EuroTrip - Paris - Galleries Lafayette

EuroTrip - London - Harrods

Time to revive the blog…

Instead of filling this with words I’ll let the photos talk…

First stop last holiday season, LONDON…

Easy Pineapple Glazed Christmas Ham ala Beancounter

This is a wee bit late for Christmas I know but during the holidays I didn’t have so much of a break to sit down and write a single post.

If there is one indulgence during the season that I never let myself miss out on it would have to be the glazed ham. My Christmas does not feel complete without this traditional centrepiece of my family’s noche buena table.

There are a lot more complicated recipes out there. But I wouldn’t want to be slaving in the kitchen and fail to enjoy the festivities. When I tell my friends how I prepare my ham they are shocked as to how simple it is.

The idea is you make pineapple jam and use this to glaze your ham. If you couldn’t be bothered making home made jam a store bought one could work just as well (I think, but I’ve never tried this). And yes, it doesn’t have to be pineapple.


Easy Pineapple Glazed Christmas Ham ala Beancounter

Half a Leg of Smoked Ham (a whole leg does not fit in my fridge)
1 large can crushed pineapple in syrup
500g of brown sugar
1 cup pineapple juice
A bit more brown sugar

1. Start by preparing your glaze. Combine the crushed pineapple, including all the liquid, and brown sugar in a sauce pan and reduce to about half its original volume. Cool down and set aside.
2. Prepare your ham by removing the rind (I’ve been to some households where they forgot this very important step, honestly). Score the fat to make a lattice pattern. Transfer to a roasting tray.
3. Rub the ham with some brown sugar.
4. Smear (yes, not brush) the jam onto the ham.
5. Pour the pineapple juice onto the tray.
6. Bake the ham in a 180°C oven for about an hour or until the glaze has turned nice and dark. Make sure you place it in the lowest rack so it doesn’t turn dark too quickly.
7. Serve hot or cold.

Christmas in July '08

I’ve never heard of this “Christmas in July” concept until I came to Australia.

look at that spread

I’m originally from the Philippines where the weather is quite warm most times of the year. But during the Christmas season it actually gets cooler. If you like, Christmas actually feels like “TV” Christmas in the Philippines. Not quite white but it certainly feels Christmassy in the northern hemisphere sort of way.

Winter in Queensland this year feels a lot cooler than previous years. Is it due to global warming (God help us!)? Or is it just part of a normal cycle? Whatever the case may be, we have a good enough reason to celebrate Christmas in July. Thanks to Sarah who has organised the whole thing.

Quintessential Aussie (or is it NZ?) dessert...the Pavlova

The initial email that was sent out inviting everyone to participate has a lacklustre response. I was quite surprised to see a lot more faces when the day finally arrived. Not only that, everyone actually made an effort to bring something to share.

what's Christmas without Krispy Kreme

As I was actually away the day before the even I didn’t have time to prepare anything. Guess what I ended up bringing? It was a hit though!