Christmas 2014 Mwadui

On Wednesday morning, Carolyn and I met Louise and Jo-Anne in the client Guest House kitchen. Together with chefs Constantine and Peter, we  prepared vegetables, crushed garlic, defrosted chicken pieces and bacon rashers. This was for half of the Christmas lunch: roast chicken thighs and two roast legs of lamb for those who don't fancy turkey and ham. A baked cheese potato dish and a carrot and pineapple salad in a mold accompanied this part of the meal.

Jo-Anne, Louise, Constantine, Peter and Carolyn hard at work! 

At 10.45 we'd finished all we could do, so Grant collected me and Carolyn. His secretary, Ciah,  had given us a beautiful Christmas card; Grant felt he should give her a gift, so he took us to the local shopping mall to look for one. He waited in the car while Carolyn and I went into the little shop. I'm well known to the proprietress as Amanda and I support her regularly. When we buy for the Albino center children, we take dozens of each item (girls'underwear, boys' underpants, combs, toothpaste, lollipops, sweets,sodas, biscuits) so she ultimately has a very good sale for the day! 

Shop owner and Carolyn  

Grant dropped us at our house and together we prepared the stuffing for the turkey. Carolyn removed the sausage skins while I chopped the onions in the processor. We mixed the meat and onions together with eggs and breadcrumbs, seasoned and then proceeded to stuff the turkey. Thank goodness I had Carolyn as I couldn't have held up the 10 kg bird and stuffed it at the same time. We draped a kilo of bacon rashers over the bird, covered with foil, and askari Michael carried it over to the Guest House which had a larger fridge than mine.

Carolyn went to the Guest House to have lunch with Steve; Grant and I had lunch here at home as usual. After lunch she returned and we made snacks for the sun downer evening at our home.  (see earlier post) 

That evening I made arrangements with my night askari, Zechariah: at 3 a.m. I'd be going across to the  Guest House where I needed help to place the turkey in the large oven. As arranged, he was waiting to unlock our small gate which leads into the street, accompanied me across to the Guest House where Mayunga opened that gate and let us in. 

I'd  Googled the cooking chart for roasting a turkey. For our 10kg bird, I'd have keep it in the oven for at least 3-4 hours.  
We put it in and walked back to my house. Zechariah took this task very seriously and asked when I'd like him to come and check on the turkey with me. I told him 4.30 which is when we next went across to the Guest House to do the first inspection. 

Zechariah carefully lifts the hot pan with the turkey out of the oven

Not a normal job for a gate guard (just as assisting me at Princess' pups birth 13 weeks ago isn't in his job description either),  yet note the willingness to help. When we checked the bird the second time at 6.10 a.m, I cut off a slice for Zechariah to test. He said it was perfect! 

Meanwhile back home between 3 and 6 am, I'd cooked the ham in the oven for about an hour. At about 4.30 Grant woke and joined me in our kitchen. He cored a fresh pineapple and cut it into rings. I painted the warm ham with smooth apricot jam, we pegged the pineapple rings to the meat with toothpicks and added a cherry in each center. 

While I made an apple and cranberry stuffing, Grant started on the trifle. He's been making this pud for forty years; it's his paternal grandmother's recipe and when he put the finishing touches on it, he said:"I'm sure Nan's looking down with approval this very minute! "

The cherry on the cake - er -  trifle was the cherries! They were fresh cherries which had been preserved  in a syrup. They still had stalks and were pip-less.  They were the best cherries we've ever eaten

Ouma/granny Joey was one of the first guests to arrive. She took photos and enjoyed the ambiance while we got ready for lunch

 Once everyone had arrived, we had a short Scripture reading (in English and Afrikaans) and then we sang Christmas carols which I'd typed out. We had no music, but Carolyn, Louise and I gave the note and we all enjoyed a lovely time of singing

Everyone sang in his or her own language. It was glorious! 

Next Carolyn and I carried the turkey from the electric hot tray to a tiled area near the BBQ grill. Here Grant carved it and the gammon with surgical precision.

The end product of our smoked gammon

The turkey and gammon which Grant carved perfectly

A feast fit for kings and queens

The Team 

Although it's never intended, we all ended up eating too much. But it was delicious!

A selection of desserts to die for! 

Afterwards everybody took chicken, lamb, turkey and gammon away in foil packs which I'd brought for this purpose. I also had an ice-cream container in which I brought home some meat scraps for the dogs, and another in which I kept the biscuits, salad and other scraps for Regina's chickens and ducks. When we arrived at home, and I'd taken enough for Grant to have cold cuts for several days, I made up two boxes of turkey, gammon and chicken. These I handed to Michael and Joshua who had been on gate duty all day. I also had a sealed container of ice-cream and an unopened Christmas pudding which I gave to Michael to take home for his six children. Boxing day was a day early at our house!  

We had a wonderful Christmas in the bush. As usual...

Here's wishing you all a blessed Christmas weekend.

Christmas Eve 2014 in the bush

Last night we had the Mzungu expats over at our house for sun downers and snacks. As you all know, Steve's wife, Carolyn is visiting from the UK . Grant  invited Philemon, from a nearby mine run by our company to join us for all the  Christmas celebrations. He also invited Riaan, from the client camp to join us for the evening.  

From left: Steve, Carolyn, Philemon, Poena, Riaan, Grant and moi

Nando  - very relaxed dog these days - lay nearby

Princess, living up to her name, looks very regal

Later we walked over to the Guest House to join the other expats - who were having a BBQ.  The staff had decorated the Lapa in fine festive style.  Grant and Steve had bought a karaoke system and Poena was manning the disco.

Chef Paul and his staff made the Lapa look very beautiful

The Lapa decked out in festivities, will serve as the men's lunch venue today. they requested Indian fare which our friend, Minaz is sending from Shinyaanga later today. We others will join the client around the pool for traditional Christmas fare

Jo and Carolyn

Poena's music made the feet itch! 

 Grant and Steve entertained the crowds !

This morning I've been up since 3am. Askari Zechariah and I went over the Guest House, he removed the 10kg turkey from the fridge and placed it in the oven for me. I'm back home now with the gammon sizzling away in my small oven. Soon I'll wake Grant and together we'll make the trifle. At around 10 Carolyn and Steve are coming over here; Carolyn will make up a cheeseboard for pre-lunch snacks at the pool. Louise and Jo-Anne have prepared roast lamb and chicken (many South Africans don't eat turkey and ham!) a potato dish, several  salads and a baked pudding. 

Meanwhile, all that remains is for me to wish you all a wonderful day with family and friends.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Good Fences, Good Madagascar Bee-eaters

I know I've posted lizards and birds on these fences before. We often drive past here which is the enclosure for the explosives magazine, hence the hectic fencing. On Sunday several Madagascar Bee-eaters sat on this razor wire but flew off as soon as the vehicle pulled up alongside it. 

One, however stayed long enough for me to get three photos which included it flying off! 

Madagascar Bee- eater on razor wire fence

Madagascar Bee-eater flying off razor wire fence

For more fence posts, please visit here

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY BLOGGER FRIENDS ACROSS THE WORLD