Cath Kerry-Food
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Small & Festive Together

1/1/2019

8 Comments

 
I celebrate the 25 December as the beginning of the final days of the year - something I'm quite sentimental about. I don't mock the idea of New Year's resolutions. It's a time to give it a go, to be warm with each other, to forgive one's foolishness, to plan and to make an effort.  For the first time ever, we celebrated à deux.  Modern life sends friends and relatives both across the globe and across the continent.  We must accept it.  And it was very, very simple, special and quite lovely.  
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We set the table for two with a tablecloth embroidered by my mother.  It's what French girls did in Algeria waiting for fiancés to claim them after the war.
We had a modest petit-bourgeois sauternes, in possibly the world's most beautiful glass. (Joseph Hoffman, late 19th C., still available at Lobmeyr in Vienna.)
Adam Wynn, retired winemaker and Honorary Japanese Consul relates that Philippe de Rothschild liked his sauternes so chilled that splinters of ice would tinkle against the glass. I've stuck to this although I think Phillipe might have drunk Chateau d'Yquem.
This accompanied our mousseline de canard with sour-dough toast and pickled cherries ( from January this year).

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We moved to Champagne, Pol Roger 2008, a birthday present from October this year to RTV from his friend and "medical adviser" Dick W.  Bliss to allow oneself to drink Champagne with a meal, not just before.  Note to self -  do this more often.  (And drink less but better.) I love drinking in these possibly "incorrect" glasses, (bought in Hobart).  It's festive to have the bubbles tickle your face.  In keeping with the simplicity theme, we had garlic prawns (very 1970s but quick to prepare) with a  little basmati and a tiny salad of our baby cos.

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To finish, a classic plum pudding, hot, with chilled custard. I'm not ashamed to say this was a pudding from Aldi and you couldn't have wished for better. I flamed it with over-proof dark  rum. As you can see, I pour the custard around but RTV, the rugged individualist, pours his over, obliterating the pudding.  He knows I dislike this but it's "party time" and to mimic Alan Bennett, "I didn't say anything".
But at this stage of the evening, things deteriorate a little and the laptop appears on the table.  We reminisce, we draw out old dance numbers on Youtube, we rewatch some favourite comedy stand-ups.  We drink water.  Ah, well...
​(Cutlery - Portugal - Cutipol-Goa - approx. 2008) 
Comment, share or tick "like" - below (in very faint letters)
8 Comments
Hélène
31/12/2018 06:51:15 pm

Bonne et Heureuse année, Cath & Roger! Health and everything...

(Sauternes & Pol Roger ideal to safeguard Maman’s exquisite handiwork)

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Cath link
1/1/2019 09:09:48 am

Tout simplement, tu me manque. Oui, la nappe est belle mais petite - plutot pour un thé, l'après-midi. Mais il faut la sortir.
A bientôt, à Melbourne, j'espère.

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Dale
1/1/2019 11:21:31 am

Love your work. Quietly screams class - oh, and knowledge.
Happiness and health to you and Roger in 2019.

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Cath link
6/1/2019 01:53:11 pm

Thank you for writing, Dale. Yes, let's all look forward to a 2019 of contentment and togetherness. I may need to use an image from your dining table (it's quite anonymous) to illustrate something later on. I hope this is OK.

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Fiona Watson
6/1/2019 01:39:56 pm

Loving your blog . Content funny and fantastic always .
Went to Soi 38 last night . I remember you mentioned that it was your favourite Thai in town . I won a voucher from a quiz night for the Banquet with matching wine .
Absolutely delicious wine and food. Daisy who looked after us was incredible, passionate about the food and wine, and so knowledgeable about Thai regional cuisine.
Gorgeous chatty woman, Duncan’s daughter from the Universal days . Small world.... and who should pop in for their Thai hit but Chris Mansfield and Margie Harris
LOVE ADELAIDE ❤️

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Cath link
6/1/2019 01:56:53 pm

Good to hear from you Fiona. Glad you like Soi 38. Tried but I just can't get my Massaman Curry as good as their's. I must dig out a photograph of Daisy in my arms as a 6 month old baby. Sure to make her smile!

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gloria hardman
13/1/2019 04:19:48 am

I will never be able to thank you enough for the colour and knowledge you brought to my life many, many years ago, and now thanks to the internet I'm able to read your blog, and look all the excellent photographs.
Happy New Year, Cath.

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Patricia Paddick
15/1/2019 12:31:06 pm

This is a very late comment Cath and maybe you will not see it, but I adore Christmas pudding and cannot believe that a commercial one can come within cooee of the real sort. My recipe, made every year for decades, is from the old Cordon Bleu magazine series which still sits, battered and torn, in my bookcase. It is totally delectable...rich and dark and moist. Always served with traditional hard sauce, (brandy flavored) and a whipped cream and egg white fluff, also brandy flavored. (And if you are really lucky you find a three pence in it).
I look forward to reading your blog this year.

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