SO? HOW DID OUR CHRISTMAS GO?

So now it's those few days after Christmas, when all that is left to do is clear up, take down the decorations and eat all of the the left-overs.
Well, for those of us lucky enough not to have to work these horrible days between the two festivities that's all there is to do anyway. I used to hate being in the office over this period when I was in the corporate world, it just seemed so pointless.

Our Christmas dinner was delicious. perfectly cooked Turkey, wonderful roast potatoes, gorgeous fresh Brussels sprouts, carrots, and parsnips (served both roasted separately and boiled and mashed together), homemade sage and onion bread stuffing balls, pork stuffing loaf, cranberry sauce, homemade gravy AND the most spectacular homemade Yorkshire puddings that were so light and fluffy they grew like Dr Who monsters in the oven!!!





With Christmas Crackers, silly hats, stupid jokes and tokens and a fantastic Romanian light red wine to wash it all down it was a fantastic meal for this most special day of the year.
Our long and arduous planning and preparation for Christmas served us well, and was all very worthwhile.
Our Boxing Day meal was the one we promised ourselves of cold turkey, cold ham, mashed potatoes and pickles, and ooooh those pickles, they are absolutely delicious. The chutney is sweet and sour and perfectly balanced, the onions crisp and tangy, and the picallili is perfect. I will never ever buy another jar of shop bought pickles again, they were perfect, and making them wasn't that difficult at all!
They were also perfect with our tangy blue cheese, cheddar and crackers that we can now source locally (and thank you Romfoody for reminding me that they were there!)
We have even given a couple of jars to Romanian friends and neighbour's  who have become real fans of this mustardy tangy treat filled with crispy vegetables and they love it with their Mici in place of the usual sweet American style mustard.

With the left overs we have made a wonderful turkey soup as well as a turkey, ham and stuffing pie, and both are deliciously different from the meals that gave them reason for their existence.
Accompanied by the bell from the church on the hill, constantly hearing 'Craciun Fericit' from all the other villagers when we saw them in the street, and with some snow remaining on the ground, it really did make it the perfect Christmas.
Who needs all of the gifts, the expense and the total chaos of the Christmas 'festivities' we had back in the UK? Certainly not us.
A couple of trips down to the local bar to be with our friends helped a lot too, except I forgot my resolve not to mix Ţuică with beer!........always a mistake.
Looking back at my blogs I have realised how much I have written about food and booze recently. Suppose it shows what I consider to be important, and one look at my figure would confirm the same! 
I should really get back to writing some more informative ones though and continuing to try and spread the message about this beautiful country and the wonderful people and children we work with at Volunteer Romania.

Actually we are working hard now, trying to use the best of social media just to spread the word about what Volunteer Romania do and to attract the volunteers the children so badly need here.
Looking forward to the New Year now too, and the promise of better things that 2013 will bring, including all the wonderful new people that we will meet, and who will leave their mark on our hand print wall too, as well as the old friends who we know are coming back.



Steve

www.volunteerromania.co.uk
www.holiday-romania.co.uk