Chrissy Drinks

tried on Christmas day

2009 Debortoli Windy Peak Pinot Noir, 2 for $20, 12.5% alc
From their Victorian operation, I do believe. I picked this wine as I knew I was driving after lunch, so decided on a lower alcohol red that would go with the obligatory ham.  Whilst I am no pinot afficionado, I reckon this was bang on what I wanted from Santa.  A nice, soft, easy drinking red wine, with a bit of red fruits, a whiff of something more complex, all wrapped in a nice little bit of vanillary oak.  It's low alcohol kept me in good shape for the evening's drinking.

4 Pines Pale Ale, sample, unknown alc.

I didn't manage to check the finer details of the ales, but I'd say this is a fair pale ale, without hitting any great heights.  It's reasonably bitter, with a touch of wheat to assist in palate roundness, and even a little sweetness.  Hops are present without overloading the package.  Worth trying for lovers of English style pale ale.

Mountaingoat Hightail Ale, sample, ? alc

An amberish style ale, with a touch of hop for bitterness. More a malt driven style with dryish finish.  Suitable for lovers of the James Squire amber and golden ales

Williams Pale Ale, sample

Have tried this a few times, really dig this beer.  Has a touch of wheat in the grain bill, the organic malt adds a European style to the ale, it appears to be almost like a Belgian wit beer without the cloudiness.  There is lemon on the nose, but palate reminds me of oranges, as if it has been infused with a little orange peel, Hoegaarden style.  Whilst not the same, it takes me back to sipping ales in a pub in Ghent.

4 Pines Stout, sample

I liken this to a roast malt porter, no as much chocolate as a porter, but not as bitter as a true stout.  Roast malt character is definitely present, but to be as good as the best, needs more hop aroma and hop bitterness as it goes down.  Still, not bad.

Christmas Tips and Ideas from the Experts

Maggie Beer, Cook/Food Enterprise Barossa Valley
Christmas Menu

Roasted Turkey and Chicken with Stuffing
Salad (your choice)
Raspberry Jelly made with Sparkling Shiraz Wine (for the adults) and Apple Juice (for the children)
Traditional Christmas Pudding

• Be organised, and relax
• Prepare stuffing for poultry and the jelly the day before
• Use the best possible ingredients you can get your hands on: organic, free range poultry.
• For cooking turkey, cook in an oven bag for the first 2 hours in a moderate oven, 170degC, then split the bag open, collect the juices and put in the fridge. Skim the fat off and you can serve it warmed up.
• For the remaining cooking time (20min-30min depending on size), brush the breast of the turkey with olive oil, and brown in the oven, with the oven turned up to 200deg C.
• Rest poultry - turkey/chicken upside down for 20 minutes.
• The jelly is made up to 2 days before with 3 punnets of raspberries, Sparkling shiraz boiled to give off the alcohol, sugar added and cooled, with gelatine leaves added.  I'm guessing a whole bottle goes in this!  Adjust with sugar to taste  (I would probably use about 1/2 -3/4cup).  Gelatine leaves probably 3?  Anyway cool it all and bung in the fridge for Christmas day.
• If cooking a turkey breast only, use the skin of a ham to cover the breast and stop it drying out.  Alternatively a muslin cloth well brushed with melted butter will do the job.

Leo Schofield Food Critic

Baked Ham

His recipe for glazed ham comes from the late Joan Campbell (another top Australian cook)

• Preheat the oven to 150deg C
• Make a syrup from a small can of pineapple juice, 1/4 cup sherry, 500g brown sugar heated on stove until sugar dissolved
• Skin the ham and massage into the fat a small jar of English mustard (or French if u prefer)
• Dust all over with powdered cloves, completely covering it.
• Pour the glaze around the ham, not over it, and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour
• Baste frequently for another hour until a rich golden brown toffee like glaze is obtained
• Serve with homemade chutneys or pickles.
• I have made this before and put the glaze over the top, it goes too brown and burns easily. next time I will do it this way

Lyndey Milan, Food Writer and Cook

• She cooks her turkey in the bbq-oven, using the skin from a ham as a cover  for the breast, which keeps it moist.  She puts the bird on a rack in an oven tray with water in the bottom.  I do this as well when roasting in a regular oven. Helps keep meat moist.

Ben Shewry, Owner/Chef Attica Restaurant Melbourne

• recommends making a fresh lemonade of fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup and lots of white rum.  Served over ice with mint leaves. Now that is the way to start off the festivities!!!

With reference to an article in The Weekend Australian December 18-19 2010 and heard on ABC radio this morning :0

Pre-Christmas Pudding

Pre-Christmas Pudding

Okay, it is still November, I couldn’t wait..
This is a steamed fruit pudding recipe, that turned out rather well J
Ingred’s
700g mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, sultanas, peel)
1 cup dark rum
2 cups plain flour
1 cup dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar has a better taste for this recipe
1 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp mixed spice
125g melted butter
½ cup flaked almonds
1.5 cups hot water
　
Mix together fruit, rum in a large bowl and let sit for a while - overnight is best. But it doesn’t matter if u don’t have the time.
Add flour, sugar, almonds and mixed spice
Melt butter in the hot water on stove, dissolve bicarb soda in, it’ll fiz up
Add liquid to dry ingredients, mix thru
The pudding should be like a cake batter consistency (its basically a cake mixture without the eggs). If it looks too runny, add a touch more flour, or water if a bit dry.
Pour the pudding batter into a greased pudding basin or pudding steamer (bought at homeware shops). If you are using a basin, top with baking paper and foil and tie up with string around the lip of the basin. Tie a little handle so u can pull it out.
Place in a large pudding basin/steamer in a large pot, sit it on a small upside down plate and fill with water until it just touches the bottom of the basin. Place lid on the pot so it can steam.
Steam for 4 hours. Check and adjust the water level with boiling water halfway thru.
If you are making this for Christmas Day, leave for 2-3 weeks in the fridge and then steam for 2 hours on the day.
Serves 4-6
Serve with Brandy Custard