putting Christmas away

Today I finally got the last of my Christmas down and stored.  I decided that it was time to follow up a bit on some Christmasy loose ends and then move on.

Christmas puddings

Before Christmas I shared a picture from my kitchen showing a basket of steamed pudding molds.

I had found several recipes for steamed puddings and planned to try them all, probably one each day of our celebrations and then evaluate.  In the craziness leading up to the holiday I only got one made, the figgy pudding.  It was not a great hit with our family.  My dad is the only one who is really a fan of fruitcake so he was okay with it but the rest, not so much.  I don't think that we even got a picture of it.  It worked great.  I used the center (largest) of the molds.  It is similar to a angel food tube pan in that there is a tube in the center so that when the cake is unmolded it has a hole down the center.  The mold as shown in the picture is upside down for how it is baked but then it is tipped out of the mold and rests on the plate in the same position that is it in the picture.  Figgy pudding is a cake that contains a large amount of dried figs and other dried fruits.  It also contains some liquor (brandy and rum) and when ready to serve heated brandy is poured over the cake and ignited.

Before Christmas I had purchased sufficient fruit to make two recipes and so after Christmas I used the rest of the fruit to make a different recipe for a Christmas Plum Pudding.  Unlike Figgy Pudding that actually contains figs, the plum pudding does not contain plums.  It does contain other dried fruit.  This recipe contained molasses and spices for more of a gingerbread like flavor.  Again the recipe went together well.  I again used the largest of the molds as I was not sure that the amount of cake batter that the recipe made would fit in the smaller melon shaped or round, non tube pan.  This pudding is served with a hard sauce.  Both the hard sauce and the cake contain Brandy.  I did get a picture of this cake.

It was okay.  The third pudding that I had planned to make was a chocolate one that does not contain fruit.  I still plan to make that one and I have a feeling that might be the one that ends up being the favorite.

Decanters

Last week I shared a link to a post by Helen at Entertablement that included a great bar cart and shared how I had recently scored a group of decanters.  I do not yet have a bar cart but I am now on the lookout for one but in the meantime I  needed a place to display my new collection.  So right now they are on my dry sink.  This is a piece that my uncle built many years ago and until I locate a bar cart this will be a fun place for them.

I took this picture a couple of days ago.  The stockings and the wine themed tree are put away but the throw that usually hangs there is yet to be put back up.  That and the chocolate steamed pudding should happen this week.  

It  has been quite wintry here in Minnesota.  We had a cold snap, followed by an ice storm, followed by a couple of snow storms.  We have had icy roads with snow covering, blowing and drifting, and all of the travel headaches that goes along with icy roads.  Tomorrow another day of a wintry mix is forecast.  Not sure if it will be snow or rain but following that we are predicted to have several days in a row with highs in the upper 30s so hopefully it will be enough to clear the last of the ice off of the roads.  Sounds like much of the country is dealing with winter.  Stay safe.     

Joining Met Monday at BNOTP.