the highlights

1 The pudd

2 The guests & friends

3 The Steam Train Ride II (You can find STR I here)

4 The Santa

5 The present of the year 2011

6 The walks

7 The style

storm

While lashing rain and stormy wind outside we bake mince pies. They are on our Christmas menu list for the last three years (for the previous three I rather disapproved). Now Polish food gets more and more forgotten. Would you call it assimilation of neglection? Well, things just change in time...

wreath competition

Most of them on our street:

...and the winner is: no 13 of course!

barfi

To treat my friends and students I made these delicious Indian sweets. No one complained or praised. Hmm, matter of taste I suppose.

Pista Barfi

100g pistachios
2 tsp butter
100g caster sugar
300ml double cream
250g milk powder
1 tsp cardamom seeds crushed (pods removed)

Put pistachios on dry pan and toss for 2 min, crush them slightly when cool.
Melt butter add sugar and stir continuously for 3 minutes. Add cream and simmer for further 3 minutes, then add milk powder with cardamom seeds and nuts. Mix until mixture thickens. Turn the mixture out on sheet of greaseproof paper and shape into square. Refrigerate for 3 hours then cut with a knife dipped in hot water to avoid sticking. Store in the fridge as they have tendency to melt. Enjoy with a cuppa.

puzzle

Spot:
4 Christmas trees (of which 3 are in pots)
1 Santa
2 snowmen
2 spiky stars and 1 red star
LOADS of presents

treat of the week

Clotted cream. Cornish cream. Call it as you wish.
I never knew such a thing existed. Thick, 60% fat, silky and meltingly delicious. Just look at those spikes, no other thing can replace it. Uh, better not check that weight after all this festivities are gone... And imagine they even put it in their tea, no wonder why some English are traditionally built.
Here with mince pies:

santa

Pretty fake, otherwise good fun.

nativity play

Olaf's smashing performance made us all scream for more. Started thinking of a facebook page for him. Even the back row and Christmas tree costume wouldn't spoil the fun. A real talent.

This is where he suddenly disappears - mid-performance.

And this is when he tells his sis off.

home improvements III

Schlumbergera (Christmas Cactus, loved by my grandfather) and poinsettia in my family are a Christmas must-have. I am really tempted to visit local Chinese herbal shop where they have about 10 different species of that cactus in they display window and ask for clippings. Still a bit shy about that. 

graze box

We love to graze. First box arrived on Saturday morning - just the right time for a snack.

home improvements II

Big WOW to our landlords!

home improvements

Oh glory, oh glory hallelujah! 

snow

We are ready for the snow, will it come or will it not?