G-dawg posing next to the naked tree. For those who've been waiting for pix of our apt, go see a wider view of the tree on my Flickr. |
Mainly that means we got a tree, did a bit of gift buying and have started testing recipes. I find it really tough to cook for A's padres since their food tastes are the diametric opposite of mine. In other words they like meat and fish, heavy sauces and fried things. When they do eat veg it's either "salad" (which is a standard onions, tomato, lettuce affair) or cooked within an inch of its life.
But I digress. We originally broke out the Spanish cooking bible of 1080 recipes that A bought a few months ago ("Spain's best-selling cookbook for over 30 years"), and we will be making one recipe from there, which Alain already whipped up on the weekend to throw in the freezer: Portuguese-style cod (eeek, SO against my ethics) croquettes.
A vegetable terrine, inspired by the Paris Café cookbook but sans gelatin (I used goat cheese for glue) |
We hoping to do a Canadian-style turkey dinner on the 25th, though that's not really a Spanish thing, but we're still seeking a big enough free-ranger. We're off to a nearby market tonight when A finishes work.
Then after dinner I think we'll decorate the gingerbread men I made yesterday so we can get 'em in the freezer.
Now all we need is for the temp to drop again (it's been hovering around 15C the past few days) and for a little snow to fall. Kidding, I can wait a few more weeks for that...
Postscript: If who haven't visited Our World 2.0 in awhile, you should go check out my latest story on a research mission to the seamounts of the southern Indian Ocean. There's a photo gallery of the wacky species collected that's really worth a view.
Ah, how I missed reading your blog (I didn't have the internet for almost a month)! What's Christmas like in Spain? What's the typical Christmas dinner there? What about beverages and desserts? Other traditions?
ReplyDeleteP.S. Send me a cookie pleaaase! :D
YAY Risotto! Feliz Navidad Aunty! Hope we can chat during the christmas holiday
ReplyDeleteGot a most EXCELLENT Feliz Navidad card in the mail today - muchas gracias, chica! *hugs*
ReplyDeleteJJ: a month with out internet? eeek! glad you're back. Christmas is a pretty big deal here, seeing as they're pretty Catholic and all. As for food, some people eat turkey, but I think the main thing is lamb... Dessert seems to be mainly Roscón de Reyes (a bready-ish ring-shaped cake) decorated with candied fruit chunks on top and turrón too. Thanksfully we're mixing stuff up since his family's quite french-ified and all! Et vous, what're your xmas plans?
ReplyDeleteCJ: Yeah, longtime no e. Whaddarya boarding all your spare time away these days? You even forgot my b-day...
It's GOOD to be back! :)
ReplyDeleteHmmm..don't think I've ever heard of anyone having lamb for Christmas dinner - kind of funny, since Jesus was the "lamb of God"! The dessert kinda sounds like fruit cake. Mmm...turrón!
No major plans for us! Going to Tom's folks for réveillon (his stepmom's from Québec) and then coming back to our house to have our own celebration in the morning. Might try and figure out some kind of nice dinner we can make for ourselves, but don't be surprised if we order pizza! Oh, and since Christmas/New Year's is so strategically placed this year I'm taking three days off, which magically turns into ten - woo hoo! Could really use the break - our supervisor's retiring this week and there's been some fierce competition/tension over her job. :S
Speaking of which, off to make 4 dozen(!) cookies for our team cookie exchange tomorrow! Fun fun fun!
*hugs*
Pizza? You're too funny, kidz. (At least I hope you got good cookies in the exchange!). Anyway, it is so awesome that you're taking a 10 day break. Hope the tension melts entirely, meanwhile, have a great Christmas!
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