I'm sorry that, coming back to the forum after a long absence, I'm going to moan, but....I just tried the lovely-looking recipe for Rosemary fruit slice in the latest edition of "Herbs". I made it as the instructions, but when I tried to put it into the tin (A size wasn't mentioned, which is a bit of a pain)it was so stiff and sticky that it wouldn't spread out and I began to suspect that there should have been some sort of liquid (milk?) mentioned in the ingredients. Still, I cooked it, since, rereading the recipe, I knew I had followed the instructions properly. When it came out of the oven it was less than half an inch thick and more like a chewy biscuit than anything. I'm very disappointed, especially as I was going to take it to the talk on Christmas Herbs that I'm doing tonight. I have to say though, that it TASTES wonderful. So, am I right and there should have been liquid added?

Love Lynne

Hi Lynne

Lovely to see you back! I shall get Jenny to contact Mike Cullen as the cake was his recipe and when we have an answer I'll let you know. Good to know though as I was going to make the cake to take with me when I visit the relatives over the festive season. I'll make the backup Winter Spice Shirtbread just in case though Look forward to hearing more from you soon

Debs

Hi Debs,
Am intrigued by your "shirtbread" !!
Linda

LOL ummmmm make that shortbread! What a strange taste shirtbread would be! Speaking of strange tastes, I watched 'Heston Blumenthal's Perfect Christmas' today apparently it first aired last year at Xmas! He made some odd things, I'd call him more of a kitchen scientists than a chef. Where on earth can the average person get reindeer milk to make a dessert? I can see the look on Santa's face... Dear Santa, Please leave one pint of gold top from the reindeer lol!

He put edible gold leaf sheet in a recipe that he wanted to contain all the gifts of the three wise men. He used a frankincense tea to make a broth, he also ate myrrh resin, his face was a picture at the bitterness of the myrrh, so he settled on using a spoon made from myrrh wood to stir the tea instead. I would have never consider putting either of the resins in a culinary dish.

But I digress, if you want my Winter Spice SHORTBREAD recipe let me know and I'll post it here

Debs

Hello Linda and Debs,

Query.. Has shirtbread any connection with Peticoat Tail Shortbread. Oh dear we are getting into the ridiculous here. Well it is the season to be jolly or something. lol.

Jane

LOL Jane! I agree it is the season to be jolly, does one good to be ridiculous every once in a while

Back to festive foods, we recently discovered a passion for homemade eggnog, we're making it with a fresh custard base, adding semi skimmed milk to thin out the custard and a rather generous slug of brandy and adding some grated nutmeg to the mix, its lovely but not sure how authentic it is? I've read recipes that require using egg yolks etc but it all seems complicated, not as easy as popping all my ingredients in a bowl and whisking then pour into a serving jug and use to help make wrapping the present mountain pass in a flash. Does anyone have any alternative DIY egg nog recipes or variations?

Debs

My daughter made eggnog for the first time last Christmas. I remember it took her a while and there was a potential disaster because she'd never beaten egg white before and didn't know to use a spotlessly clean container or they don't thicken! It did taste very good with alcohol.

This site seems to give a good selection of different eggnogs, so you can choose what kind you want to make. http://www.indepthinfo.com/eggnog/recipes.shtml

I think we're going to be having it again on Boxing Day when the hordes arrive and I'm toying with the idea of making another grapefruit bitter liqueur and possibly mixing it with other citrus fruits for those who don't like their aperitifs sweet.

Sarah

Hi Debs! I shall try and be around more often....when I have time.

Well good came of my fruit slice problem. I invented a recipe on the spot so would have something to take with me. It's Christmas rosemary flapjack and was Lovely. Went down very well at the talk! Had another disaster though...I'd been asked to do a talk about Christmas herbs so had wpent time researching and writing a talk about holly, Ivy Mistletoe etc....and forgot to take it with me. So I had to ad lib. Oh well.....

Love Lynne

Good to see you back, Lynne!

I'm sure your adlibbing was wonderful and just what was needed. I keep thinking I ought to have notes when I do talks, but I find that if I take them, I never stick to them anyway, so as long as I know the outline of what I'm doing, I'm fine.

I've got to do a 20 minute talk on loss to a Headway conference soon which is going to be really taxing as I'll have to really concentrate on what I want to say and not tell any stories!

Going back to Festive foods, I just thought you might like to know I've made the Syrup of figs from the December Herbmonger. I use dried dates from the market and dark muscadero sugar. Chris and I both agreed it tasted really good - the dried ginger and lemon juice help it not to be oversweet. I made double quantities and it filled four jars. The aim is to give it to my mother in law as part of her Christmas present as she was asking if you could buy it anywhere these days recently.

I'd like to try making it with fresh figs - there were some beautiful ones at the chinese shop in the indoor market and I was very tempted, but they were £3.75 for 8 figs or 55p each.

Sarah

Hello Sarah,

Sorry but one thing I won't be making will be Syrup of Figs. Far too many horrendous memories of being dosed every Friday night with the stuff as a child. Ughhh! The women in our family seemed to have a fixation with the horrid gloopy stuff. All the kids hated it. We'd rather eat green apples.

Jane

Hi Jane

Sorry to bring back nasty childhood memories! My family have never made use of syrup of figs as our digestion tends to go the other way - hence my affinity with bramble root vinegar! I can't even tolerate half a fresh fig without dire effects!

In fact, if you mention syrup of figs I always think of the dreadful story told by MM Kaye at the beginning of her autobiography. A sadistic nanny dosed her and her sister with the stuff for several years before being found out which ruined her bowels forever. I felt so desperately sorry for her!

I know figs can be wonderful if you're in hospital and on morphine for pain relief. One of the residents of the extra care home I visited recently asked me if I had anything with the opposite effect to bramble root vinegar and at the time, I didn't, but now I do!

Best wishes

Sarah

Hi Lynne,
Lovely to have you back with us.I thought you might like the recipe for real gingerbread. It is very simple and quick to make and with the mix of spices,captures the christmas spirit.

8oz fresh white bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon of each of the following;ground ginger,cinnamon& aniseed, 1oz sugar, 5oz (aprx)red wine.
Put all dried ingredients in a pan,then stir in the wine over a very low heat. Keep stirring for several minutes and then remove from heat. Mix until in a paste. Sprinkle your work top with some cinnamon and ginger powder and roll the mix out.Cut into small circles. Leave to dry.
I made these for the recent Tudor workshop I did and they were very popular. They make a nice xmas gift.

Linda

Dear Lynne
At last I have an answer to your querry about the Rosemary Fruit Slice recipe in the magazine.
I spoke to Mike and he tells me that the recipe is fundamentaly right - and that the mixture is thick enough to stand a spoon in! However, he did say that the tin size was important - 8 inch/20cm square shallow tin, to make it a tray bake size. It should also say '8oz of dried fruit + chopped cherries, apricots or pineapple to taste.' He very often uses pineapple which loosens the mixture a little.
So I hope this helps next time.
Your rosemary flapjacks sound a lovely alternative though.
Best wishes to everyone for Christmas and the New Year.
Jenny

Hi Jenny, thanks for that.

Linda, that sounds good, I shall certainly give it a try, but possibly not this Christmas. Can't believe how far behind I am! And I've just been given a brace of pheasants which need plucking and dressing too...no idea how I'll fit that in to the busy schedule!

Merry Yule and here's to the rebirth of the sun!

Love Lynne