Check out how Christmas markets globally have turned low-key yet intimate and consumerfriendly.
Agencies A stand selling Christmas decorations along the Friedrichstraße shopping boulevard in Berlin.
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As the Year 2020 steadily comes to a close, there is hope on the horizon across the world. Check out how Christmas markets globally have turned low-key yet intimate and consumerfriendly to beat the pandemic collectively.
JOY TO THE WORLD: Christmas trees for sale on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and the governors of Germany’s 16 states agreed to step up the country’s lockdown measures from Dec 16, 2020 to Jan 10, 2021 to stop the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases.
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JOY TO THE WORLD
IN SWEDEN: People walk past shops under Christmas decorations in Stockholm taking precautions due to to novel coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic.
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IN SWEDEN
SWISS TOUCH: People walk next to Christmas decoration during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
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SWISS TOUCH
AQUA ATTRACTION: A diver dressed in a Santa Claus costume swims with fish at Sunshine Aquarium in Tokyo during a promotional Christmas show.
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AQUA ATTRACTION
LONDON LURES: Christmas lights twinkle as passengers travel in a bus along Piccadilly, London. People take advantage of the easing of England's restrictions on shop openings to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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LONDON LURES
SANTA LOVE: People in Santa costumes walk amongst Christmas shoppers Regent Street in London, England.
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SANTA LOVE
BERLIN TIME: A stand selling Christmas decorations along the Friedrichstraße shopping boulevard in Berlin. Across the country, city and town squares are witnessing low-key sounds, scents and lights, as the country has skipped its usual beloved huge annual Christmas markets.
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BERLIN TIME
AUSTRIAN SHOPPERS: A customer buys an Advent wreath while visiting the weekly market in Salzburg, Austria. After a break, horticultural companies were once again able to offer Advent wreaths, flower arrangements, mistletoe and other products at the Schrannenmarkt, during a tough lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).
NEW YORK BECKONS: A woman waits to go inside of an igloo with Christmas decorations in New York.
Christmas Cooking: Treat Your Taste Buds To A Delectable Pudding & Plum Cake
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Merry Christmas To All
Christmas is here and it's time to feast on cakes and puddings and every other delectable treat that celebrates the spirit of the festivity. While plum cakes and Christmas puddings are signature to the feast, an Ecuador Chocolate Ganache an Beetroot Tartare can help bring variety on the dinner table.
If you are still pondering over the Christmas feast menu, here's a collection of recipes that could work wonders with guests.
Method:
- For the base, mix cookie crumble with butter and egg white with hand
- Set base in a rectangular frame, 1/3 cm thick to make base of the dessert
- For the ganache, heat cream and liquid glucose in a pan and mix to a homogenous mixture
- Add Ecuador chocolate chips and mix till the chocolate melts, ensure make sure that no lumps
are formed
- Remove from heat and cool it to room temperature
- Pour the chocolate mix in the frame with cookie crumble base and refrigerate for 60 minutes
- De-mold the chocolate and serve portioned as per liking
You can also add freshly-cut fruits and chocolate garnish
(Courtesy: Trident Hotels)
Christmas Pudding
Ingredients:
Sultanas: 30 gms
Raisins: 40 gms
Prunes: 80 gms
Black currants, apricot, dates, fig and cranberries: 50 gms
Candied orange and ginger peel finely-chopped: 25 gms
Apple peeled and finely chopped: 1
Orange zest: 1 tbsp
Lemon zest: 1/2 tbsp
Lemon juice: 2 tbsp
Brandy: 4 tbsp
Refined flour: 55 gms
Cinnamon ground: 1 ½ tsp
Veg shortening: 110 gms
Brown sugar: 110 gms
Bread crumbs: 110 gms
Almonds: 25 gms
Large eggs: 2
Method:
- Place dried fruits, candied orange, apple and lemon juice into a large mixing bowl
- Add brandy and mix it all together well
- Cover the bowl with muslin cloth and leave to marinate overnight
- Stir in flour mixed spice and cinnamon together in a large bowl
- Add veg shortening, sugar, lemon, orange zest, breadcrumbs, and nuts
- Stir again to mix all ingredients
- Add the marinated dried fruits and mix
- Spoon the mixture into a greased pudding basin while gently pressing down with back of the spoon
- Cover with a double layer of grease proof paper, then a layer of aluminium foil and tie
securely with string wrapping around the bowl again, then loop over the top and the basin around the bowl again
- Place the pudding in a steamer set over a sauce pan of simmering water and steam the pudding for 7 hours
- The pudding should be a dark brown colour when cooked
- Remove the pudding from steamer, cool completely, remove the paper, prick the pudding with skewer and pour in little brandy
- Cover with fresh grease proof paper and retie with string
- Reheat and serve after couple of days
- Serve pudding with rum sauce
Rum Sauce Ingredients:
Butter: 56 gms
Plain flour: 56 gms
Milk: 1/2 l
Castor sugar: 56 gms
Brandy: 5 tbsp
Method:
- Melt butter in a non-stick sauce pan over medium heat, then add flour and mix well to make a thick paste, cook for one minute
- Slowly add milk and whisk vigorously until a thick sauce is formed
- Add sugar and whisk little more, lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes stirring from time to time
- Add the brandy or cognag whisking into smooth sauce, chill for a day
- Warm it and serve with the Christmas pudding
(Courtesy: Chef Kalia Murthy, Chef De Cuisine, Elior India)
Gluten-free Beetroot Tartare
Ingredients:
Beetroot: 200 gms
Salt: To taste
Black pepper powder: 2 gms
Hung curd: 30 gms
Red onion: 40 gms
Capers: 10 gms
Valencia Orange: 1
Rucola lettuce: 10 gms
Red Radish: 10 gms
Figs: 60 gms
Balsamic vinegar: 30 ml
Breakfast sugar: 10 gms
Method:
- For the tartare, select medium size beetroot, clean and place them covered in water to boil till cooked to 80%
- Remove from hot water and allow them to cool
- Peel the outer hard skin and cut them into dices, size of a green pea. Keep aside in a bowl
- Add salt, pepper powder, hung curd, chopped red onions, chopped capers and mix softly
- In a pan, add balsamic vinegar and breakfast sugar and warm it up
- Add cut figs and stew till soft
- Be careful to avoid high flames as vinegar may caramelize
- In a serving plate, arrange the beetroot mix using a cutter as shown in picture
- Place dressed salad of Rucola leaves, red radish, Valencia orange segments and stewed figs
- Best served cold as an appetizer
Method:
- For the mushroom, wash, peel and cut them into quarters
- Quick boil the mushrooms for 3 minutes and refresh in cold water
- Water not to be thrown; you can use the mushroom water as stock
- In a pan, heat olive oil and add bay leaf
- Now add chopped onions and cook it till translucent
- Add risotto rice and cook till firm
- Keep adding stock gradually till the rice is cooked
- Adjust seasoning
- Finish the risotto with butter and grated parmesan cheese
- Risotto should be consistency of soft scrambled eggs
- Plate the risotto and place the mushrooms on it
- Drizzle it with truffle oil
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