Earlier this week I was sitting down for a coffee with a friend and the topic of traditions came up – specifically the tradition of not eating new potatoes until Christmas Day.
We were talking about how it was the excitement of finally being able to have those slightly minted rounds of spuddy deliciousness and how it seems now days that people don’t really do that anymore, and new potatoes are just eaten by many whenever they start appearing in supermarkets. It’s the same with hot cross buns. The family tradition was to have them only on Good Friday. It made hot cross buns something really special and I must admit I still gasp a little when offered them before Good Friday lol
It’s sad that so many people have lost the sense of tradition. Traditions don’t have to be huge things – they can be just little things that you as a family have decided to make a “thing,” like fish and chips on a Friday 🙂
One “thing” that was a tradition for many of us growing up, and still is for my family, is the Sunday roast. Yes, meat can be very expensive these days but a cheap cut or even a small chicken is all it takes. It isn’t about what is eaten as a roast so much as the act of it. There is something comforting about the habit of sitting down as a family to the Sunday roast. Some things are guaranteed – the roast potatoes, the gravy and even that one vegetable that you don’t really like that is always put on your plate anyway just because that’s how its always done. These times are what memories are made of, the times you look back on in your life that help you remember where you’ve come from.
I would encourage you to embrace the traditions in your family and if you don’t have anything in particular that is your “thing” to think about finding a “thing” of your own so you can start building those wonderful memories that come with tradition.
Now back to what was happening in my kitchen today. I decided since I had so many egg whites that perhaps meringues were the go. The Edmonds recipe can be found on page 68. It’s a good recipe and the end result is really nice. Meringues are so easy to prepare and look so pretty when done they are the perfect little treat for a party or when sandwiched with a little boozy cream or even a little lemon curd they make a delicious little finish for a special dinner.
Click here to find an alternative recipe for Meringues. It’s the one I usually use. You can try both recipes and decide which you like more. Although lets face it – sugar and egg white. You can’t really go wrong 😉
I hope you’ve enjoyed you weekend. Until next time, Happy cooking 🙂