fudge

Monday 19 December 2016

Christmas Past

This is a re-run from a previous year but time is getting away with me and reading this post again gives me a warm glow inside.

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope it is filled with happiness for you all.

Sarah x


The dynamic of my Christmas has changed over the years.  This year different to last and last year different to the previous year ...

But there was a time where I remember the familiar fabric of this time of year, so well worn that it could have been the same comforter brought out time and time again wrapping me in a blanket of contentment and happiness.

My childhood wasn't perfect but there were times it was perfection and Christmas was always such a time.

Christmas began at the end of October when, in a steamy fug my Grandmother gathered together the ingredients for the Christmas cake, homemade mincemeat and the Christmas pudding.

Great bowlfuls of shiny dates, plump raisins and currents, oranges and lemons ready for zesting and squeezing.  Huge heavy based pans and long wooden spoons, walnuts to crack and glace cherries sticky and sweet ....

We each took a turn in stirring the pudding mix and making a wish, usually a hint whispered out loud as to what we would most like to find under the tree on Christmas morning.

Once cooked the cake was wrapped in greaseproof paper ready for feeding drip by drip from the large bottle of brandy.  The pudding swaddled in a muslin cloth and circles of waxed paper sealed the jars of mincemeat before their lids were given a jaunty bonnet of red and white checked cloth secured with an elastic band.

Everything carefully labelled with the date was then stored in the huge wardrobe built into the alcove next to the fireplace in the large bedroom at the front of the house where it sat glowing richly one the dark wooden shelves amongst the fruits of the summer which had been made into pickles and chutneys and jam.

I used to open the door occasionally just to wonder at the array of goodies lined up and breath in the scent of cinnamon and spices.  Sometimes it would seem like Christmas would never come ...

10 comments:

joeh said...

This sounds like what we called plum pudding and only had it at Christmas. It was served with a "Hard" sauce, mostly rum I think, and it was delicious. Have not had it in years.

Wish I had me some again!!

Sarah said...

That's exactly what it is Joe - we have it with cream or custard or, my personal favourite, Brandy butter (which I think is probably the same as hard sauce). I'll bet you could find it somewhere - Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without it!

Mommy Stockley said...

Yummy Christmas description! I miss being a child at Christmas!

Val said...

I never had it. But my head is stuck inside that wardrobe, inhaling Christmas! You really put me there.

Di said...

Wow Sarah! This stirred up a lot of happy memories.

Happy Christmas!

Hugs

Di xx

Sarah said...

So do I Mommy Stockley, I miss having small children too, they make it so magical!

It was a great place to be Val, full of wonder and excitement.

For me too Di, I was very lucky. Happy Christmas to you too lovely xx

Polly said...

oh this brought back memories of my mum making Christmas cakes. I used to make them years ago and tried making a pudding once, it tasted good but had the consistency of cake! Hope you and your family have a very Happy Christmas x

Sarn said...

Hi Sarah

Thanks for popping by my blog today.

Hope your Christmas was everything you wished it would be. Sending you lots of positive good wishes for the coming year - so full of mystery and promise.

Hugs, Sarn xxx

Sarah said...

Thank you Polly - sorry, I haven't stopped by the blog for a while so missed your comment. We had a lovely time thank you, I hope you did too! x

Sarah said...

Thanks Sarn, love the idea of the year being full of mystery :-) - a very Happy New Year to you too! xx