Food Fight Friday - A very Berry Christmas

A steamy hot Christmas day arrived and were we glad we had chosen a cold menu!

Both our sons came home a couple of days before Christmas, one with a special girlfriend. It was wonderful having both fledglings back under one roof!
We drove up the North Coast of Kwazulu Natal past the sugarcane fields to spend the day with my nephew who is an ER Specialist and was on call that day - a stark reminder of the dedication of all our emergency workers who are hard at work while we all are out to play when he was called out late that afternoon. But we had a glorious day soaking up the sun and looking out at the green belt right next to his apartment.

As I'm the sweet tooth in the family, the job of providing dessert always lands on my shoulders, something I have no problem with whatsoever!
We ALWAYS have sherry soaked Trifle, but this year I decided to keep it sweet and simple by making mini Berry Pavlovas filled with whipped Coconut Cream for those who prefer a healthier option and thick Dairy Cream, both flavoured with a touch of Vanilla.

Hubby was sent to the stores to buy the berries and came back with gorgeous Blackberries, Blueberries and Cherries; he could not find even one lone Strawberry nor a Raspberry on any shelf on Christmas Eve!
When I went a couple of days before Christmas, the shelves were filled in abundance, but I wanted them to still be fresh on Christmas day.

Meringues were supposed to be made a couple of days beforehand, but disastrous electricity outages turned my cooking schedule upside down!
This is where my telephonic attempt at a fight with our electricity provider started, but they were not even answering their phones, and this is a call centre mind you - I put on my boxing gloves right there and then and was ready to march to their offices and bang on that door till someone woke up and told me what was happening!
Fortunately the lights came back on...33 long hours later...and saved the day or I may have spent Christmas behind bars either doing jail time or being locked up after going totally loony in frustration!
...
Back to baking...

MERINGUES RECIPE

• 4 extra large Egg whites
• 2 cups Icing Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/4 tsp Salt
  Beat till stiff peaks form, pipe onto baking paper or aluminium foil.
  Bake for 2 hours on 100C, turn oven off and leave overnight and store in airtight containers.
  

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Accompanied by rustic homemade Christmas Mince Pies with a spicy brandy soaked fruit mince filling with Orange and Lemon zest giving it the extra zing en-wrapped in a buttery flaky pastry, this was the perfect end to the meal.

Sultanas, Raisins, Candied Peel, Green Apples, Brandy, Brown Sugar, Orange Zest, Cinnamon, Ginger and Allspice all made for a delicious filling.

And so another wonderfully special Christmas day ended on a sweet note, all thoughts of fighting about electricity dissipated after a day spent with very special family and much laughter.

Wishing all our Food Fight Friday contenders as well as the head honchos @dandays, @idig and @jlsplatts and our sponsor @appreciator a wonderful Christmas period and all the very best for 2020!

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Original Content by @lizelle

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