Day 358: Toast and Jam
Day 358! I may just have a heart attack.
I did CBC early this morning and was on traffic duty again on the Homestretch this afternoon, so leaving at 6 and stopping for one last gift en route, then getting stuck in hockey game traffic got me home at almost 7. I didn’t plan dinner (you’d think that after 357 days I’d learn something) but did pull a baggie of frozen chicken strips in buttermilk out of the freezer, and called to tell Mike to get sweet potato fries started. (Very unromantic of me, considering it’s our anniversary, but really we have the whole season to celebrate.) By the time I got home W had fallen asleep (he was up again at 8:30) and the chicken and fries were fairly cold and soggy… I nibbled on a few but was mostly interested in bread and jam while we made our last few batches of caramel corn with mixed nuts and fleur de sel caramels to give out tomorrow.
If I was really pressed to name my favourite food of all time, like if my life depended on choosing, I might say toast and jam. Dull, maybe. But I’d choose toast (or fresh, warm biscuits) with butter and jam over chips or chocolate anytime.
Dark, runny jams are my favourite; cherry, plum and black currant, although I go through semi-annual marmalade phases and would not turn down apricot or peach or a nice spiced apple jelly. I could happily go through life with an entire wardrobe of jams; a whole shelf dedicated to them. I do adore jam.
Years ago I made a couple of holiday-inspired jams that I decided to ressurect this year (considering my vow to not set foot in a mall for the few weeks before Christmas – I made and am still making a bunch of stuff, and I am a little bit hooked on etsy) and recently stumbled upon a new one. Besides the baking and caramels, I like having little pots and jars (I get old glass ones throughout the year at Value Village, church sales and the dollar store) filled with preserves to bring everywhere I go on the days leading up to Christmas.
Toast and jam are such a great comfort food. The thought of warm, butter toast conjures up lots of memories. I remember when I was first pregnant with my daughter and had a hard time eating hot foods because the scent of some dishes may me queasy. Toast however was one thing that I could eat and eat and I did. One of my favourite jams at the time, was a high bush cranberry jam that I had bought at a craft sale. I also like cherry and plum and spiced peach or apricot. I think I ate too much strawberry jam as a kid because it is now my least favourite.
Since we listen to CBC every day, we heard you twice today and my husband even commented on how busy you are. I hope that you will have a few days to put your feet up and relax this Christmas season. Take care.
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
The preserve recipes look great and another super idea. Happy anniversary! Buddiegirl is right….take some time for yourself one of these days. See you next year.
Julie, you have given us all the best present EVER, all year. I’ve enjoyed opening it every day.
I hope you have a truly wonder-full Christmas. All the best from my family to yours.
-CSB
nothing wrong with jam.
JAM–A positive multifunctiontional expression for wanting to be “all over” a person, place, or thing (urban dictionary).
who knew there could be so many derivations of the word jam? there must be 200 different urban phrases that include jam and most of them are *ahem* questionable. i went with the rastafarian line that harkens back to Bob Marley and the Wailers.
i have so much work to do today and i’m searching jam on the urban dictionary *sigh*
merry christmas to a jammin’ chicka!
mmmm…that always reminds me of my Baba, fresh bread, butter and jam.
I hope today runs smoothly for you and you, Mike and W have a happy and Blessed Christmas. No one is more deserving than you.
xoxo
d
Nothing wrong with toast and jam! I’m going to try that crock pot apricot jam one of these days- yeah, no pectin!
Happy Anniversary and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours.
There is nothing wrong with toast and jam.
Have a lovely Christmas, Julie! And happy anniversary!
Christmas preserves!!! AMAZING. Made a wonderful gift for special people. Simple and it tastes like Christmas in a jar. I used the recipe printed in Swerve magainze in December 2010.