The Whole Brexit

Started preparing the stuffing this morning, a main ingredient being prunes which had soaked overnight in cold tea. Doing a Delia Smith Prunes and Apples in Armagnac recipe. I know Delia is a bit modern but I couldn't put my hands on Mrs Beeton's book, someone has probably hidden it. My trusty Good Houseeeping - New basic Cookery (1966) doesn't consider goose a "basic" foodstuff it seems. I did though use it for the breadsauce. Not sure if breadsauce should be served with goose but I love it with any poultry.

Then once stuffed, in the oven and set off with the dogs for a late morning walk and a good one it was too. Flash was on great form, he actually started to leap out of the boot and I only just caught him. It's his 14th Christmas day and I give thanks that he is still around, every day being a gift. See extra photo.

Back home, the dogs and Eddie got  bowls of goose giblets from the two older geese which I had removed before freezing them and cooked on Thursday evening to have some stock for the gravy.

Roast potatoes, red cabbage, gravy, bread-sauce, bottle of wine, decorate table, light the candle get out the Royal Doulton  and finally carve the goose. At first I thought it was tough but I had forgotten to sharpen the knife. It was great - firm but tender, moist and not over fatty. Was the smallest of the geese at 3.5kg, a good sized chicken.

Was expecting to have a problem eating it but nothing could have been further from the truth. I'm sure the experience of watching them being slaughtered somehow helped.

Finally sat down at 3:00 to watch the Queen but then realised the wretched EU people moved the clock. As we all , especially the Australians, Christmas Day doesn't kick off until Big Ben strikes midnight, just as the New Year doesn't start until the first shouts of "Happy New Year" arise from Trafalgar Square.

So found the wine bottle and waited an hour and then wobbled to attention as the band played ..... stirring stuff.

Then to my pressies - a canvas collage of the "Brits Brexit Breaking Borders Tour 2016" where we proved the Schengen deal is as full of holes as a Swiss cheese - we (I) broke the law and still we got over several borders without any checks. Also a wonderful enrichment to my Enid Blyton collection "Five on Brexit Island". Will get really stuck nin to this in the next few days. See extra photo.

Clear up, have a lovely talk with the grandchildren and their mother in Ireland, then later with son J and Laura in the UK who seemed to have done their best to avoid the off licence trade in Sussex suffering from Campaign Fears attempts to talk down the economy. They are all getting together next week for a few days in Ireland - wish I could be there.

Then pack up the dogs and do a walk in the pitch black night. Flash stumbled a bit that could have been the Armagnac seeping out of the stuffing - the dogs had of course also got lots of left overs. The gravy was a hit, the bread sauce less so but some of the goose meat and skin was clearly a winner. .