A long time between drinks

I really must get my act together and post more often! There seems to have been too many distractions lately.

One major distraction, of course, has just happened - Christmas - a time of joy and lots of cooking. Usually our house looks like Santa lives here, but things happen and this year it is the minimalist look. I still had the obligatory sherry, or four, whilst arranging the poinsettias and reindeer. You can't let everything slip.

Our dear friends Jonathan and Felicity were with us for an "en famille' day. We have been friends since 1975, so how could we not have a great day. Relaxed and peaceful with good food and wine.


A lovely shot of Jono's tiny bride

I cooked the whole catastrophe - a Nichols free range turkey from Peter Thompson in Elizabeth St, with three stuffings - seasoned pork, chestnut stuffing & sage and onion as the third; chipolatas; a hill of vegetables and hasselback potatoes. Following that, Grandmother Marks Christmas Pudding - a well guarded recipe from DM's side of the family. Always a winner, along with my mother's recipe for mince pies.

However I thought I should show you the star of Boxing Day

Not me.......the more attractive one on the left, just in case you were confused. A beautiful, freshly caught 3kg salmon from Strahan on the west coast of Tassie. I cut it in half and  blitzed it in my "super wok" and the rest was filleted and made into Gravlax/Gravadlax (depending on where you come from) -  prepped this at sparrows on Saturday before we went to have breakfast at Tricycle Cafe in Salamanca

Perfect food for watching the Aussies thrash India at the MCG in Melbourne. A traditional Boxing day in OZ

My brekkie

French toast with fresh raspberries and great coffee

Temperature for Hobart for Christmas was Min 15ºC  Max 21ºC

Any advance on zero in Europe? Sorry  - had to get that in. Mind you I like a bit of weather and really enjoyed our Christmas there last year.

More food soon.......and boy did we thrash those chappies from the subcontinent