Right. So the Christmas Day menu has been planned for the last fortnight
and the To-Do list for the last week. The grocery shopping was finished
today, when I picked up the fresh turkey and the chipolatas from the
local game dealer. I think we've managed to combine two different
traditions pretty well.

First course - Potted Salmon. Made these last night from an
eighteenth-century local recipe. Gosh, they smell fantastic. Who'd have
thought that cloves and mace would go so well with salmon? Picked up a
loaf of dark rye from the Russian expats' store in the town. We'll slice
that thinly to spread the potted salmon on. Made an extra one so we can
crack it open tomorrow and have a taste...

Main carrots -
Turkey and stuffing (of course)
Roasted root vegetables - potatoes, beetroot, swede, parsnip, thyme,
olive oil.
Roasted brussel sprouts with walnuts and rosemary
Green bean casserole - an oddly popular dish with the British. Forget
buying french fried onions in any shop round here, though. Had to make
my own yesterday.
Vichy carrots
Flaky layered buttermilk biscuits - these are the best biscuits I've
ever found a recipe for. I've been looking for something like these for
years. The recipe was posted here last Spring by, I think, Jill (who's
also posted the recipe for another great hit with those I've made it
for, the buttermilk-marinated fried chicken. Both recipes are worth a
try). The English don't have a savoury dish like American biscuits, so
that should be an experience for them.
Kilted chipolatas - they're ready in the fridge now. I think I'll roast
them off tomorrow and just re-heat them on Sunday.

Dessert -
We wanted something different from the usual Christmas pudding, so I
made a Christmas Pudding Ice Cream. I've not made it in years and years.
Thankfully, it turned out as good as I remembered. We'll serve that with
enormous pfeffernusenny-looking biscuits I found at the Russian shop.

That To-Do list is gradually getting shorter. I think we might make it,
if I can just get the laundry done and packed away, and the flat
cleaned, and the...

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 18:58:01 +0000, RobtE > wrote:

>Right. So the Christmas Day menu has been planned for the last fortnight
>and the To-Do list for the last week.

Can I just say how happy I am that we're not having company this
Christmas? (We're going to Carin's family's for Christmas Eve dinner,
staying home for Christmas Day, and I'm going to Guy's for the 26th;
also, Guy's partner is throwing a potluck/game night on the 1st that
I'll attend. Yay, no company!)

I love having company, it's just that I really need this rest. This
is a week off with no work, no company, and no travel. I'm ecstatic.

serene