2013 Christmas eve dinner

Starter

Bang bang prawns with celeriac remoulade

Main

Roast beef 

(Unfortunately venison ran out this year when we got to the shop

 Venison steak with Rosemary and Dried Cherries)

Green bean with pancetta, caramelised shallots and chestnuts

Buttered carrots in Tarragon sauce

Potato gratin with creme fraiche

Dessert

Italy Inspired Christmas cake

Are you ready?

The big day is less than 24 hours. Are you ready?

Things are much simpler for a household of two, even though surprises still manage to find us. I've planned to have venison for Christmas eve dinner but it was ran out more than a week ago on the day we went. Didn't realize that venison is still so popular in this country. We got a nice piece of beef instead. You can't go wrong with a proper roast beef.

As for my holiday chemistry, well, I made my first ever batch of mince pies this year. Even though they all came out in a variety of shapes (my ever so infamous lacking of dexterity!), they are so far the most delicious mince pies I've ever tasted in this country. Let me tell you how this kitchen experiment went.

First, I made my own mincemeat following Nigella's recipe. Very easy, very tasty, yielding just the right amount for a small household. Also, no animal fat was used. Not that I am against, it's just I already got enough from the pie crust. Speaking of pie crust, I used my mom's homemade puff pastry. Yes, mince pies in puff pastry. You should try it. It lightens the texture (sadly not calories, but who's counting/thinking that in December?) and is a nice change from the usual shortcrust pastry (pate brisee). As a last minute whim, I decided to add some frangipane in my mince pies (1 egg + 45 g each of ground almond, butter, and sugar). Oh boy oh boy, do I need to tell you how wonderful it tasted? Citrus laced and brandy doused dried fruit surrounded by almond cream on top of flaky pastry. Very Christmassy and very very good. I will have to work on my shaping next year. Yes, there will be a return of homemade mince pies in 2014. Just you watch.

With 2013 coming to an end, I want to thank you for stopping by here this year and I wish you all a happy Christmas/holiday and a prosperous 2014 to come.

Cookies and Peace

Can I tell you a secret? My annual holidays start today! Three weeks of precious time just for myself and everything I love. Hooray!

In fact, I've gotten into the holiday spirit right from the beginning of December. I made cookies! I am not a cookie person. In my entire baking life, I can just count with one hand the number of times I made cookies. Since this December, I've baked cookies almost twice a week (hey, I only do small batches)! It all started from here. I have not sampled enough cookies to call this the best but that's what hubby calls it too. It's indeed pretty good, hard to stop, in fact. I've tried a few variations on my own but I must concede to the fact that the plain, uncomplicated and original remains the best.

And speaking of cookies, doesn't this brief moment about World Peace Cookies warm your heart? This is by no means diminishing true hardship some of you are going through right now. "What does she know?" I can hear some of you thinking. Indeed, it takes more than just good will (and cookies) to solve many problems in life. But sometimes it is also good to remember not to lose sight of the forest among all the turmoil. Taking a break with a nice piece of cookie works for me. Perhaps try it sometimes?

Make peace with others, if you could, whichever way you choose. Or even better, make peace with yourself. Stop beating yourself around. Work with what you've got or born with. It's not just for appearance but for inside too.

More festivity, less fighting. I wish you a warm and peaceful December.

Now excuse me for I need to whip up a batch of World Peace Cookies.

To K

A wise man, a good husband, a doting father and a hard working employee.

A friend whom I'll regret all my life that I have no chance to meet.

Dear K, I will miss your calm temper and firm attitude for everything right. How you managed to be never short of words of wisdom will now remain a mystery forever to me, or at least until the time we meet again. I never told you this but I am so glad that I got to know you during our not too long online encounter.

Rest in peace.