Telfair Enterprise Food Column for 12/09

Fried apple pies are a tried and true favorite of many Southerners.

Lamb tagine offers a savory alternative to the usual turkey, ham, and chicken.

Geese not alone in this boat!

Christmas was coming

The goose was getting fat

So I put it on the Atkins diet

And now it's had a heart attack!

~ Unknown

“Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat...” ~ from an old Mother Goose rhyme

Unfortunately, the geese may not the only one who will be getting fat if most of us hold true to form with our holiday eating patterns. It’s really difficult to say no to all those delicious goodies, especially when it seems they are coming from every nook and cranny. However, there are a few things you can do to help curtail the amount you do consume.

Ø Do not try to diet during this type holiday where eating is a main focus. Maintain your weight if you can but the temptation of such an abundance of special goodies makes it next to impossible to actually lose weight during this time.

Ø Don’t starve yourself or you may find that even that fruitcake you have been using for a doorstop is starting to look good.

Ø First, do not try going “cold turkey” when it comes to holiday treats. You will feel deprived and that often leads to binging when your resistance does break down.

Ø Eat in moderation but don’t deprive yourself. Allow yourself a small sample of anything you wish but try not to overdo if you can help it. Sometimes a taste is all it takes to avoid cravings later on.

Ø Try to alter your perception of holiday meals. Think of Christmas dinner as just another meal, not a special occasion to stuff yourself. If you think it is normal to overindulge just because it is Christmas, then you probably will.

Ø Graze like Santa’s reindeer. Try to eat right and eat more often. Instead of three big meals per day, eat smaller portions of something healthy about two hours, or about six mini-meals per day.

Ø Your body will able to digest the food more easily when taken in smaller amounts and this pattern will leave you feeling satisfied instead of hungry during the entire day.

Ø Chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly. This takes even more work off your stomach, and minimizes stress on the intestines and other internal organs. You will also feel full while actually eating less.

Ø If you do give in to temptation and overeat, try to follow big meals with light cardiovascular exercise, such as walking. You will burn calories, and the increased flow of oxygen will help renew your energy.

Ø Never go to a party hungry. Eat a light, healthy snack before you go. This will help keep your blood sugar from dropping as well as curbing your appetite.

Ø Remember that alcohol stimulates the appetite and lowers your resistance to impulse eating. Alcoholic drinks are high in sugar too, adding even more calories to your intake. When you get to the party, try carrying a glass of lemon water or low calorie beverage around with you. (You will also eat less if you only have one hand free.).

Disclaimer: Remember this is more of a do-as-I-say than a do-as-I-do type article so in spite of the “good” advice above, and in complete contradiction to good common sense, I’m still going to share some shamelessly unhealthy Christmas recipes with you. If we’re going to be in the boat with the geese, we might as well enjoy the ride!

This year though, I will vary a bit with some slightly different recipes but will also include some old tried and true things we see every year. Enjoy but remember moderation (if you can).

Merry Christmas Everyone!

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My aunt, the late Irene Grimes Kinnett, made fried apple pies for family gatherings no matter the occasion. She too used used dried apples and one of my fondest memories is that she always made sure I got at least one. She’s been gone a really long time but I still think of her when I see or smell homemade fried apple pies.

Fried Apple Pies

10 ounces dried apples

8 cups water, divided

Granulated sugar, to taste (if desired )

2 cups canola oil

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour; more for dusting

2 t. allspice

Sugar

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening, chilled

2/3 cup buttermilk, chilled

Confectioners' sugar, opt.

Place the apples in a large bowl. Add 6 cups cold water. Set aside to rehydrate at least 4 hours or overnight. Place the soaked apples, with any remaining liquid, in a large saucepan. Add remaining 2 cups water and allspice and sugar to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook until thickened and the apples are beginning to break down, about 1 hour. Transfer to a shallow bowl to cool to room temperature. Set aside

When ready to fry the pies, heat the oil in a large heavy-duty skillet over medium heat. The temperature should read 350 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer.

Meanwhile, place the flour in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the shortening into the flour until it resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and stir until dough forms. Transfer to a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour. Knead until firm.

Pull off a biscuit-size piece of dough. On the lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle 4 inches across, about the size of a teacup saucer. Place 1-2 tablespoons of the room-temperature apple mixture in the center of the circle. Fold the dough over to form a half moon. Press with your fingertips to seal the edges. Dip the tines of a fork in flour, then press the tines around the edges of the dough to seal completely.

Transfer the pie to the heated oil and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining dough and apples. Dust with confectioners sugar if desired. Serve hot.

Chocolate Ice Box Pie

Crust:

24 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed in processor

3 T. unsalted butter, melted

1/8 salt

1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients and press into a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate and bake 8 minutes. Cool. You may also use a prepared 9-inch chocolate cookie piecrust if you wish.

Filling:

1 lb. bittersweet dark chocolate

1-1/2 heavy cream, divided

1/2 c. powdered sugar

Melt chocolate with 1/2 c. cream in top of a double boiler, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool. Whip remaining 2 c. cream, gradually adding powdered sugar and beating until stiff peaks form. Fold cream into cooled chocolate, 1/3 at the time. Pour into cooled crust and chill about 4 hours or until firm. Easy but quite decadent.

If you’ve had enough turkey and/or chicken to last you for a while, maybe a Moroccan style tagine will be just what you are craving.

Lamb Tagine with Lemon and Pomegranate Couscous

For the tagine:

4 T. olive oil

8 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

4 onions, peeled and chopped

4 t. grated, fresh ginger

1½ T. coriander seeds, crushed

3 t. ground cinnamon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 7-lb shoulder of lamb, boned, fat removed and cut into 1-1/2-in cubes

2 T. tomato purée

4-1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes or 4 14-oz can tomatoes, coarsely chopped

4-5 T. honey

For the couscous:

1 large or 2 small pomegranates

1-3/4 lb couscous

6 tbsp olive oil

2 lemons, juice only

1-3/4 pints boiling chicken stock or water

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 T. chopped, fresh mint or coriander

For serving:

1 lime, cut into wedges

Greek yoghurt

For the tagine: Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat a large ovenproof casserole or heavy saucepan on a medium to high heat. Add olive oil, garlic, onions, ginger and spices and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then cook, covered, on a low heat for about ten minutes, until the onions are soft.

Add lamb, tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and honey to the pot and stir thoroughly. Bring to a simmer and place in the oven for 1½ hours, until the lamb is tender. Remove saucepan lid halfway through the cooking time to let the liquid reduce and thicken.

If the sauce is still a bit thin, place uncovered pot on top of the stove over medium heat. Cook and stir occasionally until liquid reduces and a thick sauce begins to appear.

For couscous: Cut pomegranates in half and scoop out the seeds with a small spoon. Remove white membrane from around the seeds and set aside.

Place couscous in a bowl and stir in olive oil and lemon juice. Pour boiling stock or water onto couscous, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and allow the couscous to sit in a warm place for 5-10 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Stir chopped herbs and pomegranate seeds into the couscous.

To serve: Place the tagine on serving plates with couscous and a wedge of lime. Serve a bowl of thick Greek yoghurt on the side.

And if you don’t want poultry or red meat, why not try a delicious seafood paella?

Seafood Paella

8 oz. onions or shallots

4 oz. celery

3 garlic cloves

1 qt. fish stock

10 oz. white wine

1/4 t. saffron

1 bay leaf

1 lb. skinless filets (cod, salmon, haddock)

4 oz. wild rice

2 oz. olive oil

12 oz. long grain rice, long-grain

Salt and pepper to taste

1 oz. butter

1 11-12 oz. jar wild mushrooms packed in oil

4 oz. brown cap mushrooms

2 bunches watercress

l lb. king prawns, peeled and cooked

Crush peeled garlic and chop the celery and the onions. Combine the fish, bay leaf, wine, saffron and stock. Heat to a boil and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain fish and reserve the liquid. Use a fork to flake fish into large pieces.

Prepare cooked wild rice in salted boiling water for about 40 minutes. Remove from the liquid and set aside. While rice is cooking sauté the garlic, celery and onions in the oil until soft. Add long-grain rice and heat for two minutes before adding the reserved fish stock. Bring to a boil, add seasoning, cover and cook at over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Melt butter in a wide metal pan and cook all the mushrooms in it for about 2 minutes Remove mushrooms and add watercress, stirring until wilted. Add prawns, fish, watercress, mushrooms and wild rice into the long-grain rice mixture and season to taste. Let stand in a warm oven for a couple of minutes before serving.

New York Apple Pecan Stuffing

3 cups chopped Jonagold apples

1/2 cup fresh apple cider

6 T. butter, divided

2/3 c. diced celery

2/3 c. diced onion

3 c. plain bread stuffing

1/8 t. sage, marjoram thyme

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c.

Melt 4 T. butter in skillet. Add celery and onions and sauté until tender. Stir in bread stuffing and set aside. Melt 2 T butter, add apple chunks and sauté until golden brown. Combine with bread mixture and add spices, nuts and cider and mix well. Stuff inside turkey or place in casserole dish and bake at 350° F for 30 minutes. This recipe provides a savory alternative or may be used in addition to the cornbread stuffing/dressing normally served with turkey here in the south.

Cream Cheese Potatoes

10 medium red-skinned potatoes

1/2 c. butter

1 t. salt (or more, to taste)

1/4 t. pepper

1 T. grated onion

1 c. scalded whole milk

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese

Scrub potatoes, cover potatoes with water and simmer until soft. Whip until smooth. Add other ingredients and place in a greased casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes at 325° F. Fat-free cream cheese will work in this recipe but I don’t recommend it personally.

This version of Brussels Sprouts doesn’t fall too much in the decadent category except for the addition of bacon but is an excellent variation from plain old steamed ones.

Caramelised Brussels Sprouts

1 lb. small Brussels sprouts

1/2 lb. smoked bacon, diced

2 T. olive oil, divided

2 T. butter, divided

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place Brussels sprouts into a pan of salted boiling water and cook until crisp tender. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of icy cold water to stop the cooking process. When the sprouts are completely cool, remove from cold water and drain well before cutting each one in half.

Combine a tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until golden brown. Remove the bacon from pan and let drain lightly. Add a little more butter and olive oil to pan drippings if necessary and sauté the sprouts until they are lightly caramelised. Return bacon to the pan and season to taste with salt pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider

(Wassail)

One-half gallon cider (8 cups)

2 cups orange juice

l cup lemon juice

5 cups pineapple juice

1 t. whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

ombine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Strain and serve hot in coffee cups or mugs. This yields about 20 servings and can be spiked or not according to personal preference.

The last one, I promise!

This was the conclusion of my UK series. The other articles were adapted to include recipes so that I didn't have to write two articles a week but this is just my reflections on the visit.

Reflections

Looking back on my three-week stay in the UK, I’m more than happy that I approached the visit as I did. It was the trip of a lifetime and while I had no idea what to expect, I did know I wanted it to be a memorable one. By keeping an open mind and being willing to try new things, I learned a lot about others as well as myself and to appreciate a wide variety of things that I hadn’t tried before.

I spent a couple of days doing the tourist thing in London but getting out of the city revealed a completely different England than most of us think of when we hear “London.” It’s an interesting city to say the least and even though I really enjoyed the plays I saw there, I can honestly tell you I liked the little villages and countryside far more.

From the outset, I was impressed with the friendliness and openness of the people. They are quite straightforward. None of the little I-won’t-tell-you-how-I-really-feel-because-I-don’t-want-to-hurt-your-feelings dances we are so good at here in the South. They say what they mean without being rude and almost all of them have a wickedly funny sense of humor. And their obvious affection towards America gave this American a warm feeling indeed.

Of course, there were a few things that took a little getting used to like hot water taps on the right, pepper shakers with more holes than the salt shakers, toilets with flush handles on the left, all those roundabouts, right hand drives, driving in the left lane. Not that I tried my hand at driving but as a passenger I have to admit it felt a little strange to be sitting on the left side of the car with no steering wheel in front of me. It took at least a week before I stopped going to the right side to get in as a passenger. Even then, I still did it occasionally.

One of the things that impressed me was finding so many bookstores and the large numbers of people patronizing them, many more than I see in the US. Town Centre in Chelmsford isn’t very large but it has two of them just a couple of doors apart. The sheer number and variety of magazines and newspapers available there as well as in several other venues was amazing to this avid reader.

A system that automatically interrupts your car’s sound system and notifies of traffic problems or bad weather is also quite impressive. When the alert is over, the radio or your CD will start back where it left off with no loss to the interruption. I don’t know how they do it, but I like it.

There were many foods I had heard of (and some I hadn’t) but never tried. I learned to enjoy roasted parsnips, couscous, Sharon fruit (Israeli persimmons), fresh salmon, scones, sticky toffee puddings, just a few among them. I also found I loved teashops and pubs, both the atmosphere and the food.

Both countries speak English but England’s English is a far cry from the American version. And Southern English often falls into a category all its own. Some nuances of their language are etched into my brain permanently and my vocabulary has been enriched with interesting examples like Sat Nav (GPS), calming devices (speed bumps), dolly-bird (an attractive young woman), spanner (wrench), whilst (while), gobstruck or gobsmacked (astonished), fourways (crossroads) and so many others it would be impossible to list them here.

Most them make perfect sense when you realize what they mean. I have to admit that calming device is much more pleasing to the ear than speed bump; and aubergine sounds more appetizing than eggplant while courgette lends a more exotic image than zucchini. I must admit that Swede for rutabaga puzzled me until I learned the Swedes introduced this root veggie to England in the 1700s.

I became accustomed to seeing words with an extra “u” in them like colour, neighbour, favour, flavour, labour, and others that use “re” instead of “er” as in centre, theatre, metre, etc. etc Words like defence use “c” instead of “s” add to the color. Or should I say colour? Six months have elapsed since I was there but I still catch myself using some of those spellings from time to time.

Some familiar words and expressions but with totally different meanings in Brit-speak are: caravan (RV), jelly (gelatin dessert like Jello), surgery (doctor’s office), car silencer (muffler), central reservation (median), zebra crossing (sidewalk), dummy (pacifier), clock (odometer), lights dipped (low beams),hoover (vacuum or vacuum cleaner), made redundant (got fired). And “cats eyes” does not refer to marbles but to reflectors embedded in the tarmac (pavement).

Different pronunciations also add lots of color to the mix. There are many unfamiliar variations of familiar words. For instance, migraine has a long “e” sound (mē′grān′) but my very favorite is the way the English say aluminum. The harsh, flat sound you hear in American English becomes positively lyrical when Brits say aluminium (al-yә-‘min-nē-әm). The extra “i” makes all the difference.

There is so much to learn that it would probably take a lifetime to absorb it all. Since I only had three weeks, I soaked in all I could and derived great pleasure from just simply being there. Things that were new and unusual to me, as much of it was, were just icing on the cake.

I have no special words of wisdom to impart to anyone planning a trip to another country. If I were asked though, I would say to be yourself and accept the new people you meet at face value. As I said earlier, keeping an open mind will allow you to see more and see it in a different light than if you go with preconceived ideas and opinions. Most of all, represent yourself and our country well. Let everyone know you are proud to be an American and by the same token, show respect for the country you are visiting.

To those who have expressed such positive feelings about this series, thank you again for making this journey over the past weeks. It was a great ride and I am happy you were there to take it with me this time. Hopefully we can go somewhere again very soon.

A Voice in the Wilderness

"I'm a voice of one crying in the wilderness." I feel like John, with everyone but me deserting this blog. I know several are reading it because they've told me so but these motormouths are unnaturally quiet when it comes to contributing. It's time to speak up folks. The other readers are probably tired of hearing me!

My Christmas Gift Ideas article from The Telfair Enterprise

Spicy pomander balls create a wonderful aroma for Yuletide but can be used at any time of the year.

Ribbon tied Christmas spice bundles make colorful, fragrant Christmas gifts.

Give of Yourself this Christmas

Remember, if Christmas isn't found in your heart, you won't find it under the tree. ~ Charlotte Carpenter

The practice of giving gifts at Christmas can be traced directly to the Magi who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh when they came to Bethlehem to greet the baby Jesus as he lay in the manger. Their gifts were emblematic of tribute, worship and the future death of Christ and while they tend to be associated more with the Feast of Epiphany on January 6, they were the real pioneers of the Yuletide gift giving tradition.

Christmas Day comes with its own message of peace for our homes, our nation and the world. Jesus taught about giving peace and happiness to others and while we cannot equal what he gave, exchanging holiday gifts is our way to give to others.

Selecting a favor for a special person can be the most delightful aspect of the Christmas season if it is given and received in the right spirit. It may be as unpretentious as a few nice flowers, a small basket of seasonal fruits, some homemade goodies, or it can be as expensive as one wishes to make it. The list is endless but ideally, the best choices will rest on the tastes of giver and receiver, their relationship, age and other personal factors. Ultimately though, it should be something the giver can afford to give and something the receiver can use.

The late journalist Oren Arnold penned a wise list of gift-giving ideas. His advice was, “To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect." And I concur heartily.

Appropriate gifts given in the right spirit, however small or simple they may seem, add to the effervescence of the day. Or they should anyway. I’ve never believed in giving something for the sheer sake of giving nor do I think anyone should go into debt to try to please and/or impress someone else. If they are not already impressed with you, you certainly can’t buy it with material stuff. Most of all, I don’t believe in giving a present with the expectation of receiving one in return. That is so wrong in so many ways! You should give for the sheer joy of giving or not give at all.

With the current state of the economy, most of us need to make the best use of our money but we don’t have to forgo tradition completely. It’s better to give a one-dollar gift someone can use than a fifty-dollar one that will be put on the shelf. It’s always a good idea to look towards something you create yourself. These are more thoughtful, affordable and useful. Your friends will appreciate your effort and love you for remembering them. The others don’t count.

It isn’t too early to start working on self-created gifts ~ those truly from your heart. The following suggestions are thoughtful, easier on the budget and should work equally well for those difficult to decide for, those who are not physically able to prepare complicated recipes or do not like cooking just for themselves or those you want to know you haven’t forgotten them.

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Spiced tea mixes have been around for a very long time. Liquid versions are easy to make but they do not have a long shelf life and I recommend this for gift giving so its recipient does not have to use it in a hurry. I recall a customer on my mail route at Eastman giving me a large container of this for Christmas about 20 years ago and it lasted a long time. It’s tried and true, easy to prepare and as good as ever.

Friendship Tea

1/2 c. instant tea powder

1 c. orange flavored drink mix

1 c. sweetened lemonade mix

1-3/4 c. sugar

1/2 t. cloves

1/2 t. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients together and store in an airtight container. To serve, add 3 to 4 teaspoons to one cup of hot water and stir well. This was originally made with Tang and while I’m sure other brands will do just fine, that’s the flavor I remember most.

For gifting: Fill a jar with the mixture, tie a pretty bow around it and attach instructions for gift appreciated by most spicy tea aficionados.

Vanilla sugar also makes a nice gift. I keep a vanilla bean in my sugar canister all the time but for those who don’t, you might want to give them a small amount so they can see how good it really is. You need to make this early to let the flavors blend. If you don’t have time, be sure to tell the recipient to let it rest a few days before using.

Vanilla Sugar

1 fresh vanilla bean

3 c. white sugar

Cut a vanilla bean into 1-inch pieces. Combine and store in airtight container. When you dip it into containers to share, leave the bean pieces in the sugar to help retain the flavor. This is great for baking or decorating or just to stir into steaming mugs of coffee or tea. You can easily multiply this just by remembering to use one bean per 3 cups of sugar. For stronger taste, add more beans.

Cocoa Mix with Marshmallows

1 25-oz. pkg. nonfat dried milk

1-1/2 cups non-dairy coffee creamer, about 6 ounces

3 c. instant chocolate drink mix

1-1/2 c. powdered sugar

1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. Yield: 16 cups. This is enough mix for 4 one-quart jars or 8 1-pint jars or it may be split into smaller portions and packed in seasonal packaging or mugs. Include these directions with each gift: Combine 1/2 cup of mix with 1 cup of boiling water. Stir and serve.

Malted Chocolate Drink Mix

1 25-oz. pkg. nonfat dried milk

6 c. mini-marshmallows

1 16-oz. pkg. instant cocoa mix for milk

1 13-oz. pkg. malted milk powder

1 c. sifted powdered sugar

1 6-oz. pkg. non-dairy creamer

1/2 t. salt

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Yields 20 cups. For 10 gifts, divide equally in 10 bags or decorative containers. Attach following instructions to bag: Pour 6 oz. hot water over 1/2 c. of mix. Stir and serve.

Peach Crumb Cake would be a nice gift for a larger family or if the recipient is expecting guests. It makes too much for just one or two people but leftovers could be frozen for later use.

Peach Crumb Cake

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. quick oats

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Layer ingredients in the order given into a wide mouth quart-size, packing each layer into place before adding the next ingredient. Attach a gift tag with a can of peach pie filling and the following mixing instructions:

Instructions:

1 jar Peach Crumb Cake Mix

3/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

1 29-oz. can peach pie filling

Empty contents of jar into a mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Melt butter and stir into dry ingredients to form a crumbly mixture. Press half of the crumbs into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan and top with peach pie filling. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over filling. Bake in preheated over @ 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Chocolate Spoons

20 heavy-duty plastic spoons

4 oz. semisweet or dark chocolate baking bar, chopped

2 T. heavy cream

1 T. chocolate or almond flavored liqueur

4-6 oz. vanilla flavored candy coating, melted, opt.

Line a cookie sheets or flat pans with waxed paper and set aside. Combine chocolate baking bar, cream and liqueur in a 1-cup glass measuring cup. Microwave on 50% power for one minute, stirring halfway through, until melted and of desired consistency.

Dip spoons in melted chocolate so that the bowl of each one is completely covered. Allow excess to drip off and lay on waxed paper. Place in freezer for 15 minutes to allow chocolate to set. If desired, drizzle spoons with melted white chocolate for extra decoration.

Wrap spoons individually in plastic wrap and tie with ribbon. Ribbon that can be curled looks good on these. To use, place the spoon into coffee and stir until chocolate is melted. Note: This recipe is not necessarily one for a budget but good for someone you know is a real chocoholic. It can be given alone or packed with hot cocoa or coffee mixes and a seasonal mug.

For those cold days ahead, a quick soup mix will be welcome. You may use different spices as you prefer, but follow the same measurements for major ingredients.

Potato Soup Mix

1-3/4 c. instant mashed potatoes

1-1/2 c. dry milk

2 T. instant chicken bullion

2 t. dried minced onion

1 t. dried parsley

1/4 t. ground white pepper

1/4 t. dried thyme

1-1/2 t. seasoning salt

Dash of t. turmeric, opt.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Store in airtight jars. Makes 6 individual servings. Attach these instructions to gift jars: Add 1/2 c. mix to a soup bowl, pour 1 c. of boiling water over mix, and stir until smooth.

Pudding mix is good to have on hand for quick and individual desserts. I have other flavors but since I have been known to overdo chocolate recipes, I will share a different flavor.

Coconut Cream Pudding

3 c. nonfat dry milk

4 c. sugar

1 t. salt

3 c. cornstarch

1 t. coconut extract

1-1/2 c. shredded unsweetened coconut

Combine milk, sugar, salt and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add coconut extract and continue mixing until flavoring is completely absorbed. Stir in coconut and store mix in airtight containers. Attach these instructions: Add 2/3 c. mix to 2 c. milk. Heat and stir constantly until it reaches a rolling boil. Cool and serve.

Christmas Spice Bundles

4 cinnamon sticks

2 t. ground allspice

2 t. ground ginger

20 whole cloves

2 T. pickling spice

Dried orange and or lemon peel, opt.

Tie the spices into bundles for mulling cider or place in a decorative jar and attach a card with these directions: Pour spices into a kettle or pan, add a quart of water and cook until hot. Turn heat to low and simmer for slowly until you house smells nice and Christmassy. These spice bundles are versatile and these can be used either in a beverage or as potpourri.

Even though you don’t see very many old fashioned Pomander Balls anymore, they really add a fragrant holiday aroma when placed around one’s home. (Remember though that while they are made from food items, they are not edible.) The amount of fruit needed will depend on how many of these you want to make.

Directions for Pomander Balls

Oranges

Lemons

Limes

Whole cloves

Nail or skewer

Ground cinnamon

Arrowroot

These emit a wonderful holiday scent when placed around and also make excellent decorations or centerpieces. First, cover thin-skinned firm oranges, lemons or limes with whole cloves, using a nail or skewer to start holes for cloves. Add row after row until fruit is completely covered.

Combine 1 t. ground cinnamon and 1 t. arrowroot and roll clove-studded fruit in mixture. Allow to dry for two weeks. Note: You should use more than one variety of fruit for different sizes if you plan to use these in a centerpiece or on a wreath.

A peach crumb cake under construction.

English Journal ~ Last Day There

An old marker near Little Easton Church is just one among scores of signs throughout walker-friendly UK guiding pedestrians to public footpaths. Even though some paths are marked by newer signs now, many old signs like this one like this have been preserved and are still commonplace.

The narrow, wedge-shaped Black Friar Pub is jammed against the railway line in Blackfriars section London. It’s unusual exterior gives way to an extraordinary interior that conveys an immediate impression of an extravagantly ornate church, or scaled down cathedral. Every inch is decorated in marble, mosaic or bas-relief sculpture and green, red and cream marble-clad walls are covered with illustrations of merry monks while the ceiling of its smaller bar bears mottos of wisdom such as, “Finery is foolery” and “Don't advertise, tell a gossip.” Carved wooden monks carrying yokes on their shoulders from which the pub’s ceiling lights hang are just one part of the amazingly detailed interior.

A simple corner post at the edge of a front garden (yard) at Terling made an interesting photo.

The Beginning of the End: Winding Down

(Excerpts from an English Journal)

March 26: The day has arrived for me to embark on the final leg of what has been the most wonderful journey of my life. It’s been a fantastic ride and I hate to for it to be over but “all good things must come to an end.” (Whoever said that should have been wrong!). I don’t know when/if I’ve ever enjoyed visiting a place as much as I have here and saying goodbye is going to be bittersweet.

I didn’t sleep very soundly last night and woke up 10 minutes before the alarm sounded at 6:00 a.m. so we were on our way to the airport just past 7:00 The traffic wasn’t extremely bad as it often is and we got to the airport right after 9 o’clock, but by the time we parked, got inside and made it through the first check-in, it was close to 10:00.

After convincing the nice folks at Delta that much as I would have liked to, I couldn’t give up my seat just because they were overbooked, I said good-bye to Richard and headed through security. And that’s where things got a bit dicey.

First, I had to ditch my drinking water and contact lens solution even though the solution passed security with no problems on arrival three weeks ago. Seems both were above the amount of liquid allowed to pass under the watchful eyes of the Heathrow airport folks. Losing the water wasn’t so bad but I was really reluctant to toss my travel size bottle of Opti-free (That stuff is not cheap!). After trying in vain to convince the woman in charge that even if it was a tiny bit oversized, that shouldn’t count because it was half empty, I said a reluctant farewell to both of them and went on my way.

The next obstacle was a line I had to pass through with my carry-on bag. The bag went through x-ray and down the conveyer belt with no problems but I somehow managed to set off the alarm in the walk-through booth. My watch turned out to be the culprit but offering to remove it and go back and “walk the line” again was not enough. No-o-o. Not only was I wanded, I got a most thorough frisking as well. And I am talking really thorough. By the time the officer finished, I felt I was on intimate terms with her. (If she had been a few years younger, good looking and male, maybe it wouldn’t have been quite as bad but she definitely was not my type.)

After they were finally convinced I wasn’t a terrorist threat, they let me through the gate with time to spare. I browsed some tariff free shops a little and bought some souvenir tins of candy for Katie and Kiersten before going on to the waiting area. It was there where I met a sweet lady from Essex, also headed to Atlanta and quite curious about the city, Hartsfield Airport, Georgia etc. I answered her questions as best I could and I believe left her with a good impression of Southern hospitality. (Helping her get through security once we got to Atlanta didn’t hurt either.)

We boarded quite easily—maybe too easily—only to be greeted by a screaming infant just three rows ahead of me. Turned out to be several unhappy babies on the plane but this was the only one who screamed so hard and so long that it lost its breath and was reduced to a mewling sound. All before the plane was fully boarded. I was definitely praying s/he wouldn’t do this for the next nine hours!

The doors closed on time and we were advised our flight were ready for takeoff. Not! First, the pilot came on the intercom and said we had a 20-minute wait for a take-off slot. It seems things were a tad congested and apparently foreign airlines don’t have as many departure spaces as the primary domestic carrier.

Just as the 20 minutes were about up, there was yet another announcement. It seems one of the air conditioners had stopped working. The brief delay we had been promised stretched out until 1:15 before we were able to even start taxiing to the departure area. We eventually got into the air an hour and 25 minutes past the scheduled time. My son had thoughtfully booked a seat for me on the exit row over and back and the extra legroom was especially welcome during this seemingly interminable wait.

Lunch was finally served about 2:00 p.m. and the quality was much better than expected. At least it didn’t seem too bad for airline food. I have a feeling though that by the time we finally got something to eat, almost anything may have tasted good whether it was my chicken pasta with roasted tomato sauce and spinach or the cardboard container in which it was served.

My seatmate was the total antithesis of the Chatty Charlie I sat next to on the flight over. This one didn’t have a lot to say other than stewing about the probability of missing his connecting flight in Atlanta.

After the meal was cleared and everyone was more or less settled, I decided to splurge and order a Margarita. I hadn’t had one in almost a month and was looking forward to trying what Delta boasted as being “top-shelf” and being made with tequila and Midnight Bar Collection Margarita Mixer.

When it finally arrived, it was the funkiest tasting drink I think I’ve ever had. I looked at it for a moment and touched my tongue to it again the way you do when you can’t decide if something really does taste that weird. It did. I kept looking at it, wondering what made it so awful until my somewhat silent seatmate commented he was pretty sure “Margaritas are not made with rum.” Sure enough, I looked and the miniature spirits bottle left on my tray by the server was a cute-as-a button, tiny rum bottle.

The explanation I was given was worth the mistake. The first person I flagged down to ask if Delta had starting making Margaritas with rum stated of the culprit, “He’s from France,” as if that explained everything. When the guilty party came with a fresh drink he said, “I’m from France,” as the reason for his mistake. Two more attendants remarked the same thing so I suppose I was expected to conclude being from France either made someone irresponsible or kept him or her from mixing a drink correctly. I have to admit it was pretty funny they all said the same thing at different times. To add insult to injury, a slight turbulence a few moments later caused most of the new drink to spill, leading me to decide I should have saved myself the money and trouble and had a glass of water instead.

We caught a tail wind about half way over and the pilot thought we might even get into Atlanta at 6:30 p.m. instead of 7:30 as they’d announced earlier. Unfortunately, that didn’t last long and the rough weather made it virtually impossible for those hoping to catch a connecting flight, including my seatmate, to make it in time. As a matter of fact, our flight was so late they passed out unscheduled snacks of personal pizzas to tide everyone over until they could have a proper dinner. (I got tired of my pen slipping with every bump and gave up writing in my journal to make notes that I hoped I could still translate when they got cold.)

Gorgeous sunny weather was the redeeming factor of the trip even though outside temperatures were -48° F. If you’ve never flown above the clouds on a really bright day, it’s difficult to describe the breathtaking beauty of that view. It’s like looking down at snow covered forests, mountains and castles into rivers and lakes of incredible blue. As we approached the northern part of the continent, you could see large sheets of ice floating on rivers and St. John’s Bay. Water breaking through some patches wove some most interesting patterns and I saw the most amazing blue hues and purest white ever. A wonderful welcome back.

As much as I hated to leave England, it was nice to get back home safely. My son was there to meet me and friends here in Midtown seemed happy to see me too and that definitely cheered me up. I’m looking forward to seeing my little granddaughters very soon.

NOTE: The photos with this final journal entry are some of my favorites and not necessarily relevant to anything written here. I want to thank those who have told me these journal installments made them feel as if they were there too. Writing these articles made me feel I was living it over again with the same feelings I experienced while there. Thank you for taking the trip with me.

**********

A true Margarita uses only three ingredients: High quality tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice. Using 2 oz. tequila, 1 oz. orange liqueur and 1 oz. fresh lime juice shaken with ice and strained into a glass (with or without ice and rocks) will yield a drink as it should be made. Unfortunately, America’s sweet tooth has led to the use of sugar in the pre-made mixes used in most places. For that reason, I am including instructions for a mix that is low carb and sugar-free. All you need to do is add tequila.

Margarita Mix

6 juicy lemons

6 juicy limes

3 c. of Splenda©

6 c. of water

Squeeze juice from lemons and limes and mix Spenda© and water. (Yes, it’s that simple.) Store in the refrigerator until ready to use in your favorite Margarita recipe or use two ounces each tequila and mix. All lemons and limes are not created equally, therefore will yield varying amounts of juice so you need to taste test as you go to ensure that the flavor suits your personal palate. Spenda© can be replaced by equal amounts of sugar if you don’t mind the extra calories.

Tip: I keep my tequila in the freezer so the drink stays cold longer without being watered down by too much ice.

Wonder if my license is still good?

I burned my dinner in the microwave tonight. Again! And the odor from the piece of chicken I cremated in it last week hasn't fully dissipated yet. It wasn't as bad tonight but not much could top that small, blackened piece of stinky blob I turned that into. If I keep this up, my "license to cook" may be revoked. Or changed to "license to kill." Getting too careless in my so-called golden years~ more like charcoal ones right now!


One more day with Little Bit this week and her Dad is taking over for a while. He's rearranged his work schedule so he can go in later. Hopefully, she will be over this croup thing and the weather will be nicer for them next week. Today she found a knitted cap, pulled it on her head, went to the door, and said, "Please, can I go outside?" Aside from the fact she was barefoot and wearing no jacket or shoes, it was raining cats and dogs. She's bound to have cabin fever from being shut in for almost a week and I felt really badly that I couldn't take her out.

With my cooking mishaps, I am now forced to go grocery shopping. I really needed to stop on the way back today but I saw too many stall outs and accidents and decided I wanted to get in and stay in while I was still unscathed.

It's been a fairly quiet day (for me) and I have lots to do. Maybe my life will start being a little more interesting soon...

Shoulda Listened!

Just got back from Trivia night, fun as usual. We came in third but would have been first if certain people had listened to me on a couple of answers. I knew that purple was the favored color of Roman emperors and "Let's build something together" is Lowe's slogan. Some of the guys disagreed and I let them prevail.

The funniest thing about it was one of them works for Lowe's and he said Home Depot. Good thing we play for the fun of it, lol. In the meantime, I need to work on that assertiveness thing. One of the culprits said I need to practice saying, "Listen dumba****, I know I'm right!" Hmm, wonder if that would work? Kudos to him though for knowing King was the first name of Gilette. And to my neighbor A**** for being so smart!

I shan't linger long here tonight. I'm staying with Little Bit again tomorrow. Rain has already set in so I'm going to turn in early so I can get and early start if it's storming in the morning as predicted. She also has croup (again) so we will have to stay in again. She's been in all week and I fear cabin fever may be about to set in. Hopefully, it will wait until I go home!

Until later…