Christmas Treats

Wet and windy. Not tempting me into the garden except to fetch vegetables for cooking. Although it’s a long, wet trek to fetch them, the carrots, parsnips and celeriac are snug in the polytunnels, and I have an abundant supply of fresh parsley. It’s always worth the effort. I have a couple of nice winter squashes stored in the house.

These carrots are “Autumn King”, an old variety with plenty of flavour. I hope I have enough for the next few weeks. They’re a bit overcrowded so I probably won’t be pulling up huge ones. I should have sown them thinly, but I’m carried away with a packet of seeds in my hand.

The onions I grow over winter are doing well. They are surprisingly hardy and will tick along until February when they will put on a spurt and gradually begin to swell. I’m growing “Toughball”. They must have that name because of their ability to withstand bad weather. The onions are actually very tender and sweet to eat.

The “Spring Hero” cabbages are holding their own after a few nibbles from slugs. Once plants are a bit bigger, they recover well and continue to grow. Best to work with nature wherever possible. These are lovely cabbages. As far as I know they are the only Spring cabbages which form a ball head. When they’re ready, we love these shredded thinly with a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a dribble of ginger syrup stirred in. Or if I cook them, they’re good steamed. Really delicious.

Very few flowers to brighten the garden now. Evergreens come into their own though and provide some structure to a fading scene.

One of the compensations for this weather is the opportunity to bake delicious Christmas treats. I’ve made some mince pies, using my own mincemeat . A little extra brandy stirred in, before filling the pastry cases, adds flavour and moisture. A warm mince pie with a glass of sherry is always welcome in December. I shall make some more because we love them. A little dusting of icing sugar makes them extra tempting.

For an easy but special dessert to enjoy at some point over Christmas, I always make a swiss roll filled with cream. I give it the posh name of “roulade”. It can be filled with so many tasty ingredients, such as chocolate, nuts or fruit. This time I filled it with stem ginger pieces and cream flavoured with ginger syrup. This recipe, and one for walnut and coffee roulade, is in my cookbook. If you’d like to take a look, click this link to find it. https://geni.us/eANQu

You will need a swiss roll tin and greaseproof paper.

It’s easy to make, delicious to eat and freezes perfectly if you need to make it ahead. I always make these before Christmas so that when the time comes, I can relax and enjoy the treats without too much work. If you’re good with an icing kit you can make it look a lot fancier than I do. When it’s sliced the inside looks really nice.

There are other ideas in my cookbook for easy but delicious desserts. Good food doesn’t need to be complicated. Christmas should be enjoyed, not endured. Planning ahead and a few simple ideas make for more festive fun.

For those relaxing moments I’ve been knitting again. It’s surprisingly soothing when I have a lot on my mind. Another little teddy, dressed for the cold weather. So pleasing when it comes to life and his little bits of clothing are added.

Fun to do with easy patterns and oddments of yarn. I hope he’ll find a home with some little person who will treasure him.

I hope your Christmas plans are going well and you’re enjoying the preparations. With you again next week. Bye for now.