Prompt and Circumstance

So This is Christmas...

('thrice' 16-18 December 2016)

Thrice the Luck?

"You won't forget th'rice?"

"Th'rice? You mean the Ris a la Mande?"

"Yair... that special dessert with the almond. The Danish traditional one, you know?"

"Well of course I know. Haven't I been making it for years now? EVERY Christmas Eve? And I'm not even Danish."

Yair but, you are by marriage, aren't you?"

I have to admit the truth of that. And there's another thing. I've already made an actual marzipan pig for the 'almond prize'... my first ever! And you know what? That little blighter has turned out a regular 'beauty'. A masterpiece, in my opinion. (Of course, I could be just a tad biased! But I Googled images of marzipan pigs, and I can tell you, mine is no shrinking violet. Mine's a rip-roaring success)

Speaking of 'Googling', the thought has been nagging me for years - 'What's the marzipan pig all about, anyway?' The Danish born hubby had no idea... only that it was a tradition. So off I embarked on the curiosity trail (again) - and discovered its German (and Danish too) origins. Of course, the two countries DO share a border, so sharing a tradition is not so unlikely.

It goes like this - in earlier times, when the coldest, darkest winters fell down and families were snowed in for months at a time, owning a pig was exceptionally fortunate - there would be meat for the whole winter (as they used every single thing... except the pig's squeak). For the higher echelon, if they had a pig and didn't need to kill it, they were rich beyond belief.

And so the pink marzipan pig became a symbol for good luck and healthy survival of the worst of winters. In Denmark it was awarded as the almond prize from the special Ris a la Mande dish served on Christmas Eve.

"Ah-ha... just like I said. Th'rice dish! But how does it go again? I can't remember it right."

"It starts its life as a fairly regular rice cream. BUT it gets dosed up with extra vanilla and sugar, AND a schloop of sherry or brandy, and a whole heap of rough chopped almonds WITHOUT their skins... that's MOST important, so you can't see them too well. And a generous heap of whipped cream... AND then you pour over gorgeous ruby red stewed berries in a thick syrup. And then—"

"One person gets a WHOLE almond... and there's only ONE in the whole dish!"

"'That's it! And all must pretend they have it... or not! Until the whole bowl is empty."

"And then?"

"And then, the one and only winner has to present the proof, and gets the almond prize!"

"And the marzipan pig?"

"AND the marzipan pig, too. But not for wishing enough winter's food these days. Today it's for the very best of luck for the year ahead."

And the moral of the story is -

The proof of the Christmas rice pudding is in the NOT eating of the whole almond.