Advent Calendar Day 22

It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas. The fridges are groaning with food and we have enough food to withstand a fairly lengthy siege. Early this morning was my final foray to the supermarket to buy a whole salmon* for Christmas Eve. This is my contribution to the family gathering is a whole salmon, but this forms only one small course in the feast.

*The only salmon they stock at this time of year are of Biblical proportions – think either the feeding of the 5000 or Jonah – which may be no bad thing this year as we will be 26.

In addition, my oranges are in the pressure cooker for the Orange and Almond cake and the sauerkraut and mushroom mixture for the Pierogi is stewing away. I’ll be making both of those later this afternoon.

Yep, it is definitely smelling Christmas-y here. The beefy mincemeat is also probably ready to be turned into mince pies, but I may do those tomorrow, along with the the tartare sauce and the various mayonnaises I’ve been asked to make.

In light of all this domestic goddess-ing, it would seem rude not to press the Housewives Tarot into service for today’s card. Perhaps it can offer some insight on how I can press-gang some elves (or urchins) to tidy the house for me, while I get on with the infinitely more appealing business of cooking for a small army.

And the card is…the Knight of Cups.

Hmm, not much guidance on the press-ganging. He seems to be suggesting that I just crack open the Champagne and forget all about the tidying and everything will blur into insignificance after a glass or two. Now that’s what I call good advice!

I will probably save the Champagne for Christmas, but I did pick up a couple of bottles of interestingly flavoured cider earlier – a Spiced Apple and a Toffee Apple. If it all gets too much, I may just slide into one of those later.

I have told the children in no uncertain terms that I expect them to be useful and helpful over the next couple of days, rather than just expecting to slouch about watching TV. Although, to be fair, DD is a dab hand at making pierogi and cakes, so I won’t have any problems there. It’s just tidying that everyone hates – sadly, the children both take after me in that respect *sigh*

Ho hum, back to the grind…well the mincer really, as the pierogi mix will require mincing shortly.