Sunday, December 22, 2013

Armageddon In The Kitchen

Hi folks...there's no getting away from it now...Christmas is coming whether we like it or not...the Christmas Menu has taken over my life...the cubbyhole's closed for the foreseeable future and the crafty crew have now taken up residence in the kitchen...
The roast beef...ham...meat loaves and turkey are all cooked...sliced with the help of my "can't live without" electric knife...the kitchen equivalent of a chain saw...the ham and meat loaves will be fine in the fridge but the beef and turkey are destined for the freezer until required...
meaning that I won't be spending most of Christmas and Boxing Day in the kitchen but the downside of the culinary marathon...the place looks like Armageddon...a scene of total kitchen gadget carnage and devastation. And if I was waiting for the dishwasher to wash rinse and dry after each prep session...I'd be here for days...so it's pull up my sleeves...fill the sink with hot soapy suds and get cracking...there's something really satisfying about doing washing up and it works wonders for the "usually mucky" crafty nails...so here I go again for the fourth time...crikey those nails are going to be sparkling...
And I wonder if the invention of all this whizzing...mixing...chopping gadgetry really is a time saver...saving time perhaps when it comes to combining ingredients but it's an absolute devil to clean all the nooks and crankies but clean them I must ready for today's mega baking and merinque making session.
My favourite part of Christmas is the spicy sweet sugary baking smells coming from the oven and the gorgeous turkey aromas while the carcass...skin and a bouquet garni of veggies and herbs are simmering away...
I know it's look like a bit of a dogs dinner at the moment but after a few hours it will make the most glorious stock for yummy Turkey Broth...in the meantime the Christmas Cakes will be getting an Arctic White frosting of Royal Icing and in between I'll be having lots of cuppas in the company of Mr Buble and the "can't move but he's right behind me" ever hopeful Chief Furry Taster.  The weather is looking decidedly wintry so I can't think of a better way to spend the day...apart from tomorrow's treat...another trip to my favourite Garden Centre to meet up with an old friend...no doubt it will be another retail therapy/latte and cake afternoon.
See you all tomorrow
Hugs Kath xxx