I hope you all had a happy Christmas!
Every year we receive fabulous foodie gifts from our friends and neighbours. Maude made me more of her wickedly addictive lime pickle (I start begging in November), we’ve already eaten our way through half a jar of my aunt’s achar pickles, Carol baked me almond bread for Christmas, and Iris’ magnificent pan de pascua is nearly all gone!
This year we also received handmade red and gold stars and a box of origin chocolate from the wonderful Moo…
Diana and Ian gave us a knob of black garlic – something I’ve been keen to try ever since reading about it on Roz’ blog earlier this year. It has a delicious and unusual flavour – a little like caramelised garlic with a touch of balsamic vinegar added – and a quite distinctive, almost mushroomy aroma. The cloves are completely black and so soft that they can be spread like a paste. Fascinating stuff and not yet made here in Australia, I believe.
Maude bought us some fantastic books, including Christine Ferber’s jam book for Pete, and a collection of Nigel Slater’s short essays for me…
And Cliff, as only he could, gifted us with a giant King Crab claw…
We picked all the meat and combined it with new season garlic, chilli oil, homegrown tomatoes and anchovy fillets, then stirred the mixture through spaghetti and topped it with fried breadcrumbs, flaked almonds, a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh basil. Simply sublime…
Did you give or receive any exciting food gifts this Christmas? We’d love to hear about them!
I have some lovely Panforte from Siena and chocolates – always welcome I can’t compete with a crab claw though.
Deb, I forgot, I got a small chocolate panforte as well! Must get it open today… :)
Your friends know you very very well!
I got a Joseph Joseph chopping board, slightly tilted in with a lip to catch juice/crumbs. I fell in love with it when I saw Nigella using one!
Also a jar of lemon carrot jam … yum.
Gill, they really do! :) The cutting board sounds very clever, although I’ve never heard of carrot and lemon jam before! Is it like a lemon curd?
Dear girl … Wonderful photos . . . thanks a million.
I had lots of lovely presents, one of the best being our Ashes win over The Aussies this morning . . . Sooooo sorry to your cricket pals.
But seriously though . . . received a fab cookery book entitled: Seriously Good Gluten-Free Baking, by Phil Vickery, in association with Coeliac UK. ISBN 978-1-85626-923-0.
I’ve still got about about 2000 walnuts left from our autumn crop, so going to make “roasted hazelnut cookies” from page 47 of the book this afternoon. Hope the walnuts work as well . . . Shall I let you know how they turn out? Best thoughts from a now less-than-snowy UK. Les
Les, congratulations to England on the Ashes! The gluten-free cookbook sounds wonderful, I’ll look out for it for my coeliac friends!
I love Christmas gifting! People take notice of your preferences and you get such appropriate FOODS! I got bacon jam from my niece-(Bacon is such a family thing with us!) -my sil gave my a pound of apple smoked thick bacon, my dil gave me a wonderful local farm and recipe book and my son gave me Hammelman’s Bread cookbook!
My niece gave me 4 wonderful balsamic vinegars- the white pear balsamic is so very yummy- and a whole bag of dark chocolate melty kisses from Japan.
Heidi, the best bit is that I often get the same gift every year, which I absolutely LOVE, since it’s always things I can’t make myself! Hope you enjoy the Hammelman book – make sure you check out the Mellow Bakers website (there’s a link on Joanna’s blog) as they have a huge errata file for the book (several pages long, from memory).
What a great set of gifts, although the black garlic sounds as if it’s an acquired taste!.
My best foodie gift was the promised candied orange peel covered in plain chocolate. My sister brought me a kilogram of it from Spain. It’s in little balls rather than the more elegant strips we usually see in the UK, and it’s not quite the same quality, but I couldn’t afford such a huge quantity. The problem is not eating it all at once, and making it last!
Suelle, I adore all the funky fermented flavours, so the garlic is a real treat for me! The candied chocolate peel is one of my favourite confections – we tried making them for the first time this year, although it was using bought peel, so cheating a bit! ;-)
We ate the last of my mother-in-law’s Amazing peanut brittle last night. She does some trick where she adds baking soda and it puffs up a little so it is light and airy.
I got a heavy duty garlic press and also a handheld citrus squeezer. (No more peeling garlic = yay!)
We gave my sister-in-law a double cookbook set of “How to Cook Everything” by Mark Bittman.
Looking forward to a yummy new year!
Maz
All sounds delicious, Maz! I adore brittle, but avoid making it because I can’t stop eating it! Particularly sesame seed brittle..oh my…
Great presents, especially the homemade goodies. That said, the Nigel Slater book is laugh out loud funny, and the Christine Ferber is my favourite jam book. So many unusual combinations to work through. Have fun!
Thanks Helen, good to have the recommendation! Maude bought me the Ferber pie book last year, and it’s been a wonderful read as well.
Love the look of your pasta dish, sounds like a delectable combo of flavours and textures Celia!
I was reading about black garlic only the other day on the Isle of Wight garlic farm site. I await your tasting notes with interest…
Jo, it’s really very nice – actually surprisingly mild for something that looks so dark and ominous. Must check out the Isle of Wight site, thank you, the process for making the garlic is fascinating…
Yeah Celia, looks like you had a lovely food filled Christmas. I do like those stars. Thanks to you, I know have Pam the Jam’s Preserves as well as Nigel Slater’s Tender vol 1 and the Riverford cookbook – so lots to keep me going there. I also got a piping bag and some nozzles which I’m finding a bit scary. It means I have to try and up my decorating skills – no mean feat ;-)
Ooooh, I’m intrigued by the black garlic! I will have to do some reading. What a lovely lot of Christmas gifts you received.
We got some great foodie goodies as well. So many great Australian products that I wouldn’t normally buy, special treats that will keep us going well in to next year.
Brydie, it’s fascinating stuff! I’ve eaten two of the cloves so far. Enjoy your foodie gifts, they really are the best kind, aren’t they? :)
Choc, there’s a long story behind the stars! Moo sent us a star more than 10 years ago for Christmas, and it hung on our tree until it finally fell apart, and these are a replacement for them. Although they’re so sturdy that I think I’ll put them on the mantlepiece each year rather than on the tree – I quite like having them around to handle. You’re going to love Pam’s book, and the piping bag will be great fun! :)
Well done Celia – obviously you are a treasured friend. I received Cook in Boots by Ravinder Bhogal. It’s not so much the book but the fact that my friend “saw it and thought of you” that I love. Best of all, my hubby gave me an Artisan Baking Workshop – a whole afternoon of baking – can’t wait!
We all looked at your site and my mini man loved your photos, the chicken in the hat made him laugh a lot. His other tooth came out last night so his lovely smile is missing the 2 top teeth ( teeth E & F ). I am very happy you like the stars. your photo was terrific. Hope 2011 brings much joy. M x
Guess what we had for dinner last night Celia, those same giant crab claws! I paired them with a lemon olive oil mayonaise and they were so sweet and delicious, yumm…
Foodie wise I got a Thai cookbook, the new Donna Hay book, Heston Blumenthals ‘in search of perfection’ book, the Flavour Thesarus, some great cookie cutters, and…… you’ll never guess….. Tickets to Hestons one and only show in March!!!! How exciting!!! I was only disappointed by the fact that they were plain cardboard instead of golden tickets to see this food magician. I can hardly wait!
I received The thrifty kitchen cook book by the fulton girls, and gave white chocolate macadamia truffles and mini christmas pudding truffles….mmmm…..macadamias my favorite!!!!
My brother gave me my very own copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking because apparently I kept borrowing his …..seems my memory is failing me Celia…, I could have sworn he stole my copy a decade ago!!!!! :) :)
I got so much bounty I’m a little overwhelmed, such a lucky ducky I am. Your fab prezzies look wonderful, love the crab claw…, now that’s gotta be my pick :)
Black garlic! Sounds interesting. Will have to check into that one.
I made some of your Butterscotch Bars and Amaretti this year as gifts. Everyone is fascinated with the Amaretti. I also gave some of my homemade chocolates. Still perfecting the recipe, but everyone, especially my son, loves them. Thanks to your inspiration and my mom’s recipe for homemade chocolates. For next year I plan on trying more of your recipes, including the vanilla syrup.
Thanks!
What great gifts! That black garlic is so, so expensive and I agree with you about the mushroomy aroma-IIRC it even had tones of Vegemite when I sniffed it at the Queen Vic markets. And you know what’s exciting me-the giant crab claws. I saw those at the shops and hubby had to hold me down. :P
Wow I love the look and sound of that pasta dish! That origin chocolate looks particularly special also. I received a big plate piled high with Croatian sweets and pastries from my partners Mum and his sister also made a big bowl of chocolate and macadamia fudge, presented in an earthenware pudding bowl – just lovely (and almost all gone).
I don’t want to spoil the theme here Celia but what I got for christmas is…a bicycle. Perhaps what all of us food obsessed people really do need?! I insisted on having a very daggy basket fitted to the front of it so I can (in theory) ride to the shops and stock up on small essentials. Andrew thinks I should ride up and buy croissants every morning…wearing a french peasants blouse or something…
What wonderful gifts you received! Your pasta dish looks outstanding.
There was no gifting this year as my husband and I are oceans away from all our family and friends – next year though.
:-) Mandy
Sue, an artisan baking workshop! Fantastic! Is it at Brasserie Bread? I had friends who attended one there recently, and were absolutely delighted with it.
Moo, the stars are just wonderful, thank you again. As is the chocolate! :)
Chef B, that all sounds fantastic. LOVE Heston Blumenthal! :)
Tracey, you have very lucky friends, getting homemade truffles! :)
Anna, funny how siblings do that, eh? Glad you got wonderful pressies, you deserve it, love.
Manuela, I’m so happy you liked the butterscotch bars and amaretti, thank you for letting me know. The BB are a staple here – I reckon we would make a couple of batches every month!
Lorraine, yes! A hint of vegemite too! The crab claw was fiddly, but produced an enormous amount of meat – two cups worth!
Sarah, sounds like you had a delicious Christmas too! The fudge sounds divine!
Spice, not a food gift, but a very thoughtful one nonetheless. Methinks your man might have some hidden fantasies about French mademoiselles. :)
Mandy, thank you! Next year is only a few days away! :)
Hi Celia,
I enjoyed reading about the Christmas foodie gifts that you recieved (and the many you gave). I was lucky to receive a vegetarian cookbook from my sister from the Oxfam Shop. It is inspiring with recipes from all over the world submitted by accomplished home cooks. I love it. I also loved giving 3 big christmas cakes without refined sugar and with a few other bits (eg., bran and coconut) and I also gave a big handmade chopping board to match a recent birthday gift of a knife set.
It’s always good to share – as you always show – and Christmas is a nice extra prompt. Craig
We were given ceramic knives. LOVE them. Still munching through thé rest of thé 13 desserts. My mother in law also made grapefruit orangettes – which on one was quite sûre what to call – pamplemouseettes?! Bit too bitter for me.
These gifts are amazing! I love those cookbooks…they look fabulous. The pictures are so stunning :) Have a great weekend :)
I was given a very sharp vegetable knife by my husband. On the gift tag he wrote ‘don’t use it on me!’ The salad looks great. Happy New Year.
The crab claw pasta is making my mouth water. I loooove Alaskan King Crab!
I was very lucky this year and received a Kitchenaid mix master that I have been dreaming of for 18 months. I also got the new Nigella cook book and lots of other little kitchen gadgets.
Craig, the cookbook sounds great, but the chopping board sounds amazing! What timber did you use, and how did you finish it? I bet that was a very treasured gift! :)
Anna, ceramic knives – apparently they’re amazing, although I have no idea how you’re supposed to sharpen them? Do you need to?
Tes, thank you! Have a great New Year!
Sally, the Chinese believe that if someone gives you a knife, you have to give them back a round coin, so the sharp blade won’t “cut off” your relationship. Just superstition, of course, and I adore getting knives, so if anything, it does the reverse for my relationship with the giver! :)
Claire, it was very delicious! A new Kitchenaid, you lucky girl! What colour? :)
Happy New Year Celia! Wishing you a bountiful harvest from your garden and many wonderful meals shared with family and friends. :-)
Just when I was thinking what is Celia going to do with the crab ……….. she makes a triumph
I got a set of fine poultry shears to tackle the 10lb chicken we got for an authentic coq au vin at Christmas,
and a French doorstop of a cookery book to be able to make said coq au vin.
& that leaves me space to wish you and your family a terrific New Year Celia.
Linh, thank you! Happy New Year to you too!
Grilly, look forward to reading about your authentic coq au vin. Where on earth did you find a 4.5kg chicken? Thanks for your kind wishes, I hope 2011 is wonderful and bright for you too! xx
Had to think long and hard about this one. My litre bottle of gin wasn’t exactly foodie heaven, though very welcome…and then it hit me.
Our visit to the folks’ farm in the Central West of NSW after Christmas. Mum asked if I could bring some fruit (because all they had was raspberries!) Sadly, mangoes were about $35 a tray, so they had to make do with nectarines and passionfruit.
On the first evening, I picked about 2 punnets worth of raspberries in five minutes. The next day, we set to and picked about 10 kilos of lovely ripe raspberries. Since I was heading home to Sydney via Canberra and my sister had an 8 hour drive back to Victoria, we decided to process the berries into “sorbet mix” for ease of transport. I now have the second half of my 2 litre bottle in the churn. My 2YO calls it “Red I-Beam”. Too delicious.
MamaVix, that just all sounds too wonderful for words! Especially when raspberries can be $9/punnet at the markets!