First things first! I loved all the responses to my Christmas memories blog.
I loved the recipes, the scout reindeer, the horrible artificial floral arrangement that never stopped being given, the recipes, Liz's gingerbread, tales of scungilli and charity baskets, the last minute bestest gift, the singing, the candies, the trees, home made breads, warm hearths and hopes and expectations. Your memories sad and glad... you guys are truly something wonderful.
But as I promised, I got all random on you, and so if Nina P. will kindly send me her real snail mail addy, a Christmas Anthology will go to her.
And now, for this one day after Christmas report, I have glad wishes for all of you to take with you into the shiny New Year. A caution and a admonition:
Go for it! This festive week, when you go to a dinner, or a cocktail party, or a family get- together, do NOT deprive yourselves.
Have the chocolate whizzies, the gummy snabbles, the vanilla coated razzles and the iced Booton berry cake. Partake deeply of the roast beasts, the fricasseed squabbles, the fried patty cakes, the top Belly Up stew. Dip your breads in the battered gravy, loosen your belts and try the trussled nodcocks, and don't forget a nice big slice of the Munced Pie! Pile flavored greases on the fatatoes, and drink all the spirits, nogged or not. It's Holiday Time.
Diets will be with us always, so don't deprive yourselves this joyous time of year.
I tell you this because I had to cancel all my Christmas plans because of a tum that went on the bum. I've had ginger ale and toast, not a sniff of roast. Gas-X and Tylenol instead of punch from the bowl. My desserts have been mush, not Stromberry crush; of the forty nine fried fishies of Christmas Eve there wasn't a taste, what a waste! My Beouf du Chine, my very own dish? I wish.
Even gingerbread. Not a crumb made it to my bed. Do not even speak to me of crandleberries, in fact, don't dare whisper a tasty syllable.
I would have killed for a much maligned fruitsycake, I'd have eaten anything you could bake.
If I could have. I had none of the above.
I had, instead, a flu, a fluke, a cruel pain in the belly, and so, not even one snitch of jelly.
But I devoured your memories - thank you one and all. So since I know too well that Fate might have a bug in store, I urge you to eat until you can't anymore!
To you dear friends I earnestly wish a Happy New Year, a prosperous, healthy one too...filled with yummies and Hullabaloo!
Now go - eat. Do not stint!