I host Thanksgiving for my husband's family -- which can range anywhere from 11 guests to 32 guests. This year, it will be closer to 11 so it is less stressful in regards to how to fit so many people around tables at my home. My husband usually smokes a turkey, I provide the mashed and sweet potato dishes, and our guests bring the rest. I also always make Cranberry Chutney.
And I almost always forget to set it out with the food, so we end up discovering it the next day in the fridge and eating it all week. This is not a terrible thing because it's pretty delicious. Much better than a can of cranberries upended in a bowl.
I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com. I do use whole canned cranberries instead of fresh. Ingredients
1 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
1 cup apples - peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions
In a medium saucepan combine the water and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add the cranberries, apples, cider vinegar, raisins and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes stirring often.
Pour mixture into a mixing bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the sauce. Cool to room temperature and serve or cover and refrigerate. Bring chutney to room temperature before serving.
Thank you to Angela for hosting this blogfest.
The idea is to have a scene where food is central, or at least included.
I was very excited because I have something this time! Hurray for me! In fact, I even blogged about writing this scene. Read that fantastic blog here.
So, here it is, from my WIP, Courtly Scandals (by the time I finish this book, I'll have posted every scene. Oh! And then I'll get published and have to redact all of it. If only...).
The banquet hall was the largest hall of the palace, but swaths of fabric draping from the beamed ceiling created a more intimate setting. Looking around, Mary noted that the meal was rather intimate as well. She saw the Queen’s favorites, costumed of course, and a few other courtiers that she recognized but could not name. Really, this must have been a Queen’s invitation only affair – she had never been included in something like this before. Then again, tonight she was not herself. Mistress Parry had made sure that.
It was hard to eat, as tight as her borrowed corset was. Then again, it did give a little more cleavage that she usually had, so maybe it was worth it. As she eyed the glazed pear in heavy brandy cream sauce, she wished she was not quite so confined. Course after course was delivered; the rice pudding was carried in by acrobats who seemed sure to drop the savory dishes all over the guests. Each food and each presentation outdid the last, until the main course arrived.
Toga draped servants came in, each group of four bearing a regal gilded swan with wings poised for flight. This was the chef’s coup de grâce: It was magnificent. The gilding on the skin of the swan was from saffron powder and flakes of gold. It had been deboned and stuffed with goose which had been stuffed with a gold ringed pheasant, stuffed with a black bird, French hen, turtle dove, parteridge, and, finally, a pear. One of the servers sliced the whole swan in half with a razor sharp saber, exposing the layers as one half teetered forward on the platter. There were three swans in all – one for each table. Each layer of meat was distinct as the servers cut thin wedges for the guests. The very fact that non-royalty was being allowed to eat swan was overwhelming. What would they serve next? Horse? Peacock?
Court was an amazing place. Oddly enough, Mary realized she would much prefer a simple mutton pie to the decadent fare. Not that she could have eaten that either.
“My dear beauty, if I may present you with a goblet of lambic?” Mary could not remember the nobleman’s name, but she knew him. He was excessive at the best of times – who knew how he might behave at Christmas.
She smiled at the young lord even as she eyed his magenta satin slops with hesitation. What had she gotten herself into?
“Lambic! I thank you must kindly.” Mary took the offered goblet from the young lord and placed it on the table. “Now I must insist you take your seat and enjoy the rest of this feast. The palace staff have gone above and beyond and deserve our appreciation.”
“As you say, your Grace.”
“Your Grace? I am simply a lady of the court – and a woman in disguise. Do not hope to see past my mask and I shall not look past yours.” Mary held her head high, but wore a broad smile. She hoped she was regal enough. Then again, she wasn’t really impersonating the Queen, she just wanted to keep people guessing.
“Oh, Indeed!” The young man winked broadly and deepened his reverence before turning to leave. He was probably very proud of himself.
“That was well done.” Sir Nicholas placed his hand on her thigh under the table, while he took another bite of beef and blood pudding with custard. “You may be the Queen or you may not. Either way, a lovely woman accepted his gift.”
“I do like lambic.”
So do I, Mistress Mary. So do I. I do not, however, like blood pudding. I had it once as a child and I gagged. Of course, I was also being melodramatic.
I came across Chef Heston Blumenthal while I was researching this peice. After I found him, I spent hours on YouTube, not getting anything written.
It is a beautiful sunny day. My husband is keeping the children off of me. I am writing. Good stuff.
But wait, there's more.
I have a jug of sangria and I'm writing about my lead character, Mary, getting her drink on. Now, in my first novel, Frances had too much to drink on an empty stomach and ended up throwing up. Not only was her fuzzy mind fun to write, but the vomit scene was funny and a glimpse of real life that many people can relate to.
Now, I decided to write this scene in spite of the fact that I know that my sister (also Mary) will read it and ask me if I notice a theme about alcohol consumption and how I feel about that. I write this scene knowing that Avalon books will want nothing to do with me. I write this scene because it's fun. My main character is at a crazy party. People are handing her beverages left and right. She's going to make a fool of herself. Sir Nicholas is not going to take advantage because he's a good guy. I'm am not glorifying alcohol consumption, I'm merely including it. Why? Because it happened. In fact, in Elizabethan England, it would have been almost impossible to find a non-alcoholic beverage that was safe to drink.
Excuse me, I need to refill my glass.
So, in honor of me completing this drunk chapter and starting the hungover one (it will happen), I will share some deliciousness with you.
Sangria -- Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja reds, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
1 Lemon cut into wedges
1 Orange cut into wedges
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Shot brandy
2 Cups ginger ale or club soda
I added vodka instead of brandy. I also added halved grapes and diced apples instead of their fruit suggestions.
Now, back to writing. Mary has already had one goblet of lambic. The night is young... but tomorrow her hair of the dog will be Butter Beer (thank you J.K. Rowling and Heston Blumenthal).
Warning: This is unrelated to writing in any way.
