Back to the Dining Room Again

 today, still clearing and starting to get things ready for Christmas.  Slow old job but slowly coming together and I am finding lots of things I had in there.  Hey-Ho that is how it goes.  Doing a proper job though of sorting everything out.  The cat had knocked my box of seeds over and so have popped them all back into their storage boxes and have the sort out to put them back into order again.

My wine rack and basket ware have also been cleaned down and polished up and I have several other pieces that will need out for over the Christmas period.  A couple of flat boards which are ideal for Charcuterie and cheeses also located.  Just in time as this is something that we like to do on a regular basis especially with some homemade Chutney.  Have already opened my Christmas chutney and this one is going to be made every year.  It is delicious with a gorgeous bit of cheddar or indeed No 1 Cropwell Bishop Blue cheese which is like their take on a Gorgonzola.  It is so delicious. We have been buying this from the Cheese Counter in Waitrose. Some of this is going into the soup tomorrow as well the cheese not the chutney on this occasion.

Tea tonight has been a proper fry up.  Bacon, sausages, mushrooms, black pudding, fried egg and tomatoes.  Gone down very nicely.  Will be having Toad in the Hole tomorrow and I will also make the Blue Cheese and Broccoli soup tomorrow.  Slightly derailed for today due to the fact that I am getting stuck in on the dining room.  Still a load more to do.  Hoping to get to the first Dresser probably tomorrow. This one houses most of my glass jars with spices, and baking ingredients in, as well as lots of crockery both for baking and for dining but it needs a good sort out.  Also got rid of the last of the mint and crumbled that into the jar today.  Will check that the chillies are dry (not all of them are so they have been left for a bit longer).  When they are I will then be able to jar these up as well.

Also located some other spices and flavourings which I knew I had and added them to the boxes I sorted the rest out in the other night.

Managed to find a couple of wine boxes that I bought a while back which I use in the bottom of the Pantry or the understairs for storing stuff in, a small orange crate which I bought about five Christmases' ago and have kept to use in the Pantry. I will use this to pop my small oranges in for over Christmas. There will also be some on the Nut Tray too. Something very special about Oranges at Christmas.  The taste and the scent just lovely. Perhaps it is due to the way that I was bought up, but they are still one of my favourites.

Managed to get to the Veg shop today and bought reduced bananas and also apples.  Managed to get my tray of eggs.  Tuesday is egg delivery day and I buy by the tray in any event.

Then went on and got a net of onions from the Asian shop, and also picked up a bag of Chick Peas for some Hummus.  Get my onions in large nets here - veg shop do not offer them like this.

Tomorrow might see if can get back to the Veg shop to see if they have any reduced oranges as I quite fancy making an Orange cake at the weekend.  I also have my Nan's Tea loaf to make on Sunday and then pop in a tin for storage in readiness for Christmas.  I usually make a couple of loaves as it is very handy for snacking on.  I wrap it in foil and pop it in a tin and normally store in the Pantry, but as the Pantry is still not done will have to go under the stairs with the Christmas pudding and the Christmas cake. We tend to leave it a couple of weeks for the loaves to "give".  They are far better once this has happened. The fruit loaf is lovely with a wedge of cheese (preferably a Cheddar but it also goes well with Blue cheese) and an apple. A family favourite. 

I am also planning on actually make some Turkish Delight for Christmas as well.  More for me as G will not touch and one or two other things in the run up to Christmas itself.  I did notice a couple of bottles of Rosewater in one of my boxes today so may be a good opportunity to get some on the go.  This is the reason I need to get the Pantry done before Christmas as with everything being scattered am not totally sure where everything is.  I know I have stuff just not sure where.  Hopefully that will be cured soon.  Lots of work been going on behind the scenes.

I have the Hospital in the morning for about 10:30am as am back to see my little Physio for another check up.  Will see how we get on. G normally delivers me and leaves me to it and then I ring him when am ready to come back and he collects me.

Hope everyone is keeping safe and warm wherever you are.  So much chaos and disruption going on between countries, and the Earth herself blowing gaskets with the various volcanoes going off one after the other.  Worrying times.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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