Old Style preparations for Christmas 2012!!!!!

NiceGuyEddie_2

fuddle wrote: »

Right, I was in two minds whether to buy vodka to just do blackberry schnapps but toffee vodka? Yum!

We're turning our Christmas day on it's heat this year. We're having a Christmas meal in the evening as opposed to lunch time. We want to capture the darkness, candles flickering, cosiness element connecting our meal (just a Sunday dinner with a few extra treat trimmings)

So, for lunch I fancied doing an 'afternoon tea' idea of sandwich, cake and scone but I wanted to have a christmas twist. Any ideas? Turkey and cranberry sandwiches maybe. A cinnemon based cake - what can you do to scones to Christmas them up?

I really like the thought of a Christmas afternoon tea, what a great idea. For scones, I was looking at this recipe http://www.recipesfromanormalmum.com/2011/11/23/christmas-scones-for-the-good-food-show/ yesterday, haven't tried it yet but her recipes are normally very good.

Having a bit of a brain drain at the moment but will have a think about other ideas later

NiceGuyEddie_2

Right, I've now engaged my brain and had a quick think about the Christmas afternoon tea. My initial thoughts were:

- Mini Christmas cake (either baked individually or cut up a larger square cake)
- Mini Yule logs (mini rolls covered in chocolate fudge icing)
- Christmas scones (as mentioned above)
- Mince pies (normal or mini)
- Turkey and cranberry sandwiches
- Turkey and stuffing sandwiches
- Salmon and lemon/dill mayo sandwiches
- Mini Christmas Pie (adapted from here http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2793/christmas-pie) – not strictly afternoon tea style, but could be nice if done in pork pie size
- Christmas ham and mustard rolls
- Mince pies in a pain au raisin style (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2175/barneys-rolypoly-mince-pies really easy recipe)
- Trifle filled tea cup (shamelessly borrowed from a Google search )

Soworried

I still haven't finished my menu as real life got in my way. :cool:
Could somebody point me in the direction of the toffee vodka recipe please? :T

Soworried

I add mince meat to the scone mix and dust with snow. (Icing sugar)

fuddle

NiceGuyEddie wrote: »

Right, I've now engaged my brain and had a quick think about the Christmas afternoon tea. My initial thoughts were:

- Mini Christmas cake (either baked individually or cut up a larger square cake)
- Mini Yule logs (mini rolls covered in chocolate fudge icing)
- Christmas scones (as mentioned above)
- Mince pies (normal or mini)
- Turkey and cranberry sandwiches
- Turkey and stuffing sandwiches
- Salmon and lemon/dill mayo sandwiches
- Mini Christmas Pie (adapted from here http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2793/christmas-pie) – not strictly afternoon tea style, but could be nice if done in pork pie size
- Christmas ham and mustard rolls
- Mince pies in a pain au raisin style (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2175/barneys-rolypoly-mince-pies really easy recipe)
- Trifle filled tea cup (shamelessly borrowed from a Google search )

Brilliant! Aw, thank you for that. I really appreciate it

Soworried

NiceGuyEddie wrote: »

Right, I've now engaged my brain and had a quick think about the Christmas afternoon tea. My initial thoughts were:

- Mini Christmas cake (either baked individually or cut up a larger square cake)
- Mini Yule logs (mini rolls covered in chocolate fudge icing)
- Christmas scones (as mentioned above)
- Mince pies (normal or mini)
- Turkey and cranberry sandwiches
- Turkey and stuffing sandwiches
- Salmon and lemon/dill mayo sandwiches
- Mini Christmas Pie (adapted from here http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2793/christmas-pie) – not strictly afternoon tea style, but could be nice if done in pork pie size
- Christmas ham and mustard rolls
- Mince pies in a pain au raisin style (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2175/barneys-rolypoly-mince-pies really easy recipe)
- Trifle filled tea cup (shamelessly borrowed from a Google search )

What a great post. Thankyou. :T

GFN123

lisakay - thanks for your thoughtful suggestions I did actually make OH some vouchers last year which he enjoyed Although you've given me a bright idea about creating a fun board game type thing for us!

meme30 I love that cheeseboard! What a good find, thank you. The problem right now is we're due to move in to our new place in 2-3 weeks time so I'm desperately trying to avoid having anything else to take! Will bookmark the page though and hope the sale lasts!

My blackberry vodka/schnapps is brewing now as well, and OH made some jam too as we found masses! Can't wait to taste it!

I don't really get the whole 'masses of food' thing either. When you see folk in supermarkets near Christmas you'd think WW3 was about to start!

However, I'm so enjoying looking forward to rather than dreading it this year that I can fully appreciate the excitement being shown

As a food lover, thinking up meals is a real pleasure for me. This year we're catering for close to 20 people, maybe more, over two days. For Christmas dinner I want OH to make a beef wellington. He made me one for Valentine's day and it was absolutely amazing. With a really nice piece of beef it feels really special (I don't like turkey!)

For the Boxing Day meal may do a game pie. A kilo of frozen mixed game is £14 at our butchers and last time half of that made a pie big enough for 6.

Someone asked for the blackberry schnapps recipe and as I was flicking through quickly I don't know if it was posted If not, here's what I used:

http://www.badgerbushcraft.com/wild-food/how-to-make-blackberry-vodka-recipe.htm

Dead easy! They sell smaller nice bottles on ebay pretty cheaply, so I'm going to get those and make them up with pretty ribbons and labels to give out.

clubninebear

Brilliant mate! Thanks for the post

Possession

SoWorried toffee vodka couldn't be easier.
Get a bottle of cheap vodka. Either drink some so there is a space or decant into a bigger bottle (lemonade type bottle is fine), and add about 3/4 pack of wethers toffees. If you smash them up they will dissolve quicker but they are a pain to smash and could probably survive a nuclear holocaust.
Put lid in and give a shake.
Leave.
After a few days give a shake.
Repeat until dissolved.
The vodka will split into 2 layers when left but will mix when shaken.
Best served from the freezer.
Gorgeous but lethal stuff.

You can do the same with any boiled sweets - cola cubes, pineapple cubes, lemon sherberts etc etc. Some may need filtering. I believe soft liquorice and the syrup from a jar of preserved ginger is also good although I haven't tried them. I'll be doing xmas pud vodka next.

If you happen to be making chutney, the cider vinegar is usually in a very decent bottle suitable for vodka presents with a nice label and a ribbon tied round it.

Possession

Just seen on grabbit (credit to preep) - baskets for xmas hampers:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/searchTerms/9010785.htm