Friday, December 26, 2008

A White Connecticut Christmas!

Monday, December 22, 2008
Southport, CT

If I had been dreaming of a white Christmas in Connecticut, I would not have been disappointed. Snow is piled up about 6 inches thick and the driveway at Holly Berry House is a skating rink. Not having driven for four months, I am a nervous wreck behind the wheel as I try to coax our Toyota Camry to climb the slight incline towards our garage. I have a bit of shopping to do—gifts for folks in India and ingredients for our Christmas meal. But this evening, I will be meeting my pals at dinner at Bangalore Restaurant in Fairfield.

It turns out that my friend and world travel companion Amy Tobin initiated the move that would bring a few of her closest Fairfield friends together for a Reunion to coincide with my visit home. After much mass-emailing, the group finally found a mutually convenient date…except that in the morning, Llew called to tell me that the volume at work was so intense, he seriously thought he would miss the meal altogether. I called my friend Amy de Lannoy and asked her for a ride and she came with husband Dan promptly at 7. 20 to pick me up.

What a lovely raucous reunion we all had at Bangalore! There was Mary-Lauren and her husband Brett, Bonnie and husband Art, Amy with Dan and, of course, Amy Tobin with her Significant Other Rothschild whom, except for Llew and myself, none of the others had met. In fact, they had almost begun to believe that Rothschild--more elusive than the Scarlet Pimpernel --did not exist beyond Amy’s imagination. The folks at Bangalore gave us a private room which allowed us to be even more raucous all evening long as we caught up on all our news. I was so thrilled to have been able to see so many of my Fairfield friends again at one go and I am very grateful to Amy Tobin for setting this up and to Amy de Lannoy for coordinating the effort.

Llew, of course, was missing, and as the resident ‘India Expert’, I was invited to order our meal. Amy de Lannoy, who knows Bangalore and Indian food better than the others, consulted with me and we settled for Lamb Biryani, Chicken Tikka Masala (Amy T’s must-have), Navratan Korma, Shrimp Chemeen Curry, Chicken Tangdi Kebab—and all of the food was delicious. Every one of us relished the meal to the very last morsel, so that by the time poor Llew turned up, the dishes did not require washing! However, he was able to join us for a glass of wine while a few of us opted for masala chai. Conversation never stopped for a second as we discussed everything—from Chriselle’s engagement and wedding plans to Amy de Lannoy’s new dog, from Halle’s job to The Factoras’ Christmas plans…on and on it went, and of course, I talked about my new life in London and how much I love it—trying hard all the time not to gush too much! Everyone was delighted that Llew was able to join us even if for a little while. It was a lovely end to a lovely day!


Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Southport, CT

With only two days left to Christmas, I have finally surfaced to start to think about gift wrapping. I multi-tasked, retrieving boxes from our basement, measuring wrapping paper and decorating parcels with Christmas ornaments. I also put together a number of gift bags for Llew to take to his colleagues at BNP Paribas. After he left, I set about trying to mail out our annual Christmas greetings via email. I started off okay, but somewhere also the way I messed up and ended up losing connectivity to the Internet. This turned out to be my inadvertent installation of a Firewall which has stopped us accessing the internet and there went my project for the year. It seems as if a few of the folks on our mailing list did get the letter containing a round up of our family news, but most of the others will now have to wait until January 14 or 15 when I will be back home in London and am online again.

Since I have no internet connection at my parents’ place in Bandra, Bombay, Chriselle talked me out of carrying my laptop to India and I think her suggestion was very sound indeed. Not having my PC, will give me the chance to truly interact with my parents, spend quality time with them and my cousin Blossom and her kids and generally make for a more fruitful stay in India. I will, of course, continue to keep a travel journal as I always do, and I will resume blogging retrospectively,

Here in snow-ridden Southport, I still seem to be keeping London time for I am awaking at 5 am and by 8 pm, I fall comatose on the couch. Llew is keeping extraordinarily late hours at the bank and doesn’t get home until 10 pm. but he does have the day off tomorrow. And so I finally turned to the matter of a menu for our Christmas dinner. Hard to believe how long grocery shopping and running bank errands takes, but I was only able to get back home at 11. 30 am to start cooking. I have to say that everything feels a little odd including donning my apron and starting to cook. It’s not as if I have forgotten how to wield a laddle—it’s just that for almost three months now, I have barely cooked at all in London and though I realized that I love it and miss messin’ around a kitchen, it still felt a little strange to have to start chopping and peeling and re-discovering that the burners on my cooking range do not light spontaneously but need to be manually lit with a match!

I spent the afternoon making Chole, Stuffing Mushrooms with Bacon and Caramelized Onions and pouring a cheese sauce over the lot. I also made my mother’s Cucumber-Coconut Salad and the Koftas for the Kofta Biryani. By 5 pm, I was tired and went off for a short nap only to come down to the kitchen again to start preparations for the Rajpipla Chicken (Parsi-Style, another recipe from my mother’s vast repertoire of favorites) which I marinated in a ginger-garlic paste. Suddenly, conjuring culinary magic felt fabulous again and I was thrilled to have all the pots and pans and utensils I needed for a large meal of this kind.

When Llew got home, we watched the Jay Leno shows and Britcoms that he had TIVO-ed for me. He was also keen for me to view the Saturday Night Live installments that he had saved in which Sarah Palin had been so mercilessly parodied. We laughed till our sides ached. It was like old times again—two (old) Couch Potatoes who thoroughly enjoy dinner and the telly. Then, we were watching New Tricks, a British mystery series. Only I fell asleep on the sofa at the very climax, just as I used to do until four months ago! Put me in front of a TV after a good meal and I am out like a light!!!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Southport, CT

Llew had taken the day off so we luxuriated all morning, eating a big breakfast and lingering over coffee. He had a doctor’s appointment in the morning, which left me enough time to complete the chicken that had been marinating overnight in my fridge. After frying it till it was golden brown, I made the yogurt sauce flavored with tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce that drowns it in a yummy bath!

By the time Llew got back, the rain had started to fall—freezing rain and sleet and I wanted to stay cooped up at home, except that Llew persuaded me to get into the car with him and drive up to Clinton Crossings to the designer outlets so that I could get all my shopping for India done in one fell swoop. Llew had been up there himself with our Canadian friends at Thanksgiving and had informed me that the prices were unbeatable. He wanted to buy a few pairs of trousers, I need a few gifts for my loved ones in India and overall, it made sense to schlep up there and kill as many birds as we could with one stone. So much as I wanted to stay homebound, I complied with his suggestion and off we went.

Driving conditions were pretty awful and visibility was very poor indeed, but when we arrived at Clinton, it was fabulous. We went into stores like Geoffrey Beene and Van Heusen that appeared to be closing down completely. Merchandise was pretty much being given away and I found great clothing for my relatives in India, Llew found the trousers he wanted, I got a bunch of Argyle patterned socks and feeling exceedingly pleased with ourselves, we returned home in time for showers and to catch the 6 pm evening Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, our parish in Fairfield.

At 5. 30 pm, the church was already half full—it is always a mystery to me how so many folks seem to crawl out of the woodwork only at Christmas and Easter! Where are all these people during the rest of the year? Fr. Martin was in great spirits—in keeping with the season. A few mornings ago, when I went to the Rectory to pick up some additional calendars for my brother Russel in Bombay, I had bumped into Fr. Martin and received a warm and very hearty welcome as well as a hug and a kiss! He was so pleased to see me again and wanted to know all about my life in London. That’s one of the nicest things about coming home to a small Connecticut town--everyone knows everybody else.

Mass was very interesting indeed. There was a Nativity Pageant put on by the kids—a lovely attempt at recreating that first Christmas except that Mary was taller and probably older than the slightly-built Joseph. Wonderful singing from our choir (though I was disappointed by the absence of the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from Handel’s Messiah) and the bringing out of the cake, fully lit with a gazillion candles that were blown out as all the kids in church sang 'Happy Birthday to Jesus', make the entire mass very special indeed.

Then, at the very end, when I was returning from Communion, I spotted our neighbor John Donovan sitting with his family, three pews behind ours, and waving enthusiastically to me. Of course, then, after Mass, I had a fabulous reunion with Trish, his wife and my walking partner, who tells me that she misses me sorely because she has no one to walk with anymore! She commiserated with me over Plantar Fascittis and informed me that she had it a few years ago, brought on by running. It took her two to three months, she said, to get rid of it, which is much less time than it seems to be taking me to lick it. From everything I have heard since arriving in the States, I must keep up with the exercises and not give up doing them even when it seems like I am healing. Trish suggested yoga (she is a huge yoga afficionado) and gave me all the news about our new neighbors next door, who moved in while I was in London. Gosh, it really seems as if I will have a lot of catching up to do by the time I arrive in Connecticut next year. “You’ll really like them, Rochelle”, said Trish about the Trottas, who have moved up north from Florida and are thrilled about all the snow and ice as they’ve never truly experienced a white winter, Trish tells me!

Meanwhile, my friend Rosemary Harding in Cincinnati (to whom I chatted on the phone) and Mary Jo Smith in Connecticut both told me to continue doing the exercises as stretching the plantar is the only way to make the condition disappear for good. Not having done the exercises for more than three weeks now, I feel awful, but have resovled to resume my exercise routine right away! I am amazed at how many people tell me that they have had plantar fascittis or know someone who had it. Mary, my dental hygienist, told me that her mother had it ten years ago!

Llew and I returned home to one of our traditional Christmas Eve dinners—Roasted Shrimp with Garlic and Tomatoes served with crusty bread and a green salad. This is what I most miss. Being at home with Llew, eating a home-cooked meal, sipping a glass of wine, having something terrific on the telly. By the way, I’ve discovered that Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, has a new TV series on—it’s called Back to Basics and is accompanied by one of her fabulous books—which I hope I will find in my Christmas stocking! When I get back to London, I will start watching her show again as I am sure they will show the newest episodes based on the latest book.

Thursday, December 25, 2008
Southport, CT

Christmas Day dawned crisp and clean, the land covered by a blanket of glistening snow. I swear that for the first few moments when I opened my eyes, I had no idea where I was. The silence was complete and added to my sense of bewilderment. Was I in London? Was I in Bombay? Opening one of my eyes, very slowly, I spied the navy blue down comforter draped around me and I realized then that I was home in Southport, Connecticut. It was the strangest feeling in the world.

Because we had been to mass the previous evening, we had the morning to laze around and eat a big brunch. I always fix us a Seafood Brunch Strada on Christmas morning with shrimp and crabmeat, sautéed onions and three cheeses all bound together with an egg custard. It’s always scrumptious and since I bake it in a huge casserole, Llew will have plenty of leftovers!

Llew pottered around on our computer trying to disable the firewall and get internet connectivity again but he wasn’t able to succeed. I began assembling a salad that involved the use of pomegranate seeds and we all know how long it takes to get those little rubies out of those canvas shells! I decided that since we have so many bottles of champagne at home, I would fix Peach Bellinnis when Chriselle and Chris arrive later in the afternoon--a way of celebrating their engagement! Chriselle spent Christmas Eve with Chris’ folks in the Hamptons and attended mass with them this morning. The drive from Long Island to Connecticut should take them about two hours. We expect them by 1. 30 or 2 pm.

I pureed the peaches for the Bellinnis, juiced the pomegranate to make the syrup for the cocktails and assembled the rest of the ingredients for the salad—romaine lettuce, mandarin oranges, honey roasted peanuts, goat cheese in a parsley-flavored dressing—a variation on a recipe that was given to me years ago by my friend Liz Stiles. I also began to parboil basmati rice for the biryani and put the finishing touches on the table—we had English crackers at each place setting and all of these little touches made me feel so very festive. I love Christmas because it makes me feel like a kid again and this year is extra special because I am spending it with the loved ones whom I have crossed an ocean to see!

Chriselle and Chris arrived on cue at 2.00pm in Santa guise for they did enter hauling what looked like a huge sack of gifts! They were delighted with the Bellinis. Of course, we took a few pictures by the tree before we settled down to catch up with everything that has happened in their lives since I left in August—not the least of which is their engagement and wedding plans! I admired Chriselle’s diamond solitaire before we decided to begin our meal. Chris loves Indian food and couldn’t wait to tuck in. The Salad was a huge hit and was followed by the Chicken with Chole and Mushrooms served with Naans. When that was done, I brought out the Kofta Biryani and the Cucumber-Coconut Salad. We decided to take a break and have dessert only after we’d finished opening gifts.

Chriselle loved the outfits I got her from Oxford Street and quite happily modeled them for us as she opened each box. For Chris, at Chriselle’s suggestion, we got a zipped sweat shirt and an ornament from the Metropolitan Museum. I had brought Llew a DVD of the French and Saunders Still Alive Show that I had seen alone at Drury Lane Theater in London. When I had tried to buy a ticket for him when he was with me in London, every single one was sold out. I was delighted that he could at least enjoy it through DVD. I also got him the twin set of Cliff Richard’s 50th anniversary DVD with which he was delighted. He said he would download it on to his Ipod at once. Chris looked bewildered, never having heard of Cliff Richard and we had to inform him that Cliff Richard was only one of the most popular singers in the UK (and maybe the world!) and had been for 50 years!

As for me, I was perfectly pleased with my Ina Garten Back to Basics Book—it was exactly what I wanted and I couldn’t wait to browse through it, but, of course, I know that this pleasure will have to wait until I return to the States next year. Chriselle squealed when she opened a present from Chris to discover the DVD of Mamma Mia, a movie she hadn’t seen. Since Llew hadn’t seen it either, we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon watching it and singing along, much to Chris’ amusement.

Half way through the movie (which I had seen twice inflight across the pond), I went into the kitchen to fix coffee and dessert. This was my piece de resistance—a Limited Edition vintage Christmas Pudding from Harrods which came with silver pennies to pop into each serving (so that everyone came out a lucky winner) and a jar of brandy butter. I sent Llew out into the garden to snip off a sprig of holly to decorate the top (our home is not called Holly Berry House for nothing!) and turned it over on a plate. Needless to say, the pudding had been steaming for two hours on the stove while we were at dinner and was still wonderfully warm. I poured a generous quantity of rum over it and then set it alight and we all watched with glee as the blue flame enveloped the pud in a warm light. I also set out Mince Pies (Chris thought they were filled with ground beef not realizing that mincemeat in the UK is candied dried fruit!) With cream and coffee, we enjoyed our lovely English treats that came in a ceramic pudding basin with Harrods emblazoned on the side of it—a true keeper and one in which I know I will make Christmas puddings in the years to come!

With the movie having come to an end and dessert consumed, the Christmas festivities came to a halt. It was a very different Christmas from the ones we usually have—we have combined with our close friends Ian and Jenny Sequeira and their kids to have a joint celebration for several years and last year, there were fifteen adults at Christmas at our place! This year was just the opposite—it was quiet and relaxed--with just the four of us. We had loads of fun, we did pull crackers, I did insist that we wear our hats throughout the meal, we did keep the champagne flowing and we did watch a movie and enjoy a great meal together.

But for me, most of all, this Christmas was one in which I had an epiphany of sorts. It was one, perhaps because I have been so far away from my loved ones, in which I learned the true meaning of the season. Christmas, I now realize, is all about compassion for those who have so much less than we do and it is about giving till it hurts. In faraway Belfast, I was taught the lesson that my Dad has been trying to teach me for years—that there is greater joy in giving than in receiving. I learned this lesson from a lone accordionist in Belfast who blew on his blue fingers as he stood on the sidewalk all day trying to earn a few pennies to keep his four children fed. I could not get the image of this Eastern European immigre out of my mind—far from the impoverished fields of Rumania which he has abandoned to seek a better life in Ireland for himself and his family, this man taught me how fabulous it can feel to fill a face with sudden and unexpected joy. Fernando’s face lit up like a candle when I placed a note in his hand. It was the largest pound note I had in my wallet at that time. I left Belfast holding close to my heart that extraordinarily warming feeling of having brought some joy to a few very poor people at this special time of year when so many folks are reeling from job losses. Tears filled my eyes as I walked away from Fernando--but they were not tears of sorrow at all. They were tears of the purest joy at how much happiness I had brought him by one small spontaneous gesture. Throughout Christmas Day, I kept thinking of those four poor Rumanian kids who, I hoped, would have a slightly better Christmas, because I had been moved by the sight of their hardworking father who stood on the street in the sleet and freezing rain of an Irish winter’s day in order to make a few pennies by playing his accordion.

For these gifts—the gifts of being with my nearest and dearest this holiday, for the peace that passeth understanding and for the happiness that came from my giving a small portion of my excess of possessions—I am truly grateful this Christmas.

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