Happy New Year
Hello, and hope that your festive break was lovely. I went to Norfolk the night before Christmas Eve with J, and on Christmas Eve morning we had the baptism of my nephew Angus. I sniffled my way through the day with a temperature, so missed midnight mass, and went to bed early. Christmas Day was a family feast, Boxing Day slothful, bloated and lethargic, then J and I returned on the 27th to London. On the 28th we had family visit number 3 ( we had been to see J's mum and step-father earlier) and went to Windsor ( 'Slough', says J) to visit his sister and her family, with J's dad and step-mum who had driven down from the North. More turkey, fortunately we had managed a walk round Windsor park first with J's nephews and so managed not to explode.
Then back to ours, for a New Year feast, with Rabbit Strike, Long Dave, Jo and Michael ( neighbours). Jo and Michael brought 2 dozen oysters, I had a side of smoked salmon from LIDL, then a Polish goose ( also from LIDL) which produced a litre of golden goose fat, King Edwards to roast in it, sausages and bacon from the local butcher made into pigs in blankets, beans and broccoli and gravy made with giblets and bacon and sherry.
Jo and Michael brought a trifle too, ( bless them) and Rabbit Strike brough a variety of interesting cheeses. We all go stuck into the champagne ( £10.99 from LIDL, bargain of the decade) and the party went on into the night. In fact it went on all night - and finished at 10am on January 1st.
Yesterday was thus a very, very quiet day indeed. Even the cat walked round on tip-toes.
I am now embarking on a quiet month of hard work and no alcohol ( except when cooking, in casseroles) to complete the book for the deadline of January 30th. On the stove are 2 big pots simmering: one with the carcass of a chicken in and one with the carcass of the goose, both producing sweet comforting steam. The bones and wings are surrounded by onions and celery, with peppercorns and parsley tucked in around the bird to make a clear golden broth, which I will freeze and make into soup, adding potatoes and carrots, maybe some lentils or pearl barley. And on this we will subside frugally for the next few days, and we will welcome the break from high living. 2007 dawning saw the wild storms blow themselves out, and a gentle sunlight shine on the battered garden. I hope that is a metaphor for the year ahead.
I will write something political later this week, but for now I just wanted to say hello and happy new year to you all.
Then back to ours, for a New Year feast, with Rabbit Strike, Long Dave, Jo and Michael ( neighbours). Jo and Michael brought 2 dozen oysters, I had a side of smoked salmon from LIDL, then a Polish goose ( also from LIDL) which produced a litre of golden goose fat, King Edwards to roast in it, sausages and bacon from the local butcher made into pigs in blankets, beans and broccoli and gravy made with giblets and bacon and sherry.
Jo and Michael brought a trifle too, ( bless them) and Rabbit Strike brough a variety of interesting cheeses. We all go stuck into the champagne ( £10.99 from LIDL, bargain of the decade) and the party went on into the night. In fact it went on all night - and finished at 10am on January 1st.
Yesterday was thus a very, very quiet day indeed. Even the cat walked round on tip-toes.
I am now embarking on a quiet month of hard work and no alcohol ( except when cooking, in casseroles) to complete the book for the deadline of January 30th. On the stove are 2 big pots simmering: one with the carcass of a chicken in and one with the carcass of the goose, both producing sweet comforting steam. The bones and wings are surrounded by onions and celery, with peppercorns and parsley tucked in around the bird to make a clear golden broth, which I will freeze and make into soup, adding potatoes and carrots, maybe some lentils or pearl barley. And on this we will subside frugally for the next few days, and we will welcome the break from high living. 2007 dawning saw the wild storms blow themselves out, and a gentle sunlight shine on the battered garden. I hope that is a metaphor for the year ahead.
I will write something political later this week, but for now I just wanted to say hello and happy new year to you all.
posted by Rachel at 1:14 pm
A litre of Goose fat? Yummy potatoes then..
I had goose lettuce and tomato sandwiches last night a variation on the BLT though more GLT...
Delicious
Great to hear the party went on and on and on...
Rohen
R, it's lovely to see you back and I'm really glad you had such a fab time over Christmas/New Year, goodness knows you deserved it...
Now - get back to work, you slacker! ;-p (And a big yay! for the puritan[ical] work ethic!)
love and hugs
Helen
What is it about goose fat that people like? It taste like perfume to me - yeuch.
Happy New Year, anyway, and may all your troubles be dragged into court and dealt with appropriately.
I had my first non alcoholic new Year ever this year. Perhaps I'm going deaf as the fireworks seemed quieter. Anyway a happy and successful new year.
Sounds like you had an excellent break. I hope you have a fantastic 2007.
Dx
Hi Rachel
Happy New Year.
Could you retrospectively call the goose you cooked Lord Chancellor? As I think his is well and truly cooked with his Prisoners' voting rights consultation paper. I am presently doing some work for the Prison Reform Trust towards a briefing they are preparing to answer the Department of Constitutional Affairs.
I took a break from blogging over Xmas, after leaving a few sticks of dynamite to blow up the trolls on Guido's blog.
John.
And a Happy New Year to you, Rachel. Glad you had what sounds like a super Christmas and that it presages well for a deservedly great 2007.
Happy New Year Rachel
Unlike you being away fior the new year, I was working nights all over the new year.
I did still manage to have lots of fun and had my passengers singing and dancing through out the night.
Happy New Year to you, Rachel. I've enjoyed reading your blog these past few months and just want to wish you luck with the book and your 'post-job' life. Hope your wedding plans all go smoothly, too.
Thanks for keeping a flame burning for sanity and sense.
A big happy New Year to you, Rachel. Wishing you the best of things for 2007 x
I think its wrong that you moderate comments but still insult people who disagree with you.You can't argue with them,so just ignore them.
I don't think I insult people unless they are spectacularly rude to me first. I have no problem putting comments though that disagree but I do get right of reply as it's my blog. There's no point only publishing a chorus of clapping.
I moderate comments to stop spam, the abuse I still get sent regularly from a stalker, and cut- and-paste conspiracy theory 9/11 rubbish, which this blog has attracted in the past due to the 7/7 connection. Unfortunately, because I was an eye witness on 7/7 some people think that I will be fascinated by them telling me a load of made up internet nonsense about 9/11 and 7/7 being the work of the security services/Government/Jews/Mossad/alien lizards and attempt to evangelise on the subject. It is boring and paranoid and I have banned it as I keep getting sent all this crap, which I have read, mocked and junked away. I don't know why survivor blogs are catnip to some sad souls who are obsessed with 9/11 and related matters, but I'm damned if I am going to entertain their antisemitic lunacy on my personal diary.
Have a look at this Rachel:
http://www.spittoonextra.biz/waiter_theres_something_in_my_1.html
I think you should enter your lamb stew. Can't find the post now, so I'm chipping in another foodie post!
Have a great year.
Thanks Em - I have entered it!
Good luck with yor foodie post!