Getting ready for the holiday

[chowmama]

The big thing is, I'm not religious and I'm specifically not a Christian. I went through all the rituals as a kid, but it just doesn't sing to me. So, Easter and all the other events are fine for others, but not my thing. DH is less of a 'fallen-away' Catholic than a 'leapt-away' Catholic.

However, we both recognize that everything pretty well shuts down for Christian holidays. So I prepare for us to hunker down and stay home, and we might as well have a good meal. This one's close enough to the solstice and general hope of spring.

I've ordered a ham and I'm hoping for the best. This is a double-smoked ham from a good barbecue joint. We've been so disappointed in hams for some time that I've largely given up. The last one, from a supposedly good source, lost a quarter of its weight and sat in easily a cup of water after cooking; the meat was dried out and tasted of nothing but salt. But ham used to be so good that we just can't quite give up hope. This is ham's last chance. Wish me luck.

Standard veg and sides, and I'm still working to get consistently good biscuits. I'm ashamed to buy 'whomp' biscuits, in the tube, but I do sometimes. I'm inventing a dessert - I have leftover filling for a Greek filo pastry called galaktaboureko in the freezer, and some leftover filo. The filling is a kind of custard. I don't have enough for the pastry, but I got some apples and I'm going to make a kind of custard/apple strudel with the filo. Clearing up the freezer and it should be good.

And today I finished a batch of coffee liqueur. Sort of like Kahlua, but a little more chocolate and vanilla. DH likes Black Russians, and I'm not averse to putting a little of it in some hot coffee. I brought a tester up to DH this AM to ask him if it was sweet enough - he drank it and said "Oh, my God, that's good." Here's the recipe.

500ml vodka
500ml dark rum
½ pound whole coffee beans
4oz cocoa nibs (approx.1 c.)
1 vanilla bean, split open

Later:
2 ½ c white sugar
2 c water

Mix everything but the sugar and water in a large sealable jar.
Store in a cool dark place for at least 3 weeks, shaking or stirring frequently – at least several times per week.

Strain well. (Fine strainer, possibly with cheesecloth. Or sieve first, followed by fine coffee strainer.) You will have nearly 3 cups of strong, very bitter liquor. The beans are exhausted and should be thrown out.

Melt and brown 1 c sugar in a small pan, stirring constantly till it reaches a rich dark brown, but not yet burned. This is a game of chicken – go as far as you dare, but if you burn it, throw it out and start over. Carefully add 1 c water – it will spatter. Stir till the sugar and water are dissolved together into syrup. Add the rest of the sugar and the rest of the water; boil for 5 minutes or till completely dissolved. Cool and add to the rest of the ingredients to taste – usually all of it. Add more sugar yet, if not sweet enough, but shouldn’t be too sweet. Go for bittersweet, evenly balanced.

Bottle. This will make about 1.25 liters.