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| Armenian "Porcupine" Cakes |
Yesterday evening, neighbor S's daughter N brought over these little cakes that they had made. The Armenian name for them translates as porcupine, we were told. One is vanilla and the other is chocolate. Each is a two layer sponge type cake, layered with a condensed milk frosting and coated in cake crumbs. There were four cakes, but, daughter and I sampled two, last night, before I remembered to take a picture of them! They made a lovely dessert to our dinner of rice, chicken curry, green beans, and pumpkin curry that I cooked, yesterday. I sent over their Christmas gifts with N.
The days between Christmas and New Year's Eve have been relaxed ones as we really didn't have a need to go anywhere or do anything. I spent my days relaxing, cooking, making some cards, and minimal housekeeping. Daughter, who was on mandatory vacation this week (her work place closes for the week and everyone has to take time off, including some furlough days as a cost cutting measure due to Covid-related budget shortfall) has spent her days making polymer clay earrings to give as gifts to her friends, deep cleaning her bedroom, and cooking some delicious Korean food for us to enjoy.
Today, daughter prepared several Korean dishes for our lunch:
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| Sweet and Spicy Stir Fried Dried Anchovies (Myulchi Bokkeum) |
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| Braised Potatoes with Carrots and Onion (Gamja Jorim) |
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| Blanched Cabbage with Fermented Soy Bean Paste (Doenjang Muchim) and Sesame Broccoli |
Afterwards, we took a portion of the food and some dessert to friend R so she can enjoy some of it, as well.
And so we come to the very last day of 2020! I know some people are looking back and reflecting on the year that was. It certainly wasn't the best of years for a lot of us, but, for me, personally, it wasn't the worst of years, either (that dubious honor probably goes to 2015 when I received my cancer diagnosis! Every year since then has been a bonus!). I have had many blessings for which to be thankful and, if nothing else, 2020 has taught me to count my blessings!
Thank you all for reading my blog over the year and, especially, for commenting in such thoughtful, considerate ways. You have all been very kind and supportive; I really appreciate that. I wish you all a blessed New Year. May 2021 be a year of good health, joy, and prosperity!
Tonight, my daughter and I will stay up to greet the New Year and toast it with a glass of non-alcoholic sparkling apple cider! I shall boil a pan of milk on the stove for good luck and make some milk rice for our first meal of the new year.
Today, on the last day of 2020, I am grateful for:
- Being alive and relatively healthy
- Having my daughter home with me
- A safe, warm, and comfortable home
- Having enough for our needs and even some of our wants
- Being able to share
Today's joyful activity was eating the lunch my daughter cooked and sharing it with a friend.
May your New Year's Eve be a peaceful one filled with hope. Happy New Year to all.
I have this vision of lovely food continually flying around your neighbourhood! The cakes sound delicious.
ReplyDeleteThe stir fried dried anchovies are interesting, I guess they are not as salty as the tiny canned ones?
I'm having fun with the little air fryer. I cooked two pieces of salmon in it yesterday and I made roasted kale today. While grocery shopping this morning I bought a package of frozen breaded shrimp and we might just sample a few for a New Year's Eve snack later tonight! So useful that I needn't use the oven for such small quantities.
LOL, there is a lot of food being shared, isn't there? The dried anchovies are salty, but, I don't know if they are less salty than the canned ones. She cooked them in a sweet and spicy sauce after she fried them, so maybe the sauce took away some of the saltiness?
DeleteThe air fryer sounds like a good piece of kitchen equipment to have. :)
For a couple of night owls like you and your daughter, your night will just be getting started at midnight. Wishing you both a safe and happy new year.
ReplyDeleteYou got that right! Happy New Year!
DeleteEverything sounds perfect Bless and I'm so happy you are able to spend this New Year's Eve with your daughter. Blessings to both of you for the new year!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha. Happy New Year to you, too. :)
DeleteA very Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year to you and your daughter. I'm glad you could be together this Christmas and to ring in the New Year together. It sounds like you are enjoying your time together.
ReplyDeleteThank you and a very Happy New Year to you, too. I feel very blessed to be able to celebrate the New Year with my daughter. Yes, we are enjoying our time together. :)
DeleteThis year couldn't have ended better than with your daughter by your side.
ReplyDeleteI wish you both a very happy new year and i wish you to be together often
Happy New Year to you, too, Vegevi. Being together with my daughter was the best way to end 2020 and start 2021. Thank you for your lovely wish for us to be together more often. I hope all is well with you and you have a safe and healthy 2021. Wish you all the best in the coming year!
DeleteHappy New Year to both of you.
ReplyDeleteI'm not too convinced about the anchovies but the gamja jorim sounds like my sort of thing so will give that a try. I found a recipe and have added it to my 'cooking with Bless' section in my recipes folder.
I hope you enjoyed seeing the new year in, made all the more special that you shared the celebration with your daughter.
Happy New Year to you, too, Eileen. Wish you all the best in 2021!
DeleteHa, ha, the anchovies reminded me of a similar dish we make in Sri Lanka, using what we call sprats (a small herring-like fish). We use many types of dried salted fish in Sri Lankan cooking. The gamja jorim was very good, too, and, according to the recipe my daughter used, one could add and subtract different vegetables to it.
Thank you, yes, we enjoyed being together to see the New Year in and there were phone calls with family and friends to wish one another, too. :)
I haven’t read your blog in a while, but Happy New Year! You’re right, it wasn’t the worst year. That award probably does go to 2015 for me too.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and your daughter, too, Akasha. May 2021 be a wonderful year!
DeleteI wish you were my neighbour, close enough to deliver these yummy dishes! But it's enough to know that the sharing goes on in your community and others. A very happy new year to you and your daughter. May the next 12 months treat you both kindly, delivering good health and many moments of happiness.
ReplyDeleteYou would certainly have received gifts of food if you lived closer, Lady Ella. :)
DeleteThank you for the New Year wishes. I wish you and yours a very happy New Year, too. :)
Your New Year's Eve sounds very nice. And the food you & your daughter have been making looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteWe always have crab on NY's Eve. This year I made crab cakes and we had steamed broccoli and roasted potatoes with it.
Later we had a nice fruit salad.
It was a delicious dinner with leftovers today.
Thank you for your good wishes.
I wish the same for you and your daughter- and us all -
a healthy and happy new year.
Thank you, Debra. I like your New Year's Eve tradition of having crab for dinner! Both my daughter and I like crab, but, I seem to rarely cook it. I should try to remedy that!
DeleteHere's hoping that 2021 will be a year we'll look back on with pleasure. :)
I like your idea of minimal housekeeping :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Bless. X
I'll have to make up for it, later, once all the decorations have been taken down, though! :)
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