Sinterklaas

[ina]

Today, December 5th., in Holland we celebrate Sinterklaas eve. (Sinterklaas is the guy you all adopted to be your x-mas man). He brings gifts with funny poems about the recipiants. Lo and behold, the doorbel rang and there was Sinterklaas dressed up as a UPS-delivery man with a big, heavy box.

The sender is a Sinterklaas who lives in England and has a veggie plot. Besides all kinds of home-made and other goodies, a real home-made English Christmas pudding (never tasted one but have to wait) and....... several types of home-grown/home-made jams! All dollied up and made pretty for x-mas.

What is so special about this? This Sinterklaas is a friend from the beeb allotment tales board a long time ago. Beautiful things can happen with a computer, and long friendships can start from it.

DANK U SINTERKLAAS!

[Hyacinth]

Ahhhh, Ina! Wonderful story, wonderful picture and yes! you're right - wonderful friendships to be made...
Lishka

[Doris_Pinks]

Ina, they look wonderful! Don't forget the brandy butter to go on your Christmas Pud! DP

[ina]

Brandy butter? The advise was to eat the pudding with vanilla sauce (included in de box) or cream. Also, it said to steam the pudding one and a half hours before eating, I had to mail Sinterklaas to ask how that is done. I also get to keep the pretty bowl the pudding is in. What an unexpected surprise this all was.

The x-mas decorations are going up this weekend. An unwritten law (that not everybody sticks to) is to wait with x-mas stuff till after Sinterklaas eve.

Definitely will be having witloof harvested from their containers in the bathroom before and around x-mas, the chicons are now about 5 cm. tall and looking good!

[rdak]

I wish we had an unwritten rule (or even a written one!) to delay Xmas. Big business decides it has to get earlier every year!

[Doris_Pinks]

Ina.you have to eat your pudding with Brandy butter!! It is a MUST!!! Very easy to make....................
I know of 2 recipes! Beat together equal amounts of unsalted butter and sieved icing sugar. Add 4 fluid ounces of brandy per pound of butter. or to taste (140ml per 500g of butter)  Or my favorite same as above but use soft brown sugar in place of the icing sugar. Dollop some on your cooked hot pud, or mince pies and let it soak in...lovely!!!! DP

[ina]

Sounds yummy Doris. Thanks for the recipe, might just give it a try. One piece with vanilla sauce, one piece with cream, one piece with icing sugar brandy butter, one piece with brown sugar brandy butter and a million pieces from the exploding scales when I weigh myself.

[Doris_Pinks]

HEHEHEHEHEHE    Christmas lunch is definately not on the weight watchers diet!! Thats why it is great Don't forget the one piece with ice cream!!!

[ina]

Oh right Doris, thank you hahahahahahah, almost forgot the ice cream one.