Well, aside from the usual Christmas hustle and bustle, I had to cater impromptu for a Christmas party for a TV semi-celebrity on Dec 23rd, the ideal time, cook a few odds and ends for a few ladies who are now past cooking their own christmas eve poached fish etc... Run around to find presents, help with the family Xmas lunch and FINALLY get to meet the in-laws!
This involved a rocket speed trip to northern Italy, 6 hours on the train and we were met by snow
And WARM, very warm and welcoming, in-laws.
The boxing day lunch: an array of cold meats and sundry pickles for antipasto, home made casoncelli (or casonsèi), a stuffed pasta with a sweet and savoury filling which has amaretti, raisins, pears and may or may not contain meat, dressed traditionally with a rabbit sauce, i.e the gravy juices from a roasted rabbit, butter and sage. Then roasted rabbit, roast lamb, polenta, NO veggies in sight alas, wine, and later, when we could manage it, panettone with bubbly.
Needless to say, I was defeated, undone. No dinner, just a couple of kiwis. The house pet Tommy/ Ciccio, a fierce looking crossbred American/English bulldog, did NOT take to me notwithstanding the common genealogical heritage. He became fiercely jealous and tried to stop me from getting into the bedroom with James by draping himself across the stairs in front of me.
Next day, a walk in Bergamo alta, beautiful medieval town, perfectly preserved, perfectly freezing. Tonight I ate the last of my bag of pralines from Pasticceria Cavour, on the main drag: a bag of little chocolate balls filled with different liquid liqueurs.... my favourite, or almonds, or hazelnuts. In fact, I've just decided I'll make Vienna almonds tomorrow, although they will never be as shiny and glossy and as perfectly oval... but who cares!
In the afternoon we visited James's broither in law at the beef breeding farm he manages: 600 fuzzy beautiful cows, bulls and calves... so sweet and smelly!
Dinner was one of them cooked on the open fireplace, I mean a steak from that breeder, sausages and salad. YUM!
Next day mum-in-law made cassoeula especially for me. No, it's not cassoulet, but it's a hearty wintery stew anyway, made with different bits of pork and melt-in-the-mouth savoy cabbage with a splash of grappa. Really good
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