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.