Christmas traditions

[Lindorm]

OK, I am now writing a short text on the cultural history of meatballs in Sweden. So as not to clutter up this thread any more, I'll post it in the food section once I am done.

By the by, the pudding-making looks like a very nice christmas tradition , David H!  

[Sibling DavidH]

Thank, Lindorm!

BTW,

the cultural history of meatballs in Sweden

- this comes close to Pastafarian theology. 

[Swatopluk]

Of course, I could always go to IKEA and pick up a kilo bag of the authentic thing, right? 

What? Here IKEA is a furniture store.

Lasset uns beten!
Und siehe, Herr, wir sind gekommen, uns niederzuwerfen zu
deinen Füßen und abzulegen das grosse Gelübde:
Wer sind wir? Wo kommen wir her? Woran erkennt man uns?
Wenn wir im Zoo einen Elch sehen, rufen wir aus:
"Kuck mal, ein IKEA!"
Wir kommen aus dem Land der rätselhaften Schraubenspanner,
der kleinen Holzzapfen und metallenen Stützkreuze. Wir
sind die Jünger des Imbus und man erkennt uns an unserer
Family-Karte.
Wir glauben daran, dass wir den Tand aus dem Schnäppchenmarkt
wirklich brauchen, dass die kleinen, dünnen Nägel die Rückwand
wirklich halten und daran, dass "Akrobat" ein toller Name für
ein freikombinierbares Regalsystem ist.
Die Bretter, die unsere Welt bedeuten, sind aus der Kiefer,
der Birke, der Kirsche geschlagen oder der Buche nachgebildet,
in jedem Fall jedoch furniert.
Wir stopfen riesige Pakete in unsere MiniVans,
bis die Heckklappe nicht mehr schließt,
denn siehe, wir lassen uns nie etwas liefern
und zusammenbauen schon gar nicht!
Wir stehen unseren Mann, unsere Frau im Kampf
gegen die Montageanleitung und den Kreuzschlitz.
Für unsere Kinder haben wir auch zu Hause einen Raum voller
bunter Bällchen und jeden Nachmittag gegen Fünf ruft einer
von uns durchs ganze Haus: "Der kleine Marvin kann jetzt
aus dem Kinderparadies abgeholt werden!"
Manchmal freveln wir und suchen andere Einrichtungshäuser auf
doch reuig kehren wir zurück in den Schoss von Carl Gustavs
Untertanen. Denn siehe, jene Häuser sind unrein, denn sie
verkaufen am Ausgang kein Smoerrebroed und in ihren Restaurants
gibt es keine Hackfleischbällchen mit Preisselbeeren.
Und so wollen wir nun geloben, dir ewig treu zu bleiben,
du Paradies der freilaufenden Billis, Kawaljas, Sponsiks,
Spisas, Kraps, Butts und Alks.
Wir, die wir vor "Harpun" nicht wussten, wohin mit unseren
Schuhen, wir, die wir nicht ahnten, was die Serie "Norskaer"
aus unserem Badezimmer machen kann.
Und wandern wir auch im finsteren Tal, wenn wir uns die Arme
brechen beim Versuch, den Bezug "Aalem" auf's "Clippan"-Sofa
zu zerren, verzagen wir nicht, denn wir haben das Licht gesehen
und siehe, es war eine "Torped"-Kerze und sie steckte in einem
"Empati"-Kerzenständer und war sehr guenstig.
Und jetzt werden wir alle Schweden. Omen!

(Frank Goosen & Jochen Malmsheimer aka Tresenlesen)

[pieces o nine]

I do not believe I have ever had Swedish Meatballs although it is a a household word here, like Spanish Moss¹, Dutch Oven², French Fries³, Mexican Standoff ⁴, and the classic combo -- Russian Hands & Roman Fingers.




¹  which infests trees in what were originally French settlements in the southern U.S.

²  much americanized casserole dish

³  known to the actual French as casse-croûte américains affreux

⁴  classic description of the USA-USSR Cold War policies

[Sibling DavidH]

^ excellent!

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Here's Mrs H's classic xmas pud recipe as requested - she was kind enough to type it out and I'm just pasting it in:

Greetings, Toadfish!
Christmas Pud Recipe

½ cup      raisins
½ cup      sultanas
½ cup      currants
½ cup      breadcrumbs
¼ cup      plain flour
1 cup              grated apples
1 handful           chopped cherries
1 handful         flaked almonds or chopped walnuts
zest and juice of one lemon
zest and juice of one orange
½ teaspoon   mixed spices
¼ teaspoon   grated nutmeg
2   beaten eggs
mix all together and stir in sufficient beer to make a very stiff mixture.

Grease steaming bowls and put mixture into bowls, up to 1 inch from the top, put a circle of  greaseproof or baking paper on top of the mixture inside the bowl, and silver foil  over the top: over the rim and 2 inches down the side.   Tie the foil  on and steam for 6 hours.    Take top off bowls, there should be a lovely fruity/spice aroma coming off and the mixture should be a rich dark brown.   If not, steam for some more.    When cool, re-cover with new paper, and this will keep for a year in a cool dark place.     When you want to serve it, steam for one hour, tip onto a plate, and serve.   

If at a family or celebration meal, pour a tablespoon of brandy over the top, light the brandy and bring to the table.     

Happy eating!

I do hope you enjoy this, it is an approximation of our Christmas pudding, a very traditional pudding in England.   I usually make between ten and sixteen puddings so I have had to reduce the mixture, we also chop up one pudding from last year as part of our Christmas traditon.

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Note from David: hopefully your bowl will have a rim, under which you tie the string round the bowl to hold the foil on.  When you've knotted it, bring the string diametrically across the top and tie to the opposite side of the loop to make a lifting handle.

[Aggie]

 

Thanks to you and Mrs. H!

For some reason, I have always thought that suet was an indispensable pudding ingredient, which is perhaps why I've been scared of 'em.  I will try it out this year if I get the chance. 

I'm not sure what is considered 'mixed spices' over there, but I'm a dab hand with a mortar and pestle and could take a pretty good crack at it I think.  It would be hard to get it too far wrong with only a 1/2 tsp I think (probably cinnamon, cloves, allspice and cardamom in diminishing proportions will suffice).


The ingredients-freak in me gets a big grin at the specificity of the first three ingredients, which some people would just read as 'raisins, raisins, raisins' (currants are a distinct beast, but really are just dried grapes of a certain variety, not blackcurrants, AFAIK).


------------------------

Dutch Oven<sup>2

2</sup>  much americanized casserole dish

I know an alternate definition for that one that involves blankets and flatulence, not food, but I suspect it's derived from the cooking vessel. 

[Sibling DavidH]

You're very welcome!

I have always thought that suet was an indispensable pudding ingredient,

Mrs H says it does traditionally have a lot of suet and sugar, but because we both have a weight problem and I'm diabetic, she does it that way.  I guarantee they are excellent and IMO taste no different from others I've had.

probably cinnamon, cloves, allspice and cardamom in diminishing proportions

She says fine, but also a little nutmeg, coriander and ginger.

The ingredients-freak in me gets a big grin at the specificity of the first three ingredients, which some people would just read as 'raisins, raisins, raisins' (currants are a distinct beast, but really are just dried grapes of a certain variety, not blackcurrants, AFAIK).

She says they do make a difference.

You will understand that only Mrs H and you understand this.  I am the man who did for cooking what Idi Amin did for hang-gliding.

[Aggie]

Lovely job on the reduction of sugar and suet - this is right up my family's alley (well, me and mum anyhow, I'm sure dad would be fine with beef fat).

My error on omitting the ginger!  That was an obvious blunder.  The nutmeg is accounted for in the recipe, so I didn't consider it; coriander is one of my favorite spices but I associate it more with savoury dishes. I will make sure to include it in the mix.

OK, I'm putting this on the 'definite' list for this year.

[Sibling DavidH]

The nutmeg is accounted for in the recipe

Oops!  Bit of a blunder there, I'm sure you don't have to put in two lots.

I really hope it turns out well for you.  :crossedfingers:

[Opsa]

It looks gorgeous, too. Thank you for the recipe!

Griffin, doesn't your local IKEA store have a food section? We have them here. There's the cafe, but there's also a little Swedish grocery just beyond the cash registers.

[Griffin NoName]

They didn't last time I visited one. But, that was years ago, so who knows, they may now. I am so retro!

[Aggie]

The nutmeg is accounted for in the recipe

Oops!  Bit of a blunder there, I'm sure you don't have to put in two lots.

I really hope it turns out well for you.  :crossedfingers:

Not at all - I presume the mixed spice is a premade blend, and a little extra nutmeg is needed for the pudding, so it's not actually redundant unless you are doing it the long way about like I will be.   It's analogous to putting poultry seasoning plus sage in the turkey stuffing, or chili powder plus cumin in (non-authentic) chili.

[Lindorm]

Swato. that little poem had me almost falling out of the chair!

I'll see if I can finish the Meatball Treatise sometime this weekend.

[Sibling DavidH]

Yes, Swato, I should have given you a few LOLs for that poem.  Sorry, I was carried away by puddings.

Far less subtle, but also fun, Is Tom Lehrer's  Christmas Carol.

[Swatopluk]

Then there is this classic:
http://www.yolanthe.de/aktuell/advent/adv-loriot.htm