|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dear Friends both old and new
|
This newsletter is mainly to wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and to thank you all for your continued support.
|
It has been wonderful to see so many new and existing clients in Las Terrenas for Christmas and share special moments with you.
|
We have Helens Father and Aunt here for 3 weeks and a new Dog called Toby, who we have adopted from our dear friends Bruno and Ann after they rescued it from the beach.
|
I have also put details about traditional British Christmas that we continue to celebrate here in the Dominican Republic.
|
If any of you are planning a trip here even if you don't intend to purchase property, then feel free to ask us for our recommendations and advice!
|
We try to put as much information on our web pages and Blog.
We want to put on what you our special Friends require, so let us know what is missing and what you want to hear about!
|
|
Please contact Doug or Helen for anything you want or ideas for articles!
|
|
|
|
|
Toby the new arrival she is a girl the naming is due to Frederick its a long story!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's hard to imagine now, but at the beginning of the 19th century Christmas was hardly celebrated. Many businesses did not even consider it a holiday.
|
However by the end of the century it had become the biggest annual celebration and took on the form that we recognise today.
|
|
The transformation happened quickly, and came from all sectors of society.
|
Victoria and Albert gathered around the Christmas tree with their children.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Traditional British Christmas: Given by the Victorians Today, when Christmas decorations begin to appear in shops as early as summer, it seems strange to think that there was a time when the holiday was barely celebrated at all. In the earliest days of Christianity in Britain, many traditions were simply carried over from Pagan beliefs, such as celebrating the holiday …
|
|
A typical British Christmas Dinner
|
|
|
In Britain the majority of the population will sit down to a traditional Turkey dinner.
|
|
This is usually served at around 2pm after family and friends have handed out and opened the presents that would have been placed around the Christmas tree.
|
The meal will normally consist of the following items, I am a purist and have no room for additions or alterations.
|
|
Boiled potatoes in their skins or mashed potatoes
|
|
Roast Parsnips (not available in the DR)
|
|
Sausages wrapped in bacon
|
|
|
How to cook the perfect turkey according to me!
|
To some Christmas day presents itself with the nightmare of preparing and cooking the perfect bird.
|
Forget what Granny told you and all those secret family recipes my way is simple and will guarantee your turkey will be the talk of the town!
|
|
All turkey's will come with some sort of cooking guide, some may have the small pop out thermometer.
|
What's very important is to know the weight of your turkey then calculate a cooking time using 15 minutes a lb cook at 325f.
|
|
Okay so no matter what turkey you have make sure you do the following.
|
|
Remove all packaging and the bag of giblets
|
|
Wash the turkey inside and out dry with a clean tea towel.
|
|
Remove any lumps of fat from inside the turkey and discard
|
Cut off the tips of the wings these will only burn and pierce the foil
|
Place the turkey in a large roasting tin or heavy duty foil trays, I use at least 2 foil trays together inside one another, no roasting tin to wash up yippee!
|
Place the contents of the giblet bag in large pan of water and boil, this will be part of the gravy stock.
|
Do not stuff the turkey with anything this only increases the cooking time and chance of a dry bird. I don't care what anyone says about adding flavour, my Mom God rest her soul would turn in her grave but for the last 10 years of her life she eat my Christmas dinners and said each year it was her best ever!
|
|
In a pan melt butter along with several slugs of Soy sauce and black pepper, coat the turkey all over, don't worry it will look a darker colour.
|
|
Cut and onion skin and all in half and put into the tray add 1 cup of water.
|
Then cover with strong aluminium foil you may need to join foil together and double the thickness to make a piece long enough.
|
|
Then put it in the preheated oven and forget about it until half of the cooking time has elapsed, you will know this as the smell will be mouth watering.
|
Remove the turkey and carefully drain the liquid into a large pan, or the same pan that the saved giblet stock is in, this will be the foundation of your gravy.
|
|
a frozen turkey will have more liquid than a fresh so keep an eye on things and drain or add water as required, never let the pan dry out.
|
To brown the turkey remove or open out the foil for the last 30 minutes.
|
|
After the turkey is cooked you can check in the deep thigh area with a meat thermometer it should be around 180f.
|
|
Put it to rest on the side for as long as it takes to make the gravy, don't believe this nonsense about leaving it for 30 minutes.
|
I cover mine in more foil and tea towels to insulate and keep the heat in!
|
Okay so I am presuming that you have all cooked the vegetables, stuffing and the other items.
|
|
The gravy is almost as important as the turkey and you all should have a large pan full of giblet stock and the juices that you drained from the turkey.
|
|
Start by skimming off the fat i just use a large soup spoon, then put over the heat to boil taste the stock and add if required the following.
|
|
1 or 2 teaspoons of good quality vegetable bullion and the same of chicken bullion, then add Bisto gravy thickener (not the gravy granules) or corn starch mixed with cold water.
|
Add to the stock until you get a silky medium thick consistency of gravy it should coat the back of a spoon!
|
The Turkey will be ready to carve using a sharp knife then serve up as required on hot plates or use pre heated serving dishes and platters.
|
|
Don't forget the Champagne that should be served with meal!
|
Enjoy your succulent and juicy turkey dinner British style
|
|
|
|
Christmas Pudding
So you are stuffed to bursting no more room for another morsel, you feel sleepy!
|
Don't be fooled even the largest ones seem way to small to feed more than two or three people, they are so very filling and a very small serving will defeat most people.
|
|
Oh yes you can make your own like my dear Mom used to do just look at this recipe but please do not waste your time as after the making and laying down for a year then the steaming for 3 hours or more you will lose the will to live.
|
|
All over Britain in every supermarket and food shop you will see a choice of several hundred Christmas puddings. all can be cooked in 10 minutes or so using a microwave oven.
|
|
Traditionally a silver coin or charm is put into the pudding giving the lucky recipient good luck for the year, or enough money to mend a broken tooth!
|
|
The pudding is brought to the table whole and then laced with brandy and set alight a prayer said and then eaten.
|
It is served with either brandy butter, cream or custard or all three is you want.
|
|
Then later and throughout the festive season there are mince pies
|
|
|
|
|
This is by no means a complete list of items associated with a traditional British Christmas
|
I will be doing some videos of our day and cooking the turkey.
|
God Bless you all love and best wishes for us all at Beachtown Property
|
|
|
View our Web site for property listings.
Ask us for specials that are not yet listed
Please contact us with any questions
regarding property ownership, investments, living and life style!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
