THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS WITH DANTE & SASCHA

On the Fifth Day of Christmas, Dante's true love gave to him:

"FIVE GOLDEN RINGS"

This was the first time Dante couldn't give Sascha's gift a 'ringing' endorsement!  Sure, they were pretty, but he just wasn't sure what he was supposed to do with them.

I mean you couldn't cook them or eat them.  So Sascha suggested a couple of things, and Dante, always one to please, gave it a try, but ...

... the nose ring didn't prove too PURRactical and the earrings just didn't suit his PURRSonality.  He couldn't even give Sascha a kiss because that darn nose ring just got in the way.  Besides, it was turning his nose red (a PAWSible infection?).  And the earrings hurt like hell.  

Sascha agreed that Dante should take them out, and seek immediate medical attention.

Next, Sascha thought maybe a belly ring wouldn't be so bad, or a toe ring PURRhaps.  But the belly ring didn't make much sense because Dante's considerable belly furs just hid it, and the toe ring ended up giving him a blister after walking on it for just a short while.

What else are they good for they wondered.  "Hey, what about playing a game with them!" suggested Sascha. ' Ring Toss' was kind of fun, but it seemed like a big waste to just throw those expensive rings away.

So, they tried Table Shuffleboard, but it basically amounted to the same thing, and the rings got banged around a lot, too.

Finally, Dante and Sascha both got the same idea at the same time.  "Why not sell the rings and give the money to charity?"

"We are both so fortunate", said Dante.  "Yes", said Sascha, "and we should share our good fortune.  You know 'Winnie's Wish Foundation" is just starting their Christmas Fundraising.  What about we give the money to them?  It sure would help out a lot of homeless kitties.

And so they did.  They sold the rings, and dropped off an envelope full of money addressed to the Foundation.  This REALLY made them feel wonderful.

It feels a whole lot better to do something for someone else, especially at Christmas time.  If possible, this made them love each other even more.

And you can donate also, if you wish, and do it online through the "Celestial Kitties" blog.  Dante says "Even my mama did it and it sure made her happy, too!"

That night as Sascha was settling down to sleep, she felt really good how everything had turned out, all except for one thing.  She had kind of been hoping that Dante would get the hint when she gave him the rings.  After all, at least four of them were wedding rings.

Oh well, a girl can dream!

Dante and Sascha return tomorrow for "The Sixth Day of Christmas", and they're back to old tricks.  To see exactly what, you'll have to make a return visit.

THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS WITH DANTE & SASCHA

NOTE:  There are some interesting historical facts in this post, so you may want to read it in its entirety.

On the fourth day of Christmas, Dante's true love gave to him ...

"FOUR CALLING BIRDS"

Most people have wondered "what exactly IS a Calling Bird"?  Well, here's the answer to your question.

Verse four of "The Twelve Days of Christmas referring to "Four Calling Birds" is actually a corruption of the English word 'colly' or 'collie'. So, we are referring to four colly or collie birds and not 'calling birds'.

So then, what is a colly bird?  It is a black bird.  In England a coal mine is called a colliery, and colly or collie for short, and means 'black like coal'. For a long time in England, blackbirds have been referred to as both blackbirds (as in the nursery rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence") and colly birds (as in The Twelve Days of Christmas) .

As to why the person in the song would give his or her true love a gift of blackbirds, the answer is that this would have been another gift of food.  Blackbirds were plentiful and were quite commonly used in cooking.

Of course in the nursery rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence", we see them being served as a meat pie and this may have been the way they were most often served. 

 (Dante's ancestor, Daniel, and Sascha's ancestor, Sarah, circa 1900, both enjoyed many a blackbird pie.)

So Dante decided to make a "Colly Bird" aka "Blackbird" pie for his sweetheart, but had a little trouble digging up a recipe.  "I could have used a canine Collie to help me dig up this one -- it sure wasn't easy", but finally, he struck paydirt online.  "Eureka!", he shouted.

This recipe was taken straight from the handwritten recipe book of a lady whose Great Grandmother was born and bred in the Brendon Hills of West Somerset, and is at least one hundred years old. 

Collie Bird aka Blackbird Pie   

(Traditional Blackbird Pie Recipe from Somerset, England) 

Eight Blackbirds

Half a pound of Bacon

Half a pound of Liver

One Onion

A handful of chopped field mushrooms

Pepper and Salt

One gill of Brown Sauce

Suet Paste

Grease and line a pint and a half pudding basin with good suet paste. Bone and clean the blackbirds, stuff each one with liver (of a paste-like consistency), wrap each blackbird up in a thin strip of bacon, season each piece with pepper and salt. Put some pieces of bacon in the bottom of the basin, put the rolled-up birds in neatly, sprinkle over the chopped onion and mushrooms, pour in the brown sauce, fill in with any pieces of bacon left over. Wet round the edges of the paste, put on the top crust, tie it up in a cloth tightly, plunge into boiling water and boil gently for two hours.

Of course, Dante only has four blackbirds to work with, so he made two PURRsonal-sized pies for both he and Sascha instead of one large pie.  He didn't quite know how much 'one gill of Brown Sauce' was, so again he turned to the internet.  

A "gill" is a unit of measure pertaining to volume.  A "gill" equals 1/4 of an English pint or 5 ounces.  So, Dante had to halve this amount for his PURRposes.

Once again, Dante's culinary skills rose to the four (the four blackbirds that is), and dinner that night was another smashing success!

Dante and Sascha will be back tomorrow for "The Fifth Day of Christmas", and there will be no birds to cook with this time, I tell you.  Check back to see what happens.

THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS WITH DANTE & SASCHA

On the third day of Christmas, Dante's true love gave to him ...

 "THREE FRENCH HENS"

So, once again Dante was thrilled!  This time he didn't undertake to cook those French hens himself.  He and Sascha secured the hens in a PTU, put on their French berets and silk scarves, and boogied on over the pond.  Dante had done some research and found one of the best restaurants in Paris.  He spoke with his fellow chef, Guy Savoy, who agreed to prepare this special dish just for the happy couple that very evening.

This gourmet bistro named after its chef/owner "Guy Savoy" is located at 18 rue Troyon.  The menu changes with the seasons, of course, with game being a popular addition in the winter.  The decor, all dark wood and leather, is very comtemPURRary.  Just right for this stylish twosome.

Chef Guy took those game hens and with a little French magic (namely the Southern France Spice Mix) turned them into ...

...  this. Voila!

French Game Hens with Fruit-and-Sausage Stuffing

Dante admits even he couldn't have come up with something as inspiring and delicious as this!  Sascha was simply in heaven.  They ate one bird apiece, and took the rest home in a 'kitty bag'.  

The dish was totally evocative of the Christmas season with its cranberries, stuffing, and both fresh and dried savoury herbs.  It's a much lighter alternative to turkey, too.

The recipe follows.  It may be long, but Dante says it's definitely worth it.  Even if you do nothing else, make up some of the Southern France Spice Mix and use it to flavour all of your poultry dishes.  It would actually make a very nice gift for friends and family, too, if you put it in a fancy gift jar.  As it is composed entirely of dried herbs, it should keep for a very long time.

French Game Hens with Fruit-and-Sausage Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients

3 lbs hen 

3 lbs teaspoon Southern France Spice Mix (recipe below)

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup shallots (chopped)

2 cups french bread (cubes about 2 1 ounce slices)

1 cup rome apple (chopped peeled)

1/4 lb smoked turkey sausage (diced)

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup prunes (coarsely chopped pitted)

1/4 cup 1 teaspoon Southern France Spice Mix

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp salt

4 french bread (1/2 inch thick slices)

1/4 cup boiling water

2 tbsps dried cranberries

2 tbsps shallots (chopped)

6 black peppercorns

1 cup apple juice

1 cup cranberry juice cocktail

2 tbsps dry red wine

2 tsps cornstarch

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp 1/8 teaspoon Southern France Spice Mix

fresh parsley (chopped, optional)

sage (fresh, optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

 For the hens: Remove and reserve giblets and necks from hens. Rinse hens under cold water, and pat dry. Halve hens lengthwise; trim excess fat. Loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers and gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub 1/2 teaspoon Southern France Spice Mix beneath skin of each hen half. Set aside.

 For the stuffing: Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup shallots; sauté 2 minutes. Add bread cubes and next 7 ingredients (bread cubes through salt); cook 1 minute, stirring until well-blended. Remove from heat.

 Arrange bread slices in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Spoon 3/4 cup stuffing mixture onto each bread slice. Place 1 hen half, skin side up, over each mound of stuffing mixture. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

 For the sauce: Combine boiling water and 2 tablespoons cranberries in a small bowl. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain.

Southern France Spice Mix

Ingredients

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed

1 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground bay leaf

Preparation

Combine ingredients; stir. Store in an airtight container.

Dante and Sascha are certainly feasting well on the Christmas gifts she has given him so far.  What will she come up with next?  Stay tuned for "The Fourth Day of Christmas" coming tomorrow.

THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS WITH DANTE & SASCHA

On the Second Day of Christmas, Dante's true love gave to him:

'TWO TURTLE DOVES'

It was actually quite an appropriate gift since these two are so very 'lovey dovey'.  As much as they love each other, they can't deny an equal passion for poultry of any size, shape or form.

So Dante got out his cookbook, and this is what he made for Sascha's supPURR.  Dante fancies himself a feline of refined tastes, as well as a seasoned cat chef.  And 'tis the Season for sure.

Doesn't this just make you drool?  (Except for the 'Tabbies of Trout Town', of course, who just think all birds are caca.  For their information, Dante is very careful about cleaning out the caca before serving.)

Sweet, Savory & Spicy Sugar-Glazed Dove Poppers

  

Marinade (Ideal for 20-30 pieces):

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp Teriyaki Sauce

4 Tbsp Honey

1 Tbsp Lime Juice

 ½ Tbsp Ginger Powder

1 Tbsp Garlic (Minced)

1 Tbsp Green onion (Finely Chopped)

1 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Jalapeño, diced (seeded for mild or leave in for hot!)

Dash of Salt & Pepper

Stir well to incorporate honey and sugar (10 seconds in microwave may be helpful)

Place dove and marinade into Ziploc bag and place into refrigerator for at least 1 hour

(2-4 hours is recommended).  

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°F. 

Open package of bacon and slice pieces in half.  Drain marinade in colander.  It is recommended to pick jalapeño seeds off of the dove breast before wrapping half piece of bacon around each breast.  Feel free to stuff a piece(s) of jalapeño into each wrap.  Thread a toothpick through the top of the bacon so that it goes down to the breast and then bring it back up through the top of the bacon to secure the bacon around each breast.  Place poppers toothpick side down on broiler pan w/ aluminum below.  Place in oven for 10-12 minutes checking often for crispness of bacon, additional minutes may be necessary. 

Once bacon is at desired crispness on top, remove from oven and drain off all juices.  Flip over “poppers” so that the toothpick side is now up.  Align poppers in rows so that they are touching one another. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top; use as little or as much as you would like (“a pinch a popper” is recommended).  **Turn oven to Broil and return the poppers to the oven until brown sugar is thoroughly melted and bacon is crisp.  Remove from oven and place on a paper towel-lined serving tray. Allow a few minutes to cool down (if you can wait that long!).  Remove toothpick and enjoy! **This step should be watched carefully, as ovens broil differently and chances of burning the “poppers” are high. 

This sweet and spicy dish is PURRfectly suited to the sweet and spicy couple.  Dante and Sascha's passion for each other is only enhanced after tasting these succulent morsels.

Come back tomorrow for "The Third Day of Christmas" with Dante and Sascha.  I wonder what she'll give him next?   Hmmmmm, that's a tough one.  But if it should happen to be some sort of  birds again, let's just hope they're actually tender.

THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS WITH DANTE & SASCHA

Dante and Sascha are truly in love, and there's nothing like the holiday season to bring them even closer together.

Looks to me like there's a real big smooch coming in the not-too-distant future!  Of course, when you sit under the mistletoe, it's an absolute necessity.

Sascha has many surprises in store for her true love, Dante, not least of which is:

"A Partridge in a Pear Tree"

"Wow! What a great gift!" exclaims Dante.  "Thank you, Sascha.  It's like two gifts in one.  I'm gonna plant that pear tree in my new garden next Spring, and tonight we'll feast together on that bird."

And so they did.  Here's the roast partridge with poached pear that Dante prepared for dinner.

Partridge with poached pear
Serves 2 to 3

• William pears
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 2 partridges
• 2 onions or shallots, quartered
• 50g pancetta cubetti
• 2tsp flour
• 3tbsp brandy
• 150ml white wine
• 75ml stock
• Bay leaves to decorate
• 1tbsp cranberry sauce

1. Set the oven at 190°C/gas 5. Cut the pears in half and, using a teaspoon, scoop out the core.  Dice 1 pear.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the partridges on all sides for 5 minutes, then place in a shallow ovenproof dish. Add the onions and pancetta to the pan and fry for 5 mins. Add the diced pear and pear halves, cut side down, and fry for 1-2 mins, then arrange the mixture around the birds.
3. Place in the oven to roast for 25-30 minutes until tender and the juices run clear when pierced with a skewer.
4. Remove the partridges and pears, cover with foil and leave to rest. Scrape all the contents of the roasting dish into a pan, sprinkle with flour and heat for 1 min until thickened. Gradually add the brandy, the wine and the stock and bring to the boil, simmer for 2-3 mins then strain.
5. Arrange the partridges on a serving dish with the bay leaves and pears, and fill the centres with cranberry sauce..

Dante and Sascha shared just one partridge between them because that's all they had.  As it turned out, it was more than enough, and it was absolutely delicious!  Those cooking lessons really paid off, Dante!

Dante also has a gift for Sascha.  He is giving her one prettily wrapped Christmas gift for every one she gives to him, although she isn't allowed to open hers until Christmas Day itself.

So stay tuned, for further installments of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" with Dante and Sascha.  There'll be one every day from now, right up to and including December 25th!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY WITH DANTE: YO! YO! YO!

FRIDAY WITH DANTE IN THE LITTERBOX

We used to have Thursday in the Garden with Dante, but times have changed, as has the landscape.

The first time Dante saw what had happened to his beloved garden, he went into shock.  This time he is taking time to have a good look.

And this is what he sees!

 "Hey dis isn't so bad", says Dante.  "Mebbe dey stole my gardin, but dey gave me one great big littahbox!"

After that it didn't take Dante long to check out his new "digs" (so to speak)!

And then he does the 'dirty deed'.

 "Now I'm weely diggin' dis!", says Dante in delight.

 After redistributing the mulch, Dante decides to explore the PURRimeters of his new litterbox.

 "At weest I still has my fafurite twee", says he.

 "An' all dis noo erf smells great!"

But Dante finally reaches the end of his rope, and the far edge of the litterbox, so he returns ...

... to the front porch quite the happy camPURR!  

"Dis opens up so many noo PAWSibilities", says he.

And so we take leave of our PURRotagonist while he PAWnders all of the things he can 'doo-doo' in the future in this large and lovely litterbox of his dreams.