Trying to decipher what to do and eat in this transitional period before festive season
What day is it? As far as I know it's November 15th at around 2pm. It's that weird time of the year when Halloween has finished and Remembrance Day has passed but it's too early for Christmas.
The ads have already started and the stores have already turned from Orange to Red but I am left wondering what to do. I wonder to myself if I should be doing something for a holiday or organizing something or making something because it's almost December? I am currently in a state of bewilderment.
I am thinking next weekend is an appropriate time to buy a tree...I guess? For some reason the past couple weeks have felt a bit blue for me, so I'm looking for things to cheer me up.
As most of you might know, I usually do shift type of work. Very early mornings and sometimes very late nights. Sometimes I wake up wondering what day it is or what time it is and if I need to be at work. The constant anxiety of wondering if I need to be somewhere is probably the reason why I feel anxious about just sitting here, thinking about things like the appropriate time to put up a Christmas tree.
Maybe I'm also anxious because it is coming to the end of 2024 and I begin to think about the year I have had and what could have been different. Maybe it's the time change and constant state of darkness as you leave the house. I work in an indoor environment, so the only time I see the sun at this time of year is usually on my days off.
In the case that Christmas is inevitably coming at some point I have started to look forward to a few things. Mainly Christmas markets, food and festive themed bars filled with cocktails and mulled wine.
I had a chance to go to a few Christmas Markets in Europe in 2011 and I will never forget the feeling of being in those places during that time. I had a chance to attend the market in Munich and Innsbruck and drink mulled wine of the the cute mugs.
I do look forward to meals around the table and cooking together with others. I love when a house smells of something cooking and is warm. I love being welcomed into a home with a glass of something and someone giving me a hug.
This year I am planning to make a big lasagna like my grandparents used to do and have the house full of family for a big dinner. It's not often I am off and willing to cook a big dinner, so this is obviously an ambitious thought.
Here is something I made last year that was a pretty big hit with the family. It is basically puff pastry filled with goat cheese, nuts and cranberry sauce. I used a small knife to make it look like a tree and brushed it with some egg wash and finished it with Zaatar seasoning. I baked it until golden brown at 325F and it turned out beautiful. The pastry is store bought naturally and it could have also been made the day before and baked on the day later.
The extra bits make it a perfect snack before the big dinner comes.
I am looking forward to creating more items like this, this year so look out for recipes and steps to come. For now, I'll make a pot of tea, watch something funny on tv and look forward to the next day I have off to relax and unwind.
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