Getting Ready for Christmas (Pierogi Day)

For many years my Mom, Aunt Rose, my daughters Hannah, Anne and Liz and niece, Kristin, and I have set aside a day before Christmas Eve to make pierogis. This Ukranian/Polish dumpling is made from a circle of noodle dough with a  potato filling.

 
The next step is to fold the circle in half, stretching the circle of dough over the filling, being careful to pinch the edges of dough together using a little flour on your finger tips.  The result of the inadequately-closed pierogi is that it opens in the boiling water - making a very watery potato soup.

This is the master pierogi-maker at work.  I learned to put them on floured dish towels as we make them so they do not stick. One pierogi cannot touch another one on the tray or they grow into one bigger pierogi that will not be separated.  All this from years of experience!

 The filling we like to use starts with mashed potatoes. No liquid is added to the potatoes. Cooked sauerkraut that is well-drained is added along with chopped onions, sauteed in butter, grated cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. This year we used our own home-made sauerkraut and onions that we grew.

Anne and Kristin are really good at this. There are no pictures of me rolling out the dough and cutting the circles with a drinking glass. It was all I could do to keep up with these three.

Once they are all made we par-boil them in swirling, salted water, just until they float to the top.

After draining and cooling a little, I put them into freezer bags (12 to a gallon bag), set the bags on baking trays to keep their cute little shapes, then put them in the freezer until Christmas Eve.

They will be cooked again on Christmas Eve, this time until the pasta is tender and the filling is heated through.  Over the top goes onions sauteed in butter and a dollop of sour cream.  We eat a lot of them, and then not again until the NEXT Christmas Eve.

There are other foods on the table....breaded fish, peas and sweet bread, but you already know enough about those.

Thankful for Leftovers

Liz and the turkey arrived on Wednesday morning as scheduled along with 3 pounds of fresh cranberries. We're talking the real deal cranberries from Cape Cod. She had ice packs in the bottom and the turkey was double-bagged. Continental Airlines had information on their website pertaining to transporting poultry. Who knew? So it was no big deal - the ticket counter person asked what was in the cooler, she said 'a turkey' and that was that. Off it went on the conveyor.

The brining went well. We used a recipe that required 2 cups of Kosher salt and 1 cup of brown sugar per gallon of water. It took a little over 3 gallons to cover the turkey so we are talking lots of salt and sugar. Then there was the question of what container to use. A 5 gal. plastic bucket would be too narrow, not letting the brine move freely around the entire turkey. Do we take the shelves out of the downstairs refrigerator to contain the bucket? Alas, the same cooler that Liz brought the turkey in would work best. Since it was very cold outside, we put the cooler on the screened porch with the lid open. Next issue - the turkey floated to the top of the brine. To keep it submerged we put 2 large pieces of firewood on top of the folded plastic bags and said goodnight to the bird.

                                             Liz made two cranberry sauces.

In the morning I made the traditional bread stuffing to go inside the turkey and my favorite artichoke, sausage and parmesan cheese stuffing using sourdough bread from Anne's bakery as a side dish.

 

Anne made our first course of French Onion Soup - not too heavy -  topped with Blackbird French baguette toasts and grated Gruyere.

 There was sweet potato gratin and roasted brussels sprouts with red onions, mashed potatoes, green beans with onions, mushroom and giblet gravies, cranberry sauces and sweet bread.

 

And then......dessert. Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Pies.  Anne's friend, Julia, brought amazing Hungarian pastries filled with apricot, nut and prune fillings, but we ate them all before I thought of taking a picture.

I must say that, as the cook, I enjoyed Friday's leftovers much more. Not that there was anything wrong with Thanksgiving - I loved it - but Friday was quiet and I savored every bite.

(not just any) Turkey for Thanksgiving

This year we will have the pleasure of having a turkey that Liz raised on her farm on Cape Cod called "Not Enough Acres".  Well, it's not HER farm, but she works there. I took these pictures when we visited in October. 

She will be bringing home a 23-pounder on the plane on Tuesday.... in her backpack she thinks. She is going to inquire at the Chatham Fish Pier as to how to pack and transport the turkey at the right temperature. Since they ship fish all over the world they might have some insight as to how to ship a turkey. (Can you bring dry ice on a plane?) I dread the thought of this organic turkey being confiscated at the Boston airport.

The plan is to brine it on Wednesday.  Not for more than 12 hours  - we don't want to pickle it.  I will let you know how it goes.

How to Make a Clambake - Tremont Style

You rent a steamer like this one that is heated by propane gas.  The roar of the burning is quite loud. We need to consider placing the steamer far away from the music and conversations next year... except that the smell of the bake is SO good.

In the bottom of the steamer goes the clams, water, and a bag of celery, onions and carrots to flavor the broth.

                                           Next goes the seasoned chicken with lots of butter.

After about an hour or so, the chicken is removed to cool.

About this time, you bag the mussels to steam.  Here are Katie  and Kevin doing their part. Just when you think you are going to die from hunger, the first course is ready..... steamed mussels with melted butter and hot clam broth.

Next you add sweet potatoes and corn.

Here is Ian describing the garage-cleaning that preceded this day's event.

Joy, Katie, Kevin and Grandma. Is the broth ready yet?

Patty is getting ready to brush on the secret glaze before browning the chicken.

Three grills were fired up for the task.

No, that's not a lamp on fire - it's Ian's cool paper light sculpture illuminating the serving table.

Dinner is served!

What a perfect use of Ian's 3-car garage! The shiny shape in the background is actually Ian's canoe hanging on the wall.  This was the second annual Tremont Clambake. We hope there are many more to come. Thank you again for cooking, Kevin.

How to Make a Clambake - Cape Cod Style

First you dig a hole in the sand and line it with rocks.

                                                               Then you build a fire.

You let  it burn for a good while to heat the rocks and then let it die down.

                                                                               

Next, you add seaweed -not just any old kind - but the kind with little air pockets that explode when heated to create steam that cooks the food.  Seth had to make a trip back to the mainland to get the right kind.

Then you add the lobsters, sausages, clams, potatoes and corn.

Then you cover it with another layer of seaweed.

Next comes the canvas tarp to hold the heat inside.

You cover the tarp with sand to hold it in place against the wind and to insulate the bake.

Then you wait..... this is a good time to have a beer and enjoy the company.

After the designated time which is at the whim of the chef (around 1 1/2 - 2 hours) you uncover and peak.  The hot steam tells us that it is done!

Hurry up and melt the butter......

Success!

Thank you, Seth. It was amazing.

Cooler days, more flowers

It wasn't until we took these Brugmansias out of their pots and set them into the ground that they decided to bloom. I guess they didn't like drying out every day. They are happy now. How thoughtful that they decided to bloom at the same time. The one on the right has bloomed one other time earlier in the summer, but now we have double the beauty. Last year we got these for "the wedding" and, as luck would have it, they were on an off-bloom cycle for the big event.

The morning glories are filling out more these days. I get to look at this every morning after my walk. The thin foliage near the bottom right and left is from deer grazing. I was too lax with my Murphy's Oil soap and egg concoction and they moved in for the feast.  Leaves are slowly growing back.

                                                                Savoy Cabbage

Thursday and Friday nights are bread-baking nights.............time to get ready for the market. Another week has flown by.