TEA TIME IN SICILY

It was with some trepidation that I started to make a proper, French, bûche de Noël, complete with chestnut purée and whipped cream filling, yesterday morning, using the unreliable-for-baking Italian oven. The process was nerve-wracking even using my much missed British fan oven, and sometimes when the sponge cake has cracked whilst being rolled I have covered it with dark chocolate - which is as time-consuming again as making the cake in the first place. However, yesterday the culinary gods seemed to be with me and it turned out perfectly. But then - oh, no! - imagine, reader, it is midday, you are expecting guests at 5pm, you still have loads to do, the sponge cake is lying upside down on the sugared greaseproof paper ready for rolling [which needs to be done while it is still warm] and ... you can't open the bloody jar of chestnut purée! I used all my strength on it, I tried using towels to get a grip, I held the lid under boiling water but nothing would shift it. I looked down to the street but were there any male neighbours walking about? Of course there weren't, for when is there ever a man around when you need one? Finally I jammed the thing in the door again and after several tries and a lot of swearing, this worked and didn't leave a lot of mess on the door this time! OK, so the log is rather flat as logs go, but I thought it looked respectable enough not to need the couverture.

If you're thinking my image of the full table looks a bit wonky, that's because the table is, rather, and there is also a lot of furniture which I can't move between it and the point where I was standing to take the photo! Now, left to right: mini Christmas puddings [the reaction of Italians to anything called "pudding" is similar to that of the French, ie., uproarious laughter but I like to give them an idea about it, you see]; I put out dishes of almonds as I have learnt that if you give a Sicilian some fresh ones he or she will happily nibble on them however long you keep them waiting for other items; and I always have to have bowls of crisps in case - well, in case I've under-catered! In the centre you see my "cake things with apricots", an idea I found in a woman's magazine years ago: all you do is soak some bought spongecake or Swiss roll in the liqueur of your choice plus some orange juice, then drain them and plonk a tinned apricot on top of each slice. Glaze the apricots with melted apricot jam to which you have added a little cornflour then dollop a bit of cream around them and chuck some chopped, toasted almonds over the lot. Everyone will think you have spent ages making these but they are a doddle. In the foreground is the bûche, which received much acclaim. Right: My excuse for serving guacamole and "my" tortilla chips [soft tortillas which I have deep-fried and flavoured with salt, parmesan and a little paprika] is that British cookery is now international and I like to remind my guests of this; the other reason is that Sicilians seem to like them! [On the rare occasions that I find limes here, I freeze the grated rind and juice separately, so that I can nearly always whizz up a bowl of guacamole!] I also served cheese "bites" with cotognata and radishes and, in my opinion, if you are having a tea party, there just have to be sausage rolls! The best way I can make sausage rolls that are anything like they should be here is to chop up some skinless Wurstel sausages with a little onion, sage and / or oregano and then use the fine frozen puff pastry which is available. Oh, yes, and I again made hot tea for those who wanted it [you should see the Sicilians looking bemused at the British guests who take it with milk!] and my tea punch.

Now, "Once a teacher always a flaming teacher", as an ex of mine used to say in exasperation, so I had printed out copies of the lyrics of Auld Lang Syne, and before we opened the Asti I explained the tradition to the Sicilians, got them all to repeat the words after me then we joined hands and sang it [to a "Xmas in Vienna " version I have, I hasten to add - it would be a disaster if I were to try to be lead singer!] Thus I have once more convinced the Sicilians that the British are completely mad!

What am I doing tonight? I have a DVD of Nuovo Mondo [another recommendation from the excellent Sicily Guide] the remains of the guacamole and tortilla chips, some gin and some Cointreau and I am going to snuggle up with Simi, who deserves a festa night with her Mum! Before I settle down, though, I am going to cook a lentil and potato hotpot as lentils eaten on New Year's Eve, it is believed here, will ensure your financial wellbeing for the year to come. So Buona Festa tonight and Buon Anno, dear readers - and, wherever you are, don't forget to eat your lentils!

Auguri and love from Simi and me X woof!