Christmas Around the World

I started a new Christmas tradition this year.  Each Sunday dinner, during December, I featured a different foreign country, with its decorations, food, music, and traditions.  On December 5, 2021, I featured Norway.  I had Nordic table decorations, including pewter spoons and bowls with Viking designs, Viking-patterned napkin rings, and small replicas of Viking boats for the table.  I reminded my grandchildren that they are part Viking, through me!  The islands off the northern coast of Scotland, where some of my ancestors come from, were once ruled by a Viking earl.  The Vikings invaded in the 800s and stayed for 500 years.  I have a Scandinavian marker in my DNA, and I'm betting that's where it came from.

I prepared a pork loin stuffed with prunes and onions and rubbed with spices.  I served it with a potato gratinee, using smoked gouda cheese, a cucumber salad, and with a strawberry cream cake (Blatkake) for dessert.  That is classic Norwegian party food.  

Steve looked up the Christmas traditions of Norway.  He told about hiding an almond in the bowl of rice pudding, with whoever finding it receiving good luck for the coming year.  My guests included Camille’s family and Spencer and Naomi.  I will need to try some rice pudding on them another year!

On December 12, 2021, we had an old English dinner, with a big Scrooge doll as a decoration.

There was a small group of guests--just Rebekah with Lily, and Spencer with Eliza (this photo of Rebekah and Lily, but including Michael K, was taken at an earlier dinner).  I love all sizes of parties--at small ones, I have a better chance to get to know my grandchildren well.

I made beef Wellington, the fanciest classic entrée in Britain.  I sautéed a 3-lb. tenderloin of beef, smeared it all over with coarse grain mustard, and then wrapped it in a layers of duxelles (sautéed mushrooms) and prosciutto.  I then wrapped that savory log inside a large slab of puff pastry and baked it.  I finished the meal with figgy pudding with caramel sauce and homemade ice cream.  

I cooked a Mexican dinner for Feliz Navidad on December 19, 2021.  I love this paper mache creature that Mike bought for me in Mexico.  I also love the story that goes with it.  Supposedly, Mike spotted the creature and asked Heidi if she thought I would like it.  "Of course!" Heidi said. "It looks just like her."   This creature, in all her festive flamboyance, is the symbol of what I hope to become! 

It was wonderful to have Jonny’s and Mike’s whole families join us, along with Jenny’s parents, Herb Flindt, and my Flindt grandchildren —Spencer and Naomi, Grant and Meg, and Michael K and Rebekah.  Jonny's Henry is a party animal, as I am. 

I played the carol, "Feliz Navidad," as the guests arrived, and we ate cheese enchiladas, with tres leches cake for dessert.