Kia ora, if today’s about food then I’ve certainly celebrated that and its not over yet. First we did the present giving then we had whitebait fritters for brunch – delicious. Absolutely the best way to start the day. White bread, butter, lemon slices, salt and pepper and its all on.
We had decided that we would just take it easy – have no timetable, if we didn’t eat lunch till 3.30pm then that was fine. It is always great to do the ham. My once a year treat. My favourite glaze (having tried a few over the years) is the simplest. Apricot jam and grainy mustard. I took the skin off the ham, put it in the oven to warm right through, took it out, sliced the top both ways, put cloves in the little squares and then poured the glaze over. Back in the oven and every now and then get it out to spoon the glaze over again. The smell is divine. Once the ham was done, taken out, wrapped in foil to have its standing time, I put the little piece of hogget in the oven and some kumara. Oh yes.
In a while on with the new potatoes and mint, then a few minutes later, the peas and beans (first from my garden), make the gravy, oh yes, and then it’s all on.
Two of us agree its the best ham ever, and the third one, who’s never tasted ham before, loves it. She loved the whitebait fritters too. ‘That’s a bugger,’ I said, I was hoping you’d hate them.’
We talked, remembered those who were’t here, remembered other christmases, played a bit of Dylan, oh yes, nostalgia time.
We decided we’d take a break and have the pudding (Trifle, ice cream and fresh fruit salad) later. At least an hour before the Queen’s speech – always watch her although (surprise, surprise), I’m not a royalist, but she’s been around longer than me so I’m interested. And this is the time I’ll have one (or two) glasses of wine and one (or two) of the chocolates I’ve been given.
In between times I answer the phone, receive texts and emails, a friend arrives with a fruit cake, and the sun comes in and out, the wind drops but is supposed to become southerly later, the tomatoes plants I moved in the rain yesterday look perky and the weeds have grown and multiplied a thousandfold over night.
But its christmas – hope you’re all enjoying the day as much as I am, arohanui ki a koutou, Renée
