Christmas 2024

[lemniscate]

My tradition started with a couple Bloody Marys at The Coach House, on Black Friday @ 8am.  It's a dive bar, tourist trap, dripping with Christmas lights, right in Old Town Scottsdale.   I started doing my Black Friday shopping from this place maybe 10-12 years ago when the apps became easy to use.  Drink and shop.   This year I did 0 online purchases, just sat and enjoyed the early morning people watching at the outdoor table.  Then a coney island/diner breakfast, pork loin and eggs.

 

Yesterday, we did a trek to 6000 ft to get our Christmas tree, which then sits on the patio draped in many strings of lights.   We found one right away in our usual spot.  I packed a small lunch of sandwiches and olives/pickles/fruit.  We shared an excellent bottle of Surly Darkness 2021 vintage.  Got back at a very reasonable hour to set the tree in the stand.  Tonight we may string the lights, maybe.

 

The weather here has been in the high 70F's/80F's.  True SW holiday temps.  Lots of outdoor events to attend (or not)).  People selling tamales at intersections are increasing exponentially.

 

That's the start of the season for my locale.

 

*also, a small glass of egg nog is accompanying my coffee each morning.

 

 

Edited December 4 by lemniscate (log)

[liuzhou]

I've got my wine laid in and have ordered some mince pies. What more do I need?

 

 

 

 

[YvetteMT]

@lemniscate I appreciate the mention of Coach House, I'll be in Scottsdale this Friday!

[lemniscate]

19 hours ago, YvetteMT said:

@lemniscate I appreciate the mention of Coach House, I'll be in Scottsdale this Friday!

 

I have only been there in the morning.  I have been told in the evenings the place gets crowded and annoying.  

Edited December 5 by lemniscate (log)

[liuzhou]

Finalised my delivery stuff for this year's. 

 

All the way from England.

 

 

 

[haresfur]

6 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Finalised my delivery stuff for this year's. 

 

All the way from England.

 

 

 

 

Looks like you could have bought one for next year, too

[liuzhou]

18 minutes ago, haresfur said:

 

Looks like you could have bought one for next year, too

 

I'll struggle to resist temptation until the 25th of this month, never mind 2026.

[liuzhou]

I continue to lay in festive bounty.

 

Today, I laid my hands on a nice Rioja and a lump of one-year-aged Manchego. I think I'm turning Spanish.

 

 

 

The wine may be for New Year, though, that being the more important for my Scottish half. Christmas is for the French side.

 

I have no Spanish side, but don't tell anyone of my plans. I'll be disowned by all my family.

 

[Smithy]

28 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

I continue to lay in festive bounty.

 

Today, I laid my hands on a nice Rioja and a lump of one-year-aged Manchego. I think I'm turning Spanish.

 

 

 

The wine may be for New Year, though, that being the more important for my Scottish half. Christmas is for the French side.

 

I have no Spanish side, but don't tell anyone of my plans. I'll be disowned by all my family.

 

 

That is the first Rioja I ever tried, and remains my favorite -- for sentimental reasons as well as its quality. 🙂

 

[gfweb]

We've at least gotten our guest list.

B-I-L and wife will be absent. So just 6.5 people.

Plenty.

I wanted to do 7 fishes, but finicky feeders effed that up.

 

Edited Monday at 02:40 AM by gfweb (log)

[liuzhou]

6 hours ago, Smithy said:

 

That is the first Rioja I ever tried, and remains my favorite -- for sentimental reasons as well as its quality. 🙂

 

Rioja was my introduction to non-French wines. Many, many years ago, when I was a Master's student , I knew another student whose family name was Torres. The name meant nothing to me, but she was clearly Spanish and studying in London. I forget her major.

 

Anyway, it turned out she was a member of the Torres family, one of the biggest vintners in Spain and which specialises in Rioja. Her family's company had an office in London from where she picked up regular (free) supplies which she shared. After graduating she returned to Spain and we lost touch. 😕

 

Edited Monday at 08:48 AM by liuzhou (log)

[YvetteMT]

15 hours ago, gfweb said:

I wanted to do 7 fishes, but finicky feeders effed that up.

 

I am the opposite- I want ham and deviled eggs and baked beans full of smokey bacon and a ridiculous pineapple casserole thing for the ham......

Stepdaughter will be with us Christmas Eve and since she doesnt get fish/seafood in her home, its been requested I make something from the ocean. (Ive been pouring thru recipes and nothing is sparking creativity. (Halibut chowder is an option. Last year was clam chowder.)).

[gfweb]

48 minutes ago, YvetteMT said:

 

Stepdaughter will be with us Christmas Eve and since she doesnt get fish/seafood in her home, its been requested I make something from the ocean. (

BBQ shrimp and grits?

 

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

Christmas in Mexico has traditions that are not familiar to most of us. There are 9 days of posadas, when the neighbors parade along the street with a small creche, carrying candles and singing (tonelessly--I haven't figured out the tune if there is one) a call-and-response song about Joseph trying to find lodging for his very pregnant wife. He's turned away 3 times by surly innkeepers (the neighbors) before finally being welcomed. This is preceded by a lengthy recitation of the rosary.

 

Then folks bring out the ponche (fruit punch that includes thin strips of sugarcane along with a variety of fruits), hand out the aguinaldos (bags of candy for the kids), and string up a pinata. We're assigned a neighbor to purchase everything for one night. Usually there's someone roaming around with a bottle of mezcal to "sweeten" the ponche. We've tried to incude mandarinas (in season now) or small jicamas, but the neighbors tell us the kids don't like it--too healthy!

 

January 6 is when kids get their main gifts, though they get small ones at Christmas itself. There's a special cake--"rosca"--with small plastic baby Jesuses inside. Whoever gets one of those is supposed to supply tamales on Feb. 2 for Candelario. Most families eat tamales at Christmas with atole, but if there's food especially for Christmas I don't know what it is. I usually make something with fish on Christmas Eve, like chiles rellenos filled with shrimp. 

[Anchobrie]

I'll have Christmas eve with my parents, so I am guessing some glass eels, home made foie, and some caviar as starters. Then Scarlet shrimps, and as main dish cannelloni stuffed with duck, foie and porcini. We'll drink just champagne.

[lemniscate]

17 hours ago, Nancy in Pátzcuaro said:

posadas

 

Phoenix Metro has scattered Posadas from now until Christmas.  Mostly neighborhoods bordering the Catholic churches.  I've only witnessed posadas in New Mexico myself.  A lot of the upscale suburban subdivisions are announcing Noche de Luminarias, those are quite beautiful to visit.  And Phx Botanical Garden is the pinnacle of Luminarias for the season.   I've played out the eggnog and now gravitate to spiced hot toddy's.

 

I went to a Christmas party that was overwhelmingly UK, Irish, and Scottish ex-pats.  Had my first real pork pie and Branston pickle.  I can see the devotion, it's comfort food.    

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

One food I forgot to mention about Christmas food traditions--bacalao. Stores are full of it right now, including one store that brings in wood crates of bacalao from Norway. Very fragrant stuff! I love it, so instead of shrimp in the chiles rellenos on Christmas Eve I'll use bacalao. I always have some already soaked in my freezer. After this year's salt cod feast I'll have to restock. One year I bought an entire side of fish and soaked it all to put in the freezer. I realize some people don't care for it. More for me!

[Alex]

Ms. Alex often was in DC on Christmas Eve and would partake of the Feast of the Seven Fishes at a favorite restaurant, but she'll be home this year, so I thought I'd make one for her. It's not seven courses, but there are indeed seven different fish or seafood ingredients. (BLiS, Big O's, and Field & Fire are local purveyors.)

 

BLiS char roe, avocado-oil potato chips, crème fraîche

 

Caesar salad, boquerones

 

“Gefilte” fish pâté, lime horseradish, crackers

 

Most definitely not kosher seafood chowder

Gulf shrimp, bay scallops, lump crabmeat, Big O’s smoked salmon, potatoes

 

Verterra Brut 2019 (Michigan)

 

 Époisses, Idaho snowberry honey, Field & Fire baguette 

La Fleur d’Or Sauternes 2009

 

 

[ElsieD]

32 minutes ago, Alex said:

Ms. Alex often was in DC on Christmas Eve and would partake of the Feast of the Seven Fishes at a favorite restaurant, but she'll be home this year, so I thought I'd make one for her. It's not seven courses, but there are indeed seven different fish or seafood ingredients. (BLiS, Big O's, and Field & Fire are local purveyors.)

 

BLiS char roe, avocado-oil potato chips, crème fraîche

 

Caesar salad, boquerones

 

“Gefilte” fish pâté, lime horseradish, crackers

 

Most definitely not kosher seafood chowder

Gulf shrimp, bay scallops, lump crabmeat, Big O’s smoked salmon, potatoes

 

Verterra Brut 2019 (Michigan)

 

 Époisses, Idaho snowberry honey, Field & Fire baguette 

La Fleur d’Or Sauternes 2009

 

 

What time is dinner?

[Anchobrie]

15 hours ago, Nancy in Pátzcuaro said:

One food I forgot to mention about Christmas food traditions--bacalao. Stores are full of it right now, including one store that brings in wood crates of bacalao from Norway. Very fragrant stuff! I love it, so instead of shrimp in the chiles rellenos on Christmas Eve I'll use bacalao. I always have some already soaked in my freezer. After this year's salt cod feast I'll have to restock. One year I bought an entire side of fish and soaked it all to put in the freezer. I realize some people don't care for it. More for me!

 

Salted cod, once desalted and cooked "al pil-pil" (a basque way) is arguably the best way to eat cod.

[chromedome]

When I used to live in Edmonton, I frequently bought codcakes from an older Jamaican lady at a sort-of farmer's market at a nearby mall. It was a running joke between us that since my family in Newfoundland had possibly caught and salted some of the cod she'd eaten while growing up, it was only appropriate that I should return the favor a couple of generations later.

 

Perhaps if I find the time and energy, one of these days I'll round up some photos (I don't think I have any family-taken pics still extant, but if not I'll hit online sources) and show how the old-school fishery worked in NL back in the day. Assuming anyone's interested, of course.