You know, I really don't have much to say about that.
And I don't even have photos of food.
We watched Glass Onion on Netflix last night and went to bed at 10:30. Missed the ball drop in Times Square.
If I made resolutions it would probably be to stop reading so much news and blogs and watching fewer YouTubes. Oh well.
I’ve gone back to re-read my Christmas blog posts for several years.
About having conflicted feelings about the holiday, about religion, about doing traditional foods and customs, about commercialism, about Christmas cards (Ugh!) etc. The themes seem to repeat almost every year.
I’ve not specifically mentioned that the holiday often triggers depression in me for some reason.
I don’t know if it is the inner conflict, the stress of the holiday preparations, an undiagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder or, more likely a combination of the three.
(I’d been seeing a therapist for about a year or more until recently. We had discussed meds, but I’ve had disastrous results with psych poison in the past, thus my reluctance to go there again.)
Most people don’t see that side of me. Mostly I’m friendly and have a good sense of humor around others. In private I’m rather contemplative and a bit obsessive about doing things like dinner for guests which is an activity that gives me both pleasure and angst.
My current obsession is over Christmas dinner for six. My mom always made lasagne or manicotti. I decided on lasagne “from scratch”- 2/3flour and 1/3semolina. I made one batch and rolled it by hand, which is fun, takes effort, but is time consuming; made the second batch with the pasta machine - much easier.
I also made the tomato sauce with pork and sausage and tiny meat balls (Polpettine di Carne) the way my mom used to make. I will also make a non-authentic Italian dish for the “secondo”. One of our guests has been saying how much he LOVES chicken parmesan. So I’ll make "pollo alla parmigiana” the way we used to make veal before it became 1) politically incorrect to slaughter cute little calves and 2) outrageously expensive.
I will likely serve both courses together because people are so used to the way Olive Garden serves meals all on one plate.
We will certainly have left-overs which will go into the freezer and will save me from cooking at least one more meal in the coming weeks. Guests are bringing salad and dessert.
I made cookies of course - the one time of the year I bake cookies. But the cookies didn’t come out that great this year…I’m losing my touch. The colored frosting got real funky and the chocolate frosting which is suppose to be smooth and shiny, came out thick and dull.
Oh well, I will be glad when Christmas is behind us for another year. No conflicted feelings about celebrating a religious holiday, no angst about how cheap and stingy I am or guilt about not sending EVERYONE a greeting card.
I’m sure Christmas dinner will be good, barring any disaster. Cooking is the one thing (cookies excluded) that I do well.
Our internet is down again. Seems to be a regular holiday occurrence. There was snow in the mountains where the transmitter is. Last time it was the wind. I don’t want to use up my phone data so this will be short. Happy New Year.
As I won't be blogging tomorrow, I am sending my Holiday Greetings out today. Those who know me might also know that I am no longer an adherent to any religion and I often find the Christmas holiday to be a mixed bag, to put it mildly.
People who otherwise have no religious affiliation or who are Christian in name only, make a big deal of the holiday, or should I say worship mainly at the Church of Consumerism for the holiday. I don't know. Perhaps Christmas is just more of a secular holiday than a religious one. In any case I am not inclined to celebrate it in either its religious or its secular aspect. BUT....
... My Italian-American heritage has left me with Catholic DNA in my make-up and so often the Italian and the Catholic are so intimately entwined as to be indistinguishable. There are innate urges, like those of the swallows that must return to Capistrano, that make me do things like make cookies and other holiday foods.
I was thinking how, on Christmas Eve, in Catholic tradition, we were not to eat meat. In response to that directive, Italians invented the Feast of Seven Fishes, the evening (or day long) meal for the Vigilia di Natale, Christmas Eve that consisted of several (not necessarily seven) fish dishes.
I don't remember any reference to "seven" fishes when I was growing up but dad's mother always made bacala (salted cod that had to be soaked for days in water) and pesce stock (a dried, unsalted cod) as well as anchovies in fried bread (pizza fritta) and calamari in tomato sauce. Mom would make fried smelts and capitone, a large eel. So I can only come up with six! When we would have Christmas Eve at my house, I always made baked stuffed shrimp (7). But we never had all seven fishes in one meal.
My recent trip to Sprouts Market made me abandon all hope of having even one fresh fish entree for tonight ($$$). Besides, fresh seafood in New Mexico is suspect. We may have a chunk of breaded fish from the freezer section of Costco. And I have some bread dough and anchovies to fry. I do like the pizza fritta con alice (pronounced al-ee-chay).
As my days during Covid are pretty much occupied with some kind of health care appointment or another, grocery shopping (often curb-side pick-up) and my hobby:cooking, food is, fortunately or unfortunately, a recurring theme. Add gardening, more food, in season. So I make pasta, sauce, bread, cake, cookies. I can't help myself.
So on to Christmas dinner tomorrow. We invited four of our neighbors (Denise, Heather, Bruce and Katie) and will serve antipasto, homemade ravioli (I made 72 ravioli the other day, they're in the freezer) with meat sauce, beef-turkey meatballs, Italian sausage, salad, homemade bread, wine, coffee cake (mom's recipe for "Jewish" Coffee Cake with my substituting plain yogurt for the sour cream in the recipe) and ice cream. Maybe some aperitif or cordials. Leon bought whisky for Bruce.
It won't be elegant as I don't do elegant very well. It will be Italian-peasant-festive style.
We don't have a tree indoors but the pinon outside is decked out with found objects, Mardi Gras beads, old plastic baubles, ribbons and pine cones. Leon threw up some lights and I put out the "one-piece" Nativity set. I don't know how others find the energy to decorate, or enjoyment in decorating to the hilt for the Christmas holiday. I'm always relieved to put it all back in the garage and "get back to normal" after the New Year holiday.
So much for that. So here's my Holiday Greeting Card(s):
I made these 11"x14" cards for my cousin Rose, a teacher, now retired, about 35-40 years ago. She would use them in her classroom for singing the 12 Days of Christmas. She also brought them to family gatherings at the holidays to aid in the sing-a-long that she loved to lead. She recently sent them back to me after cleaning out her teaching materials.
So here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Delightful Twelve Days.
Peace, Love, Health, and stay Well,
From Frank and Leon
The garden provided the theme for this year's Thanksgiving photo. All the Butternut, Acorn and Spaghetti squash were "Volunteers" so they are appropriately the earth's gift to us on this holiday. And we are thankful for that and so much else.
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| This Year's King Cake |
But the Anglo-Saxon Shrove Tuesday has no implication for revelry or feasting or partying. It's all about confessing sins and being shriven. Sounds so depressing.
So, if you prefer, have a Mardi Gras feast ... for tomorrow we (supposedly) fast for 40 days. And so, the earthly and the spiritual and the yin and the yang of life.
Questionnaire borrowed from Bob at I Should Be Laughing
Where you first met: I will say at the Rock River, Vermont but Leon says he met me when he and his then boyfriend came into the Gay Men’s Health Collective for HIV test.
How did you meet: He was on his way out from the gay beach after a thunderstorm at the River and we started talking; I said, “Wait a minute and I’ll walk out with you.”
First date: Same day we met in August 1989; we decided to get a pizza in Brattleboro, he stopped at the ATM but the storm had knocked out service; I said, “My treat.”
How many years together: It was 32 years this past August.
Age difference: I am 14 years his senior.
Who was interested first: I think it was definitely Leon. The rest will be in my memoir, part two!
Who is taller: Leon by an inch
Most obnoxious in-laws: I refuse to answer as it may incriminate me.
Who said “I Love you” first: I really don’t remember, but it was most likely Leon.
Worst temper: I’m not sure I have so much a temper as impatience and grouchiness and orneriness; I can be loudly emotional and expressive. Leon is easy going but occasionally will blow a gasket or throw something when losing his patience with a piece of technology or machinery.
Most sensitive: I am most but Leon is becoming more or showing it more lately.
Most annoying habit: He begins a conversation in the middle as if I am privy to what was going on in his head up to that point; I get so focused on what I am reading, doing, thinking, so am oblivious to the last ten minutes of the conversation he’s been having without me.
Most forgiving: Leon is the most forgiving person I know. He doesn’t know the words grudge or resentment. I have learned some from his example.
Loudest: Leon will be heard.
Who has the most useless facts: Leon knows about cars, cars, trucks, engines, electricity, etc. Mostly useless info (as far as I’m concerned).
Funniest: Leon laughs at anything and likes to make silly comments; my humor is more sophisticated, of course.
Who wears the pants in the family: We really have a pretty equal say in decisions; we each have our expertise. Leon cars, mechanical things; me, dog, garden, kitchen
Most stubborn: That has not been an issue
Falls asleep first: Leon usually and hopefully without snoring.
Most impatient: I am definitely impatient and have a bad habit of always praying (Jesus Christ, this or that)
Better driver: The car guy. He can spot a pot hole a mile away and avoid it. Me, not so much.
Biggest neat freak: I am an organizer, Leon is a cleaner.
Most social: Definitely Leon. Will talk to anyone and everyone, even strangers, sometimes for hours. I will often take the long way just to avoid meeting anyone and having to talk.
Least likely to remember to do what the other one asks him to do: Not a big issue, but I am more likely to forget as my list is much longer!
Most competitive: Not applicable
Best cook: I do 95% of the cooking and he would definitely say I am. Leon can cook if necessary.
Who is the handy-person: Leon is McGiver when it comes to solving a problem, fixing things that can’t be fixed, figuring out how to do something. I am good at things like landscaping, working with wood, concrete, stone.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all.
Just a short note to my readers: I got up this morning and was going to delete the long rant about my Christmas conflicts and inadequacies before anyone actually had a chance to read them. But alas, the cat was out of the bag so to speak and there were already comments from you all.
So I just want to thank you for visiting and for the support your comments have provided. I don't know what gets into me at Christmas. Perhaps there are some repressed feelings or memories that come to the surface...but whatever.
I want to let you guys know that I enjoy visiting your blogs even if I don't always comment...sometimes I get so caught up just reading blogs and news items that the hours pass and I've not done anything away from the screen...
Enjoy your Holiday. Stay safe, stay well, and lets hope for better things in the New Year. I hope we can all get through to January 20th without further disasters.
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| Tacky But Bright |
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| The Yucca Lit Up |
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| Our Rainbow Luminarias/Farolitos |
Leon and I want to wish you all a very Merry, Happy, Healthy and Blessed Christmas…or Hanukkah, or New Year…
But no one is coming to visit.
No coffee and cookies with friends or neighbors. It is too cold to be sitting on the deck trying to enjoy a cup of hot coffee or tea. It was 17 degrees F. this morning when I went for a walk with Benni and it is 39 now as I write this.
So no breakfast or afternoon tea on the back deck. No gathering for Christmas Eve or Christmas Dinner. New Year's Day will be a bust.
What to do with all those cookies?
Ah!
We have a social media site called NextDoor which serves our small town of 500+/- residents. So I put out an ad:
Donate to Food Bank/Shelter ....Get Cookies
Italian Christmas Cookies — A 1-pound assortment of Cucidatti (Sicilian Fig Cookies)*, Biscotti** and Chocolate Totos*** (Did I mention Homemade?)
Here's the catch: $20 for the one pound assortment — $15 of each 1 pound purchase will go to a local Food Bank or Shelter. ($5 of the 1 pound purchase will help to defray part of the cost of ingredients and containers.)
If you choose, you can make the donation portion of the price payable by check directly to one of the charities listed below. Please feel free to donate more than $15. I will forward your check or cash as soon as possible after sales are done. Message me via NextDoor to reserve your 1-pound of cookies packaged in tins or plastic containers -- WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!
The Charities I am working for are:
Roadrunner Food Bank Albuquerque,
St Elizabeth Shelter Santa Fe
The Food Depot Santa Fe,
Allergy - Ingredient information:
*Cuccidati - Sicilian Fig Cookies: figs, dates, raisins, orange, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, flour, eggs, sugar, vegetable shortening, milk, natural flavorings, salt, BP. **Biscotti: flour, eggs, sugar, butter, hazelnuts OR almonds OR anise seed, natural flavorings, salt, BP. ***Aunt Stella’s Chocolate Toto: flour, cocoa powder, sugar, raisins, vegetable shortening, butter, coffee, spices, natural flavorings, salt, BP, walnuts or almonds on top of some.
So that was the ad.
I got replies.
So far, I've sold 10 pounds of cookies (out of 11, not counting what I set aside for Leon and me and a few special friends)
Several of our neighbors were very generous and donated more than the $15 requested.
Donations received: $190
Cookie revenue: $50
You know, my take of $50 is not going to cover the cost for flour, eggs, sugar, figs, vanilla extract, cocoa, butter, raisins, nuts, cookie tins, etc.
But those things are already paid for. So I decided to donate the extra $50 and divvy up the $240 for the three charities. It's not much, but maybe it will help.
