I grew up in a house with a nice garden by a lake. When I say by a lake, it's mean in that real estate agent kind of way. Because the lake was 3 rows of houses down, and past a fairly busy road. Yet we had a nice view of the lake as the house was on a (very) small hill. I didn't really appreciate the view back then, as I was either in my room colouring, playing Civilization (or Giana Sisters or Oil Imperium) or perhaps sitting outside on the balcony steps playing with our dog.
My parents did all they could, but I did find the entire collection of Abba on vinyl that they had hidden away along with Cliff Richard. Cliff wasn't really my thing though (except for that one Christmas song..)
We didn't just have fruity things in the house. Our garden was filled with black currant, redcurrant, strawberries, raspberries, apples, pears and gooseberries.
There were also melons, although they weren't for eating.
We haven't scaled down on the fruit since, as you can well imagine. I like fruit, I eat way too little of it, and I believe it's way too expensive. That is, if you want fresh fruit. You know, proper fresh fruit. The kind that looks great and doesn't taste waxy and artificial.
So today, as I was all out of ice cream and it was too hot to go anywhere or do anything, I pondered if I should go for ice cream. It was quite the debate in my head really. Yet, I ended up getting dressed properly, and ventured out into the sweltering heat. Sun baking us all, and it was quite a journey. The shop was nice and cool, and of course they'd been practically sold out on ice cream. I also managed to look in the fruit section if they had anything worth buying.
The raspberries looked great, so I stood there inspecting every pack of them. Obviously. As I did so, a woman and her daughter (I can only assume (I know, some stupid American phrase, something about a donkey)) came up to me looking at mangos. The daughter stood there staring, rather rudely I daresay, at me and then turns to her mother asking why I was inspecting the raspberries. Of course, I could have just answered myself, but the mother told her rather flat out "so the gentleman can get the packet with the least worms and rotting berries". Right. She was correct of course, but it almost put me off buying them if it wasn't because the packet I was holding hadn't looked so perfect.
When I got home I checked the packet again and the raspberries were perfect. They also tasted like every bit of summery goodness that I remember. Still, you don't get much eh? Why must the good fruits and berries cost so much?
Christmas came and went, and tomorrow it's back to the salt mines for 3 days while we stress about what we are doing for New Years Eve. Mine has been planned but as of a few days ago I'm trying to weasel myself out of them. Frankly, I don't want to be bored to tears on the last evening of the year. Especially since, so far (let's not jinx it), 2009 has been pretty darn great. Let's see what's going to happen. Until then, let's look back at a night I'll be remembering for years to come. Christmas Eve.
I spent the day on the sofa, lounging about, drinking wine and eating chocolates while watching movies and the Disney Christmas Show at 4pm. A major tradition not to be missed. Frankly, it isn't Christmas without the Disney Christmas Show with the snowball fight, Mickey Mouse, the Chipmunks and Pluto and the fabulous clip from Lady and the Tramp. Oh how I adore those.
It wasn't all lounging about with chocolates and Italian wine. Work was involved as I had to put dinner on the table. Before dinner got on the table though, I had to set it.
Then the real work began as I prepared the duck (not a whole duck, mind) and put it in the oven.
Then as the duck was nearing the time to get out, I had to make the candied potatoes (brune kartofler in Danish) - a dish not to be missed out. Here is how it's done.
The recipe I've been told by a colleague calls for
100 gram of sugar 100 gram of butter 1 glass of potatoes
I used a tiny bit more sugar and less butter. Some make it etirely without the butter which I suppose gives a different consistency to the caramelly goodness that sticks to the potatoes.
One
Put sugar into pan, and set thermostat to maximum heat. Full steam ahead! Of course, you must watch the pan at all times.
Two
Once the sugar has melted and become a bit caramelly, you add the sugar and stir. Mix the sugary butter goodness until it's come together as a thick'ish caramelly lovelieness.
Three
Add the potatoes, and stir a lot. Make sure that all the potatoes are covered in the sugary butter goodness. You should now turn down the heat a few notches. How many I don't know - see step Five.
Four
Keep stirring, and turn the heat up a notch or two. Make sure to be by the pan at all times, as you don't want it burning and you don't want this
Five
Full heat is too much. Boiling sugar is dangerous - potato or no patato. It exploded all over the place and I had melted boiling sugar and buttery goodness in my face, hair, over my arms and all over my kitchen. Including my lovely (not quite a Smeg) fridge. Quite shocking to be honest, but I managed with some cold water and baby oil. Although my face does have a bit of evidence of the evening of wine and candied potatoes.
Food was set on the table, as While You Were Sleeping started on TV. Oh how I love that movie.
I loaded my plate with food, and then remembered that I forgot to make the sauce. Oh dear.
What can you do? I decided to skip the sauce, as I rarely eat sauce anyway.
After consuming enough food to feed a small African nation, it was time for the dessert. The Cheesecake. Mmmmmmm.
Ah, the lovelieness!
Then on to wine and chocolates
And presents!
Oh yes, let's see the loot!
I finished another few movies, polished off the chocolates and another bottle of wine and went to bed.
I love cooking, and the sophisticated way of baking, you know, the kind where you don't get your hands dirty. Just pop stuff into a bowl and mix it up, and into the oven. Et voíla, fabulous baked goods! Christmas is a good time for that.
First of I just want to show you my fabulous marcipan treats, that I'm giving to my parents because I made the mistake of adding fruit flavoured stuff to it, and I simply can't keep it down.
It's just one of the jollies you get around the holidays.
Now on to what's really the matter. In Denmark we celebrate Christmas on the 24th because, we all know that's the correct day. We eat candy and other goodies all day long, watch TV, stress about the duck slowly roasting in the oven and guests start invading your home. The dinner at my parents house was the traditional roast duck, pork roast with cracklings, white potatoes, brown (or candied) potatoes and red cabbage. For dessert we always had ris a la mande or rice pudding with almonds topped with warm cherry sauce on top. Nobody can make that but your own mother. That's what they say, and my mothers is famous far and wide for being the best.
Why tamper with perfection? I won't be getting into that, when I'm celebrating Christmas in my own home this year. My parents are celebrating with evil bro and his spawn of satan this year. I like doing it alone, which is why I started my own traditions. This year I'm making Christmas cheesecake. How about that! There isn't much Christmas about it except it will be consumed at Christmas. This is how you do it - it's fairly easy!
You need what you see above
½ liter of cream (for whipping not beating, because it's eggs you beat) 200 gram of Digestive biscuits 125 gram of butter 200 gram of cream cheese (no added flavours or garlic cheesecake anyone?) 1 deciliter of icing sugar 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar
One
Melt butter, and while that happens you bash the Digestive biscuits. I like to put them in a bag and bash them with a rolling pin while yelling "why are you home so late?" and "were you out having fun with the guys, I'll give you FUN!". You could also mix it up, or if you don't have a rolling pin, put them in a bag and slam it against the cupboards repeatedly while yelling "go back to that tramp again, you two-timing bastard!". Or you could go diva and scream "No wire hangers EVER!". I like that last one combined with the rolling pin.
Two
Mix the bashed Digestive biscuit into the butter and stir (simply just stir it Una) into the melted butter
Three
Put the bashed Digestive (now with the added glory of the butter) into one of those springform pans (the ones where the sides are detachable) and store in cool place until later
Four
Mix the cream cheese, vanilla sugar and icing sugar in a bowl. Come on everyone, say it with me - Your gravy is lumpy Pam, then simply just stir it Una! No lumps for us.
Five
Whip the cream - where's Indy when you need him! Unlike melting butter, I'm sure you all know how to make whipped cream. You cannot use the crap from the cans.
Six
Mix a bit of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Just whisk away, this is no time to be gentle. I'm from the Nigella style of cooking where we aren't too careful about licking or whipping.
Six - continued
Fold the rest of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, first not so gentle, but then be more and more gentle as you add the rest. We want it to be light and airy. Like my brain when I see tinsel.
Uuuuuh! Tinsel!!
Um, where was I?
Oh yes!
Seven
Bring out the springform pan with the Digestive biscuit crust. It's cooled down a bit now. The task is now to add the cream cheesy whipped cream filling into the pan. Don't be too fussy about the look of it. It's not meant to be all neat. Make it rustic if you like.
Eight
Wrap it up, and put it in the fridge until tomorrow.
Ok, because I know you are curious, this is the rest of my fridge
Tomorrow before you consume it, you can decorate it. In the original recipe it says to add black currant jam and chopped pistachios. I however, have had much success adding French unsweetened black cherry jam on top.
My response to whatever you add?
Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. I prefer it the way it was, without all the extras.
I can't believe it's been that long since I last posted anything. July 26? Time flies. It's not that I've just been twiddling my thumbs all that time. I've been busy, honest. Strangely enough it's been one drama after another, so here goes..
First my wonderful Nintendo Wii broke. It didn't want to boot and I couldn't get the disc out so I had to turn it in. I can pick it up again on Monday. Before I got that text today, it hadn't been a super kool experience because the shop was totally without interest and compassion in my time of need.
Another major drama which has been going on for quite a while is that I'm travelling to the mighty US of A tomorrow with a Dullface (you know, my dull friend). Apparently we had and still have very different ideas about travelling and what comes with being away for so long (we arrive back home on August 31). He genuinely thought I'd want to share room with him for all those days to save a bit of money. He then thought I'd think it was OK to not live at the same hotel, and he doesn't want to do anything that costs money. His idea of going to a restaurant is McDonalds. I find this out after we had booked the plane tickets because he actually thought that it was understood that everything was like that. Oh, and since he's already been to Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam he doesn't want to go there again so I can just do that on my own if I want to go. Like I said major drama.
That wasn't the end of the drama about project PeteUSA2009. We had planned to go see a baseball match - not that I have any interest in baseball whatsoever, but he thought it was part of the culture and that I had to see that. We'd made a deal, I'd go see a baseball match of his choice and he'd go with me to see the Fabutastic Bette Midler in Las Vegas. It's not that he doesn't have the money, but now he thinks it's too expensive so he has bailed on that. At least I still get to see Bette (alone yes, but nevertheless) and don't have to sit through a baseball match. The drama just kept going, and I've resigned to just say "oh well... it won't ruin my trip".
There was the matter of where we are going, which for the most part had been settled upon from day one. First stop, Las Vegas, then Los Angeles we are just landing there and renting a car before we are off to San Diego, then Los Angeles before driving up Highway 1 to San Francisco where I'll more than likely be partying in Castro. Then we had decided we'd want another stop before heading back home. He wanted Cincinatti because he has family there. I didn't want to go there because I would get nothing out of spending 3 days with his family. My choice would be New York where we could stroll up Broadway, look around Times Sq. and sail around the Ellis Island and visit the Statue of Liberty. A compromise was finally reached and I still feel like I lost big time. We are going to Chicago. All I know about Chicago is Oprah, it's windy and there is the Sears Tower. Oh, and Dullfaces family might make the trip to see him.
Anyway, the hotel decisions were the worst bit, and I almost ended up cutting my losses and saying I didn't want to go with him. Eventually we reached common ground - or as close as one can get while still feeling like one lost big time. We are staying at hotels with no less than 3 stars, and my hotel room in San Francisco has a bay view. Dullface's doesn't as he didn't want to spend the extra £30 per night.
Now I'm all packed because I am, afterall, leaving in the morning but I'm still missing a major thing. You see, I used my Visa card to pay for the hotels and I didn't know there is a limit to how much money you can use on a Visa over a 3o day period. My limit is spent, but I thought I'd be OK. Or so I was lead to believe by my bankperson. I had applied for a MasterCard and "it should arrive before you leave" I was told. No worries then, but the only problem is that it hasn't and I'm leaving before the post arrives tomorrow. Of course Dullface has received his, and he applied AFTER I did. It's so unfair. Anyway, for a while I was really losing all enthusiasm for the project but now I'm slowly regaining it. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I was out buying new - smaller sized trousers and shirts and new shoes to bring. I also bought a fabulous Bjorn Borg bag 20% off.
I also had my parents up for a dinner that involved Greek inspired potatoes with meatballs - also Greek and Tzatziki. Followed by a lovely homemade rich chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis. To go with coffee I had made a cherry cheesecake.
It all went off without any problems but since it was my first time making cheesecake I was mighty worried about how it would turn out.
Finally, last night I went to 'smukfest' aka. Skanderborg Festival close to where I live. I only went because Kylie was going and I could hook up with her as we are dear friends. We rarely get to see each other, so naturally I had to go and have a glass of Champagne with her. A good time was had with her and her show was great. She was engaging and managed to get the audience who to their shame didn't know many of her songs, into it. It was great, complete arms in the air moment. The stage was tiny so she could hardly even fit her band on there, let alone her 6 dancers. Apparently she couldn't even bring any of her lights and lamps with her. She managed great without them and the show was a very scaled down show compared to her X2008 tour. If you have a chance to go see her live, you should definately go. She's taking her For You, For Me tour to the US of A after I've come back home. We couldn't get our schedules to fit because we are both very busy and important people.
¨
Anyway, I'm terribly sorry my darlings! I'll miss you all, lots.
The time has come for me to tell you all about my fabulous trip to London. It was every bit as fabulous as I had imagined it would be. There were a few surprises along the way and sights that we didn't get to see. Actually we didn't get to do much sightseeing, and to my horror we forgot to go touch the lions feet on Trafalgar Square. You can see it here though.
We arrived late on Friday evening. Like always, there was something wrong with the Stansted Express (why they call it express, I'll never know) which meant we arrived by Tube at the Russell Sq. station (I love Russell Square) too late to shop at the Brunswick.
Remember, at that time I still had my FABULOUS and much missed iPhone so the photos are blurry and rather poor but you get the idea. Just across the street from the Tube station is a Tesco. It wasn't always a Tesco, but once the wonderful Hart's Grocer or something like that. It was a wonderful place and I have bought many a sandwich in there over the years. It has been closed for many years though. Anyway, I was waiting outside the station while my friend (after this only referred to as Madgetastic for his love of Madge) was in Tesco to get something to drink and possibly chocolate eclairs (he loves chocolate eclairs and is completely obsessed with them). While I was waiting I saw a young man standing outside, much like I was standing outside the Tube station and I thought he may have been a hustler. Or maybe it was just laundry day as our dear friend Bingowings had experienced once. Anyway, this older man came up to me and started chatting but Madgetastic came to my rescue.
After checking in, we hung out in Madgetastics room for a while talking. I say that, but I'm a little fuzzy on the details although I know for a fact that we didn't have any alcohol and the hotel bill didn't include any roomservice ordered that night. Now that I think about it, I am a little shocked at how poor my memory is, but I think we just talked for a while and I went to my room and took a lovely long bath and read for a while. The book is called The World of Normal Boys by K.M. Soehnlein.
On Saturday we went shopping. This was fantastic. We went to Carnaby Street and Oxford Street, Regent Street and Covent Garden to name a few places. Madgetastic was on a mission to find a Storm shop. He had his mind set on getting a watch and maybe some rings and a bag. After visiting the second Storm shop he'd gotten what he wanted. A quick stop at Marks & Spencers where I got a bottle of nice Italian red wine (but no cork screw) and a visit to the Holy Land we discovered it was actually London Pride day.
We also managed to find a Doc Martens shop on Neal Street (I think it was) and they had some pretty kinky high heeled leather boots for an otherwise pretty so 90s phenomenon. I wonder if those were the ones Madge wore at her Old and Bitter concert. By the way, I put a POX on Crocs!
Anyway, Pride. To be quite honest, I've never actually done the whole Pride thing. It's just a bunch of screaming, cunty, skinny, skanky queens in leopard print trousers isn't it? That, and those leather daddies that MJ is so fond of. However Madgetastic who isn't actually gay (although he weekly claims either being bi, straight or gay - I think he kissed a guy once) was too obsessed with it and wanted to go to "that gay part of town". I kept telling him he might be thinking about Soho where we once shopped at Prowler. He wasn't sure. Anyway, we started on Leicester Square home of the famous handprints of Dame Maggie Smith and made our way towards Soho.
Of course the square and the streets were packed with people. It seemed harmless and fun, except for one poor bloke with a bloody nose who was surrounded by the police. Had the parade been in Denmark he'd probably been dead.
Faggots, faggots everywhere and not a drop to drink.
Oh look! Skanky queen. I'm being a bitch, I know. Sorry.
Oh look! Nando's! Oh how I waved. Like a spechul.
After cruising the parties, listening to some dodgy singer belt out a few tunes, checking out the shopping booths and the advertising whores in their tiny pants (not that I'm complaining because sweet jebus they were hot!) we walked homo. Ooops! I meant to say home. Stopping at a lovely square on the way.
It was near the British Museum. That night we went out to eat. My treat. There was no plan about where to eat so we just walked around aimlessly in the area around Russell Square where our hotel was. At one point we considered eating at the hotel but that's a little too touristy so we found this lovely restaurant called Denise's. We had drinks and dinner before stumbling back home.
That was where I learned what a Manhattan is. A Manhattan is....Something you should NEVER order. I can't remember when I've had a more disgusting drink. Ever. Of course my Manhattan didn't have a cherry.
We went back to the hotel. The Hotel Russell by the way. My favorite London hotel. Where we called roomservice and asked them to bring up a bucket of ice. We had bought a bottle of sequin Absolute Vodka and some soda and at 3 am I stumbled back down the hall to my room.
That day we'd been shopping at Lush (I've never had better service evah! Even at the Apple Store and Tous which had lovely staff too) so I decided I needed to take a bath with my rubber ducky.
Bringing along my book, wine and a pink cupcake.
The next morning the phone rang at 9am and I looked around.
How on earth did it get to look like that?!? I did make it down to breakfast and we also made it to Debenhams and House of Fraser (where I bought some Kylie - Couture) before heading off to the Old and Bitter concert.
The Old and Bitter concert was at the London O2 (the old Millenium Dome) and to get there, as the Jubilee line was closed, we sailed from the Millenium Pier by the London Eye (old Millenium Wheel?).
London is gorgeous isn't it. Same place, almost just the other direction. We sailed under Tower Bridge, past Tower of London and went to the concert. More on the concert in an upcoming post. Then we sailed back.
Since it was so late on a Sunday night the Tube had closed and I put my foot down and said. We're walking! I needed the fresh air, the stillness of London and let's face it. I needed the exercise.
The London Eye from the other side of the bank, at 1am. London is so beautiful isn't it just.
A few drinks in Madgetastics room, and it was time for another Lush bath.
A bath, a book and a bottle of wine. That's heaven! Scary morning after, and off we were. It was time to leave London again. So sad, I almost cried. I wished the Ryan Air flight would be cancelled. We took the Tube to Liverpool Street Station and caught the Stansted Express to the airport.
Random escalator at a random Tube station.
At the airport we went to Starbucks to get something to eat. I love Starbucks. The pink thing is some kind of raspberry frappuccino thing and the nutty thing is a rocky roads I think. My memory is a little fuzzy.
After that, we just sat and waited for our flight number to be called.
