Advent 2

Tags

CANCER, Christmas, cookies, PEI, Tourtiere

So again this week has been busy with many chores and events, Will’s health, my return from a 48 hour trip to Halifax and then attending to finding the food formula for Will, that was an adventure. Several companies make this injectable formula and it is a big seller for patients. Abbott is one company and the other manufacturer is Nestlé. So the product is now sold in cartons instead of metal cans. Because of this conversion from one container to another a delay in Canada is happening and the product will be available again on 15 December. What do you do in the meantime, that is anyone’s guess. Luckily the Cancer centre was able to help us out and we can substitute for the time being to another similar product. We were caught short and the nutritionist mentioned also that with Winter storms on the Island the bridge which is the only link to the rest of Canada in Winter can close for a day or two due to very high winds. This means that you should always stock up on essentials in Winter, just in case.

The weather is still very mild, no snow in the forecast and I think that this year will be like last year, the snow will be very late probably in January. When prior to Climate Change just a few years ago, snow would arrive by early November or sometimes late October. This Winter we are having the Canada Winter Games so we will need snow and cold weather, not rain and mild weather which is likely now.

Today we made Tourtiere, which is a very old Canadian recipe from the 17th Century and extremely popular at this time of the year. Originally it was game meat from the hunt, usually from a bird called Tourte. Nowadays it is a mixture of beef, veal, pork. Everyone has a family recipe but it is a variation on a similar theme. Mine has no beer and no potato in it. If you go on YouTube look for Food Wishes with Chef John, he has an excellent recipe for Tourtiere.

I also want to make a shortbread with pistachio and orange peel. Again it is an old recipe and the New York Times has a recipe this weekend, however theirs has chocolate in it, mine does not. A good cookie does not need chocolate.

Recipe for Shortbread Orange Pistachio, Cranberry

Orange Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies have the perfect balance of butter, orange zest, cranberries, and pistachios. 

They are tender and melt in your mouth with a lovely flavor. I love that the dough can be made a few days ahead of time so you can pull out and slice enough to enjoy each day, but they also store wonderfully in an airtight container.

First remove the zest from 1-2 large Oranges. I like using a vegetable peeler and then scraping any excess white pith off the zest with a sharp knife. 

This allows a little bit larger pieces of Orange Zest than using a zester.

Chop Zest finely.

Cream together: 

• 1 cup Butter
• 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Orange Zest
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt

Until well combined.

Add 3/4 cup Dried Cranberries and 3/4 cup Pistachios, and mix until well combined.

Stir in 2 cups All-Purpose Flour just until combined, being careful not to over mix.

Divide cranberry shortbread dough into 2. Shape into 2 logs 2″-2 1/4″ thick and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour

Slice Orange Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies 1/4″ thick and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake cookies in a 350 degree oven for 16-18 minutes until edges are just lightly brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet to ensure centers are well cooked and crispy.

We also made the tree today, however this year because of Will’s being unwell we have downsized the whole Xmas affair, so we went from an 8 foot tree to a 3 foot tree. The tree is also decorated with ornaments we have been collecting for 44 years and we are using cloisonné balls because of their small size instead of the usual sterling silver balls.

For Christmas dinner instead of turkey or goose, I will have Cornish hens and dessert will be the traditional plum pudding flaming. A friend of Will’s sent him one from Vancouver. Again usually he would make his own but he does not have the energy this year.

End of the Year

Tags

Christmas, covid, life, Rome, winter

Well on Wednesday, Will was not feeling well and he wanted to get tested for Covid, the clinic is in the old Federal garage by the bridge and next to the race track, just a 5 minute car drive. We went, I was expecting crowds, there was about 100 cars in front of us but the line was moving quickly. So the procedure is simple you can either walk in from the street, the test is given to you and you are out in 6 minutes. We came by car and so it took 90 minutes to get tested and the results are posted online at the PEI Health Dept. you can access the confidential results by entering your health card number. If you are positive you will get a phone call for a second test and to give contact information. It’s free and it’s easy and why not for peace of mind. I am feeling fine and have no symptoms but we live together and so we should both get the test. Later in the day we checked online and we are both negative. Will was happy and relieved.

The Weather continues to be mild in a very strange fashion, more like early Spring mild than end of December. Out West in Prairies and the West Coast they are freezing to death -45C to -50C and lots of snow which is completely out of character for them. The joke is that British Columbia got too much snow and they phone PEI to say, please come and get this snow delivered to us by mistake, it’s yours come and pick it up.

So our New Year’s Eve will be very quiet, no parties, no get together, just quiet dinner at home for the two of us. I wish to remain positive that 2022 will be better, there is no point in feeling maudlin, despite the news which is over dramatic. True that our little province today Thursday has 169 cases with again is absolutely not good, but no one in hospital, symptoms in most cases are mild. Boosters are being given out like candy on appointment. It’s not funny to live with this but it is a new normal for me anyways. Looks like kids are not going back to school and the University has already switched to online teaching.

Those who are sick are in the population were either not vaccinated or had one vaccination only. Many were children who now can get their vaccination but we still have a lot of parents who hesitate.

Winter here continues to be so mild that it feels like Europe, in fact some cities like Berlin have more snow than us in Charlottetown. The river is not frozen, no skiing, no ice for skating, so it is just cold -5C and humid. Life goes on.

A small Piazza in front of an old Palace in Rome, an area we walking in many times, so pleasant. Christmas in Rome was always so wonderful and full of lights and delights.

Some good news

Tags

Christmas, Dachshund, Food, life, refrigeration

Well today we had some good news despite it all. I had an appointment for Nicky at the Vet to check on his eyes and the ulcers that had developed about 2 months ago due to the dryness of his eyes. With treatment and care and eye drops daily, the Vet confirmed that the ulcers are gone and he is not in pain over them. So that is a relief though his cataracts will get worse because of his age, at the moment he is fine. With this treatment Nicky has managed to grow very lazy and expects now cookies for almost anything and needs to be lifted and petted and talked sweetly non stop. He like most Dachshund is very good at manipulating silly humans like us. The vet is constantly telling us to be on the look out for this type of behaviour, because they learn very quickly and then it is difficult to break, much pouting and sad looks not to mention sighs. Yes he is a little monster but he is our monster.

The other good news today, the fridge appears to have been fixed and working properly, so we can move the contents back from upstairs into it. This little contre temps allowed us to clean out the fridge properly. Tomorrow we will start de-freezing the turkey which is hard as a rock right now. Only 2 guests coming for Xmas day Lunch and 2 more for Boxing Day Dinner.

I also had my haircut today for Xmas and went over to Government House to see the Lieutenant Governor to wish her happy Christmas, she was listening to the Premier and the Chief Medical Officer announcing the new health measures and restrictions, people feel very badly about this right now and with reason. We have no choice, it is a matter of public health.

She had in the Salon d’Honneur this 15 foot Christmas tree, she told me that she ordered it back in October, it is quite beautiful and I am probably one of the very few people to have seen it this year, since the Official Residence is closed unless you have official business.

It was a very bright sunny day today and despite being the first day of Winter it really was not that cold at all. In other words it did not feel like Winter at all.

Government House, Charlottetown, PEI

Memories of Xmas past

Tags

Cairo, Christmas, Egypt, life, Rome, Santa

I came upon some photos of years ago one is of Cairo in 1991 Christmas. I was talked into being the Santa for all the kids at the Canadian Embassy. With the children of our local Egyptian staff and the Canadian colleagues children, there was about 60 kids.

I remember getting dressed in the Santa’s costume at my home in Zamalek and then being driven to the party. On the street Egyptians were waiving, Hello Santa. Such a popular guy, the party went on for hours and the kids were super excited and I was exhausted, parents were happy. We had great fun and this is one of my best memories of Cairo.

Cairo at Christmas was festooned with multicoloured lights and you would think that being a majority Muslim country there would be no festivities. However while in Egypt I discovered that the Virgin Mary is honoured in Islam as being chosen by God to be the mother of the prophet Jesus. Egyptians also love a good celebration and a laugh.

Of course during our time in Egypt, we got to ride camels and I can tell you that it is not comfortable if you do not know how to sit properly.

This photo from 1991 is of my late colleague Jim Gould who took over from me as Santa, the brave fellow. I did manage to fool his daughter in 1990 when I was Santa and I wonder if he also was able to do this, the kid was a sharp observer.
My colleague Bill with the camera in the background and his wife Janet. Two of our local staff feeding the beast. People are dressed against the cold, despite what people may think Winters in Egypt can be cold, around 10C in the day time and much colder at night.

This picture of me and Diana, the president of the Canadian Club in Rome at our Club Xmas party in 2010. In Rome we always had such elegant parties and so much fun.

Christmas in Ottawa in 1980 our first apartment and our tree. The young days.

Us today, Summer of 2021 in PEI.

Just a few more days

Tags

Christmas, covid, Omocron, PANDEMIC, panic, PEI, Potatoes

This past week we have been thrown back to March 2020. PEI was doing very well in terms of cases and the pandemic, few cases and no hospitalizations, people followed the rules with few exceptions. On Wednesday we suddenly had 10 new cases, all related to travel off Island. Thursday another 10 cases and one Omicron, Friday 31 cases and a second Omicron case. This was the highest number of new cases ever, panic sets in, people are in disbelief, Chief Medical Officer gives a public news conference in such cases and tells islanders through Facebook live that this is very serious and ominous, the live comments had to be shut off, the abusive languages of a chorus of Karens and other idiots was beyond the pale. The narrative of their comments was, that the Chief Medical Officer was stealing their Xmas and the poor children would be scarred for life by this trauma. This is what I dislike so much about today’s public debate, the children are always used as a stick. Also this week the on-going ban of PEI Potatoes from USA markets due to a fungus. This is not a trade dispute but about plant safety, the two farms involve happen to belong to Cavendish Corp. a branch of the powerful IRVING corp. Again farmers who are facing ruin are asking for help because the children do not understand what is going on. I find that using the children as an excuse has become the weapon of the cowards who have nothing to say.

Talking of potatoes, the investigation done by soil sample will take until 2023 to have final results. This will have an impact on the economy of the Island but then again maybe an incentive to switch to other cultures.

So in a matter of a few hours, any public activity was cancelled and private gathering is limited to 10 people including the hosts and it has to be the same people not a constant mix of people. Schools are now closed for the Holidays BUT as the Premier said it is not known now if they will reopen on 8 January 2022. It very much depends on what will happen in terms of infection rate. All of this in PEI was caused by one University Student who went to a party at St-Francis Xavier Univ, in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The Student Union who organized the party without proper protocols has been fined.

For PEI we have a total of 73 active cases out of a total population of 160,000. That statistically is a lot for us, given our very limited medical infrastructure.

For us, well we already had made our plans for Christmas so it is very low key and quiet. So not much worry, we stay home, we will see about 6 people during the period, we know them all.

We finished the decoration of the tree and Will is putting the final touches to our Christmas food, we have our gifts for our friends done, just a small token, but a long tradition.

So despite it all, life continues…

For all the cry babies out there, there have been much worse times in the past and I offer you this image.

Booster

Tags

Booster shot, Christmas, covid, Dickens, Health, Rome

It seems that everyday I will have some chores or this or that matter to attend to, today was no different. Yesterday our Chief Medical Officer announced that a first case of Omicron had been found on the Island, this led to new restrictions and created a wind of panic in the population. Those most at risk are of course the unvaccinated and they are the ones now getting sick. Among them of course are people who fail to follow any guidelines on hygiene or public health measure. What is truly sad is the number of people who are ill with cancer and other serious conditions who are displaced for the covid cases. There is still about 10% of the population which is not vaccinated and still refuse to get vaccinated despite the proven risks. So why should the Government pay attention to them, they took a risk let them suffer the consequences, do not penalize others who need care. The problem is compounded in Provinces with Conservative government who make no effort to ensure the populations safety and prefer to blame the Prime Minister with false accusations and conspiracy theories.

I went to see my pharmacist today and got our appointment for our booster shot, so I am looking forward to that. It was not difficult to arrange, we have quite a few options to get the booster. It is encouraging to see so many people making appointments.

In the meantime we have to modify our activities at the Club and postpone any Holiday celebration, better safe than sorry.

We still have to complete the decorations for the Holiday Season, I think we will do that in the next few days.

I learned today that the modern Myth of the White Christmas or the idea that we must have snow at Christmas was influenced by the writings of Charles Dickens who was born in 1812 and for the first 8 years of his life in Portsmouth witnessed 8 years of snowy Christmases.

It made an impression on him and we can read it in his books and the public fell in love with this notion. In many countries where I have lived December or Winter is warm or if cold not sufficiently to induce snowfalls.

ROME, Piazza Venezia

Activities

Tags

Canada, Christmas, creche de noel, Luzzatti, Messiah, Movies

We have a nice little cinema in town which shows foreign films and films that the big corp like Cineplex would never show. We saw The French Dispatch by Wes Anderson. He also made another favourite of mine, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

The film is inspired by Anderson’s love of The New Yorker, and some characters and events in the film are based on real-life equivalents from the magazine. One of the three stories centres on the May 68 student occupation protests, inspired by Mavis Gallant’s two-part article “The Events in May: A Paris Notebook”. A good fun movie to see and very attentive to details, brilliant dialogue, just loved it. The film features Liberty, Kansas, pop 87, counterpart is a French City, in this case Angouleme.

Today got up and went to the bakery to get bread which they bake early each morning, I also got some croissant stuffed with ham and cheese. Put up the Christmas tree, while Will made a Mincemeat pie. We will decorate the house tomorrow and the tree gets decorated once Will has polished the Christmas balls from Neiman Marcus. Same routine each year. This year we decided to put up the Crèche or Presepio of the Turin artist Emanuele Luzzatti (1921-2007) who created these three dimensional Christmas scene which are very famous. We received ours in 2009 while living in Rome, but rarely used it. We usually use a crèche we bought in Poland in 1998 hand sculpted by a Polish Artist.

Today we returned to the cinema to see a film entitled The Messiah Complex, the entire film is shot in all provinces and territories of our vast country. The scenes in the Yukon and at Lake Louise or in Newfoundland are breathtaking. All the artists are either Indigenous, singing in their own language, Innu, Inuktitut, Dene, also French, English, Arabic. Some choir like the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the UPEI Choir and Acadian Choir perform and the Toronto Symphonic Orchestra provides the instrumental part. A very different take on the Messiah and to hear it in all those languages is very interesting. The photography is stunning. All of it was recorded outdoors in 2020. Each native artist wear traditional garb, in the high North arctic region it is seal fur and beaded work, very beautiful. In one segment an old lady who is Muslim performs prayers, the link being that the Everlasting Father and Allah is the same God. I really liked that, having lived in the Middle East, this is my understanding of it all.

Undecorated Tree set up

Home made Mincemeat pie. Will for his crust follows some suggestions from Martha Stewart.

Birthday week

Tags

Birthday, Christmas, dogs, life

Will had his birthday and 2 cakes. The first party we had African food from Kenya prepared by Makena who has been in the catering/restaurant business for 20 years. She is also a member of our club. It was all very good. The cake was a beautiful rich buttercream cake prepared by Valerie who has done at least 6 other cakes for me over the years. This is a hobby of hers but the results are always outstanding, she is also a member of the Club. The music was done by Nathan C. and we have a special connection to him because 6 years ago when we came looking for a place to live in Charlottetown, we met Nathan through other friends of ours. He and his then wife were playing at a Club and everyone enjoys his music which is a mix of old classics and other things. He mentioned that night that he had bought a house and was moving out from his current location. We went to look at it and it was exactly what we were looking for. So this is how we found this wonderful place we live in now. We have of course kept in touch with Nathan and his new partner through the years. So I asked him to come and play at Will’s Party. It was perfect with the old fireplace giving a nice glow to the room.

Buttercream with natural vanilla paste, which gives it this yellow appearance.

On Friday the Club President threw another party for Will and all the members sang the Birthday song and he had another cake. He also raised $1000 in a Go fund me drive for the Animal Humane Shelter in Charlottetown. So all is well all around.

Today Will is making Ginger Biscotti and they are baking in the oven the smell is divine throughout the house.

Now this weekend we start the Christmas decorations and this week I will do the shopping for our Christmas Luncheon. I did not want to try out the weekend crowds, too many people a little crazy.

Next week we have one get together at our Lawyer who lives down the street from us. Then we have the Christmas dinner at the Club, there will also be entertainment.

In other news, Nicky’s cataract situation is not getting better, the vet is proposing another treatment and some radical approach and frankly we are thinking about it all. I just wonder now if I am getting the best advice for the money. Our main concern is that he not suffer in any way. More to come this week, we will see.

Two sweets for Xmas

Tags

Christmas, cooking, Holiday, life, Plum Pudding, Recipe

Today in the mail we received a wonderful gift, a tradition that started 40 years ago, when our friend J.H. started making his own high quality fruit cake soaking in brandy. Every year since we get a special fruit cake. I do not know of any other better fruit cake than the one he makes, it is a marvel and so delicious and moist. Every year without fail, we get one, even when I was posted half way around the world, it would arrive in H.M. diplomatic pouch.

So we always have one fruit cake that is one year old, kept deliciously moist by the brandy. The other one we just received we will keep till next year.

Also because last Sunday was Stir-up Sunday, it is time to make Christmas Plum Pudding and the recipe you follow is either your family’s or in our case the one favoured by King George V and used today by his grand-daughter Queen Elizabeth II. On Christmas day at lunch we will pour brandy over it and set it alight before serving with hard sauce. I especially like cold plum pudding the next morning for breakfast.

We boiled the plum pudding today and it filled the house with the most rich and delicious smell. To me this is what Christmas smells like.

It is still drizzling rain for the last 3 days and everything is a brilliant green, it is not cold, apparently Sunday will be sunny. That would be nice, we have had rain now for 6 days, with low clouds and fog.

We are also starting to plan for Christmas day lunch at home.

Our home made Xmas Plum Pudding. Delicious. Now it goes into the fridge all wrapped up until Christmas day.

Great Weather

Tags

2020, Christmas, Holidays, life, World

If 2020 for a lot of people all around our planet was a disaster year full of frustrations and disease, countless death, terrible natural disaster. This pandemic was a reminder that we are not immortal and that technology cannot solve all our consumer society problems. Many political leaders around the world have failed miserably preferring to delay and dither on what to do and focus their energy on businesses instead of public health. Now as the year ends vaccination campaigns have started and I like many others wait for my turn to get the shot.

Let us hope that 2021 will be a better year for all of us.

On CBC radio on Sunday Paolo Pietro Paolo is the host of a show devoted to classical music with a segment about forgotten composers who left beautiful compositions. Because it is the end of the year he also had his list of famous musicians and singers who died this year. He always includes artists from all around the world, from Iran, India, Poland, Italy, France, England, etc.. in the end he focuses on Canadian artists. Making us reflect on the contribution all these people made to our lives.

Today is another beautiful day, sunny and somewhat cold, no snow. Christmas day was so warm that people I know went swimming in the Ocean, it was that warm and little wind. Now that is something to talk about in future years. But with climate change I think we are in for more warmish winters. Our past Summer was hot and humid, another first for the Island and in continued into the Fall. It has been so warm, that some days we simply cut off the heat in the house and I have not brought out the big Winter wool covers. I am not complaining I much prefer a Northern European Style Winter to a Frosty Snowy Canadian one.

In our trip to Fredericton N.B. last Fall we noticed how many well stocked fine grocery stores there are. Recently I discovered that you can even get Caviar. A company called Acadian Caviar farms Sturgeons and sell the eggs and the meat, this is wonderful. WWW. ACADIAN-STURGEON.COM , this fish is quite large and given that the supply in Russia has petered out due to overfishing, other countries have developed their own. I know Iran produces very good caviar. In the Maritime Provinces several fishers have developed a market for specialty fish.

Quiet days indeed as the year ends and I really don’t mind it.

Buggy rides on Water street