SW7 Saturday

Back at Blakes, not just for tea, but as an in-house guest.

Wonderful how a hotel can express itself as a tourist-free zone, right in the heart of SW7!

Blakes, 33 Roland Gardens

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Indulged in Italian for lunch at another new favourite.

Bruno and I always order the burrata with a glass of pinot grigio.

At some point during our visits, Lucio will stop by to say hello.

Lucio, 257- 259 Fulham Road. 

Boxing Day/Post Production Evaluation

 Boxing Day looks like this:

And like this...

I went a bit madder than usual, this Christmas.  On Christmas Eve, I even ventured into Selfridges for Christmas Crackers.  As SF said, I really suffer for my art.

One of the things I like in Christmas decor, is the use of birds.  Last Christmas, I found a wee bird...

This Christmas, I caved, and found a bigger bird.

The Bird went home with May.  

I think of the Bird as a good omen for new adventures.  I'm superstitious that way, especially during the holiday season.  Popo ingrained that in me- don't shake your legs while seated at the table, or you'll shake all your luck away, don't wash your hair, don't wear black on Chinese New Year's day.

May extended an invitation to advent tea at hers last week.

photo credit-  May Wong

Because I love art and architecture, and because I have been living in what feels like the ghetto for the last two months, I really appreciated being in May's gorgeous, thoughtful home.

photo credit-  May Wong

Ghetto-living has forced me to be more patient.  I am going to have to live like this for the coming winter as I sort out our London home.  Being patient is not easy.  I suspect that is why I went mad this past week.  I felt the choreographing self breaking free, and avenging, well, patience.

Then SF and I went to dinner at the National Theatre and saw, John.

Because I so like very much, going to the theatre, especially at Christmas time.  The theatre feels like church, soothing, where God feels near, and human folly magnified, celebrated.

Monday before Christmas, Jon and I went to watch The Book of Mormons.  It's my 3rd time this year.  I think it is that good because there are no gimmicks.  Everything is from the heart, and everything around inspiration for content.  I wish I was in the cast, and belting out- Something Incredible, Something Incredible!

At Christmas Eve, finally sitting down, that was how I felt- incredible, simply incredible.

I 

I looked around my table, and saw loved ones,

old friends, and new.

Incredible.  Something incredible.

photo credit-  May Wong

Christmas Turkey- Act 2

Hooray!  The turkey turned out to be edible after all, and one of my guests last night, asked me for help.

So Christmas Turkey Act 2 goes like this:

1.  Use a slab of butter to butter up the entire roasting rack, before placing the turkey on it.

2.  Cover the turkey with bacon fully, add some slices of oranges/tomatoes/herbs- whatever you fancy.

(Photographer/Husband-  Baby, are you just gonna make it up?  Do you really know what you are doing?)

3.  I add a bit of water to the roasting tray as well.

4.  Pre-heat the oven to about 230-240 degrees (C).  My roasting tip- it has to be on very high heat at this first stage.  Stick turkey into the oven for the next 30-40 minutes.

While waiting, I decided to whip up a pot of soup as back-up.  In case the turkey is a disaster, my husband really likes, soup.

5.  Take the turkey out, remove any burnt bacon, use drippings collected from the bottom of the tray to baste the turkey with.  Squeeze more orange juice onto it.  Cover the turkey with fresh bacon, herbs, tomatoes, sliced oranges.  Stick it back in the oven, lovingly.

6.  40 minutes later, repeat the above.

7.  Keep repeating, gradually lowering the heat as you go along.  Right before the last 20 minutes of roasting, flip the turkey over.  Add seasonal vegetables into the tray for cooking as well.  At some point (3 hours 20 minutes for my 5.1kg turkey), the turkey will be fully roasted.  Its skin is the right shade of bronze, and when I pierce it through with a chopstick, the flesh is soft, the juices that flow out, clear.

8.  And then the turkey needs to rest.  Put it aside, cover it lightly with foil.  Let it rest for the next 20-40 minutes before serving.

Some things to note:

-  I purchased my turkey from Allens of Mayfair (117 Mount Street).  It arrived freshly butchered the very morning of pick-up.  I did not then have to worry about the defrosting process.  I could simply marinate it and put it in the fridge to rest.  This is of course, a luxury I never had in Singapore, where the birds no matter the butcher, are delivered, frozen.

-  The thighs and breast roast at different rates, which is why often turkey meat is too tough/dull.  To help seal moisture and not have an unevenly roasted turkey, I use bacon as a shield.

-  I think some ovens do it all for you.  This kitchen is German, but I don't trust technology as much as I trust my instincts.  So I didn't bother with timing it, or setting a specific temperature.  I did exactly as Jon guessed I would.  I made it up as I went along.

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Christmas Turkey- Act 1

 At 5.1 kgs, the turkey is twice Bruno's size and weight.

I'm going to need a roasting pan, a roasting rack.  I'm going to need, humour.

I'm nervous.  This flat has fancy equipment, and an oven I've yet to figure out.  The turkey is heavy.  My back hurts.  I did after all, fall off a horse, twice, in a week.

The only way to deal with stage fright is to soldier forth and marinate.  So Act 1 of Christmas Turkey goes something like this:

1.  Throw some olive oil in pan, add whatever herbs picked up, and heat it all up.

2.  Allow to cool, and then coat the turkey generously with the herbal oil mixture.

3.  Add salt and pepper, generously.  Rub this all over the turkey, between its joints as well.

(Smiling on occasion, helps to relieve any tension/trepidation.)

4.  Chop up onions, oranges, garlic, tomatoes.  

5.  Squeeze orange juice all over/slice orange peels and cover turkey with it.

6.  Stuff the turkey with everything that's been chopped up.  Optimism- my middle name.

(7.  Usually I would make a stuffing and then place that underneath the turkey's skin during the marinating process.  But I forgot to buy breadcrumbs and mince at the store, as Bruno who was waiting outside, was wailing and fretting.  To add the stuffing, simply run your fingers gently underneath the skin from the neck bits to loosen it and to create a cavity.)

Someone once asked me, what if it doesn't turn out right?  

Here's my secret- I don't ever worry about the outcome.  I just focus on the doing.  Cooking is so relaxing for me because I don't take myself that seriously.  I'm open to accidents and the unexpected.  Besides, I hear the roast duck at Bayswater to be purchased and displayed on a pretty plate, is a winner.

8.  Cover turkey up, let it rest.  Re-visit it tomorrow. 

Goodnight, Turkey.

Jingle Bells (3rd Stanza)

                                         Jingle bells, jingle bells, was up all night to cook!

The little pup stayed with me,

waiting patiently...

Oh!

 Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!

The curry's made,

Table's almost done,

I love, love home for Christmas holiday!

Jingle Bells (2nd Stanza)

                                                 Jingle bells, jingle bells, I went mad today!

(Dear Santa, I need a new light.)

Husband's brought my tablecloth- 

So I just had to decorate, hey!

(Met the Pink Santa and Rachel A (hat) of that Shabby Chic store)

Jingle bells, jingle bells, I found plates, flowers

and a bird...

Got all excited as the bird's on sale,

and now, to fix its tail!

                                                                                ***

Oops.  The bird's too big for the dining table.

Plan B: