Merry Christmas from our family here in Siberia. May you know peace and joy as you reflect on the birth of our saviour and Lord Jesus.
We are having some friends over tomorrow evening for a carols and lessons service. There will probably be 10-15 people, which we are really looking forward to. Then on Christmas day it will be the three of us and Tom. The rest of his family are back in the states at the moment. On Boxing Day we are having a celebration and gift swap with our team, both Russians and expats.
Melody has been having fun doing some Christmas baking and I have had fun preparing another batch of ginger beer. This year I decided to use fresh ginger instead of ginger powder. The result is going to be spicier (which is good), and will also have less sediment at the bottom of the bottle (which can be a little uninviting).
We found a huge pot on the balcony to let the ginger beer stand in over night. We will use the same pot to thaw the turkey in, in cold water (this method prevents bacteria breeding).
2 comments:
Merry Christmas to you too. I hope your parcel makes it. I'll try posting some video ASAP.
I've made some ginger beer too
(thought of you while doing it!) I'll have to try it with real ginger next time. I think that would be really nice. What did you do with it (ie. grated/minced/whole)?
Now, I do know you guys know how to do the quick thaw in water but for those who don't it may be useful to know the following: (from www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Turkey
_Basics_Safe_Thawing/index.asp
Cold Water Thawing
Allow about 30 minutes per pound.
First be sure the turkey is in a leak-proof plastic bag to prevent cross-contamination and to prevent the turkey from absorbing water, resulting in a watery product.
Submerge the wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed.
Cold Water Thawing Times
* 4 to 12 pounds …… 2 to 6 hours
* 12 to 16 pounds …… 6 to 8 hours
* 16 to 20 pounds …… 8 to 10 hours
* 20 to 24 pounds …… 10 to 12 hours
A turkey thawed by the cold water method should be cooked immediately. After cooking, meat from the turkey can be refrozen.
Happy Christmas to you all. Sounds like you have the festivities happening with friends and food. Good luck with the gingerbeer - I've never made it but my mum used to - yum!
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