Christmas Deviance

No not that kind of deviance -- that's for New Years. This Christmas we are doing a few things differently. I am not sure if we will be doing them better or not, but just differently.

First, no Christmas party this year at Casa Janes-Hounsell. I am not sure that this is one of the better innovations but there it is. The fall went by too quickly and organization flew out the window so mass drunken revelry will have to wait for another occasion (we do have some friends with the half century mark coming up on them -- they should not have to throw their own party).

Second, no trifle on Christmas day. I have spent the last few years experimenting with trifles and enjoying delicious, boozy post-dinner sweets. I am getting the feeling though that the Christmas dinner dining crowd want something not so mushy and layered this year -- but they are not getting away without the booze. It is going to be a traditional plum pudding this Christmas. This will be another blast back to childhood as I can still picture the adults struggling to get the brandy to properly ignite so that the blazing pudding could be marched to the table (as a kid I loved anything that had the potential to burn the house down).

Third, no turkey -- it is going to be prime rib roast for Christmas dinner this year -- something with an exotic sauce or a spicy crust (here is the current recipe that is leading the race). What is the point of having a small Christmas dinner with a few friends if you cannot avoid the bird designed to feed an army of kids, senile maiden aunts, drunken uncles and exhausted grand-parents? It does not matter what we do, our picky eating daughter will resist, so bring on the roast beast I say. The best part about it is that it gives a good excuse to make Yorkshire Pudding -- yeast based dough quickly cooked in beef fat; I ask you, what could be better (there must be a way to work bacon in there).

More plotting ahead -- this is just so much more fun than thinking about work or any of the other mundanities of life.