Tuesday, December 13, 2016
DECEMBER 14TH: ICE CANDLES AND AEBELSKIVER
Baby it's cold outside! Whether it's the polar vortex or just plain old Winter, it's definitely chilly out there. While the weather might not be great for strolling, it's fantastic for making ice candles.
To make, you simply place a bucket (any size you desire, we used 3 gallon buckets) filled with water outside overnight. The next day just turn it over and out slips the ice. It forms a little well where you can place a candle. We make enough to line our front walk. It's a nice natural way to decorate for the season. Ice candles are part of our family tradition, traditions are so important to continue. They connect us to those have gone before us and to those that come after.
Another way to connect to your heritage is to serve foods from your family's background, like these aebelskivers. We like to serve ours with lingonberry sauce and sugar. Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate the cultures that make us who we are. When you consider how many different combinations of ethnicities we can have, you can appreciate the uniqueness of each and every one of us. I'm a Heinz-57 myself, a combination of Dutch, German, Swiss, English, French and Norwegian ancestry. What are you?
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Those candles are beautiful! I was looking at recipes last night and thinking of ham balls. My one grandma would make ethnic foods like pierogis and pagache. But my other one made just regular American-type food and she was the one that came directly over from Croatia! Hugs, Andrea
ReplyDeleteI love ham balls, Andrea. Only problem is that I gave my meat grinder to my son and DIL. They raise their own turkeys and needed it to grind the meat for freezing. Now I can't make another tradition, Swedish meatballs, because you need to grind the meat twice.
DeleteJust took our guests to a Polish restaurant that has authentic pierogis. I wonder if Polish ones are different than Croatian ones? Although foods are similar,there's always a little variation. Which is what makes our melting pot so wonderful!
Hugs
Jane
Hi! A Polish restaurant....neat! My grandma that made pierogis was Lithuanian. And they tasted the same as Polish pierogis. We just had fried pierogis at the Lodge here and they were delicious (as an appetizer). I always thought it was funny how the "poor" ethnic foods are considered special to us now, esp. at holidays! I have a grinder attachment for my mixer but my mom had a hand-grinder. I trust the hand one more...the one on the mixer scares me a bit as I'm afraid it will come loose (and the big screw has in the past but I wrote the company and got a new screw)! Hugs, Andrea
DeleteBay City (the city the restaurant is in) is very Polish, Andrea. You should see some of the names of the streets! Fortunately I grew up in predominately Polish and German community so I know that sometimes a "P" can sound like a "SH". Ha! They make a pierogi with some sort of sweet glaze on it. Any idea what that would be? Jamie loves them.
DeleteI had a dandy electric grinder. Worked like a charm. Might have to invest in a new one.
HUgs
Jane
No I never heard of one with a glaze. In my husband's grandparent's Chicago neighborhood, the bakery used to sell prune and the potato/cheese pierogis. Hugs, Andrea
DeleteThat sounds interesting, Andrea. I think I might be able to duplicate the glaze by melting apple jelly and tossing the pierogis in that. Worth a try, because Jamie loves 'em.
DeleteHugs
Jane
Such pretty candles! I myself am pretty much half Irish and half German. The Irish side came early to Wisconsin about 1819.
ReplyDeleteThanks Isabella! This is fun learning about you readers, it helps me get a visual image of you all. Bet it's cold enough in Minneapolis to make ice candles!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Ice candles, what fun! I think I will try that over Christmas. Do you use a tea light size candle?
ReplyDeleteDon't think that I have ever had aebelskivers, but they look delicious!
Ha I think I am a Heinz-57 too. Scottish and Cherokee on my Mom's side, and probably Dutch, German on my Daddy's side although I haven't gotten further back than the 1760's with him since I think the spelling of his name changed somewhere before then. I discovered that one of his ancestors was a Patriot in the American Revolution so I can join DAR if I wish. :D
I use those little battery operated tea lights, Kathy, that way if I forget to blow them out, no harm done.
DeleteI'm, or should say was, a member of the DAR, but all I was doing was paying my dues all the time, so I asked to rescind my membership. We should be proud that we have such patriotic blood coursing through our veins!
Hugs
Jane
What a lovely tradition, I think your ice candles look so pretty. Not possible in here in the sub-tropics however, so an extra special thanks for the photos.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that would be a problem, wouldn't it Sherri? Ha! Have a lovely day!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Love the ice candles! I had forgotten about them! We make snow lanterns when we have snow, but not this year -- so far.... Just Coooooolllldddddd...
ReplyDeleteWe are, take a deep breath, Scot-Irish (something so ironic is sending one fighting group to settle another,but that is another story), German, English, and Saura (an Algonquin tribe in NC). Our traditions are Greek Potato Salad and grilled shrimp! LOL
as ever.. m
Cold here too, Matty. In the single digit tonight. Well, that's probably the most unusual Christmas tradition I've heard of. Don't think you got that from the German side of the family! Ha! Will write more later!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Ooh, I've done ice candles! I love them! It's a little trickier in CT because of the whole freeze/thaw cycle we go through constantly. They are more successful for me in February than December; they are so pretty any time in winter! I don't mind using real candles (old ones) because there's no danger of fire in the middle of ice and snow.
ReplyDeleteI am only Norwegian and German--as far as I know! My last name is definitely Norwegian. :^) My Norwegian ancestors emigrated to Germany first, most probably with the 15-1600's timber trade migration, and then many generations later came to America (Wisconsin) in the 1800's. My uncle, the family historian, has not definitively located our family's origins in Norway before Germany immigration because because of poor or non-surviving records.
I am proud of my Norwegian heritage, even though my family's cultural practices are decidedly more German.
My MIL has all the ancestry info needed to confirm her DAR qualifications, but she can't be bothered. I've strongly hinted it would be nice to complete the paperwork, as it would be a wonderful gift to all her granddaughters. She just turns a deaf ear. Oh well!
These daily musings always seem to take a fascinating turn! I am enjoying them so much, Jane--thank you for taking the time to do them!
Sue
Our customs are more German too. As a matter of fact I didn't even know I was Norwegian until I opened a book about houses of the Hudson River Valley and read about my Great, great etc. grandfather Storm Vander Zee, who came over to America in the 1620s. He was born aboard the Anne and was Norwegian, but because everyone else aboard was Dutch, they gave him his Dutch name because he was born during a storm on the sea. Pretty weird huh?
DeleteIt's not that special to be a DAR member, as I said it's just paying a lot of dues and getting very little in return, so I wouldn't feel bad about it. Unless you like to travel to Washington DC. Then you can get into a lot places that most tourists can't go.
Hugs
Jane
Jane, that is so fascinating I had to look it up! How cool that you can Google your ancestor! And what a truly fantastic name, "Storm from the Sea." Would have made for a great name for one of your sons, huh? Maybe you will have a grandson named "Storm van der Zee XXXXX"... ;^)
DeleteSue
I didn't know you could Google that Sue! I guess it was the 1630s. I have three ancestors that came over on the Mayflower, so I thought he was in that bunch that joined them soon afterward.
DeleteI've been informed that there will be no more grandchildren, so there will be no Storm, alas. Pretty cool name though!
Stay warm!
Jane
I like your ice candles. If the temps didn't fluctuate so much (50's today, 15 tomorrow night), I would try making some. Hmm, I suppose I could make small ones & put them in the freezer on warmer days, if I could find somewhere to squeeze them in :o). Both sets of grandparents were immigrants who arrived in the US in the early 1900's... one set Irish, the other Italian.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty broad swing of temperatures, Laurie! My son told me he saw someone make ice mushrooms by using a bowl and a cottage cheese tub. Once they are frozen you put the bowl part on top of the tub. Sounds kind of cute. I might try that. Isn't it fascinating how people from two different cultures can meet and marry?
DeleteHugs
Jane
Dear Jane,
ReplyDeleteMy mom was born in Naples, Italy and I am 3/4 Italian with a bit of Austrian and German thrown in (for discipline!) ;)
Dana
That's interesting, Dana. What brought your mother to the U.S.? You are sort of Swiss, with that combination. Ha!
DeleteHugs
Jane
My maternal grandfather was a WWII soldier and he met my Nonnie in Naples and they were married. When my Mom was 6 they emigrated to the US. On my paternal side, it's almost exactly the same: my paternal grandmother is Italian and my paternal grandfather was of Austrian descent.
DeleteHow romantic! I can't blame your grandpa for falling in love with an Italian gal. They are some of the prettiest women in the world, in my opinion.
DeleteHugs
Jane
I remember your ice candles and wanting to do them. They are so pretty and your
ReplyDeleteaebelskivers look delicious!
Well this year it looks like we'll have plenty of opportunities to make them Vickie! Man! If it's this cold already, what will February be like?
DeleteHUgs
Jane
hi jane,
ReplyDeletethose candles are beautiful. love the idea! i see you have snow,in my part of the world is no snow in sight.we have rain.
tomorrow i will bake the last christmas cookie.....i have 12 different kind of christmas cookies baked.Elisenlebkuchen,Butterplätzchen,Hirtenstäbchen,Klosterkipferl,Linzer,Hildabrötchen,Nußsterne,Husarenkrapfen,Treppchengebäck,Nougatkekse,Vanillekipferl,Brotlaible, Rumkugeln and einen weihnachtlicher Nußkuchen.
Wish you awonderful day,
hugs Regina
Well now I am sorry that I wished for snow Regina, it is bitter cold outside. You've been busy! I wish that you felt up to doing your blog, I'd love to see your baking. You always made the most beautiful baked goods. I recognize a few of the names and can decipher a few more. My German is not as good as your English!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Those candles look pretty. I think we might actually get some snow this weekend. Little part of me hopes so. Out little neighborhood got new residents and they went all out with the outside decorating, I thought a little snow would really accent it well.
ReplyDeleteI guess I am a Heinz 57 too. Up until last year my siblings & I thought we were way more Irish and a pinch of German, turns out we were quite wrong. We don't have any heritage traditions, maybe I should look into starting some.
As always have a wonderful Wednesday!
Hugs,Jen
It's always fun to start traditions, Jen. There are so many German ones for Christmas. German's are Christmas crazy. It's interesting learning all about you all! Have a lovely evening!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Your ice candles are very "cool" - I couldn't resist the pun. They really are lovely. Do you not put something in the middle of your aebelskivvers? I read a bunch of comments on a blog once and it seemed to be a point of contention as to whether true aebleskivvers are filled or not. Who knew they would be so controversial! The sauce you made sounded good.
ReplyDeleteThat's OK Sheila, I love puns. I don't put anything in my aebelskivers, (use should see what Spellcheck comes up for that one) I'm not that good at turning them as it is to fill them!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Oops - looks like I put too many "v"s in my aebelskivers! Think I've got it now.
DeleteI've seen it spelled with two Vs and starting with the letter E, so I'm not sure what the correct spelling is, Sheila! The spelling errors on this blog, should be proof enough that I 'm not particular about such things. Ha! I used to be a good speller, but my goodness! my spelling is deplorable these days!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Hi Jane, your ice candles are just wonderful! Classy looking and thrifty, it doesn't get much better does it?
ReplyDeleteMy heritage, that I know of, is Irish and Scottish mostly. My husband's family's English. I guess we are rather plain. Our must have Christmas foods are pies and cookies, just about any kind and the more, the better 😱
Well, pies and cookies are the very best kind of traditions, Rhonda! We have herring two ways in wine and cream sauce. Ugh! And another tradition that is local to where my husband and I grew up is chopped beef. Raw sirloin that is chopped with lots of onions and eaten on crackers. So I ask you, who do you think has better traditions? Ha!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Hi, Jane!
ReplyDeletePart of my family came over on the Mayflower, too. I thought i was quarter Native American, but it turns out I'm more Heinz 57, too. Scottish and German, mostly, i believe. My sister-in-law dug into my sordid past and sent me reams of paper to look through.
Love the ice candles! I always think about making them yet never do. One Winter i filled balloons with colored water. I wanted to line the top of a snow bank with them. They were so heavy that they all disappeared in the snow! Ha!
We're expecting some bitter cold weather, too. The fun never ends!
Oh cool! What were your ancestors names? Maybe we're related. Mine were John and Francis Cooke and Richard Warren. From what I've read millions of people are related to Cooke. SO I'm distantly related to a lot of people.
DeleteGot to wait until the snow forms that hard crust before you do the water balloons I guess. Isn't this weather horrid? I like snow, but it could be in the 20s. And the wind could stop anytime now, as far as I'm concerned. Oh well, in a perfect world!
Hugs
Jane