An Indoor Sort of Day

27°f/-2.8°C, light snow that ended around 2, maybe an inch or better accumulation.  

It's a good day to be indoors doing Christmas stuff! Not that I have done a great deal. I made apple-walnut pancakes for breakfast, so good with our cherry pit syrup (recipe below) and Larry's pear cider, and hot black coffee afterwards. 

Of course Larry has mucked about outside because he cannot stand staying indoors more than a few hours. He took care of his critters (rabbits and chickens) whole the dogs behaved like young children, wanting to go in and out, in and out. The doors have been open at least 30 times! Thank goodness for free gas. Larry made a fire in the fireplace too, so despite the swinging doors, it's pretty cozy.

I am content to stay inside, unlike the rest of this crew. Even the chickens are out in their pen, pecking at the snow like it's a special treat. I sat down and got about half of the Christmas cards done, focusing on the overseas cards first. Then my 12 brothers and sisters and most of the grandchildren--I still need addresses for a few that have moved in the past year. I always enjoy this ritual, although I know that many have given it up.  

Next on my list was fruitcake, again. I made those white fruitcakes 2 weeks ago; they're okay, but they do not have the same rich complexity of 

 my mother's recipe. This time, I actually followed the instructions closely, and I must say I like the result so far. Of course, I changed up the fruits, as usual, using what I had on hand: golden and black raisins, red candied cherries, and the usual fruitcake citron mix. And walnuts, mustn't forget them!

The beginning: great big bowl and recipe. I have this recipe aa it makes 14-15 small cakes, one great big cake, or 3 or 4 loaf-oan-size cakes. My pans are buttered and the bottoms lined with parchment paper.

Gathering a few ingredients: black coffee, orange and lemon zest and juice, cherry jelly, and in front, beaten eggs.

All mixed up and ready for Larry to make his 3 stirs and a wish!

Into the pans

And done, except for baking.

And now, really done! Waiting to see how they taste. One always gets sacrificed for tasting while the rest get soaked with brandy and stored away until Christmas. 

A trick I learned this year ( why did it take so long to figure this out?) Is to cover the upside-down pans with a towel for a few minutes. Cakes come out so easily then, because the towel traps the steam just long enough to loosen them. 

I don't think my sisters and I adhered to the  instructions, or to the ingredients for that matter! We substituted fruits, sugars, etc, as dictated by what we had on hand, and there are some steps I don't recall following, but our cakes always came out fine. We shall see how mine do this time.

While i worked in the kitchen, Larry finished picking a full pint of hickory nuts, so I went through those and took out all the bits of shell he missed. So now I have these plus a quart of black walnuts stored in the fridge. Riches!

A nice surprise came in the mail: my friend Suzy mailed me her annual Christmas ornament! I have about 20 that she has made over the years, I think, and actually have a little tree just for her ornaments. This year's ornament is just charming. 

Enough for now. I think i will get back into my book, a collection of short stories called Murder for Christmas. An older title, but good stories by a wide range of authors. 

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Cherry Pit Syrup Recipe

Save to use next time you have lots of cherries!

From Google AI

This recipe yields a flavorful, nutty syrup, a great way to reduce food waste. 

• 1 cup cherry pits (from about 2 lbs of cherries)
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp pure almond extract or vanilla extract (optional, added after cooking) 

Instructions

1. Combine the cherry pits, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Do not clean the pits completely; a little leftover fruit adds flavor.
2. Bring to a low boil over medium heat and simmer gently for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
3. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to steep for a few hours (or at least 10–15 minutes) for maximum flavor infusion.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or jar to remove all pits and solids.
5. Stir in the almond or vanilla extract, if using, a drop at a time to taste. 

Canning Instructions for Shelf-Stable Storage

To make the syrup shelf-stable and store it at room temperature, it must be processed in a boiling water canner. 

1. Prepare Jars: Ensure your half-pint or pint canning jars, lids, and bands are clean. Jars should be kept warm in simmering water until ready to use.
2. Fill Jars: Using a funnel and ladle, fill the warm, clean jars with the hot cherry pit syrup, leaving ½ inch of headspace (the space between the syrup and the rim of the jar).
3. Remove Air Bubbles: Run a non-metallic utensil around the inside of the jar to remove any trapped air bubbles.
4. Seal Jars: Wipe the jar rims clean with a damp paper towel. Center the lids on the jars and apply the bands, tightening to "fingertip tight".
5. Process in Water Bath:
   • Place the jars in a boiling water canner, ensuring they are fully submerged by at least 1 inch of water.
   • Bring the water to a full rolling boil. Start the timer once the water reaches a full boil.
   • Process half-pint or pint jars for 10 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 feet. (Adjust processing time for higher altitudes; check the National Center for Home Food Preservation for guidance).
6. Cool and Store: Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 minutes before removing them. Place the hot jars on a wire rack or folded kitchen towel to cool for 12–24 hours. Check seals, label, and store in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate after opening. 

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.