23 Sleeps to go!

Hello All
Well with the arrival of the advent calendar it is now countdown time and the question is, "Who has finished their Christmas shopping and who has not even started?" Once again this year I fit into the faintly smug first group. My excuse for being hideously organised once again is lack of time to do anything other than prepare and deliver meat products during the first three weeks of December. Now let me be quite clear that in the past I have been known to arrive in Leclerc car park, Bergerac on 23rd December, park in the very centre of the car park and then spend the afternoon running in and out of shop like a whirling dervish getting everything done in 5 hours. To be honest up until the opening of Franklin Farm Butchery that was the norm. So, to you organised souls who have finished well done and enjoy the run up to Christmas, for the less prepared good luck fighting with the masses in "Beauty Success" and "Maxi Toys".
As most of you are more familiar with seeing me at the market looking (hopefully) clean and tidy I thought I would share with you some of my more glamorous poses from recent days doing my other job

We have just acquired a little more grazing for our hungry girls and as is usually the case we have to spend the first year or so battling with the brambles and fences always fun on a chilly/rainy day. The up side is that the day could end with eating the ham depicted in photo 3. Although as my children would be fairly quick to point out the best joints and cuts are usually sold and we spend a lot of time eating the slightly less posh, but equally delicious bits. Sorry about the photo the flash didn't work quite as expected and the yellow effect is actually over lit mustard.

To the left if you are not clear about what a Guard of Honour looks like, this is one that I prepared for the weekend. The stuffing is also lamb based to make cooking easier. Cover the bones with foil during cooking to prevent burning. 180 degrees celsius fan oven for 20-25 mins per 500g plus 20 min or about 65 degrees internal temperature will give you medium. Let your meat rest for 10 to 20 minutes before carving. Add 5 minutes or take away 5 minutes if you want more or less well cooked.

Ok enough cookery lessons I am sure most of you readers know how to cook lamb anyway. I am off to prepare some festive treats for the weekend Christmas Fair at Manoir de Longeveau Sunday 7th December 10am till 5pm.
See you there
Helen