Victoria's Blog

• Making Your Own Christmas Gifts

  12 December, 2009

  Not only are home made Christmas gifts well received but just about everyone, they will also be remembered long after store bought choices and, they're relatively inexpensive.
  
  This year my sister Tracey and I decided to create lots of small stocking stuffer gifts and have a stall in her driveway. We put an add in the paper and set up our Christmas stall last Saturday and had a great time.
  
  
  
  I made individual Christmas puddings and cakes, small 150ml jars of
  
  Brandy Alexander Chocolate Sauce, Caramelised Balsamic Vinegar and Tracey made Plum Sauce for ham.
  
  

  
  
  

  As she's a graphic designer, she also made preserve labels, ingredient labels for pantry storage items and bookplates.
  
  

  
  

  
  
  We also decided to have samples for buyers to taste.
  
  I had a bowl of Christmas cake and Christmas pudding and I'd made a brandy custard for dipping. We started pretty early in the morning so we had people there by 7pm. Honestly though, I really wonder where some people's heads are at. One woman came over to the table and commented "Oh you have food, what a pitty, I've already had breakfast". Of course never one to knock back an opportunity for sarcasm, I said "we're not a cafe, it's just to taste before you buy". She gave a nervous giggle and said, "well maybe next time I'll remember not to eat first". Well sweetie you'll be waiting a while, it's a CHRISTMAS STALL.
  
  I also put out crusty bread and drizzled some of the caramelised balsamic into my favourite olive oil (Bunna Bunoo from the Hunter Valley). That went down a real treat. One teenager who obviously didn't have breakfast before he came with his parents, did think it was a cafe and proceeded to stuff as much bread in as he could. He didn't worry about the oil and vinegar, too messy I suspect!!!!
  
  I'm not suggesting you hold a stall, but home made produce makes great gifts, especially for people you want to give something to but don't want to spend a lot.
  
  When I made my basic Christmas cake mixture, I got about 10-12 individual cakes out of it. That's 12 individual gifts. Not bad for one batter mixture. And with the Steamed pudding recipes I got about 15.
  
  Then we packaged them up in little cellophane bags am tied them off with gold string and Tracey designed a delightful label that we printed on clear Avery Labels then stuck on the plastic sheets you buy to back ring bound reports, then guillotined them to size. A little fiddly to create but they looked fabulous.
  
  I cooked each cake in disposable cake mould and the puddings I steamed in 125ml dariole moulds then when they were cooled, I put them into small paper moulds then into the cellophane bags and tied the same as the cakes with their own labels.
  
  Tracey also created stick on labels, again using standard Avery labels, for the sauces and caramelised vinegar.
  
  I've usually always made some part of my Christmas gifts, but this year, I decided to make all of them. It was fun, inexpensive and gave me an excuse to drink lots of champagne while I was cooking and listening to Christmas carols.
  
  If you don't want to go to the trouble of printing clear labels, peeling them off then sticking them on plastic sheets then cutting them up, you can just print the labels on an A4 sheet of stiff card then guillotine or scissor cut them up and place a small hole in the corner to thread the tie string through.
  
  Our parents, God love them, came to help and decided to sell a few things of their own. Not food or gifts, just garage sale items. They did rather well too.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Once you've made home made gifts once, you'll do it time and time again. It really is a lovely gift to give. Perfect for…
  

  • Colleagues you feel you need to give something to but don't want to spend a lot of money.
  • Your children's school teachers.
  • Friends whose house you're going to for Christmas drinks.
  • Friends you don't really like but need to buy for and don't want to spend a lot on.
  • Neighbours.
  • Suppliers or clients.

  
  You can order some of our PDF templates and create your own home made Christmas Gifts if you're so inclined.
  
  Happy Christmas cooking!
  
  
  

• The History of Christmas

  30 November, 2009

  A child discovering the delights of Christmas for the first time is presented with a wonderful array of good things: trees with sparkling lights, carol singing, rich food such as iced cakes and biscuits, presents tucked into bulging stockings and days of excitement and parties. The modern holiday is in fact a cornucopia of widely different traditions, all combined into what we think of as Christmas. Some traditions come from religious sources or social customs, while others have their origins in folklore and magic. Over the centuries, the traditions have become entwined and embellished to create a fascinating ritual.
  
  Christmas Day
  Feasts held in deep midwinter to celebrate the winter solstice, or shortest day, were common long before Christianity, and have been traced across Europe to ancient Babylon and Egypt. One of the most notable was the Roman Saturnalia, from 17 to 24 December.
  
  The Christian church chose various dates for Christ's birthday before settling finally on 25 December, a deliberate substitution for the pagan festival celebrating the rebirth of light in the winter gloom. Some of the rituals and customs used in the pagan celebrations, such as the "greening" of public buildings and houses with branches, were also rapidly absorbed by the Christian church.
  
  The Tree
  Tree worship dates back to prehistoric times, and the Christmas tree probably has pagan origins, being an evergreen and thus the one tree in the forest with the promise of survival to spring. Fir trees decorated with apples, paper flowers and candles were introduced into Britain by German immigrants, and then made popular in the 19th century by Prince Albert, the German-born husband of Queen Victoria.
  
  He also introduced decorations made from spun glass, miniature wooden toys and paper ornaments. By the end of the 19th century, decorations were being made commercially, and now most people buy mass-produced baubles, tinsel and other decorations rather than making their own.
  
  Green boughs, mistletoe and holly were all used in pagan celebrations long before the advent of Christianity. Mistletoe was particularly prized by the Celtic Druids, who believed that it warded off evil and promoted fertility. Other cultures used it too, including the Greeks and Romans, and in Norse mythology it represented peace. While holly was adopted by the Christian church - its red berries symbolizing Christ's blood - mistletoe with its powerful pagan symbolism was banned in churches, though no doorway is complete without a bunch of mistletoe or a kissing bough.
  
  Cards & Gifts
  The ancient Romans gave lavish gifts to each other during the feast days of the Saturnalia, but it took many more centuries to see a widespread adoption of this present-giving. Not until the late 19th century and the beginnings of consumerism did it become usual to give and receive gifts. Originally, these simple home-made offerings were unwrapped, but they later came to be elaborately presented in special boxes and papers to signify the season.
  
  Cards were yet another Victorian addition to Christmas. At first they were quite unseasonal in their designs, occasionally bawdy and usually sentimental. Images such as the Christmas robin and snow scenes became popular with the advent of colour printing. In 1843 Henry Cole, the director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, produced the first commercial cards. The introduction of the penny post in Britain meant that card-sending gained momentum, and people were encouraged to "post early for Christmas".
  
  The Origin of Santa
  Santa Claus, Father Christmas, St Nicholas and Sinterklaas are basically all the same person, descended from the Roman King of the Saturnalia. The original St Nicholas was a 4th-century saint. His cult became popular in the Middle Ages, and in Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands he was linked with gift-giving on his feast day, 6 December. The image of a white-bearded man in a white suit is very recent. A century ago, Santa Claus was usually depicted in a long brown robe or furs carrying a cross and wine flask with a holly crown on his head. In 1885 a Boston printer, Louis Prang, first devised the red-suited Santa and this theme was later developed by the Coca-Cola ad artist Haddon Sundblom in the 1930s, producing the modern image of a jolly character in a red suit trimmed with white fur. The reindeer that carry Santa Claus through the frosty night probably came from stories of the Norse god Woden who rode through the sky with reindeer and 42 ghostly huntsmen. Clement Moore's famous poem A Visit from St Nicholas ("Twas the night before Christmas") sealed the image of Santa Claus, his reindeer and the magical flying sleigh loaded with sacks of presents.
  
  Customs & Traditions
  There are endless games and pastimes, quirky customs and odd traditions that happen only at this time of year. Many have their origins far in the past, such as the yule log. To most people this is now a delicious chocolate cake shaped like a log of wood, but originally the yule log was dragged home from the woods with much ceremony and then lit on Christmas Eve to symbolize the sun and its warmth. A picture of a man was once chalked on the log in parts of Britain, perhaps a long-forgotten reference to ancient sacrifices made at the winter solstice. An Englishman called Tom Smith invented the tube-shaped cracker as we know it, with a fire cracker inside to produce the bang. The paper hat in the cracker may be related to the hats worn in Tudor times by the Lords of Misrule, who were the leaders of the Christmas revels.
  
  Games, singing and dancing were all seasonal entertainments and still are, albeit in very different forms. People gathered together on the dark nights of the winter solstice centuries ago and broke out into merriment and wild behaviour, fuelled with plenty of food and drink. Not much changes! Pantomimes too have a long tradition, and usually include role reversal of the sexes and of authority, and dressing-up. The modern version can be traced through Saturnalias festivities and mumming plays up to the 18th-century harlequinades.
  
  Food & Feasts
  The concentration on food and feasting at Christmas is hardly surprising - centuries ago before the days of canning and freezing it was difficult to survive the winter without stores of preserved food. Summer preserves and the last of the fresh food were brought out for a festive feast, while hardship was forgotten for a brief time of rest, celebration and merry-making. Some traditional Christmas recipes hark back to those times when foods such as dried fruit and nuts were luxuries saved for feasting. Spices and flavourings are important in many of these recipes, bringing echoes of earlier dishes in which these precious ingredients were gathered from all over the known world. Most countries have dishes that are special to this time, such as the heavy fruit cakes and round Christmas puddings from Britain, the roast goose from Germany stuffed with apples and nuts, and the spiced cakes, biscuits and breads of central Europe.
  
  Australia is of course a mixture of all traditions. With so many immigrants mingled with our own style of traditions, there really isn't any one traditional Christmas way. We all adopt our own styles depending on where we live, what is our heritage or who we spend Christmas with.
  
  Source: Ultimate Christmas by Jane Newdick (RD Press 1996)

• Let's Make Cake, Hoorah!

  19 October, 2009

  Let's make a cake my nephew said, and of course his mother obliged. Who'd have thought such a simple task to could turn into such a disaster! I won't even begin to tell you what went wrong. Needless to say, that recipe won't be used again.
  
  I'm certainly no baker myself; my mother has the franchise on that skill in our family, and her mother before her. And whilst I don't mind baking,it is definitely not my best cooking skill. So I decided to do a little research to find out what I could do to improve my technique. Here's what I discovered.
  
  The first step is to prepare. Be familiar with the recipe and make certain that you have all the ingredients on hand. Substitutionsshould never be used if you want absolute success. When you master the art however, you can become experimental, but unlike general cooking, baking really is an art, and recipesare designed specifically to work. If you vary them without a thorough understanding of what you're doing, your results will suffer. So be warned!
  
  So, to begin with, a very important point - start with a clean, dry work area. Wash your hands before you begin and make sure your utensils are in order, (sounds like an operating theatre doesn't it? Well, it's almost as precise).
  
  The first thing is to be sure you have the right equipment. This goes for every aspect of cooking really. It will make the task so much more enjoyable if you have what you need to execute it, and the right equipment goes a long way. Have a look at the equipment section of this site for a list of the basics.
  
  Here's my recommendations…

  • Good quality mixer, preferably on a stand for hands-free operation
  • A set of measuring cups for dry ingredients and glass measuring cups for liquid measure.
  • Wooden or plastic spoons for stirring and folding
  • A sifter. This handy utensil is a must if you want to bake light cakes.
  • Quality bake ware. Shiny (non-coated) aluminium is best. If possible, avoid dark coated pans and save glass bake ware for pies, not cakes.
  • Oven thermometer. Don't trust your stove to be accurate. Invest a few dollars in a good oven thermometer so you can be certain of oven temperature.
  • Measuring spoons
  • Cake tester
  • Cooling racks

  
  Proper Ingredients are Important

  • Once you've assembled your utensils, it's time to bring out your ingredients.
  • For best success with cakes, use cake flour rather than plain flour. Because it's milled finer, it bakes lighter. Check out the Lighthouse Flours by Anchor foods, their product is good.
  • If possible, use caster sugar, which is also finer than regular sugar, and if the recipe calls for brown sugar, choose dark brown.
  • Always use large eggs and for the best result be sure that the eggs are fresh, and at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before you use them.
  • Use real vanilla, not imitation, either vanilla paste or bean, or extract if you can't afford or get hold of the other.
  • Make certain everything is as fresh as possible.

  
  Foam Cakes and Creamed Cakes

  • There are two basic types of cake: foam (cakes without any type of fat) and creamed (cakes that use oil, shortening or butter ).
  • Foam cakes include angel food and sponge cakes, while creamed cakes are more common.
  • Understanding the purpose of basic ingredients also helps understand how a cake is made. Sugar and fat are added to make a tender cake while flour and eggs are the proteins that makes the cake hold together.
  • Now that you have your recipe and ingredients, you are ready to begin mixing. Always follow the order of the steps given in the recipe.
  • If asked to cream together butter (or other fat) and sugar,blend them together until a fluffy consistency is reached. This may take some time, but it's better to blend thoroughly than to not blend enough. If a recipe doesn't state a time frame, do it for at least 8-10minutes. You'll notice the difference in the finished cake from one that's been creamed for 2-3 minutes. Vanilla may also be added if it is called for, but until directed, add nothing to this mixture.
  • Eggs should be added to the creamed ingredients. Flour and other dry ingredients (baking powder, bicarb soda and salt ) should be sifted into another bowl at least once. Multiple sifting often ensures a tender texture to the cake.
  • When the dry ingredients are well sifted, they can be added to the cream mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Each addition should be blended into the batter and then beaten until smooth. Finished batter should have a consistency similar to that of pudding, neither too thick nor too thin.

  
  Baking
  When the batter has been blended, the pans should be prepared for baking. For best results, butter should be used to coat the pan or pans. An alternative method is to lightly coat the pans with vegetable shortening then dust with flour, dumping any excess before adding the batter. Cooking spray may be used, but it is not advisable for best results.
  
  Verify that the oven is at the correct temperature before placing cakes inside. Set a timer with the suggested baking time but do check the cake occasionally. A cake is done when a cake tester or toothpick is inserted into the centre and comes out clean. Do not over bake (apparent when the top of the cake begins to crack) or under bake.
  
  Place the cake on a cooling rack or racks to cool. Make certain that the cake is entirely cool before attempting to remove it from the pan. Ice (frost) if desired.
  
  With these basic guidelines, anyone can bake a cake from scratch with excellent results. There are many different varieties of cakes as there are cooks, but my Basic Cake recipe is a good place to start for any baker to start baking!