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Friday Thoughts 28 - My festive culinary exploits

It’s Friday and we have completed our first week back!


My brain isn’t quite computing the fact that we are now in 2021 and that means it is more years than I care to think about since I graduated!


I’ve been deliberating all week about what to write about tonight. Do I talk about the weather (so very British), or about what being here over Christmas was like and what it made me think of, or about all the things I think about when I reflect on my time since graduation/what I have done with my life so far (it’s my birthday next month), or do I write about the UK lockdown and how that makes me feel on behalf of my friends and family back home? I really didn’t know.


I finally decided to tell you about my culinary exploits over the festive period.


I used not to go back home every Christmas when we lived here before, instead we would often travel somewhere to get some sunshine. We did stay one year, and I didn’t like it; I couldn’t cope with the fact that it was ‘just another day’ (despite the fact that we had a lovely Christmas meal with some friends). So I’ll be honest, I wasn’t really looking forward to it. I did, however, decide to look at it positively. We were all in the same boat and nobody would be travelling so, over dinner with some old friends (friends from way back in the UK who happen to have been here in Shanghai for the same amount of time as us), we decided that we would do a ‘proper’ Christmas. Despite the fact that I haven’t lived at home for over 20 years, I have actually only hosted one Christmas dinner previously. Interestingly, that was for a Chinese friend and wanted to give her a traditional English experience. So, we got planning. The menu was straightforward (ish) and all was looking good. That was, until a certain husband of mine decided that he would like a Christmas cake because that’s part of Christmas. Now, this is the same person who requested a chocolate tier on our wedding cake because he doesn’t like fruit cake (fortunately, my mother made our cake so this wasn’t too much hassle) and has always refused such things for the 20 years we have known each other. Needless to say, I was surprised. However, that wasn’t the biggest issue. As those of you who have ever made anything of the sort before, these things are usually made several months in advance. I had 10 days to source the ingredients and make the cake. Like any self-respecting China resident, I turned to Tao Bao! Completely unaided, I sourced sultanas, raisins and currants. I also found marzipan and a suitable cake decoration. I needed assistance with the glycerine for the icing (I failed to find the fondant icing) but that was all ok. My mother assisted with her trusted Mary Berry recipe so all was good.


Now, my amazing mother has made the family Christmas cake and Christmas puddings for as long as she has been married so she’s pretty good at it. The stakes were high; I knew what it was supposed to taste like and it was for guests. One of our friends doesn’t drink alcohol, so I needed to find an alternative solution to the soaking the fruit in brandy. That was ok – orange juice is apparently ok. I couldn’t source glace cherries, so apricots had to do. All was going well so far. I managed to reduce the fruit-soaking time to one night rather than three and was able to make the actual cake. Unfortunately, these things take an inordinately long time to cook – 4 ½ hours ish! Despite not having many plans, having a 4+ hour window at home just wasn’t happening so I had to delay one more day. Time was running out. Still, the cake was mixed, cooked and put to stand. With two days to go, I managed to put the marzipan on and make the icing. According to the instructions, I just had to ice the cake one day in advance, so all was good (or so I thought). Christmas Eve comes and I manage to ice the cake without drama. All is going surprisingly well so far and I’m feeling quite pleased with myself. That is until I speak to my dad who tells me that icing takes longer than overnight to dry! Bit late now, so we just had to go with it and hope for the best.

I am very proud to say that the cake was ‘OK’! It was VERY moist (thanks to the large amount of orange juice and the lack of standing time), the icing had a hard surface and was more akin to a buttercream consistency underneath (the snowy peaks sagged a little while drying too) but overall it was reasonably successful and not bad for my first attempt. I have since made a second, smaller cake with the leftover ingredients and this time soaked in ‘Kraken’. I might make a CNY cake this time, we shall see. It’s currently wrapped in baking paper and sitting in the cupboard.


I’ve shared a sneak peak at my culinary prowess because I really am proud.


I’ll leave it there, but before I finish (and not to break with tradition), I will leave you with my current track. I do have to admit that it’s Radio 1 Live Lounge Mix on Your Tube not Spotify tonight, but it’s once again Stay Another Day. This time Chvrches are asking.


Here’s hoping it’s a tad warmer tomorrow!

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