Christmas

This is my first Christmas away from home and from my family, which is a bummer.  I've brought over a tradition from home - Christmas cookies from the Joy of Cooking (recipe at bottom) that I used to make with my mom- and stared a new one - making sloe gin and sloe gin royale (recipes at bottom).  Since I no longer have Thanksgiving as a barometer to let me know when it is appropriate to start preparing for Christmas, I made my first batch of Christmas cookies mid- November. #yolo.

Christmas cookies

Sloe gin Royales in gold leaf goblets from Essex antique shop

In an attempt to be smart, Sam and I bought solar powered Christmas lights to go over our front door.  Unfortunately, we didn't take into account the fact that our house is terraced in such a way that prevents the front of our house from getting any sun.  The lights go on for about 30 seconds a day but at least they aren't wasting electricity.

Sad, eco-friendly lights

Luckily, the Christmas tree and other indoor decorations are much more sufficient.

Silver plated tray from Royston charity shop,  candles from Ikea, golden acorn candles and baubles from Tesco, holly cut while walking the dog

Tree with lights, star, and decorations from local garden center

Fenway impersonating Santa 

Stocking from The Factory Store hanging on a hand-make oak mirror, advent calendar from a German colleague

Hearing about the glorious snow back home while in England all I'm getting is a dreary mist isn't ideal but I'm still hopeful for a white Christmas.  Worst case, there will be no snow but plenty of cookies and gin.


Recipes

Christmas Cookies - Rich Roll Cookies from the Joy of Cooking

• 1 cup of butter
• 2/3 cups of sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups of sifted flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp lemon (optional, but what I do)

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Beat in egg and vanilla
3. Add salt, flour, and lemon rind
• Using your hands to get everything mixed properly is a bit easier than just using a spoon
4. Chill dough for 3-4 hours
5. Preheat over to 350 degrees
6. Roll and cut cookies
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes

Sloe Gin

• About 500g of sloes
• Best to pick them when they're soft and ripe. No need to wait until the first frost because freezers exist and you can put the sloes in yours overnight- just defrost before getting started
• 225g sugar
• 1 liter of gin
• Glass jar(s) with lid(s)

1. Use a clean needle to prick some of the sloes (allows the flavor to go into the gin more quickly but freezing the berries should split the skin, which has the same effect)
2. Pour in gin and sugar, seal jar(s) and shake
3. Leave jar(s) somewhere cool and dark but that you won't forget about and shake every 1-2 days for 1-2 months.
• I left my first jar for a month and it came out very nicely but I'm saving the second to have on Christmas
4. Strain the sloe gin through a strainer or muslin into a clip-top bottle

Sloe Gin Royal

• Sloe gin
• Champagne

1. Pour yourself a glass of champagne
2. Add a bit of gin at a time until you like how it tastes