Winter Holiday Thread

[pyewacket]

For Pye, fattigmannbakkels are basically angel-wings; I wonder if your family made them:

The Polish side of the family call their version of angel-wings- chrusciki. 

http://www.europeancuisines.com/node/343

The Italian part of the family made pizzelles. I made these, you need a special iron press to make them. I flavored them with either vanilla or anise. I believe they're similar to lukken.

http://www.culinaryhill.com/pizzelle-italian-cookies/

[K_Dubb]

The Polish side of the family call their version of angel-wings- chrusciki. 

http://www.europeancuisines.com/node/343

The Italian part of the family made pizzelles. I made these, you need a special iron press to make them. I flavored them with either vanilla or anise. I believe they're similar to lukken.

http://www.culinaryhill.com/pizzelle-italian-cookies/

Hahaha our krumkaker are essentially your pizzelles but with cardamom, wrapped around a cone while hot.  Funny how that stuff travels.

Albrecht got a treat if he ate his with the multekrem in them; usually they're empty.  Like eating the cone without the ice-cream.  Never made sense to me.  Sandbakkels too, like little empty tart shells -- you get the idea something was lost in translation when some sailor came home with the fancy tart tins:

[pyewacket]

Our Eastern/Central European family members kept a simple custom of sharing the Christmas Waffer- Oplatki. They're getting harder to find in our area. They even make them in other colors for a blessing with our pets. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFbYgkIcysM

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/12/19/167650665/polish-christmas-wafer-a-flavorless-tradition-that-s-oh-so-sweet

[pyewacket]

Hahaha our krumkaker are essentially your pizzelles but with cardamom, wrapped around a cone while hot.  Funny how that stuff travels.

Albrecht got a treat if he ate his with the multekrem in them; usually they're empty.  Like eating the cone without the ice-cream.  Never made sense to me.  Sandbakkels too, like little empty tart shells -- you get the idea something was lost in translation when some sailor came home with the fancy tart tins:

Haha- I wonder how some of these recipes came to be- might be because ingredients were scarce? Since we have supermarkets now- time for fillings! 

[K_Dubb]

Haha- I wonder how some of these recipes came to be- might be because ingredients were scarce? Since we have supermarkets now- time for fillings! 

Yeah, I wonder about that, too.  You'd think they'd have some preserves, but maybe not.

The other theory I have, which may apply to your oplatki (beautiful tradition, btw) is that the fine white flour used to make them, which we take for granted these days, is what made them special.  I've never seen oplatki around here, but have encountered a similar wafer as the base for the German oblaten lebkuchen, where a gingerbread is baked on top of one.  Seemed really odd to me -- it's like a thin layer of styrofoam at the bottom with no apparent flavor, but it kind of makes sense with your tradition if it was already part of a Christmas observance.

[pyewacket]

OMG these are making me cry- we've lost two generations in our family. I really miss them. As long as we remember, they're still with us.

My family listened to the Little Wally version. Here's a more updated performance.

Cicha Noc (Silent Night)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAsg2SSR8Lc

[albrecht]

Yeah when I think of all the burnt julekaker and soggy fattigmenn I passed up as a selfish, unfeeling kid, I could almost cry -- just to have those good old ladies back again.  But here's a Scandy-American classic to cheer us up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goDiNCbPKYQ

Ha. That is good. Yogi Yoggerson made some funny Scandy-American Christmas parody songs. I wish I could post it but too large a file but Phil Hendrie when he first was (I think syndicated) to the Minneapolis radio market did a segment that was HILARIOUS.
"Norwegians Have No Sense Of Humor- by an 'expert' psychiatrist Dr. Hans Gruber (Phil Hendrie, of course, being the German expert doktor.) It was epic on so many levels. Some Norskies would call in outraged (well, as outraged as a Midwestern Scandahoovian can be, still pretty polite, and attempt to tell jokes. And Hans, and Phil, wouldn't get the joke. Some Germans, and others called in about Norwegians they worked with at the mill etc who were "funny guys" and tell a funny story about them- to which- the doctor would deadpan say "see Phil?" And Phil would agree. It went on and on. Phil, or the "doctor" would tell a "joke" to callers. Who wouldn't laugh. But Phil and doctor would. Some callers would try to laugh (at the obvious not funny joke sometimes.) Then Norwegian kids afraid of clowns. Blame put to "viking guilt" for having no humor.  And then callers turned on the "doctor" because of German/NAZI stuff etc. It was epic (especially if having Scandanavian roots or familiar with the upper Mid-west.)
http://philhendrieshowfans.com/flashback/page/2/

ps: it takes a different type of humor, sort of British, but almost as epic as Peter Cooks' 'call in's as "Sven From Swedish Village" on London radio the Norwegian searching for his wife and obsessed, like all Norwegians, with FISH. Listen to all the youtubes since nobody has put up it all in full and read back-story. Epic comedy. Apparently Peter Cook would get drunk and randomly do this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPJK2zKtAxQ

[K_Dubb]

OMG these are making me cry- we've lost two generations in our family. I really miss them. As long as we remember, they're still with us.

My family listened to the Little Wally version. Here's a more updated performance.

Cicha Noc (Silent Night)

Thank you Pye, I looked up Little Wally, too -- absolutely beautiful.

[K_Dubb]

Ha. That is good. Yogi Yoggerson made some funny Scandy-American Christmas parody songs. I wish I could post it but too large a file but Phil Hendrie when he first was (I think syndicated) to the Minneapolis radio market did a segment that was HILARIOUS.
"Norwegians Have No Sense Of Humor- by an 'expert' psychiatrist Dr. Hans Gruber (Phil Hendrie, of course, being the German expert doktor.) It was epic on so many levels. Some Norskies would call in outraged (well, as outraged as a Midwestern Scandahoovian can be, still pretty polite, and attempt to tell jokes. And Hans, and Phil, wouldn't get the joke. Some Germans, and others called in about Norwegians they worked with at the mill etc who were "funny guys" and tell a funny story about them- to which- the doctor would deadpan say "see Phil?" And Phil would agree. It went on and on. Phil, or the "doctor" would tell a "joke" to callers. Who wouldn't laugh. But Phil and doctor would. Some callers would try to laugh (at the obvious not funny joke sometimes.) Then Norwegian kids afraid of clowns. Blame put to "viking guilt" for having no humor.  And then callers turned on the "doctor" because of German/NAZI stuff etc. It was epic (especially if having Scandanavian roots or familiar with the upper Mid-west.)
http://philhendrieshowfans.com/flashback/page/2/

ps: it takes a different type of humor, sort of British, but almost as epic as Peter Cooks' 'call in's as "Sven From Swedish Village" on London radio the Norwegian searching for his wife and obsessed, like all Norwegians, with FISH. Listen to all the youtubes since nobody has put up it all in full and read back-story. Epic comedy. Apparently Peter Cook would get drunk and randomly do this.

Hahaha yeah fish -- tinned, pickled, dried, fresh, or otherwise.  In that tradition, I happened upon six cans of these, so our Janssons frestelse will be particularly fishy this year:



I have heard that vile slur about Norwegian humor before.  It is real, different, and so subtle it makes the Brits look like a bunch of kneeslappers.  Usually takes the form of a long story setting up a situation that is fundamentally absurd, where somebody did or said something just slightly off.  Grandpa's conversation was nearly all this stuff.  Being long and complicated, I can't remember any off hand, but I read this one a few years ago in a book about WWII in northern Norway that reminded me so much of him:

When the Germans invaded, they sent small units to occupy the little fishing ports along the coast.  One town heard that a trawler with a small occupying force was on its way, and organized a boat to intercept it at night, which they did.  When they returned aboard the captured boat, the watchman on the pier heard it approaching and hailed it in the darkness, asking who they were.  One Norwegian, to be funny, called out "We are the Germans!", to which the watchman answered, "Well then you better not come here!"

[albrecht]

Haha- I wonder how some of these recipes came to be- might be because ingredients were scarce? Since we have supermarkets now- time for fillings! 

K_Dubb will correct me but there are a kind of cookie we make which are Rosettes, like a deep fried cookie using special irons of various designs. And then usually covered with confecionary sugar. Very light and precious and breakable. And good. Don't have any pictures etc just a quick google. But very fine and will crumble. Taste not as good as the stuff I like. More like cheaper funnel cake if you get my drift. But more in the design and ability to make and bring them somewhere.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/9809/rosettes-i/

[K_Dubb]

K_Dubb will correct me but there are a kind of cookie we make which are Rosettes, like a deep fried cookie using special irons of various designs. And then usually covered with confecionary sugar. Very light and precious and breakable. And good. Don't have any pictures etc just a quick google. But very fine and will crumble. Taste not as good as the stuff I like. More like cheaper funnel cake if you get my drift. But more in the design and ability to make and bring them somewhere.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/9809/rosettes-i/

Yep, my auntie Jill, from an Italian family who married in, used her old iron to make -- they are identical to the Norwegian ones.

[albrecht]

Yep, my auntie Jill, from an Italian family who married in, used her old iron to make -- they are identical to the Norwegian ones.

We likely got the idea (and the irons and some maidens to bring the technigue) from some Viking raid down there. Haha. But, kidding aside, yeah, they look the same! Some different designs also but the same, effectively.

[pyewacket]

I have heard that vile slur about Norwegian humor before.  It is real, different, and so subtle it makes the Brits look like a bunch of kneeslappers.  Usually takes the form of a long story setting up a situation that is fundamentally absurd, where somebody did or said something just slightly off.  Grandpa's conversation was nearly all this stuff.  Being long and complicated, I can't remember any off hand, but I read this one a few years ago in a book about WWII in northern Norway that reminded me so much of him:

When the Germans invaded, they sent small units to occupy the little fishing ports along the coast.  One town heard that a trawler with a small occupying force was on its way, and organized a boat to intercept it at night, which they did.  When they returned aboard the captured boat, the watchman on the pier heard it approaching and hailed it in the darkness, asking who they were.  One Norwegian, to be funny, called out "We are the Germans!", to which the watchman answered, "Well then you better not come here!"

Very funny humor to me! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-7VM1QOrI0

[pyewacket]

Put the Christmas tree up. So far, Oliver, our newest addition to the family hasn't destroyed it---yet. 

[K_Dubb]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKNOfhxCEqI

[pyewacket]

Gorgeous Christmas themed cakes from the Sunday Sweets feature at Cake Wrecks. 




Click the links for more beautiful holiday cakes.

http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2015/12/20/sunday-sweets-with-christmas-cheer.html

http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2013/12/15/sunday-sweets-christmas-cheer.html

http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2012/12/16/sunday-sweets-christmas-charm.html

[K_Dubb]

Gorgeous Christmas themed cakes from the Sunday Sweets feature at Cake Wrecks. 

Beautiful, and gravity-defying!  I really wonder how they do it.  Maybe they use fruitcakes as the base; you could build a house with some of them.

[pyewacket]

Beautiful, and gravity-defying!  I really wonder how they do it.  Maybe they use fruitcakes as the base; you could build a house with some of them.

That takes talent for sure! I used to make fancy cakes with fondant, candy clay, gum paste decorations. The biggest cake I've ever made was 3 tiered. I used to love watching those cake shows when it was all the rage.

I probably posted this last year but here's a small Christmas cake I made for our Christmas Eve gathering. Yellow vanilla cake with strawberry filling and butter cream frosting (high ratio shortening) with fondant and candy clay decorations.

[K_Dubb]

That takes talent for sure! I used to make fancy cakes with fondant, candy clay, gum paste decorations. The biggest cake I've ever made was 3 tiered. I used to love watching those cake shows when it was all the rage.

I probably posted this last year but here's a small Christmas cake I made for our Christmas Eve gathering. Yellow vanilla cake with strawberry filling and butter cream frosting (high ratio shortening) with fondant and candy clay decorations.

You are awfully talented.  Here is the presidential fruitcake sometime during FDR's administration; looks like you could give the decorator a run for his money:



I wonder if that is fondant or molded marzipan.

[pyewacket]

You are awfully talented.  Here is the presidential fruitcake sometime during FDR's administration; looks like you could give the decorator a run for his money:



I wonder if that is fondant or molded marzipan.

Aww- you're sweet to say that and thank you, but I can't do the classic techniques. I believe fruitcake is traditionally covered with marzipan. I've only worked with it once and didn't care for it.

It's nice of you to say- but those are some serious piping skills. I haven't the patience for that. There are sugar artists who can pipe frosting like lace in exquisite patterns- not an easy task.

The old school method is the Lambeth Method- English overpiping.

http://confectionarychalet.com/docs/?page_id=174

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_VCOIs9V_E&index=2&list=PLEISNjZl5bQrKyLbom2cpCilc5BkOqdTE

[pyewacket]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKNOfhxCEqI

So many old songs about going home for the holidays. Here's one from Perry Como.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHDgzQ6eQw4

[pyewacket]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnLWkYGs6Fo

[Rix Gins]

https://youtu.be/xwAdCWHf_Uw

[K_Dubb]

https://youtu.be/xwAdCWHf_Uw

Wow that is stunning, both the singing and how the recording has been enhanced!  The English translation we usually hear is a good one, but I've always liked how the original French words fit the tune better, particularly the climactic "Noël, Noël" where the notes carry a little more meaning.

[K_Dubb]

I love watching as people over there upload videos of this year's Lucia concerts.  This is from Uranienborg Church outside of Oslo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OAT3urm5gs

[mikuthing01]

I love watching as people over there upload videos of this year's Lucia concerts.  This is from Uranienborg Church outside of Oslo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OAT3urm5gs

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas

[K_Dubb]

This is probably my favorite from last year, from UmeÃ¥ in northern Sweden.  It has it all:  it's short but has all the best songs plus Rudolph and Jingle Bells, outside, real candles, no director waving his arms around, good part-singing despite the cold, they pronounce "sj" like it should be and not the weird "hw" sound you hear in some parts, and there's the promise of hot glögg and fresh-baked doughnuts (the "munkar" on the sign) from the market stalls.  The second song wishes everyone good evening, and the third is a Stephen-song with the inspired rhyme

Nu är eld i varje spis/Julegröt och julegris

Now the fire is in each stove/Christmas porridge and Christmas pig.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdbelPwJ8BU

[K_Dubb]

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas

We stole the whole thing from the wops including the song, you silly schweinhund.

[Dr. MD MD]

We stole the whole thing from the wops including the song, you silly schweinhund.

An Italian wrote White Christmas?

[K_Dubb]

An Italian wrote White Christmas?

Nah this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsCBZxpoqIc

Irving Berlin was a Jew and Bing Crosby was born in Tacoma -- had no idea.