Advent 2010 #6 - Lessons from the kitchen...

This one really is about Advent 2010, emphasizing the 2010 and not the Advent. A few days before Christmas we found ourselves with an amazingly light schedule. So, at a time that is supposed to be hectic and filled with busyness, I thought, "Let's have people over for dinner tomorrow." This, three days before Christmas.  One email later, we had a dinner party scheduled. (Thank goodness for spontaneous people.).

So what did you learn from tonight's dinner for four? Tonight I learned that it is important to read the fine print. In honor of your time here is the short version...



Yummmmm.

 I scour the ads, for three minutes, and see that both Ham and Pork Shoulder Picnic Style Roast are on sale. So are Filet Mignon and Ribeye...  

Pork Shoulder Picnic Style Roast





This looks nice...

Pork wins. Now I need a recipe. Cooking Light comes up with Pear & Cranberry Stuffed Pork Roast. This really does fit the season. The recipe requires butterflying, stuffing and trussing (sewing together is closer to what was called for but I like the word trussing).

Perhaps I should have read the fine print, "Pork Should Picnic Style Roast - bone in." For some reason my eyes glossed over that interesting bit of information, bone in. My lovely roast has a big bone going the wrong way. It makes butterflying rather difficult. Since it was too late and I was too cheap for the Ribeye Roast I had to proceed. Carving around seems to work, kind of. Instead of 1 nice butterflied piece or a top and bottom I can roll back together, I end up six interesting pieces of various sizes and thicknesses.  A few skewers and some nice twine save the day. Note the following picutres are not for the faint of heart, but just remember this is six separate pieces of pork.

 Here's the process and the results... 



Pears & Cranberries Stuffing

 

Sorry for this picture but remember the six pieces. Now one.



 

Preparing for Trussing



This will never work...

And here is the result.

This may work...

While this may not look that appealing, note that the stuffing stayed in for the most part.

When the twine was removed (Lesson 2 - use different string) and the roast placed on a plate it was just the thing to grace thte table. It worked.

What made this event worthy of Advent was not the pear and cranberry stuffed pork but the good company and pleasant conversation. (Though the pineapple upside down cake will be remembered as a close second in making the event). Good times with new and old friends is not what Christmas is all about, but I have a sense that this is the right way to celebrate this special season. It turns out I was the only spontaneous one in the group and everyone else just humored me by dropping plans to rest quietly in preparation for Christmas. I am glad they did.

This is an advent blog post so without hesitation I wish you a Merry Christmas! And just in case I missed the holiday wishes that you would prefer, then I will wish you a Very Happy New Year.