Yule Time
In the old days none of us children went to ski in a fashionable resort. We made our own winter sports by using the snow on the terrifying steep road from the top of the cliffs ending up in the town centre. We used our “derrières” and gravity did the rest. There was very little traffic and in any case that particular road, once covered with snow or ice, was impassable even to the most daring motorist. We always landed ungracefully in front of the most famous cafés in
The walk back up the cliff was tough. The real danger lied ahead.
Our backsides were already red from the snow but we had to stand to attention in front of Gran who inspected our butts for any damage to clothing. If there was so much as a suspicion of a tear in the cloth our backsides got redder. Children did not take their parents or grandparents to Court for abuse in those days.
If some members of the family or close friends were invited to partake the humble Christmas Eve diner they always brought three things: some bread, their own napkins (cloth not paper) and a log to keep the fire going. Quite a good arrangement. This is the origin of the Xmas Yule log. All the houses had an open fireplace or an old fashioned kitchen range. The company was sure to be kept warm that evening, to have plenty of bread to soak up the traditional black or white pudding and there was very little washing and ironing to do in the morning. Everybody took their napkins back with them at the end of the feast. What a perfect idea.
Unfortunately open fires have disappeared to be replaced by aircon or central heating. Not quite the same atmosphere and it would be stupid to bring a log to put on top of a radiator..
As for the Yule log it can be seen unfortunately in all pastry shops come this time of the year. It usually is an elaborate contraption hiding a poor biscuit dough covered in chemical chocolate or coffee cream. All the little decorative gadgets, like gnomes, gold axes, mushrooms, knots in the bark are there to distract you from the sad fact that this industrially produced cake is a piece of garbage.
The other day I succumbed to a rare household virus: trying to sort out the ever invading army of books. As per usual I became engrossed in the first book I laid my hands on. It is a wonderful cookery book written by Edouard de Pomiane. Born in Paris of Polish immigrants he became one of the leading cooks in . He deplored the industrialisation of cooking in and offers in his book “Cooking with Pomiane” a simple but delicious recipe for a Yule log. It does not have to be eaten just at Christmas (sorry, holiday time). Chestnuts are on sale all through the winter.
For 6 portions you will need:
1 kilo of chestnuts
150gms of dark chocolate
150gms of caster sugar
150gms of butter
2 or 3 hazelnuts
icing sugar.
With a very sharp knife make an incision round each chestnut starting at the base, passing over the point and down the base again. Wash the chestnuts, put them in cold water and bring to the boil for a minute only. Drain and refresh under cold water. The shells will come off easily when squeezed. Put the nuts back in cold water and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and dry them in a cloth. Put them through a Mouli and add the sugar. Grate the chocolate and melt it in very little water. Stir. When creamy add the butter and let it melt. Pour over the chestnuts and work together with a wooden spoon until you have a tepid mass. Form into a ball and place on a large piece of greaseproof paper. By using your two hands work the paper so the ball becomes a cylinder. Place the whole thing in the fridge overnight. Slip the cylinder onto a dish, make streaks with a fork to simulate the bark, stick the hazelnuts into the trunk to look like knots and sprinkle the whole thing with icing sugar.
This is an excellent and cheap pudding for the winter. The only tedious task is to peel the chestnuts. Do not be tempted to use tinned ones. They have no flavour and are very watery. You would end up not with a log but with a bog.
And here we are again at the dawn of another year. 2008 has not been a brilliant one and I cannot see signs of rejoicement in the cards of 2009. At least we know that it will be the year of political correctness. We shall have to watch our p´s and q´s and check our vocabulary. Did you know that “manhole”, as in cover, will be banned? As I can’t see it being turned into “womanhole” I suppose that our building infrastructure will be pitted with “personholes”. “Indian summer” will be an expression of the past. “Effing hot for this time of the year!” will not have the same romantic connotations. After the excesses of the festive season ten out of ten that most of us will have developed a slight “gut”. This is not politically correct. We shall have developed “a liquid grain facility”.
“Get lost!!! You scream. Ah.. Not so. “Go and investigate alternative destinations” will be eagerly accepted.
Good luck to all of us in this uncertain and loopy world.
JOCELYNE
