#20 - Christmas Traditions & What Inspires Us at the Holidays
11/23/21 • 78 min
First of all, I think there are some differences between what you associate with Christmas over in the US, and what I associate with Christmas in the UK. - Alison
We're entering the Fall and Winter holiday season and food and sensory delights from the garden and kitchen are such a traditional part of that! Alison and Andrea discuss some of their favorite dishes to serve at this time of year and the traditions they want to cultivate more of.
Not by spending more, by spending less, our Christmases have been more beautiful, more memorable. - Alison
*We had some audio gremlins wanting to get in on our Christmas episode fun. We hope it doesn't spoil your enjoyment. Bear with us; we are working hard to fix these for next year!*
Love what we're doing?
Our podcast is sponsored by our patrons and listeners! We'd love you to be part of our Patreon community!
For $9 a month (or equivalent in your currency) you'll be helping us with the costs of recording, editing and putting this work into the world. And you'll get to be part of our world on a deeper level - we've got a monthly intimate patron-exclusive podcast called Kitchen Table Chats and we're also going to share cooking classes, extra interviews and much more.
Check out www.patreon.com/ancestralkitchenpodcast for all the details!
The traditions were not shaped because peasants were hauling in stuff from amazon.com, no, they were shaped because that's what they had around them... - Andrea
Time Stamps
01:05 You might hear Andrea's kids!
01:45 What Andrea ate last night
02:33 Alison's Lunch
04:14 A boza lesson learned and why Alison is changing her recipe
10:24 The history of cinnamon rolls
I had to look up a chelsea bun! I had never heard of them. Some pictures showed the cherry and some didn't. They do look like a cinnamon roll, a kind of dryer version! - Andrea
15:24 Thank you Patrons!
16:32 Let's talk about the holidays!
17:21 Some of Andrea's memories of Christmas traditions
It's really important to my mom to keep the holidays from being stressful and full of obligation. - Andrea
You have big shoes to stand in. - Alison
25:35 Alison talks about her Christmas memories
We need some transatlantic education lessons! - Alison, when Andrea still didn't understand what treacle pudding was
(I had to look up Christmas Suet Pudding because all I could think of was bird food. - Andrea)
30:30 Christmas in Italy - la bella figura
A picture of a Christmas Market in Florence, Italy
33:00 Where DID our modern traditions come from?
34:25 Hi Charis! :)
36:37 How Alison does things now
It has felt in the past like I've been on edge or I'm bending myself in order to spend Christmas with my [extended] family, and it has become much more magical when I've been able to create a space within the family that is the three of us to do something that we, all three of us, find magical. I don't think it will always be like this ... But it just so happens that the last seven years it's been just the three of us. - Alison
39:00 Alison's new tradition!
41:20 What Alison is thinking of making this year
43:00 King's College in Cambridge carol service (linked in resources!)
46:09 Alison's fermented gingerbread
Alison's Fermented Gingerbread
50% rye or spelt flour, 50% honey by weight
Mix and leave in a cool place for about a month before mixing into a final dough and baking!
47:30 Andrea's Pumpkin Spice Class (linked in resources - FREE class and FREE eBook download!)
47:59 A cat goes crazy at Andrea's house
50:25 Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere
51:54 The best Christmas and the most traditional Christmas is looking at what's around you and celebrating that, really celebrating that - Alison
If somebody feels frustrated because I can't afford this or that, turn to what is around you; you...
First of all, I think there are some differences between what you associate with Christmas over in the US, and what I associate with Christmas in the UK. - Alison
We're entering the Fall and Winter holiday season and food and sensory delights from the garden and kitchen are such a traditional part of that! Alison and Andrea discuss some of their favorite dishes to serve at this time of year and the traditions they want to cultivate more of.
Not by spending more, by spending less, our Christmases have been more beautiful, more memorable. - Alison
*We had some audio gremlins wanting to get in on our Christmas episode fun. We hope it doesn't spoil your enjoyment. Bear with us; we are working hard to fix these for next year!*
Love what we're doing?
Our podcast is sponsored by our patrons and listeners! We'd love you to be part of our Patreon community!
For $9 a month (or equivalent in your currency) you'll be helping us with the costs of recording, editing and putting this work into the world. And you'll get to be part of our world on a deeper level - we've got a monthly intimate patron-exclusive podcast called Kitchen Table Chats and we're also going to share cooking classes, extra interviews and much more.
Check out www.patreon.com/ancestralkitchenpodcast for all the details!
The traditions were not shaped because peasants were hauling in stuff from amazon.com, no, they were shaped because that's what they had around them... - Andrea
Time Stamps
01:05 You might hear Andrea's kids!
01:45 What Andrea ate last night
02:33 Alison's Lunch
04:14 A boza lesson learned and why Alison is changing her recipe
10:24 The history of cinnamon rolls
I had to look up a chelsea bun! I had never heard of them. Some pictures showed the cherry and some didn't. They do look like a cinnamon roll, a kind of dryer version! - Andrea
15:24 Thank you Patrons!
16:32 Let's talk about the holidays!
17:21 Some of Andrea's memories of Christmas traditions
It's really important to my mom to keep the holidays from being stressful and full of obligation. - Andrea
You have big shoes to stand in. - Alison
25:35 Alison talks about her Christmas memories
We need some transatlantic education lessons! - Alison, when Andrea still didn't understand what treacle pudding was
(I had to look up Christmas Suet Pudding because all I could think of was bird food. - Andrea)
30:30 Christmas in Italy - la bella figura
A picture of a Christmas Market in Florence, Italy
33:00 Where DID our modern traditions come from?
34:25 Hi Charis! :)
36:37 How Alison does things now
It has felt in the past like I've been on edge or I'm bending myself in order to spend Christmas with my [extended] family, and it has become much more magical when I've been able to create a space within the family that is the three of us to do something that we, all three of us, find magical. I don't think it will always be like this ... But it just so happens that the last seven years it's been just the three of us. - Alison
39:00 Alison's new tradition!
41:20 What Alison is thinking of making this year
43:00 King's College in Cambridge carol service (linked in resources!)
46:09 Alison's fermented gingerbread
Alison's Fermented Gingerbread
50% rye or spelt flour, 50% honey by weight
Mix and leave in a cool place for about a month before mixing into a final dough and baking!
47:30 Andrea's Pumpkin Spice Class (linked in resources - FREE class and FREE eBook download!)
47:59 A cat goes crazy at Andrea's house
50:25 Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere
51:54 The best Christmas and the most traditional Christmas is looking at what's around you and celebrating that, really celebrating that - Alison
If somebody feels frustrated because I can't afford this or that, turn to what is around you; you...
Previous Episode
#19 - All About Grains: Preparing, Processing and Digesting!
"Not all grains are equal" Alison
With the myriad of anti-grain messaging in the food world, it's easy to think that eating grains is anything but healthy. In this episode, Andrea and Alison dig a little deeper - they cover the history of grains, why some diets exclude them and share their insight around the importance of and how to prepare, cook and eat them. Whether you enjoy grains regularly, have problems digesting them, are unsure of which grains to eat and how to process them or want to reintroduce grains into your diet, there's something in this episode for you.
Love what we're doing?
Our podcast is sponsored by our patrons and listeners! We'd love you to be part of our Patreon community!
For $9 a month (or equivalent in your currency) you'll be helping us with the costs of recording, editing and putting this work into the world. And you'll get to be part of our world on a deeper level - we've got a monthly intimate patron-exclusive podcast called Kitchen Table Chats and we're also going to share cooking classes, extra interviews and much more.
Check out www.patreon.com/ancestralkitchenpodcast for all the details!
The run down:
The podcast always starts off with a catch up and discussion of recent meals.
13:44 History of grains & their importance in mankind's history
23:00 Why people avoid grains
"If the only grain we knew was a soaked soured spelt and a soured einkorn, would we be treating grains the way we do now?" Andrea
38:30 The many ways to process grains so that they are a beneficial food and how to reintroduce grains into your diet
50:13 The 'spectrum of grains' - ancient, gluten-free & lectin-free and which of these Alison and Andrea eat
1:02:19 How Alison and Andrea include grains in their day/week
"Experiment and learn to be okay eating something different than what others at your table are eating" Alison
Resources Mentioned:
Gilly Smith - How To Eat To Save The Planet podcast
Nourishing Diets by Sally Fallon Morell
An article about the Nourishing Diets book
Nicolette Hahn Niman - podcast interview on Sustainable Food Stories
Defending Beef, 2nd Ed, by Nicolette Hahn Niman
"Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all the classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking around." - G.K. Chesterton
Nourishing Traditions for Kids (we referenced page 142)
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Morell (we referenced page 452)
Our own Patreon! Thank you for sponsoring our podcast!
Alison's blog with recipes she mentioned
Boza Workshop (the Turkish fermented millet drink) on Alison's site
Sowans Workshop (the Scottish oat ferment) on Alison's site
Next Episode
#21 - Lessons from the Kitchen in 2021
"The figures fill me with hope. Because this journey we're taking is so important for health, for our children and for the planet. People are interested, they want to learn, they want to move..." Alison
The podcast made it from a twinkle in our eyes to 14,000+ downloads this year! And it's taught us both so much. Listen in to hear us talk about what worked, what we've both been up to and what we hope to bring to life in 2022.
Love what we're doing?
Our podcast is sponsored by our patrons and listeners! We'd love you to be part of our Patreon community!
For $9 a month (or equivalent in your currency) you'll be helping us with the costs of recording, editing and putting this work into the world. And you'll get to be part of our world on a deeper level - we've got a monthly intimate patron-exclusive podcast called Kitchen Table Chats and we're also going to share cooking classes, extra interviews and much more.
Check out www.patreon.com/ancestralkitchenpodcast for all the details!
"If you aren't where you want to be yet, just keep working on the skills" Andrea
Time Stamps:
2:12 It's our last episode of the year!
4:17 Thank *you* for all your support this year.
8:18 Andrea's breakfast - abundance and Ningxia Red
11:49 Alison's lunch - mutton liver, pumpernickel and rye farmhouse ale
17:10 The smell/memory connection
20:38 What's happened with the podcast this year
21:57 Rob's song, Who Ya Callin' Pigs
22:40 14,000 downloads!
24:20 Most popular episode this year
30:12 Zoom cook-alongs
31:45 What we've learnt from the podcast this year
41:22 What Alison's learnt in her own life this year
43.42 Alison tries to remember all the things she's done in the kitchen this year!
47:56 Alison talks about her family's reading time
52.45 Alison talks about her tech use/time management/screen use
1:00.48 Andrea's year
1:04:47 What keeping poultry has taught Andrea
1:05.00 Why Andrea names her animals
1:11:20 Alison's plans for 2022
1.14.35 Andrea's plans for 2022
"This is the podcast we wish we'd had when we started" Andrea
**Thank you for staying with us whilst we work through audio gremlins. We have plans to help improve the quality next year.**
Resources Mentioned:
Stephanie's Castagnaccio post
Sign up for Alison's newsletter!
Andrea's Affiliate link for Ningxia Red
Sourdough porridge videos on Alison's site
Holistic Hilda (presenter on the Wise Traditions podcast)
Elly's Everyday Sourdough Baking You Tube channel
Stay with Andrea at her Hip Camp
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