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#Post#: 20352--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2018
By: gmatoy Date: November 29, 2018, 9:26 pm
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Aleko, I never got to down size our feast meals. I like to think
that I would enjoy it, but maybe I'd feel like you do.
And now, nosy question time: What is spiced pressed salt beef?
Is it an English tradition? (Boxing day is why I think English.)
#Post#: 20353--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2018
By: gmatoy Date: November 29, 2018, 9:39 pm
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I went with my friend to the Victorian country Christmas
festival and we walked our feet off. We snacked and had scones
for breakfast and piroshkies for lunch. We bought some things
and oohed over many more. I found a gift for DH and salt &
pepper shakers for my mother. I bought a couple of cute
ornaments for very good prices. We came home and friend stayed
for a bit while I mended her daughter's bra for her.
After she left, I sewed for a bit. I'm taking a break to let the
pain in my shoulder and arm simmer down. I hope to do another
mug rug before bed. I have totally finished 4 and I pieced
another one. (I also posted that in another thread.)
Today has been a wonderful day!
#Post#: 20365--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2018
By: Aleko Date: November 30, 2018, 2:05 am
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[quote]What is spiced pressed salt beef? Is it an English
tradition?[/quote]
It's a very traditional Olde English dish, yes, though not
necessarily a Christmas one in the way that plum pudding and
mince pies are. Not many people make it now, and I've never seen
it for sale ready-made. But my mother always made it for
Christmas, and it's delicious, so I always do too.
You need a piece of rolled tied beef, whatever size suits your
household; brisket or silverside are the traditional cuts used.
Traditionally, you put it in a sugared and spiced brine for
several weeks - the size dictates the time. However, you need
saltpetre to salt meat satisfactorily (ordinary salt makes it
look grey and sad) which is no longer available in shops as it
used to be. Butchers can get it, though, so these days I order
my piece of beef to be ready in mid-December and my trusty
butchers salt it for me. Then you rub it with a mixture of
muscovado sugar (I don't know if muscovado has a different name
in Leftpondia - it's the dark damp molasses-flavoured kind) and
a mixture of roughly-bashed spices including juniper berries,
allspice and pepper (the exact mixture varies, but this is my
version) and leave it to sit in a cool place for 5-10 days. Then
you cook it very slowly in water for several hours. Then you
drain it, put it on a plate, put another plate on top, sit a
brick or two on top of that, and leave it overnight. Next day it
will be ready, and quite dry, and you cut it as thinly as you
can, like salami. It's wonderful.
It will keep for weeks in the fridge or a cool cellar, and
that's the point of it. It was never a part of the Christmas
dinner: it's for the rest of the 12 days of Christmas, when
people used to visit their neighbours and friends. If you have a
big piece of Christmas beef in the pantry, you'll always be able
to treat people well if they drop by.
#Post#: 20397--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2018
By: gmatoy Date: November 30, 2018, 1:51 pm
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Aleko, I had never heard of this dish. It sounds wonderful and I
want to thank you for answering my question in such detail. I
hope your husband appreciates how much effort goes into the dish
he loves so much!
On another note, being on the good side of the butcher is really
important! When we lived in Queens, NY, I had a butcher who
would cut my liver off of a big slab. And he would cut it much
thinner than the liver that he had cut, weighed, and put into
the case. I took in cookies for him one day to thank him, and
after that, he would always tell me when a piece of meat was a
good buy or particularly well veined. Plus one time he called
his mother to get the answer to a meat cooking question. ;D
#Post#: 21044--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2018
By: Chez Miriam Date: December 10, 2018, 12:53 pm
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[quote author=Writer of Wrongs link=topic=84.msg18684#msg18684
date=1541796725]
[quote author=Chez Miriam link=topic=84.msg18654#msg18654
date=1541765541]
My bedroom is tidy!
That might not sound like 'getting ready for Christmas', but I
want the house tidy before I start on the fun stuff like writing
Christmas cards, wrapping presents [they are all herded together
on one chest of drawers in the bedroom], and maybe knitting some
hats...
Today, I am [s]ignoring[/s] starting on the sitting room; wish
me luck?
[/quote]
Good luck! How did it go?
I'm making a piece of Christmas décor for several of the women
in our families - a coat hanger secured around a foam block,
which is then decorated with flowers, Christmas balls, etc., and
can be used as a door piece (thus the coat hanger) or a table
centerpiece, because greenery covers the hanger part. I've got
my supplies and will spend a weekend assembling them soon. Most
of our other shopping is done, but DH still has some metalwork
to do for a few people.
[/quote]
Oops, sorry for the late reply!
I got stuck in to the cleaning, and just had it all finished
about half an hour before my mum and brother arrived, then we
went to France for a week before taking Mum back home, going on
to a Christmas party and finally returning home. Phew.
I'm playing catch-up with my BM&B reading, but am here to post
that I finished my Christmas cards today, and everywhere is
clean, tidy, and as decorated as it's going to be.
I don't feel like starting any knitting projects, so I'm going
to take it easy for a while [till I get ants in the pants,
probably].
#Post#: 21196--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2018
By: gmatoy Date: December 11, 2018, 9:11 pm
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Our DIL called and asked if she could have some of the extra
tree ornaments that I made a few years ago. I told her "Of
course!"
She used them to make garland to hang across their living room
wall. It looks great. I love that she knew she could ask me for
them.
#Post#: 21566--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2018
By: gmatoy Date: December 15, 2018, 1:33 pm
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I finished writing Christmas cards. I'm still sewing and today
I got a gift request from my DIL, but at least it is a shopping
idea (rice cooker and cookie sheets). Onward.
#Post#: 21615--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2018
By: gmatoy Date: December 16, 2018, 12:02 pm
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Last night I made an adult bib for the husband of my very good
friend and started making 4 microwaveable bowl cozies. This
morning I have finished one and am only one step away from being
done with the second one. Good start to my day. I decided to
take a break and have a cup of tea and let the nerve damage in
my neck and shoulder calm down. I'm making progress and am
pleased with myself.
#Post#: 21626--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2018
By: STiG Date: December 16, 2018, 4:42 pm
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I made bread and chelsea buns today. I'll throw them in the
freezer until Christmas. I'm working on getting stocking stuff
together. Our shopping is pretty well done, though I need to
hit Costco for a few things. Then I have to get the wrapping
done! Fortunately, we don't get together with most of my
husband's family until after Christmas. Because I still have
some cookies to bake this week... :P
#Post#: 21661--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2018
By: gmatoy Date: December 17, 2018, 6:36 am
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Well, I finished all of the bowl cozies. And that is all I did.
I took a nap that lasted hours and then just wandered the house,
not accomplishing anything. Went to bed early and am up at4:35
in the morning. (I've been up for 90 minutes. Sigh.) I'm going
to try to go back to sleep in a bit. Maybe it will work.
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