12 December 1957 “12 Days of Christmas: A Partridge and a Pear Tree”

I thought it might be fun to attempt in some way to use the 12 days of Christmas as a guide for the next 12 days and therefore the next 12 posts. Now, as a rule, the old ways, as this song is very ancient, the first day of Christmas gifts would have been on the 25th and into January. However, I think counting down from today until Christmas Day (12 days from now) might be more fun.

First lets hear this lovely rendition of the song from 1954 played by guitar and danced quite wonderfully.

Day 1: The Partridge in a Pear Tree.

I considered two great ways to represent this first gift to our sensibilites would be the context of homemaking and hearth and home. I happen to love game and though it is not easy to come by will first share a recipe for cooking partridge.

The common American Partridge is closer to a quail.  The Grey Hungarian Partridge or English Partridge or “Hun” is another variety more often shot.

Brined Roast Chukar or Partridge

Here is a lovely recipe and a great site in with a recipe for partridge. This photo makes my mouth water. I love various game to eat and in fact have never encountered any I did not like. I even like a good squab (pigeon) and had I ever a farm would love to keep a dovecote to raise such birds for consumption. Though, it isn't a pigeon in a pear tree, but I rather like the sound of that, d0n’t you?

The pear is probably more accessible both in acquisition as well as more peoples palette than the partridge. I thought I would share this WWII wartime recipe for Pear crumble, as it is conservative in ingredients due to rationing and therefore more appropriate for our tightening budgets in our recession.

Pear Crumble

* 6-8 cored pears (ripe for eating). Leave skins on
* 1/2 cup of brown sugar
* handful of sultanas
* lemon juice/zest if available
* 1/2 cup of wholewheat flour
* 1/2 cup of rolled oats
* 1/2 teaspoon all spice/mixed spice
* 2 tablespoons margarine
* custard powder, sugar and milk (for custard)
Method
Take the 8 ripe to eat pears and core them and chop them up (leaving the skins on)
Squirt a little lemon juice in and zest if available
Mix together with sultanas and place in a greased 7 inch cooking pan for teh oven
Mix the sugar and the all spice together and sprinkle evenly over the top of the pears in the pan
Mix 1/2 cup wholewheat flour and 1/2 cup of rolled oats together in a bowl
Rub in the margarine until mixture resembles bread crumbs
Sprinkle this over the top evenly
Place in pre-heated over at 200 C for about 40 mins
Make a nice thick custard as per instructions on the can and serve hot crumble on top of hot custard
YUM!
Serves 4
Submitted by Carolyn Ekins

I hope  you are happily preparing for the coming Christmas Holiday and now I must consider how to address tomorrows gifts: 2 turtle doves.

Happy Homemaking.