calumscott
Regular.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2011
- Messages
- 311
- Reaction score
- 32
Right, let me just be clear. Christmas is for Christmas not for life. There is nothing I hate more than the supermarkets flogging mince pies in September that have a best before date at the start of December. Shops should be banned from having Christmas stuff on display until December - if you need it, you should have to ask in hushed tones and make excuses as to why you need it before display embargo is lifted on 1st December and have it served to you from a covered display - just like ciggies nowadays.
That said, a PROPER Christmas takes a bit of effort early on in the year. From making sure that wines and beers are brewed and conditioned in time, the baking, cooking and prep for the feast...
...if you start early you can make Christmas extra special.
So far this year I have:
- Brewferm Christmas Ale that I brewed for last Christmas and didn't finish, it's matured very nicely!
- Made the Christmas Puds three or four weeks ago to give plenty of time to mature.
- Just mixed up the Mincemeat which will get cooked off and potted tomorrow. Be warned, if you decide to do this you will have to do it EVERY year from now on, commercial mincemeat is vile by comparison.
- Bramble jelly made weeks ago will be a lovely addition to the gravy this year!
- Green tomato chutney made a couple of weeks back will be just about mature enough to go with the cheeseboard I hope.
On the list still to do:
- Bake the Christmas cake today.
- Cook off the Mincemeat tomorrow.
- 40l of APA tomorrow, I need something refreshing for the hours to be spent in the kitchen.
- 40l of Dark Island as soon as possible, to relax with during those dark, cold December nights.
- 40l of Hefeweizen end of November just because it'll be ready quick for entertaining
- Bake edible tree decorations at the start of December
- Batch after batch of mince pies all through the second half of December
- Tablet, gingerbread houses, and assorted other treats through December.
- All the stuff for the big day in the couple of weeks leading up, the cranberry sauce gets made and frozen, a backup chicken stock to make and freeze just in case I screw up the turkey one on Christmas Eve, it's quite incredible how much stuff you can do in advance.
A completely home made Christmas Day is my Christmas present to myself (and the family seem to enjoy it too). I did it first as a bit of a challenge to see if it was possible to get away from the supermarket mince pies and cranberry sauce and haven't looked back.
So who else is "Humbug" towards the shops yet getting sorted out for a REAL Christmas?
That said, a PROPER Christmas takes a bit of effort early on in the year. From making sure that wines and beers are brewed and conditioned in time, the baking, cooking and prep for the feast...
...if you start early you can make Christmas extra special.
So far this year I have:
- Brewferm Christmas Ale that I brewed for last Christmas and didn't finish, it's matured very nicely!
- Made the Christmas Puds three or four weeks ago to give plenty of time to mature.
- Just mixed up the Mincemeat which will get cooked off and potted tomorrow. Be warned, if you decide to do this you will have to do it EVERY year from now on, commercial mincemeat is vile by comparison.
- Bramble jelly made weeks ago will be a lovely addition to the gravy this year!
- Green tomato chutney made a couple of weeks back will be just about mature enough to go with the cheeseboard I hope.
On the list still to do:
- Bake the Christmas cake today.
- Cook off the Mincemeat tomorrow.
- 40l of APA tomorrow, I need something refreshing for the hours to be spent in the kitchen.
- 40l of Dark Island as soon as possible, to relax with during those dark, cold December nights.
- 40l of Hefeweizen end of November just because it'll be ready quick for entertaining
- Bake edible tree decorations at the start of December
- Batch after batch of mince pies all through the second half of December
- Tablet, gingerbread houses, and assorted other treats through December.
- All the stuff for the big day in the couple of weeks leading up, the cranberry sauce gets made and frozen, a backup chicken stock to make and freeze just in case I screw up the turkey one on Christmas Eve, it's quite incredible how much stuff you can do in advance.
A completely home made Christmas Day is my Christmas present to myself (and the family seem to enjoy it too). I did it first as a bit of a challenge to see if it was possible to get away from the supermarket mince pies and cranberry sauce and haven't looked back.
So who else is "Humbug" towards the shops yet getting sorted out for a REAL Christmas?
