lots of rosemary

Chop everything fairly big and cook quickly in the pressure cooker, so it is done in only a few minutes.

I'd planned asparagus omelet for xmas breakfast, but wasn't hungry, so that will keep for another time. We began making the xmas dinner in the afternoon and aimed to eat the starter and main before Dr Who. This went horribly adrift timewise, so we half watched Dr Who (which was rubbish this year anyway) and just enjoyed our food. We also enjoyed mucking about in the kitchen too.

Starter

Mouli and Persimmon salad with Kumquat marmalade

Kumquat marmalade

I made the kumquat marmalade last night so it would infuse overnight.
kumquats, chopped and deseeded
half as much fresh ginger as kumquats
white wine
honey
bay leaf x2
powdered lemon grass
1/3 of a cinammon stick

adjust all to your own taste - I made it quite tart, so if you like sweeter add sugar or more honey. Boil for ages till it is all soft enough.

Mouli and Persimmon salad

mouli julienned
cucumber likewise
persimmon fruit cubed
salad leaves (I included lambs lettuce and chicory)

Three continents dressing
1x rice wine vinegar
1x agave syrup
1x argan oil
teeny bit garlic
salt and pepper

This was a light and refreshing salad to start with.

To follow ....

Fennel and savoury frangipane individual tartlets

With gluten free plain flour and the addition of a tsp dill seed and 1 tsb chopped mixed nuts, make short crust pastry to line tartlet cases and bake blind.

Whip one egg white reasonably stiffly and combine with two tbs chestnut puree (unsweetened) and one large tsb ground almonds. Place in the bottom of the tartlet cases. Saute fennel with olive oil and add a little powdered bouillon. Place on top of the savoury frangipane.
Bake for a short time until frangipane is set and fennel is golden.

Celeriac, parsnip and sage bake

Boil and mash celeriac and parsnip. Combine with chopped sage and single cream. Top with Parmesan gratin mix and bake in the oven for a short time. Serve all with the usual xmas veg and red current jelly or cranberry sauce or some such thing that you like.

Slosh back sufficient quantities of Pouilly Fuisse and eventually eat pud with vanilla liqueur sauce (Sainsbury's) and Muscat.

Revive self with Turkish coffee and any liqueur you fancy.

Seedy Snacking

I'm writing the long list of provisions I will need for the forthcoming feast, and many that I just think I'll need. Of course, the shops are only closed for one day and really, it is not as though I am incapable of surviving until they open again by modifying whatever I'd planned to make. And if it is unplanned, then living on the edge recipe-wise is an interesting challenge.

I'm putting off the shopping until I can't put it off any longer. It is unedifying to see, often fairly elderly ladies grabbing the last brussles sprouts in some kind of frenzy. But I suppose I better do it soonish.

Storing all this will tax the dimensions of my rather compact fridge which is stuffed with nuts and seeds and dried fruit as well as bottles and jars of things that people keep telling me I could keep in a cupboard. But I think lots of things need to be in the fridge, especially when the central heating is on in case it all goes a bit off.

So, I thought I'd try to make some space by using up some of the nuts and seeds by making something to snack on.

Ingredients:
(handful of everything unless otherwise specified)

pumpkin seeds

sunflower seeds

chopped mixed nuts

linseeds (soaked in boiling water for 15 mins then drained)

sesame seeds

3 tsp pomegranate seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbs dark tahini

1 dessertspoon tamari

1 oz melted butter

Method
Mix tamari, tahini and butter then mix in all the rest. Put into a baking tray and into a low oven for 10-15 minutes till it smells roasted and allow to cool before trying to divide into little squares.
Next time, I'll try other flavours like tamarind paste and probably increase the butter content to make it firmer and also spread it out more thinly to make it crisper.

Surprise Panto

I had a lovely surprise yesterday when D. called to say she had an extra ticket for a panto. Her partner was unwell and couldn’t go, so I became the beneficiary of a spare ticket.

We saw The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe at the Lyceum. I enjoyed this, especially the witch who was extra evil and the great set which snowed and hid the spooky tree spirits.

There’s a trailer at this link.
http://www.lyceum.org.uk/

The Artists Way Graduate group, who I had dinner with on Friday would have approved this spontaneous, perhaps even synchronous occurrence. But also because it ticked a wee unticked box in my life. I have never been to a pantomime, ever, really, ever. And although this was not the slapstick auld men as dames and thigh slapping principal 'boy' type panto, I think it fitted the bill.

The thing about this is that I realised I have not read the Narnia books. I read my way through all sorts of children's literature at the appropriate age, but for some reason in amongst Treasure Island, Swiss Family Robinson and assorted Anne of Green Gables, Little Women etc, etc, Narnia was missed out.

I told D this (she was already feeling a bit sorry for my neglected non-panto-going childhood) and she wondered afterwards if I was now tempted to read CS Lewis. Nope! Life's too short to read all the adult fiction I want to so there is no way to fit in kids stuff.

On the sad little panto-less childhood, I think by the time I was middle aged, I realised that if I hadn't bestirred myself to go to a panto (of the type described above), by that stage, then I really wasn't feeling any lack.

I would have taken my daughter to the traditional panto but the not-my-mother grandmother always took her and I wasn't invited to go along. I do hope that sounds sufficiently snarky!

Foodly discussions

Being veggie is a challenge at this time of year. This is about creating a feast that has to make do without the centrepiece of a large cremated bird. Starting from an attitude of deficit is not helpful so I prefer to turn this around and look at the positives of creating something (probably) no one else is eating.

For many years, I liked the sheer unplannedness of buying whatever took my fancy and getting into the kitchen early in the morning and while then Sig Other wrestled big bird to the ground and spread salmonella far and wide, I’d assemble bits and pieces around me and see what happened. I realise that this is too haphazard for most people, but it worked for me.

These days I’m still adjusting to the fact that current Sig Other wants more than a say in what we eat festively. Being a complete foodie whose interest in cooking began at university, he can teach me a fair amount, but I’m not used to sharing my spontaneous ‘see what happens’ technique with a forward planner.

Here’s what happens: At some point in December one or the other of us will make mention of xmas dinner. We’ll independently have a look online for inspiration. I’ll come up with a list of what we don’t want and make suggestions of what I do think we should have. Sig Other will shudder delicately at some of my ideas, I’ll passionately defend them and then give in.

I’ll do the shopping then he will spend most of the day in the kitchen creating something fabulous while I get relegated to the starter. Pudding is always traditional and we never manage to eat it till next day as we are too stuffed.

I do have some rules for xmas dinner that I have maintained throughout my veggie life:
No pasta
No mushrooms
No tomato sauce
No rice
No cheese
No pastry
No curry/Italian/Chinese/other usual stuff I eat

The reasons for the above are that those foods are the staples of a veggie diet, especially when eating out, so there is no way we’re having them at xmas. The odd occasion I’ve broken my rules is when I’ve been staying with people or on holiday when it is just too difficult to insist on them, and sometimes, I’ve been provided with an M&S concoction that has been adequate.

This year, I’ve got thoughts of celeriac mash and sherry gravy. Discussions about what to go with this have stalled. I normally don’t want pastry, but I bought some little tart tins from Habitat and haven’t yet used them, so I’m considering what to make in them. I began exploring the idea of savoury frangipane as a base on which to lay a vegetable such as fennel. Now, frangipane is almonds and sugar which is in gooey sweet confections, but I think it can be made savoury possibly with chestnut puree. Sig Other has taken agin my idea, and is adamant that this will not go with sherry gravy. Ok, I tend to agree on that point, but I’m sure my idea has possibilities and he’s not made an alternative suggestion yet.

I’m completely stumped for ideas for the starter as soup is too filling and I’ve done everything I can think of with chicory in previous years.

The Vegetarian Society has a useful website with xmas food ideas.

http://www.vegsoc.org/cordonvert/recipes/christmas.html

I avoid American vegan/veggie sites as they all seem to have unhealthy connections to Peta, the woman-hating extremists. These are the people who seem to think that exploiting women is ethical as long as it gets the message over about saving animals – wrong!

Bah! Humbug: the analysis

Have I mentioned my aversion to routinised, mandatory make-fests? Yeah, well, feel free to just switch this off, jump to another post or otherwise skip over my prolonged mutterings and move on to the youtube video at the end and appreciate a song and video that is as relevant now as when it was released.

What follows is a brief analysis of some of the reasons I find the whole thing more than a little daft.

1. I’m not a pagan
My awareness that what we know as xmas is a handy transplantation of a dominant religion grafted onto a traditional festival stretching back millennia to ensure the return of spring, has failed to convince me to go with it. I’m as unlikely to wander in the woods druid-like as I am to join the local Baptists who have sent round their xmas agenda which includes carol singing from their roof next Sunday.

2. I’m not a capitalist
That’s just a barefaced lie of course. I have begun buying pressies and I have bought myself a gratifying amount of smart new clothes in the John Lewis sale. This is what always happens when I attempt xmas shopping. My entirely plausible excuse is that I know what I like, but I haven’t a clue what anyone else likes, so it is easier just to achieve shopping results by buying stuff for myself.

But there is more to the anti-consumer aspect. It offends my sense of prudence to spend money buying things that are not actually needed and receiving things I don’t need. And, most importantly there is a limit (linked to my credit card) to how often I can go shopping and end up buying things for me.

3. I hate decorating the house
What is the point? All these things gather dust, and take up space. I’m not artistic, so efforts to decorate a tree in years gone by were frustrating as I knew it just all looked incredibly tacky and a month of fiddling with tinsel to get it ‘just right’ never produced satisfactory results, so again, what is the point?

I listen with amusement to earnest discussions about whether it is greener to buy a real tree or to buy one small plastic one and keep it forever. If you are that bothered, go (druid-like or otherwise) into the woods and pick up a fallen branch, bring it home and stick it in a pot of sand and dangle some home baked gingerbread decorations from it and polish your green halo.

4. Who has time for this?
I can fully understand that mediaeval peasants really enjoyed their religious feast day. They had time to prepare for it as midwinter was a slow time in the agricultural year, so it gave them something to look forward to.

Who in C21st has time to fit this in if done ‘properly’? And why does it all fall on women? There are parallels with foot-binding here. It is damaging to stress levels and to the pocket, but if not done eyebrows are raised and the policing of female behaviour by other females ratchets up many gears. This is highlighted by all these TV programmes showing how to do it all without getting stressed and each and every one is addressed to women. This can easily be stopped by simply disengaging from it, especially if you are someone who gets stressed and caught up in it all and feels responsible for the whole day.

Consider swapping the gender in all these adverts and advice programmes to show the boys rushing around doing it all while women sit back playing with the kids and having a wonderful time. Nice, isn't it? But is it ever going to happen?

5. Family aspects
Add in the ‘family’ pressures and the toxic ingredients are all there.
However, I will agree that the whole thing is magical for baby’s first xmas. But the law of diminishing returns sets in after the first few, and I have clear memories of harassed trips between competing sets of grandparents alert for discrepancies in who got to see only grandchild first or longest on each 25th Dec. This followed with the sacrifice of idiotically large oven-bursting fowl and accompanying obscene indulgence.

In recent years, daughter (who is not a veggie) has almost always chosen The Turkey over her mother. This means I do not feel guilty about lack of dead protein and can plan the only part of the day I do enjoy, which is creating something entirely different to eat from any other day in the year.

Remember! It could all have been avoided if the Christians had kept control of their festival as a holy day and not allowed all the commercialism to take over.

Having said all that, strange as it may seem, I sometimes even enjoy Christmas, but it is inspite of myself.
Stuff I do like:
Crackers and reading out the lame jokes
The food, especially xmas pud
Mistletoe – on condition there are kissable blokes positioned under it
Nights out with friends/colleagues
Presents that are carefully thought out and actually what I want
Lots of the events that go on in Edinburgh’s xmas/Hogmanay

"Hallelujah! Noel!, be it Heaven or Hell,

The Christmas we get, we deserve."

Greg Lake

http://www.greglake.com/newsite/html/discpops/disc11.html

Coincidentally, the 'B' Side is called Humbug!

Here's the youtube video:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FqOfXumI18A&feature=related

Nice Shiny New Road

I drove down the M74/M6 on Friday, possibly not long after some worthy had declared the new stretch of motorway open that finally joins the M74 /M6 to Carlisle.
http://news.careerstructure.com/article/view/north-west/18914345/m6-extension-opens-between-carlisle-and-guards-mill/

I’ve been slowly, slowly negotiating the roadwork’s there for several years as the new bridge was built and the road widened. I know lots of people believe more roads encourage more cars, and that’s probably true, but as a motorist I think safety is crucial and there is no doubt that the old road was not safe. To say nothing of a ridiculous anomaly between major cities.
http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/5069.aspx

What I noticed, was that the roadside has been planted with squillions of trees/bushes and that generally, it all looks neat, tidy and new. There are also some signs from the contractor proudly boasting that one million hours were worked safely. I imagine that is something to boast about, especially as these people are working in all weathers and with muckle big machines – so well done them.

Unfortunately, on the return journey, my car was not distracted by the speed and efficiency of this new stretch and still drove itself into the Gretna shopping outlet where its owner had lunch in between spending money. And just to prove that although I am utterly Bah Humbug! I completed part one of the compulsory pressie fest seeking. Now I just have to remember who I bought what for in the heap of bags cluttering up my hallway.

At least there is an absolute treat in store this evening at the book group pot-luck xmas dinner. I’ve prepared bean + nut roast with tomato + red onion roasted in balsamic vinegar and olive oil with rosemary (picked fresh from Sig Other's garden first thing this morning), with roast pumpkin.

Yes, it is all a bit ‘roasty’ but it means I can carry it ‘artfully’ arranged in one dish to go into the oven and (hopefully) this won’t spill out over the car in transit. The treat, is of course, that everyone makes far too much food, especially puddings and we all get to try different things. I usually find it rather intimidating as everyone else is such great cooks.

Fantasy Art Auction

I recently went to a fantasy art auction where the displayed prints and originals were of dragons, fairies, space ships, stars, moons, dragons and various other dragons – just in case dragons of all shapes, sizes, wing design and colours were missed out.

Some times I give in to artly desires and purchase an item at such events. This year, I realised a long held aspiration, to own an Anne Sudworth. Or at least, a print. Her originals are too large for my walls and now out of reach of my pocket.

Anne Sudworth is a delightful, wonderfully dressed, softly spoken woman with an engaging smile who is ready to tell you the story of how she painted her subjects. Speaking to her on this occasion, she described painting Whitby Abbey which looks remote, windswept and otherworldly. I gather that is how it was for her going to paint out there.

I bought a print called ‘The Goblin Tree’, pictured below:

The image is a bit weird as (quite naturally) these are protected and not to be downloaded from her website, but I thought I'd try!

Sig other was with me and strongly hinted his impending disapproval if I bought anything dragonly. Damn cheek, when I next turned round he was bidding on a print from an artist whose name I can’t recall, with pink dragons on it!

Here is the link to her website where the gallery pages show her work.
http://www.annesudworth.co.uk/enter.html