On Course for Christmas

Today was the last, endlessly long, end-of-the-year slog day at the Arvo Job. I still have to go in for a couple of arvos of mopping up, but I can now turn my attention towards getting the last Christmas shopping done and starting on the ris a' l'amande.

Ah, family traditions. Believe me, a Danish Christmas is not for the faint-hearted. To cope with the preparations, my brothers and sister and I split the cooking tasks. Initially, we renegotiated who was to do what every year – the pork, the red cabbage, the caramel potatoes - but over time, we’ve settled into a routine. I’m the ris a' l'amande maker. It’s not an easy job, and it is not a job you can rush, but when I get it just right, and everyone is scoffing til they burst, aaaah, the triumph.

Alas, however, there is also the possibility of getting it wrong and ruining everyone’s meal...