Food and New Years Eve and later....

..Off we go again - another "fest"!
Badly planned by someone - somewhere - too many "fests" in too few days...After this one, or maybe even during it, we'll all make our resolutions for the year to come, the more intelligent of us making resolutions that are either too easy to keep, or too easy to break...!
In Germany - southern Germany anyway, one of the traditional pieces is simple "Kartoffelsalat mit Wurst" depending on the Region cold potato salad either dressed with mayonnaise or dressed with a kind of vinaigrette, and served with "bockwurst" ( a longish sausage which is poached in water) and a good German style mustard.
In other Regions - such as Bavaria, then it is the famous "Weißwurst" (a white sausage made from veal traditionally,  but more often nowadays from pork, poached again in water, drained and served with either sour apple wedges caramelized in butter, or the above mentioned Kartoffelsalat and mustard.
Beer, of course is a must, if possible then the impeccable "poor peoples champagne - Weizenbier" ( a beer made from corn and often containing the yeast residue which is also consumed) - delicious and a real speciality.This particular brewery is world famous but there are others as well, just as good. If the "cloudy" aspect doesn't appeal, there are various clear ones generally called "Kristallweizen" available, as well...After that you'll feel good...!
Of course - in France - the need is for something else. Revolutionary countries need revolutionary things, except at foodtime....then it's back to the good stuff, irrespective of whether they were discovered by my noble aristocratic ancestors - BEFORE they had their heads sliced off.....!
  
(No - don't worry - this an elderly menu, at a time when OLD French Francs were still in use, so the price actually was 67,50NEW French Francs - around 10euros.....but 6,750 looks good!)
Exceptionally rich, this type of menu is made to make you ill, bearing in mind that it normally all starts at 8pm and doesn't end until around 2am...!
Of course - you can do it all at home and avoid the police controls, the drunken guests (unless you've got some at home) and generally amuse yourself better than outside, and you can go to bed when YOU wish to.....!
All in all, the British (so far as I'm aware) don't have anything special for the event nor do the Americans, and not even "Google" can help me there...!
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1&&sa=X&ei=KsMdTeb_D8mAswa_kvTaDA&ved=0CDIQBSgA&q=British+Traditional+New+Year's+dishes&spell=1&biw=1360&bih=632
Possibly fish in some form or other, but all I see is eggs and bacon and bean's and chips.......!
If any of my readers have some suggestions - please do let us all know!
Of course, there is always the New Year's Eve Buffet...something which takes care of New Year's Day as well....it simply is topped up and replenished ......!

Here's the page with all sorts of places to go and get some inspiration......
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&biw=1360&bih=632&tbs=isch:1&sa=1&q=New+Year's+Eve+Buffet&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
Personally, I'll be partaking of the "Weißwurst" version in spite of the fact that I can't get any "poor people's champagne"......in Revolutionary France....!
The main thing is that you all enjoy whatever you eat and drink, and that you all realise that it's only yet another year that has gone by.....
...in just one minute.......!

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(iwmpop) mr le marquis     -   30600, Vauvert, France  -   Décembre/Janvier 2010/2011

Re: A vous - To you - Pour Vous........

Hi "IMW"

Yuletide greetings from over my way. 

It must be 5 years since we said we must get together, and we've repeated it annually !

I'm currently travelling a bit, so we should aim for later in 2011 

Regards

Peter

http://the-languedoc-page.com

http://the-languedoc-page.com/forum

On Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 9:35 AM, Ian Watson Mitchell <iwmpop@gmail.com> wrote:

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Ouvrez.....vite.....!           ***********           Open......Quick.....!       ********   Schnell Aufmachen....!  

iwmpop (mr le marquis)                    30600, Vauvert France            -              Décembre 2010

Bonjour, Jan Mitchell Marquis du Galipot a créé spécialement pour vous une carte de vœux intitulée " Tous les langues.....!". Si vous ne voyez pas cette image, cliquez ici. L'équipe de L'Internaute NOUVEAU Offrez un calendrier personnalisé avec vos photos Le cadeau de Noël ou de nouvelle année idéal ! 23 modèles à personnaliser avec vos photos personnelles Dans la Boutique de L'Internaute Nos magazines - 30 chaînes thématiques Voyage | Week-end | Actualité | Animaux | Cinéma | Télévision | Santé | Automobile… Tous nos magazines Nos services pratiques Programme TV | Guide Restaurants | Programme Cinéma | Fonds d'écran | Petites annonces… Copains d'avant

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Christmas-Weihnachten-Noël- "a must" - ein Muss - un obligation"......

FR: Vous avez, chacun, vos propres traditions a Noël...mais voici les vôtres et celles des autres....des idées différente, peut être....

DE: Jede hat seinen eigene Traditionen fur Weihnachten, aber hier sind einige Vorschlage von anders wo....Neue Ideen vielleicht....

EN: Everybody has their own traditions at Christmas time, but here are a few new ideas for a change maybe......
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Impossible to ignore Christmas...! There will be so many things written about Christmas in the kitchen that I'm not going to pass a lot of time on it....just one little article - this one!
But....first of all, a couple of links to let you enter the world of others - around the world. Maybe you're looking for something different this year.....
Here is one which takes you on a World tour of.....Christmas menus...all over the place
http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/traditions/christmas-recipes/christmas-italy-marchesi/  (Just go to the button "Countries")
Then another one that'll do the same thing - just differently....
http://www.internationalrecipes.net/t/World_Christmas_Recipes/1 (this one has a list of countries on the main page)
These two links are in English, but just by "googling"  "Menu Weihnachten" you'll find thousands of things in German, or "Menu de Noel" for the French suggestions.....
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Of course, everyone know the traditional mental image of Christmas time, but not everybody wants it, nor can have it. Personally, I can't imagine celebrating Christmas somewhere on a sun drenched beach...wouldn't seem right at all...others fly away to do exactly that, and even others don't know anything different!...There are even certain celebrations that English people could only say "shocking" to..........and by the look on the ladies faces, this looks rather real.....
In any case, no matter where you celebrate it, you're going to eat too much, probably drink too much - you may even be ill from "over-indulgence" - but just say (like millions of others) it's only once a year, and a "good resolution" will be made in a weeks time.
Won't work, of course, but it'll make you feel better!
Of course some of us - well some of you - either won't bother, or will feel that it is all beyond you, and just give up.....Don't worry, you won't be ...on your own!
Maybe I could make some little suggestions.....
1. Don't forget to take the Turkey out of the freezer - even better, buy a fresh one!
2. Don't overcook it - cook it 30 minutes less than suggested. You CAN always put it back in to cook it longer, but once overcooked, not only is it dry, but there is no remedy! Can't go backwards...! This is way overcooked......try covering it with aluminium and "brown it off" only in the last 15-20 minutes...
3. Get someone else to carve it.....you've got other things to do, and anyway you don't want to look an idiot....again!..Grandad's are ideal for this sort of job....!
4. The drinks - if you let "hubby" and "Uncles" sort that out, as usual, you risk only having half filled bottles on the table, but two (or more) highly inebriated, but in good mood, people sitting around...Grandad won't be pleased - he'd prefer to have done that than carve the Turkey...!
5. Make sure you've allotted the washing up to the kids and other useless appendages...Time they did something apart from throwing ripped present paper all over, and beating hell out of the drum that some nut gave as a present...! AND....keep your eye on wherever they are towards the end of the meal....they have a habit of sliding away somewhere....
6. From start to finish guard your food....Cats adore Christmas - turkey and cheese, creamy cakes, all just lying there on the kitchen table - and nobody in sight....!  Even dogs and other "pets" can rapidly reap havoc on your festive table.....
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Just respecting a few little rules, and you'll have a really enjoyable time....
....cleaning up!
Happy Christmas to all my readers,,,,,,I'll be back before new year.......!
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image source

“I’ve trained myself to breathe shallowly and not even so much as move a paw in preparation for Christmas morning when I will wreak havoc on the heart-warming holiday scene ’round the Christmas tree. Ho, ho, ho, and bwaa, ha, ha!”

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(iwmpop) mr le marquis          -           30600, Vauvert, France         -    Décembre 2010

"Special" occasions.

..A subject not often talked about, but recent events made me think of it.
Death, in general, is a topic people shy away from, although an inevitable event.
One thing is sure, the unfortunate person concerned will not take part, and unless particularly well organised he or she will not have


 .......arranged anything particular. There are Societies who specialise in such events, much on the same lines as the "special event caterers".


. Since time immemorial, such meals have been arranged mainly as a mark of respect for the "defunct",  and are a part of every Society's tradition.
Nowadays it has become rather similar in style to many other "happier" events, such as weddings, birthdays, namedays and all the rest, but still somewhat more specialised. 
Care must be taken to stay within a respectful "decency" - decoration must be carefully chosen, music and speeches carefully examined for possible errors.
..Flower arrangements must be chosen with the "departed" in mind, and finally, but probably most importantly, care must be taken in the seating arrangements. Those known to have "conflicts" with other invited guests should be seated well apart, simply to avoid any scenes at the event.
Yes - nowadays mainly done in a buffet style,  cold and hot being served, but always with the possibility of being seated, it's not a stand up finger party, and depending on the circumstances, care must be taken regarding the possible physical condition of some of the invited guests, often aged, possibly frail, sometimes extremely emotional. The "serving staff" should be respectful, not "over friendly" or serve with laughs and large smiles, but equally well not with tears in their eyes or with a downright miserable attitude. This "last supper" is supposed to allow others to talk about past events, to pay any marks of respect they may have, but all in a normal manner - neither dejected nor elated. Certain items should be avoided, items such as Champagne, a mark of gaiety....unless of course the defunct has deliberately left instructions, as sometimes happens, that the event should be light-hearted. Even then, it's not every guest who is capable of doing so, and "light-heartedness" can easily swamp over into a disrespectful orgy of humour.
A good professional caterer will always have "contingency" plans.

The Germans call this "Leichenschmaus" and it often takes place in the defunct's local "Gaststätte" or very often in the special rooms attached to the Cemetries. The tendency in Germany is to have a simple thing served, very often the "Kaffee und Kuchen"  (Coffee and Cake) without the exotic and luxurious "Sahnetorten", or the typical German style meals consisting of a soup, a dish of roasted meat with sauerkraut or potatoes, or "Knödeln" (I've already dealt with the subject in an earlier posting). Rarely is music played unless the defunct requested it, or was a member of some Musical Association. 
The drink served is invariably beer, with wine available for those who wish, coffee always being served as well. The organisers should always have access to the possibilities of arranging other drinks, such as non-alcoholic or infusions such as tea. 
Here again, the German version of Champagne (Sekt) should be avoided, unless desired by the defunct.
In France, the situation is difficult. I personally have never seen or heard of such a ceremony, and the nearest I can find towards it is a translation given as: 
repas d'enterrement {m} (you can click on this link to see more...)


In all the cases I have been associated with, the friends and families have simply returned to the home of one or the other of the participants with mr. le Curé or Minister of Religion also being invited, as in Germany, or a meal has been offered to specially selected guests in a nearby Restaurant.
Strangely enough, in France the same description is given to the various forms of "stag nights" - "Enterrement de la vie célibataire"- in other words a "last fling" before marrying, for both male or female candidates....
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Every country has it's own rules and traditions, so if you are ever invited or obliged to attend one, have a quick check on what would be normal before attending.
So....in a naïve way, hoping you will never need these informations and suggestions, I can only recommend that you stay as healthy as possible, and that starts and ends with what you eat....and what you can afford...! 


 

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iwmpop (mrlemarquis)        -            Vauvert, France          -      Décembre 2010