My favorite Christmas things

As I rummage through the bins of decorations, nostalgic remembrances pop up.  These bubble lights bring back warm sentiments of my paternal grandparents. When I gaze at their bubbles, I am transported back in time--I'm about 6 years old standing before Grandma's Christmas tree in the living room of the farm house with those mesmerizing lights reflecting back at me.

Although this teapot rests on our mantle year-round, at Christmas time it gets adorned with a red bow. The pot came to America from Sweden with Jay's paternal grandparents. His grandfather's name was Johnny Johnson (he pronounced it as Yonnie Yonson, and he told folks, “I'd give ten dollars if I could yust say yug!”)

Jay's mother gave me this little cardboard cut-out bear for an ornament. She put it on her tree when he brought it home from school in 1944 (his name date are on the back). It is hard to imagine what Christmas might have been like that year, what with the Battle of the Bulge raging in Europe and the U.S. preparing to drop the Atomic bomb on Japan.  

This sled sits on the front porch and it also gets a bow adornment at this time of year. It seems impossible, but my sister and I rode this downhill at the same time. Sorry Sis, but I don't think our derrieres would both fit on it today!

I love this wreath with the old ice-skate in it. We three kids all got ice-skates for Christmas one year and we spent lots of time on the pond afterward—sometimes upright but often times not. As a matter-of-fact I have a dislocated tailbone, and the most likely culprit is too many unions between ice and rear end!

“Oh Holy Night” is my favorite carol. For some reason I am crazy about John Denver's version of it.  The piano and violins are so pleasing to me in this rendition. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMMpqP0C5SM

I photographed the mailbox because I like to send and receive real Christmas cards. I spend some time putting together a letter to go in mine. If you would like a copy, just email me (jandta@frontiernet.net) and I will send it to you (either via email or the real McCoy in your mailbox).
  

My favorite drink to get warmed up with is hot cocoa with peppermint. If you really want to get warmed up, add a stiff shot of Peppermint Schnapps to make the drink called a 'snow bunny'.

Pair that drink with these cookies and you have a perfect holiday treat in my opinion. The cookies are not made by me, but rather by a talented baker friend. I am not that artistic. I love the plate too. It was a gift from an old friend.

“A Christmas Story” is my favorite holiday movie. The whole thing just cracks me up, but I especially like the part where Ralphie gets his mouth washed out with soap. He says something to the effect that over the years he eventually became somewhat of a connoisseur of soap, and actually developed a taste for Lux, because of the slightly piquant flavor.  It makes me laugh just thinking about it now!

Jay reads “Twas The Night Before Christmas” on most Christmas Eves—a carry-over from reading it to his kids when they were urchins. We now have the Cajun version too--”Twas the night before Christmas An' all t'ru de house, Dey don't a t'ing pass, Not even a mouse.” Well you get the idea. I dare anyone to read it without cracking a smile.

Here is our tree. I had some help from a friend getting it put up this year.  With a fire in the fireplace and a glass of wine for sipping,  it was pleasant way to spend an afternoon. When we were kids we had one of those aluminum trees that is illuminated by the revolving colored light wheel for a few years. Actually, they really were pretty fun to watch, despite being so artificial. 

I don't remember receiving any particularly favorite Christmas gift. I just remember always getting new slippers, pajamas and bubble bath nearly every year. The smell of certain bubble bath crystals still reminds of Christmas. My sister and I got Hullabaloo sweatshirts for Christmas and wore them to our maternal grandparents' farm that day. We must have been about 14 and 15 years old, respectively. The show only lasted about a year and half, but we really liked it.  

Let's have little fun now. I have worn this mistletoe headband on several occasions to various gatherings. It is always good for a laugh and a kiss or two from just about everybody. I got it as a gag gift at Bridge Club years ago. They are available at Amazon.com if you simply have to have one!  

Two other things I like at Christmas are a fire in the fireplace and a red poinsettia (I know the other colors are pretty too, but it just seems more original to have the red one). We never hung stockings up at Christmas when we were young—maybe because we didn't have a fireplace!  I really do like the tradition though.

Lastly, and most importantly of all, my very favorite thing about Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Oh My, Oh My, Chocolate Pie!

Well I am doing something for the second time that I said would only do once. No, it is not flying down into the Grand Canyon in a small tour plane---I really won’t do that again! It is making a chocolate mocha pie, but first let me tell you about that plane trip. While out West our friend Greg wanted to take one of those tour planes down into the Grand Canyon, and on the way there he talked me into it. His wife Kathleen refused. I would later proclaim her to be the smartest woman I’ve ever known! Before we left in the six- passenger plane though, we had to be weighed to balance out the load. That should have been my first clue. My weight put me in the front seat with our pilot, Dennis. As we walked toward the small, questionable-looking aircraft, Greg asked the pilot, “Say Dennis would you mind if we kick the tires before we take off?” I think this is where I began hyperventilating. I covered my eyes as we began leaving the runway. Dennis remarked, “Hey, that's cool. I always close my eyes on the take-offs too.” After a tormenting, hour-long flight into the bowels of the canyon (tossing and dipping because of the updrafts and narrowly missing hoodoos) we headed back to the air strip. Dennis commented that it appeared as if I wouldn’t be dying that day after all. I yelled, “THIS THING IS NOT ON THE GROUND YET!”

But I digress--now back to the pie. It really was agonizing to make requiring lots of crushing, mixing, melting, layering, chilling, whipping, and garnishing--a day’s worth of fiddling around and lots of dishes dirtied up.

Nonetheless, Jay said it was a real dessert—the kind they serve in fancy restaurants. It was so good he even hid it from his kids. I told him that I was sure glad he liked it, because I would never be making it for him again! But I reneged, and here is the blessed pie. 

Hey look--I'm smiling because I don't have to make this pie again, and I know I will NEVER, I mean NEVER EVER be taking a plane down into the Grand Canyon again! 

Chocolate Mocha Pie

1 pound chocolate chip cookies

1 cup chocolate chips plus

1/4 cup chocolate chips, for garnish

1/4 cup butter

3 egg yolks

3 egg whites

1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus

1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar, for topping

1 cup whipping cream, plus

1 cup whipping cream for topping

1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Crust

Put 1 pound chocolate chip cookies in food processer and process into fine crumbs. Press into pie pan and bake at 275 ° for 10 minutes. Chill. Cooks comment: The crust should have some moisture as a graham cracker crust would be. The chocolate chips should provide that, if not I'd suggest adding some melted butter (1/4 cup?) to the mix so it will hold it together for the baking.

Filling

In a double boiler melt 1 cup chocolate chips with 1/4 cup butter until combined. Remove from heat and cool. Beat in egg yolks one at a time and mix thoroughly. Cool to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until peaks form and gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar.

In another bowl, whip 1 cup whipped cream with 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee. Fold into the egg white mixture until combined then slowly fold into chocolate mixture blending completely. Spoon into pie crust, cover loosely and chill overnight. (I think several hours would be enough)

Topping

Whip 1 cup whipping cream 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla until stiff. Spread over the chocolate pie filling smoothing to the edges. Chop 1/4 cup chocolate ships and garnish topping.

Store refrigerated.



Cribbage Anyone?

CRIBBAGE ANYONE?

If you have never played a game of cribbage, it may be a little difficult for me to convey the fun of this whole story. Nonetheless, cribbage is a card game and the score for each player (or team, if playing partners) is kept by moving little pegs down a board. This is one of our favorite boards—it has little skunks painted on it.  A skunk is a bad thing and a double skunk is even worse.

When we were in Alaska we saw a scrimshaw cribbage board that was carved into a walrus tusk.  It looked something like this one with a price tag of around $1200.00--it's still in Alaska.

We play cribbage a lot with our friends the Hogans. It is girls against guys, and the fun we have is indescribable. On one occasion, after having lost several games in a row, the guys were very close to winning one.  Alas however, they ultimately lost by only one point. Jay moaned, “Just my luck-- one peg behind every time!” That got me to laughing--mostly because we were winning so much, but also because it made me ponder…..hmm… “Hey Jay, how about if I put that on your tombstone?”

REST IN PEACE

Wine or Grapes

My friend told me that a recent study reveals that wine can actually be instrumental in preventing skin cancer.  I said, "Good deal!"  Then she added, "But you can get the same effect from eating grapes."   I said, "No Carol Rose-- I've eaten grapes and I've drunk wine, and they DO NOT have the same effect!" 
Well I'm all for protecting my skin, so let me share some of my secrets for doing so.  I am quite fond of the following remedies.

These are all California blends, and their names are so seductive-sounding.  PromisQous (the label adds that it refers to multiple partners--meaning several grapes) is one of the most pleasing to my palate. Menage a Trois (pairing of three red grapes) and Hot to Trot from the 14 Hands Cellar.  I can't find a real definition for the word 'Apothic', but the vintner claims it refers to a mythical place where delicious wines were made.  I do know that all of these wines suit me well as far as taste and price are concerned.  Paired with a juicy steak, they are perfect!

Jay's Grandmother's pretty, etched wine glass

Cheers---Here's to the health of our skin!

Bib Overalls

Our dad wore bib overalls.  He was a farmer you see.  Still, it seemed that all the other kids’ dads wore belted jeans and that was way more trendy.  So my sister and I tried to get dad to wear jeans, but he’d have none of it.  He said that when he had to climb around on the ground under farm equipment for repairs, jeans just didn’t stay where they were supposed to--I guess by that he meant covering his skinny rear end. 

In addition, bibs have a handy pocket on the side for a pair of pliers, big deep pockets in front and back, so that things like pocketknives and lucky buckeyes don’t fall out very easily.  Oh, and we mustn’t forget those intriguing little pockets on the bib part itself.  This is the very best feature of all.  Let’s see, there is the small vertical strip of a pocket just right for a knife-sharpened, stubby lead pencil. Then there's a pocket made to hold the miniature tablet that dad always got from the seed-corn company.  He used that sometimes to figure stuff like crop yields and insecticide/water ratios. It closed with a 'snap' button.  A pocket watch could fit in one of the bib pockets too, but he preferred his old scratched up wrist-style Bulova. Lastly, there is the pocket that held his unfiltered Lucky Strike cigarettes.  Even years after he gave up the habit, you could still see his hand gravitate toward that pocket at certain times.

With a grandchild perched on his lap, he’d let them explore those entire bib pockets.  Small fingers would first pull out the pencil, then the tiny tablet. Next thing you know dad would be drawing a cartoon version of the grandkid, always featuring an exaggerated and humongous nose. This never ceased to be funny to the grandchild or to me.

Dad frequently left the top waist button on his bibs undone.  I guess that was for extra comfort, especially after a large meal.  He always took his bibs off by unfastening just one of the straps, and slipping the other snapped one off of his shoulder.  I asked him about that and he said it saved time getting back into the same pair the next day.

At day's end dad would lie on the couch and watch the news and weather forecast on TV, or read the latest issue of “The Prairie Farmer”.  He often tucked one hand under the bid of his overalls and rested it upon his chest.  He looked comfortable that way--so much so that we laid him to rest in that pose following his bold fight, but defeat from pancreatic cancer. There really was no question in my mind how we would attire dad as we sent him off to meet his Maker though. So, for eternity he is outfitted with a John Deere cap in hand, and a brand spanking-new pair of Osh Kosh by gosh! 

dad in bibs, me, and the dogs

Happy Father's Day Dad!

Lady in Pearls

“Lady in Pearls” was the identification label placed on this photo when I had it reproduced several years ago. I liked that very much—it sort of sounds like the title of a Van Gogh painting to me. If I had labeled the tag it would have just simply read, “1946 graduation picture”.
Now as coincidence has it, I have recently come into possession of those pearls. They were in a box of old family pictures that an aunt gave my brother, and he in turn passed along to me. I am making it my duty to find out something about them. As you can see they are quite discolored. I will make an attempt to clean them, but they should be restrung too. Maybe I’ll check into that later on.

The pearls are resting in their original velvet case. The inscriptions indicate that they are Deltah Pearls. That company existed from 1893 until the 1950's when it merged with another. During the 40's famous movie stars advertised for Deltah Pearls, including Elizabeth Taylor, Loretta Young and Martha Vickers. I had never heard of Martha, but I discovered that she gets slapped by Humphrey Bogart in a film entitled, "The Big Sleep". Here she is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuLDUgdEIsk

Unfortunately, my Deltah Pearls are simulated, not natural or even the cultured ones. I can tell this because some of the coating has chipped off one of the larger pearls and I can see a glass bead underneath. I learned that this is one of the ways faux pearls are made; a luminescent finish is applied to the glass. Such is my luck! Oh well, let me just finish with a posthumous greeting of "Happy Mother's Day" to my mom, the "Lady in Pearls"!

Royal Wedding Party

Royal Wedding Party

Well I made the crumpets for the Royal Wedding Party held at my friend Susan's house. I used the recipe and instructions from the King Arthur Flour website (I think that is fitting--I mean King Arthur being British and all too). http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/crumpets-recipe
Here is the encapsulated batter (these are egg poaching rings that we have; doesn't every kitchen have these?).

Here they are all finished and ready to be served with strawberry jam and tea.

And so we celebrated with the crumpets, as well as little tea sandwiches and Champagne. Just a pair of Queens.....

Easter Meal

They have risen! Such a good thing for Easter Sunday don't you think? These are the yeast buns I made for the smoked beef brisket that Jay is preparing for our guests. I really like making breads--there's just nothing that compares with that warm, yeasty aroma as it bakes. One year for Easter I made this Easter egg bread.

You actually put the colored, raw eggs in the dough and then bake the whole thing. I was afraid the eggs might explode in the oven, but they turned out perfectly cooked. For the final touch at our Easter meal, look at the clever cake our friend baked and brought for the celebration!

Horse Manure or White Sauce

Some time ago my friend Gary and I were discussing the care and management of our respective asparagus patches. We had opposing notions regarding the advisability of using rock salt as a weed deterrent. When another friend happened into the room, he asked, "Pat what does your father put on his asparagus?" She replied, "horse manure".
Between fits of laughter I asked, "What would be wrong with a nice white sauce?"
Well there is nothing wrong with a nice white sauce, but there is something wrong with an ordinary old white sauce. So here's how I like to elevate a typical white sauce recipe to a luscious, lip-licking one with just some simple additions.
Recipe:
2 T. real butter
A couple of sprigs of fresh thyme leaves
2 T. all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk (or lighten it up with 2% but no fat-free please!)
A pinch of grated nutmeg
S & P to taste
Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add the thyme leaves and cook over low heat just a moment or two until aromatic and golden. Whisk in the flour and slowly add the milk stirring the entire while. When the sauce becomes thickened add the grated nutmeg (yes, I have one of those little micro plane graters and real nuts) and salt and pepper. It's yummy on asparagus and almost every other vegetable, but I bet it would also be good atop meatloaf or biscuits. Of course if you want to take your sauce to a decadent level, grate some Smoked Gouda Cheese over the dish and you are in Heaven--much better than horse manure!

A pink Depression Glass dish holds this serving.

My First Blog

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2011
Well here is my first stab at blogging. I'm going to just write about things in my everyday life as the Blog title implies.
I subscribe to Food and Wine magazine and an article from the February 2011 issue provided a list of 5 widely available reds and 5 available whites to try. I decided to try each and rate them on a scale of 1-10 as far as my palate is concerned. Magazine in hand, I approached the sommalier at the local grocer's wine and spirit section and asked for the Apothic Red 2008 California. He obligingly directed me toward the section of the cellar containing the blends. He indicated that if I enjoyed the Apothic Red then I would most certainly be the type of wine taster who would enjoy "menage trois". I smacked him with the Food and Wine magazine. Then he explained that it is a blend of three California grapes as is the Apothic Red. I liked the Red better than the Menage Trois.