FN's Ponstastic Christmas Thread part Trois....

[FellatioNelson]

....will be officially open for business on September 24th. I am just firing up the engines and dusting down the control room ready for action in case I forget to do it on the 24th

Do not post yet. Do not. Sit on your hands, ladies.

On your marks........................

Yes just a tablespoon full is what I do otherwise I find it gets a bit dry.

I also do it with Turkey, Chicken and Beef. :)

OMG PEOPLE, THERE IS A CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

No, not that one, another one. Much worse. They have stopped all Butterball imports from the US, apparently because of some row over whether they were adhering properly to Halal restrictions. My frozen Butterball turkey was the only kind available last year. WTF am I going to do? Does anyone have a phone number for Barack Obama? He needs to sort this out, and pronto.

Although I do have a massive lump of heathen, infidel gammon in the freezer. I might have to have ham in Cehrry coke for Christmas lunch. If I have to do that then I am going to opt for the kitchest Christmas lunch ever, with that stuffing made with those loaves of sticky gingerbread, and the mashed sweet potato with marshamllows on top. Nigella at her most camp and bonkers.

Total 'mare, FN. keep hassling them. Surely there are enough Yanks out there to solve th eissue pre-Thanksgiving. Which should mean that you can breathe a sigh of elief well beforer christmas. Otherwise, keep the ham under strict solitary confinement - not sure about cherry coke but i did a gammon to Gordon's recipe and it was extremely lush - and made fabulous ham stock after. Will find the recipe.

I am not doing so well on the poncing what with being enormously pregnant/selling my house/trying to find a new one etc. got out 2010's Delicious Mag, which has some nice stuff in it. I did like the confit goose leg but not sure i can manage a goose this year - too much taking it in and out of the oven - given that i still have goose fat from 2 year's ago in the fridge, it might be overkill.

recipe here for Gordon's pork fnarr

Today I have purchased a large Kilner jar to house my pickled pears. I suspect that when ds is at gym camp for a day during half term I shall be putting-up preserves

FN -maybe we should start an MN campaign? That should sort it.

Limoncello started and Xmas pudding vodka next on the list.

An perusing Pinterest tonight armed with my CK organiser to make notes. The only disappointment in my poncey ness is that my Christmas scented pen has not yet arrived

First chutney made - luckily I reduced sugar amount as I was using eating apples and it turns out i managed to buy SWEETENED dried cranberries. Aaargh why are they allowed to hide that in the smallprint!

Of all the Christmas books I have been borrowing from the library over the last week I think the Nigella is my favourite, event though I can't actually watch her on TV without her making my skin crawl (so I don't...). Next are the Hairy bikers. Delia's winter collection went straight back.

If you need inspiration for 'recycled green eco' type ideas with lots of brown craft paper then have a look at "the Christmas Book" by S. Goldsmith. Some very cool ideas and all very do-able. Can you be poncey ethical? Recipes are fairly mainstream but it has Nougat and Marshmallow in it and they both actually look like something I could tackle (with a sugar thermometer) that's a bit different. The decorations and makes get a bit repetitive (dried fruit, felt, natural materials, recycled paper and card...) I thought but in isolation there are some nice ideas there.
The-Christmas-Book-Sheherazade-Goldsmith-on Amazon

Hi all, been away for a week but now back and ready to get on properly with Christmas activities

My Christmas books have arrived and I do like the SR one but as a non florist would have appreciated some step by step instructions/pictures - it will be a process of trial and error.

I saw on another thread that the BBC Good Food app is currently offering all recipe books in it for free - I've downloaded and the festive one has some good ideas and all for free You have to download the app first and then download the various cook books within it.

Thanks for that tip, off to download app now

Ooooooooooooooohhhhh brilliant, thanks! I've downloaded all of the books!

It'll take me hours to catch up on this thread shame. My poncing was interuppted by the arrival of DD. I think at 13 days old she is now old enough to know that poncing may just have to come first for an afternoon.

Ahh congratulations wantanorange

Congratulations wantanorange! Felling all broody. Lucky you having a newborn at Xmas but enough time to ponce too

Congratulations wantanorange !
My poncing was interrupted by my laziness and inertia. I're read the SR book, but not been massively inspired. I've also made some sausage rolls for the freezer - both meaty, (If you're a lover of pig in pastry I can recommend this book.), and non-meaty (Delia).
But I've set myself back on track to Ponceville, by this afternoon's picking harvesting of both quince and medlar. Picked early as frost is on its way to me. My medlars are now set to bletting.
Which leads me to ask Wolfcub - is "putting-up" special preserving parlance? Please say yes, as I want to use it..

Hazel I believe that putting up is indeed preserve parlance.

Thanks lindsell I have also downloaded app & all books!

I am not very far through my poncing, but have started crocheting glittering white stars, & planning this year's personalised ornaments... I handmake them each year for our tree & grandparent pressies, always very well received & I love seeing the kids change through the years.

I am also wanting to use garlands this year for the first time, all around our lounge... Anyone have garlands which the love & recommend? Don't know if I should do cheap or shell out & get something really good.

Thanks, Wolfcub. I like putting up!

Have not been very poncy of late, busy with real life!

Tomorrow I am going to be very poncy though, we are all off to pick sloes (what there is anyway, very poor show here), and collect willow to make wreathes!

DD will be wearing her crimson cape coat, and we will have 3 labradors and a goldie to complete the look .

Oh I'm so excited!

Have also located some good holly trees to use for the wreathes nearer the time!

Have just bought my Christmas mags so am itching to put the baby to bed so I can start reading and poncing!

Can anyone recommend any lovely festive tablecloths? I can only find tacky ones

Oreo no wonder you haven't had time to ponce as you're too busy tracking down all the online bargains and doing sme serious amounts of crimbo shopping (yes, I'm following the bargain thread)

Ooooh! I have a willow in the garden. How do I make a wreath? Do I need special branches or a special type?
Can you tell Sarah raven's book was lost on me? :)

I have indeed Zeeky! I love a bit of bargain shopping!

Well we looked very poncetastic when we went out today, not so much on the way back. The dogs ate the best sloes, DD fell in a big deep muddy puddle, and I am scratched to bits!

Have about 3lb of sloes though, so we did achieve.

With the willow, you want to cut the droopy braches at lengths of about 4 or 5 foot, strip the leaves off and 'weave' them into shapes. Do this now, and put in the garage or somewhere to dry out and go hard.

I say weave, but I'm not very floristy so its more a case of bodge it how you can - but with style of course .

I'm making a wreath, and will pick fresh holly, and other foliage a week or two before christmas and make it up to a wreath.

I didn't actually get any today, was rather frazzled keeping track of DD, dogs and thorns, so that will be another days adventure. I plan to make one for the door, something for the table and perhaps some small wreathes to decorate with ribbon and baubles to hang about the place.

You could plait the lengths and use that as the 'frame' for a foliage garland too.

I bought a plain burgundy tablecloth and a cream/gold runner of poinsettia flowers from Dunelm Mill last week overreaction. They have some nice stuff in at the moment and their plain stuff is a good price for embellishing or layering with. My burgundy cloth is huge and cost a tenner.