want a pretzel?
I just made Christmas puddings! Well, not just made, they've been simmering away for the better part of the day, but I did just eat Christmas pudding, and man, yum. I hadn't realised how much I'd missed brandy-sodden fruit and breadcrumbs, rummy butter, and grand marnier custard until I slipped that first spoonful into my mouth. Mmm, anyway, if anyone wants the recipe, here it is in all it's fruity glory...
Christmas Cheer
150g currants
200g sultanas
200g raisins
about 50g of glace cherries (or more, you can never have too many cherries)
50g of mixed peel
200ml cherry brandy (or rum, or whatever)
90g self-raising flour
125g white breadcrumbs
150g grated butter (straight from the fridge)
1 grated cooking apple
100g brown sugar
2 tspns mixed spice
1 tspn ground ginger
3 large eggs
zest of 1 orange
Soak the fruit in the cherry brandy overnight.
Mix all the other ingredients together in a large bowl and then add the soaked fruit.
Butter a pudding basin (about one and a half litres) and put the mixture in it.
(If your bowl doesn't have a lid, make one with a couple of layers of greaseproof paper and aluminium foil then tie off with string.)
Put into a large saucepan and half-fill with water. Boil/steam for about three and half hours.
(If you're not eating it straight away, reheat in the same way, that is to say, steam for another 3 or so hours.)
And to go with that, what could be better than Nigella Lawson's Brandy Butter?
150g softened unsalted butter
50g ground almonds
225g unrefined golden icing sugar
3 tablespoons of Brandy, or to taste
Cream the butter until soft, add the sifted icing sugar and beat until pale and creamy.
Mix in the ground almonds and when all is smooth, add the brandy.
***
Anyway, in Emerald City news, I've just been introduced to C.O Howell (I think that's who I mean), and I find her absolutely repugnant. Seriously, she makes me physically ill, she's terrifying.
Schillinger continues to be mesmerisingly evil, what a horror show. He holds the same fascination as a train derailment (though I have to admit, I've never actually seen a train derailment) - his baby face, and his black and twisted heart are such an intriguing twist on The Shield's VIc Mackey (or, maybe not such a twist, Vic was a pretty mean sonofabitch too) I can't help but whine every time he comes on screen, but I can't turn away either... beastly man!
McManus gets more infuriating with every episode - petty, and needlessly cruel. He was always a bit of a wanker, but I don't like where they're going with the character. Also, having him chew gum tough guy style? Who's bright fucking idea was that? So so silly.
Also infuriating is the fact that every time Keller come back to Em City, something horrible happens to send him back to protective custody (or, poor baby, the infirmary...) but this is a good kind of infuriating, really teasing, and tense, and I just know the payoff is going to be huge. (Please, please let it be huge.)
Beecher continues to be the best character in the show, he's endlessly, effortlessly, entertaining. And seriously, his constantly evolving facial hair combinations could be a show on their own: the Best Variety Show ever - Frank Black doing crossword puzzles, Beecher shaving, and Cooper drinking coffee, I'd watch that, oh boy, I'd definately watch that.
And now for the weirdest quote of the week, this is Meloni (on whether or not he's sick of talking about his co-star, Tergesen): "Talking about Lee is like eating a big fat chocolate sundae. I know it's bad for me, but I can't help myself. I catch myself doing it all the time, or dreaming about it. I'm trying to quit cause it's ruining my girlish figure and I can't fit into any of my clothes the way I used to...".
Christmas Cheer
150g currants
200g sultanas
200g raisins
about 50g of glace cherries (or more, you can never have too many cherries)
50g of mixed peel
200ml cherry brandy (or rum, or whatever)
90g self-raising flour
125g white breadcrumbs
150g grated butter (straight from the fridge)
1 grated cooking apple
100g brown sugar
2 tspns mixed spice
1 tspn ground ginger
3 large eggs
zest of 1 orange
Soak the fruit in the cherry brandy overnight.
Mix all the other ingredients together in a large bowl and then add the soaked fruit.
Butter a pudding basin (about one and a half litres) and put the mixture in it.
(If your bowl doesn't have a lid, make one with a couple of layers of greaseproof paper and aluminium foil then tie off with string.)
Put into a large saucepan and half-fill with water. Boil/steam for about three and half hours.
(If you're not eating it straight away, reheat in the same way, that is to say, steam for another 3 or so hours.)
And to go with that, what could be better than Nigella Lawson's Brandy Butter?
150g softened unsalted butter
50g ground almonds
225g unrefined golden icing sugar
3 tablespoons of Brandy, or to taste
Cream the butter until soft, add the sifted icing sugar and beat until pale and creamy.
Mix in the ground almonds and when all is smooth, add the brandy.
***
Anyway, in Emerald City news, I've just been introduced to C.O Howell (I think that's who I mean), and I find her absolutely repugnant. Seriously, she makes me physically ill, she's terrifying.
Schillinger continues to be mesmerisingly evil, what a horror show. He holds the same fascination as a train derailment (though I have to admit, I've never actually seen a train derailment) - his baby face, and his black and twisted heart are such an intriguing twist on The Shield's VIc Mackey (or, maybe not such a twist, Vic was a pretty mean sonofabitch too) I can't help but whine every time he comes on screen, but I can't turn away either... beastly man!
McManus gets more infuriating with every episode - petty, and needlessly cruel. He was always a bit of a wanker, but I don't like where they're going with the character. Also, having him chew gum tough guy style? Who's bright fucking idea was that? So so silly.
Also infuriating is the fact that every time Keller come back to Em City, something horrible happens to send him back to protective custody (or, poor baby, the infirmary...) but this is a good kind of infuriating, really teasing, and tense, and I just know the payoff is going to be huge. (Please, please let it be huge.)
Beecher continues to be the best character in the show, he's endlessly, effortlessly, entertaining. And seriously, his constantly evolving facial hair combinations could be a show on their own: the Best Variety Show ever - Frank Black doing crossword puzzles, Beecher shaving, and Cooper drinking coffee, I'd watch that, oh boy, I'd definately watch that.
And now for the weirdest quote of the week, this is Meloni (on whether or not he's sick of talking about his co-star, Tergesen): "Talking about Lee is like eating a big fat chocolate sundae. I know it's bad for me, but I can't help myself. I catch myself doing it all the time, or dreaming about it. I'm trying to quit cause it's ruining my girlish figure and I can't fit into any of my clothes the way I used to...".