I didn’t feel to great over the weekend, my head was pounding and I had some kind of sinus infection. Unfortunately I had to cancel brunch with a friend and take it easy, but we still had friends over in the evening. We set the date for this dinner in October, that’s how difficult it is to get everyone together, so it was easier just to get it done. Thankfully I wasn’t the only one cooking. Christopher was in charge of the main course (rabbit with tarragon sauce, hasselback potatoes, parsnips and wilted spinach) and the dessert which was an amazing tarte tatin. I prepared the amuse bouche or pre-starter consisting of our beloved Jerusalem artichoke soup with a bit of thyme, steamed mussels as a starter and a pre-dessert of cloudberry parfait which I made in advance. And thanks to the dishwasher it wasn’t too bad to do the washing up either.
We had a lovely evening. I laughed until my jaws hurt, and I don’t think I was the only one, and the wine was flowing. It gave me lots of energy but I was still not well yesterday and spent most of the day in my PJs. Not feeling great today either, so I will post the recipes later this week.
This is what my breakfast looked like last Saturday when Christopher and I went to stay with David and Gaby in Southampton. David loves his Chinese and it was really nice to have dumplings for breakfast actually. 🙂 Real Chinese food (not the Swedish deep-fried version) is really light to eat, I find, a bit like sushi, you get full in a pleasant way but don’t feel too full.
I know that everone aren’t as excited about New Year’s Eve as I am, but please bare with me. I love parties, good food, bubbly and to dress up and this is why I love this tradition. I think it is nice to welcome the new year in your nicest frock and with a glass of bubb;y in hand surrounded by your friends.
Since I moved to London two and a half years ago, I have spent every NYE in the UK. I have celebrated every Christmas at home in Sweden with family and friends and has therefore been really nice to celebrate NYE here with my new found friends.
Me dressed as a nurse in Cornwall 2008.Random people in fancy dress costumes.
In 2008 I went to St Ives in Cornwall with my friends Nick and Charlie and celebrated the new year St Ives style – in fancy dress! It was good fun. The whole down was in fancy dress and walked around the pubs and bars. It was fun to try it, but for me New Year’s is about dressing up in nice clothes, not in fancy dress.
Emma and I last year.
In 2009 my best friend Emma and her boyfriend Claes came to celebrate the new year with us. We had a three course dinner with lobster, roast beef and chocolate fondant before we went to some friend’s party.
In 2010 we’re doing about the same, but having David and Gaby over for dinner instead. Tonight’s menu is grilled lobster with garlic butter and parsley with homemade aioli, followed by port and thyme baked wild duck breast with hasselback potatoes, endive gratin and carrots, with a vanilla creme brulée as dessert.
Claes with the champagne flowing a couple of years ago.
Cheers and happy new year! I wish you all the best for the new year ahead!
It is over now. Two days ago I left Sweden, family and friends after nine days there to resume my London life.
I had a lovely time in Sweden and did lots of fun things. Had a looovely dinner with mum and dad the day after I arrived, and the next day my friends came over for lunch. Then lunch with Fredrik in my uni town Lund, some shopping and a coffee with Malin and Tobbe in Helsingborg followed by homecooked food and lots of lovely sweets in front of Love Actually. Some more shopping the day after, a coffee with Carina in Malmö and a lovely three-course meal at Daniel and Maria’s in Lund in the evening. Next was Christmas celebrations with my best friend but we had crayfish and prawns with salad and garlic bread instead of heavy Christmas food.
We always decorate the tree on the 23rd and this year was no exception. We also wrapped the last gifts, prepared food for the following day and relaxed with fondue in the evening. Then Christmas Eve with proper celebrations and tonnes of food with my relatives. And Santa dropped by…
I met a few friends for tacos, lovely company, champagne and more Swedish sweets (sooo miss the sweets) and stock up on Swedish goodies at the supermarket.
As usual my bags were extremely heavy. Partly because I carried Christopher’s Christnas gift from my parents; 5 bottles of sherry, and partly because I had lots of homemade paté and frozen wild ducks in them. 🙂 My flight was 40 mins delayed and then we had to wait an hour (!) for the baggage to arrive, and after 30 mins wait on the train they announced they didn’t have a driver and that they terminated the train I had had enough and treated myself to a cab all the way home. Amazing how my mood changed because the cabbie was nice and made me laugh and because Chris met me with a big hug and carried my suitcases up the stairs. 🙂
I have got rid of most the Christmas decorations now apart from the electric star in the window. Our flat can never be as cosy and Christmassy as my parent’s house so no point trying. Instead I’m back at work and focussing on the next big thing – New Year’s Eve!
I realise I was lucky to catch my flight without delays on Friday… Although it was freezing cold when I had to wait for the train in Copenhagen, I can appreciate the beauty of snow, when it looks like this. Photos from my parents’ garden.
Tonight, if everything goes according to plan, is it time for me to fly home and give my parents a big hug. ‘My bags are packed and I’m ready to go…’ Fingers crossed the snow won’t manage to stop me. If so, it’s not the first time I would spend several hours waiting in an airport, but it would be nice if it all went according to plan. 🙂
It feels great going home already now, and having a week until Christmas. It feels like I can see my friends more before the holidays than in between.
As usual when I’m going home, I am looking forward to all the nice food. This time it is especially smoked eel, my mother’s soft rye bread and our version of rice pudding I’m looking forward too. My best friend Emma and I, will also have our own little Christmas, but wit shellfish. Yum! 🙂 And this Sunday I’m going to see lots of my friends at the same time when they’re coming over for lunch.
I will continue to blog from Sweden, but want to take this opportunity to say: MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone. Only a week left now… 🙂
On Saturday we had a little Christmas dinner among friends. It was David, Gaby, Ian, Anna and me and Christopher and we all contributed to the dinner by bringing different dishes, and the result was a great smorgasbord of Christmas food with an international touch.
Blinis with smoked salmon, chives and creme fraiche
Anna (who has a Russian mother and a Finnish father) served homemade blinis with smoked salmon, chives and creme fraiche as a starter. Wonderful!
For the first time I tried making meatballs in the oven and then fry them afterwards, and they were perfect. 🙂
Instead of a main course we had a buffet with different dishes; David and Gaby’s amazing ham, Anna’s Salad Olivier (Russian salad with boiled eggs, potatoes, carrots, beetroots, frankfurters, gherkins, grated apple and mayonnaise), roast potatoes, meatballs, anchovies bake, brussel sprouts with bacon, carrots in orange butter, green beans and a shallots and red wine gravy. Really nice! 🙂
The prettiest ham ever!Ham with wholegrain mustard from Daylesford organic.Salad Oliver!Anchovies bakeBrussel sprouts with baconA plate full of wonderful food!
Gaby made a lovely crumble with apple and blackberries for dessert. After that we had some Christmas sweets, the almond biscuits with cream and jam, clementines, tea, coffee and quite a lot of port.
Apple and blackberry crumble with custard
I woke up poorly the next day though. 😦 I hate having the flu, but it is difficult to avoid it this time of year… I really hope I will be feeling better towards the end of the week, because I’m flying home to see my family and friends on Friday.
Anchovies bake, serves 6
10 large potatoes
1-2 onions
1/2 packet anchovies with brine
300 ml cream
butter
bread crumbs
salt
white pepper
Grate the potatoes and the onions. Butter a regular dish and fill it halfway up with potatoes and onions. Cut the anchovies fillets in small pieces and scatter them on top. Put the rest of the potatoes and onions on top. Pour over the cream and the brine from the anchovies. Place a few dollops of butter around the dish, and sprinkle over some salt and white pepper. Lastly cover the dish with breadcrumbs. Bake in 200C for 45 mins to 1 hr. The potatoes should be soft and the top crispy.
Brussel sprouts with bacon
500 g brussel sprouts
8 slices of bacon
butter
grated nutmeg
salt
white pepper
chopped parsley
Trim the brussel sprouts (a really boring job, but it has to be done. Take the outer leaves off if they look manky and cut off the white bits). Boil them in salted water for 10 minutes or so. They should be softer but still quite firm.
Cut the bacon in pieces and fry them crispy in butter. Add the drained brussel sprouts, salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. Add the parsley and serve straight away.
Chocolate from Pierre Marcolini and PralinetteChristmassy ginger biscuit, speculaus and French bastogne. French salted butter (yuuum) and foir gras mousseAdvocaat egg liqeurWinter coffee liquerBelgian beer
On the way back to England (via Dunquerque) we stopped in Gent because we had heard it is a beautiful town. And it was, the town centre was just nice old buildings and churches. We wanted to check out a market we saw on the way through town but had used up all our Euros, and the two (!) banks we found didn’t accept Visa, only Maestro, so that plan didn’t work at all. Because it was absolutely freezing, we gave up and headed back to the warm car, but this is a town we’d love to visit again (in warmer weather)! Pretty, isn’t it?
Scandelights 