Boxing Day Bounty
Books, boxes of chocolates, fluffy socks and a full fridge.
Merry Christmas everyone! Sometimes I wonder if Boxing Day trumps Christmas Day. Less pressure, no cooking, a fridge full of tasty leftovers and a house full of sweet treats. Today the sky was a stunning blue, sunlight lit the treetops and the winter chill was tempered by mugs of coffee, soft blankets and fluffy socks. I’ve been curled up reading new books and polishing off a box of fancy chocolates. Lunch was a relaxed affair, something different for everyone. Smoked salmon & scrambled eggs for my husband, a roast turkey quesadilla for my little boy, a frittata & beetroot salad for me and my toddler was happy to pick at a plate of ham, cheddar, tomatoes, crackers, grapes, apple slices and cheese twists. After a day of playing with new toys, colouring, painting and generally making a mess, it’s time to gather together with hot chocolate and put Home Alone on the telly.
This morning my son asked me “why do we call it Boxing Day?” and it’s a good question. Allegedly, the name dates back to the alms boxes kept at the back of a church, which would be used to collect donations throughout the year and emptied on the 26th and distributed to the poor. A fun fact; most boxes were made from wood but a cheaper alternative was pygg, an orange clay commonly used for household pots and jars. As it didn’t have hinges, it would be broken open and potters began to make money-saving jars in the shape of a pig (as a play on words) and that’s where piggy banks come from. December 26th is the feast of St. Stephen (the first Christian saint) known for his daily donations of food to the poor. Unfortunately he offended the wrong people and was subsequently stoned to death! Glossing over this brutal little detail, Boxing Day might have more secular roots if it originates from wealthy Victorian households giving their staff a box of leftovers and gifts, along with a day off after cooking and waiting on the family at Christmas.
If you have a surplus of eggs (as I did) and plenty of leftovers, here’s a recipe for my frittata, feel free to modify it according to whatever you have in the fridge.
Whisk 8 eggs with a generous pouring of double cream, season with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof dish, melt some butter with a little oil and fry off some sliced leftover roast potatoes. Pour in the egg mixture and sprinkle over some grated cheddar, and any leftover greens you have, I used peas but shredded cabbage or sprouts would work too. For a meaty version add some chicken, ham or turkey. I like to spoon some cream cheese into a dish and mix in some herbs like oregano and dried coriander, then spoon it out around the pan so that each slice will get a bite of the cream cheese (it’s my favourite bit). Bake in a low oven, around 160 degrees fan for 15 mins or so. Timings depend greatly on how hot your oven is, you want it only just set so it’s light and fluffy in the middle.
Have you ever wondered why we send Christmas cards or kiss under the mistletoe? Where did Father Christmas come from? What are the quirky stories behind our favourite carols and did our Christmas tree originate from pagan sacrifice? If any of this festive folklore tickles your fancy then click here to listen to my latest podcast episode. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
