 |
|
Secretary of Donkey's Incorporated
When Fran Sbrocchi set out along the Silk Road on her donkey I doubt she knew what lay ahead, that she would become the much loved secretary of the Donkey's Union. Read Fran's journey by viewing the Donkey Story. Fran, like le Enchanteur, chose to work with an artistic medium that was relatively new to her. Everyone here at Soul Food has been enchanted with her quirky paintings. Entertainments
Donkey
Puzzle The Small One
A Story For Those Who Like Christmas and Small Donkeys By Charles Tazewell Donkey Chow: 1
bushel carrots, chopped Mix all together and serve in several sturdy but festive wheelbarrows courtesy of Karen Roberts Brementown Musicians The story of the musicians of Bremen, one of the classic folk and fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. A narrated Flash animated cartoon retells the beloved folktale. Links to the Brementown Sing-along memory game and coloring downloads. Interactive online fun for kids and the whole family. Part of the GrimmFairyTales netsphere. Draw of the Dragon
(a children's game) Gather you all in circle close in truth.
With set guards that watch West round to South. The Father has set large ones at their
work, Each one of us has a scary close friend,
Which we shant describe to secret defend. By choice or lot, each of this special clan Will be a dragon part and set a plan. Imagine a scale or tooth or pointed tail. Choose fire or wings or thumb with a nail. If your number be small then portend
two. Be on best manner and do not interfere,
"Kind Sir (or Lady)", if you can be sure;
"This one needs help, I pray you will share. If you can tell, what did its (part)
look like? Then each return to community round And
create this marvel to be renowned. On large sheet of paper and crayons
bright, Each section of dragon be from your task,
by faucon of Sakin'el
|
December 19 2005 Donkey Christmas Party
Donkey Party by Fran Sbrocchi When I was growing up in Maffra, Victoria, Australia, in the 1950's, my father worked at the Maffra Cooperative Milk Factory. Each year the management of the factory put on a Christmas party for the families of workers in the town's Mechanics Hall. I vividly recall dressing in a yellow organza party frock that my mother made for me and partaking of the banquet in the 'supper room'. The highlight of the evening was the distribution of presents. There was one for every child. This Donkey Christmas Party is done in the tradition of those factory Christmas parties that I have such fond memories of. Heather Blakey On the Supper Table Lamingtons Little Bonbons INGREDIENTS 24 cocktail frankfurts 6 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry 1 egg, lightly beaten ovenproof cotton or string tomato sauce, to serve METHOD · Preheat oven to 180C. · Prick frankfurts all over with a fork. Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares. Brush each square with beaten egg. Place a frankfurt on each pastry square and roll up. Gently press edges to seal. Tie ends loosely with string. · Place bonbons on a lightly greased oven tray, brush lightly with egg wash and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. · Serve with tomato sauce. · Can be made the day before and reheated on party day. Makes: 24. Mini Chicken Drumsticks INGREDIENTS 1 cup cornflakes ½ cup breadcrumbs 2 eggs 3 tbsp milk ½ cup plain flour 10 chicken wings canola oil for shallow frying plum sauce, to serve METHOD · Crush cornflakes into crumbs and combine on a plate with breadcrumbs. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a shallow bowl and place the flour on a separate plate. Cut little drumsticks from chicken wings (remaining pieces can be used to make chicken stock). Lightly dust chicken drumsticks with flour, dip in egg mixture and then coat with crumb mixture. Shallow-fry in hot oil until golden and cooked or spray with olive oil spray and bake at 200C for about 20-25 minutes (depending on size) until cooked. Cool slightly and serve with plum sauce. Can be made a day ahead and reheated. Makes: 10. Meringues:
To this day I only
have to see a meringue in a cake shop to be reminded of the meringues
that were always featured on the supper table at the Christmas Party.
I made a bee-line for them and loved every sticky morsel.
Method Make sure all your utensils are completely dry. Meringues are sensitive little beasts, and they don't like moisture at all. Don't make meringues on a rainy or really humid day: remember they're mostly air, and if that air contains a lot of water, it has an effect. If you try this recipe in wet weather, your meringues will fall flat and burn. Really. Get the egg whites into a large tall bowl, set the mixer to its highest speed, and start making bubbles! (And spare a thought for all the women through the ages who have made meringues using just a hand-beater, or a fork. Eeek.) When the egg whites start to froth, gradually add the sugar, a few spoonsful at a time, beating all the while; add the vanilla essence about halfway through the sugar. By the time all the sugar is in, you should have some opaque white frothy mix in the bowl. This is good. You're on the right track. How do you tell when you've beaten the egg white mixture enough? When it's not runny at all. When you can hold a spoonful of it upside down and none of it drops off. When you swirl the spoon through it and the swirls hold their shape indefinitely. Now give it an extra minute on high speed for good measure, and switch off the mixer. You're ready to start baking. Did I mention that you should have pre-heated the oven? Sorry. Please heat the oven. 250 degrees Farenheit is fine. That's barely above boiling water level, but the thing with meringues is that you're basically just letting the air in all those bubbles expand, which it does in the first 15 minutes, and after that it's a slow drying-out. Not much heat required. Now get out your large flat baking tray (every kitchen has one, they breed like coathangers) and spread some aluminium (sorry, Americans - that's a-loo-min-um :) foil over it. You'll be making 24 meringues this time, and there should be enough left in the bowl for a second baking. Use a large teaspoon of mixture for each meringue, and allow space for them to double in size as they bake. Put an arty little swirl in them, it looks nice when they're done. Now, top shelf of the oven - and set the timer to call you in one hour. Relax. Lick the beaters! Scrape the bowl! It's good clean fun, and it's something to do while the meringues are baking. Put on some gentle music, or a Trek video, or check out your fave web sites. You need something to do that will have you hanging around the house for 2 hours, so this is no time to go down the pub. You want good meringues. After one hour, turn the oven down to 225 degrees.
After another 20 minutes, turn it down to 200 degrees. After yet
another 20 minutes, turn it down to 175 degrees. After (ho-hum)
another 20 minutes, your 2 hours are up! Your meringues are done.
Take them out and leave them on the tray to cool, then transfer
to an airtight container for storage - they pick up moisture from
the air rapidly, but in a container they keep for at least a week.
None of mine have ever hung around for longer than a week, but you're
welcome to try eating them in 6 months time if you're curious and
have lots of willpower. Time to Go Home to Bed
by Aletta Mes After all the excitement of the Donkey Christmas Party the donkeys begin to take weary travellers home, to sleep and dream of next year's party. |
 |