What's Cooking 2017

[davent]

As long as it's been since i did any skinna-marinka-dinkaing or whatever it was, it's even longer since i saw Bob Macadorey. That's taking me back.

Now every time i have a piece of Christmas Cake i'm doomed to envision this video. Sharon, Lois and Bram were okay back in my days as toddler's parent, i could live with them and a whole raft of other Canadian kids performers, we did that pretty well up here.

Thanks Mike, made me laugh!
dave

 

[DoctorShavegood]

Food Songs...now that's and idea for a whole new genre of music.

...quick, pour some sugar on me.

 

[davent]

I forgot but now it's begun, better late than not at all, it will keep...

Still had the rest of the tiny bottle of gold rum left from last year's cake but not enough so topped up with bourbon that's not going to be tippled either.

In the summer we dried apricots and blueberries for this but had no luck finding sour cherries to dry, missed the very brief window. Also in there, dried cranberries, cherries, currants, gold raisins, lemon & orange peels, and candied ginger.

View attachment 842163
dave

Like a number of others last year and again this used Alton Brown's Free Range Fruitcake recipe.

Other changes from the recipe not already mentioned, used mulled apple cider instead of unfiltered apple juice and topped with whole toasted pecans as i believe Connie @Intrigued suggested last year.

Recipe suggested baking for one hour at 325F, last year i went two hours, this year i used an instant read thermometer for testing and with the oven again at 325F, the cake's internal temp hit 196F at one hour fifty minutes which i figured was about right.

Sprayed down with brandy and will get spritzed here and there again over the next couple of weeks before it's ready to sample, about the same time my sauerkraut should be ready, party time!

dave

 

[Intrigued]

Sprayed down with brandy and will get spritzed here and there again over the next couple of weeks before it's ready to sample, about the same time my sauerkraut should be ready, party time!

​

dave

Beautiful, Dave!!!

Let us know how it taste when you cut into it.

 

[davent]

Thanks Connie, you were one of those who got me started on this last year. Will be a couple weeks before i cut this one open.

Have you had a chance to make any this year?
dave

 

[DoctorShavegood]

Dave, that looks good. I never knew how much I liked a fruit cake until I tried it.

 

[davent]

Thanks Aaron!

When we moved into this neighbourhood 28 years ago, now, there was a long established Italian baker nearby who made the best fruit cake i've ever had, random sized pieces sold by weight. He's been gone for many years now but i still miss his fruit cakes at Christmas.

Here's the recipe that was linked at this time last year and there's still time to have one ready for Christmas.

Free Range Fruitcake

dave

 

[davent]

Breakfast for dinner, sorta. Shakshuka/skakshouka/chakchouka... however you might spell it depending on where on the African/Middle East Mediterranean you may be situated.

Eggs poached in a tomato/pepper/onion stew flavoured with chilies, cumin, paprika, chipotles, cilantro and feta. Nice fresh Italian ciabatta to soak up the juices.

Dessert - Rhubarb/Blackberry Pie with 5% MF Greek Yogurt. Almost as good as rhubarb raspberry pie both of which annihilate their flavourless big red cousin.

Music - Etta James, The Essential Modern Records Collection proceeded by Wes Montgomery, The Best of Wes

dave

 

[martym]

Wow!
That looks scrumptious!!
I love Etta James

 

[Alacrity59]

Made some soup today. Butternut squash and the usual soupy stuff and some fresh sage from our snow dusted garden. Chicken stock you can see frozen in the first pic. . . Made it a bit back in a pressure cooker.

Listening just now to Neal Young doing his December 1 concert in Omemee Ontario. Pumping the tv through the stereo . . . ads yes but an amazing show.

 

[martym]

Butternut Squash!!
Oh my!

 

[oc_in_fw]

Breakfast for dinner, sorta. Shakshuka/skakshouka/chakchouka... however you might spell it depending on where on the African/Middle East Mediterranean you may be situated.

Eggs poached in a tomato/pepper/onion stew flavoured with chilies, cumin, paprika, chipotles, cilantro and feta. Nice fresh Italian ciabatta to soak up the juices.

Dessert - Rhubarb/Blackberry Pie with 5% MF Greek Yogurt. Almost as good as rhubarb raspberry pie both of which annihilate their flavourless big red cousin.

Music - Etta James, The Essential Modern Records Collection proceeded by Wes Montgomery, The Best of Wes

View attachment 843515 View attachment 843516 View attachment 843517
dave

God, that looks good. I need to try this one day.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

Wife's Christmas party menu this year. I should have got a pic of the pork belly

 

[martym]

Really nice

 

[Mick]

Roasted an 8 lb leg of lamb last evening.

It was the size of a small dog.

We'll be eating lamb for quite a while around here at Casa Mick

 

[cleanshaved]

Roasted an 8 lb leg of lamb last evening.

It was the size of a small dog.

We'll be eating lamb for quite a while around here at Casa Mick

8lbs that is huge.
If you get tied of left over lamb, then a shepherds pie is a tasty way to finish it off.

 

[Mick]

8lbs that is huge.
If you get tied of left over lamb, then a shepherds pie is a tasty way to finish it off.

Never get tired of lamb.

Can't wait to get into middle eastern lamb couscous with heart of palm or artichoke dishes.

German shepherd pie is always one too

.

 

[cleanshaved]

Never get tired of lamb.

Can't wait to get into middle eastern lamb couscous with heart of palm or artichoke dishes.

German shepherd pie is always one too

.

Sounds like you have been down this road before.
Growing up we often had a Sunday roast, most of the time it was lamb.

German shepherd pie? I'm listening, do tell.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Sounds like you have been down this road before.
Growing up we often had a Sunday roast, most of the time it was lamb.

German shepherd pie? I'm listening, do tell.

I don't think you will be able to sneak up on him- he is quite alert.

 

[cleanshaved]

I don't think you will be able to sneak up on him- he is quite alert.

View attachment 844779

I think he's waiting for the leg of lamb.