5 minute read
Lou Perry - Palate Pleasures
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Palate
PLEASURES
tLOU PERRI
FROM THE STUNNED MULLET
WHY NOT…IT’S CHRISTMAS?
And just like that, this particular month of the year has rolled around again. There’s no other month of the year that inspires such a division of loving and loathing as this one.
Many of us curl up in the foetal position at the mere thought of it and stick our heads in the sand, even though unfortunately it is inevitable and repetitive (every 365 days in fact).
There are those that dread it with a passion, whether it be from the horror of Christmases past, or a mortal fear of tinsel and carols on repeat. And then for some, it is just a really sad time. For the elderly, those who struggle fi nancially and those who have lost loved ones, this time can amplify already fragile emotions.
On the complete fl ipside of this, there are a few that completely embrace every moment in a blissful state of yuletide ecstacy.
There’s no Christmas tradition too overworked for these folks, no party invite declined, in fact their place will resemble a Christmas wonderland of epic proportions and then some. Their wardrobe has its own Christmas section, planning for the following Christmas starts on Boxing day… you get the picture.
Most of us teeter somewhere around the middle with our attitude to the season, with a dose of slight dread at the thought of yet again taking on the extra pressures and obligations of the time, yet somehow we pull some of the old Christmas spirit out of a hat (indeed the Christmas ‘spirit’ involved is inevitably the alcoholic kind). Somehow we make it through, mostly with a big exhale at the end of December 25 that it’s all over for another year. And so it goes on. The question for those of us that aren’t full of the ‘natural’ kind of Christmas spirit is how to turn the recurring sense of ambivalence into something more positive.
There’s really no quick fi x for this one. Sure we can all be a little more organised in the old present buying stakes. Defi nintely avoiding the frenzied, sweaty, desperate Christmas Eve spending and late night wrapping frenzy could be a good start.
As is the idea of ‘keeping it simple’. Certainly, this one’s nigh impossible as somehow it all just gets bigger than Ben Hur as the adrenalin and blood alcohol levels start to rise as the big day approaches. Hmmm, so is there even a way we can shift over into Christmas enjoyment mode, or at least not wanting to curl up in a dark room in the foetal position? I think the only way through it is just to not fi ght it, dare I say ‘embrace’ it? After all, whether we like it or not, it is happening. And of course there’s always that little ere’s no mantra that we can repeat whenever
Christmas necessary and that’s ‘Why not, it’s tradition too overworked for these folks, no party invite Christmas?’ Surely this is a one size fi ts all fi x for all kinds of Christmas-related angst, to glide through the days with a carefree abandon declined, in fact their that condones such things as day drinking place will resemble a (with responsible service of alcohol delivered Christmas wonderland by us hospitality folks of course), unbridled of epic proportions and shopping sprees (after all the economy then some. needs it, and it is absolutely crucial for mental health reasons to purchase oneself a Christmas pressie or two). And, last but not least, this mantra should most certainly be applied to allowing ourselves to take a big old break from the relentlessness of life too. Especially this year. It is absolutely better than ok to put your own feet up, with a good book, a Netfl ix binge, a snooze on the couch – or whatever fl oats your boat. ‘Why not… it’s Christmas’. You deserve it.
Christmas is coming and so is our Christmas Menu
Packed full of show stopper stocking fillers
nSHORTBREAD
COOKIES
SHORTBREAD
INGREDIENTS
350g unsalted butter 200g icing sugar 400g plain fl our 200g cornfl our
INGREDIENTS
1 egg white 265g icing sugar ½ to 1tsp cinnamon powder
ICING
METHOD
Combine butter and sugar to form a paste with the paddle attachment on an electric mixer. Add in the cornfl our and fl our. Bring the shortbread together without over mixing. Lightly dust the bench surface with icing sugar and roll the shortbread out until it’s 1cm thick and cut out 12 x 8cm disks using a 8cm round cutter. Place the shortbread circles on a lined tray and cut out a star shape in the middle of each round. Bake at 165°C for 14 minutes until a light golden brown colour is achieved.
METHOD
Put egg white in a bowl add 50g icing sugar at a time, mixing until you have a fi rm but pipeable consistency. Add the desired amount of cinnamon powder, depending how strong you would like the fl avour to be. Transfer into a piping bag a snip a small hole using scissors. Once cookies are cooled you can pipe small dots or outline the cookies with the cinnamon icing, placing smarties or sprinkles to complete your cookies.
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