things you do generally only during the holidays

[Seshat]

Here's a collection of Rum Balls recipes.

Many of them say to use rum essence: you can remove some of the other liquids and replace the rum essence with rum.

Because it's a no-bake recipe, you can easily taste-as-you-go.

As you can see by the wide variety of ingredients in those ten recipes, rum balls tend to become idiosyncratic to individual families. Me, however, I've never actually liked my mother's rum balls enough to learn the family recipe!

The basic taste, however, is a rich, chocolatey sphere flavoured with rum (unless it's being made for kids); and rolled in something finger-friendly, such as dessicated coconut or chocolate sprinkles.
Make them in a size suitable to be eaten in two small bites or one large one.

[Kal]

I make mince pies and fruit cake. Mainly because you can't get mincemeat easily during the rest of the year and I figure that "trying to be good" can be ignored at christmas so fruitcakes are allowed.

[sms001]

I'll be making homemade 'nog for the first time in years, as our chickens have been extra happy lately. Thought I'd experiment with some bourbons this go 'round, as I've always used rum previously.

(And is anyone else here kinda flabbergasted that (despite not being a big sweettooth sort of person) Jester doesn't have a favorite RUMball recipe? !)

Also, FL, a variety of Christmas/Snowy towels, placemats, etc. come out. I trade out my regular slippers for the Grinch slippers, kitties get their stockings hung up, we get our wreath from the local scouts, and best of all, the cold weather flannel sheets get replaced with the frigid weather fleece sheets. Cozy!

[Sarlon]

I'll have to dig my mum's rum ball reciepe out from the dark depths....

But mom would normally start making them like last week, and let them sit undisturbed for a week or so (in an air tight container), and time they were "ready" they almost could get you drunk from the sheer impact of the rum soaking in.

We always used Mount Gay Rum (don't know you view on that jester).

[MoonCat]

Details/recipe/instructions, please?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Hi Jester, sorry, I just saw this! Seshat's link is probably better than anything I found. They aren't traditional in my family, I just had a taste for 'em.

Seems most of them are made by smashing up vanilla wafers (my fave cookie!) and mixing in rum and sugar, shaping into balls & rolling in nuts, sprinkles or powered sugar. Simple enough even for me I might try substituting agave syrup in the mix, since I'm supposed to be watching my carbs.

And I have that nice bottle of Brinley Gold to try...

[EricKei]

I seldom do anything special during the holidays -- tho it seems that, ever since I was a little kid, my body thinks that "the period between the end of school and XMAS itself" is the ideal time for me to get sick enough to have to spend a couple days in bed...and it's right on schedule this year. Just a fever this time, but it still sucks x.x

[sms001]

Popped up on my wall today. Origin site is here, but it's flash, so no image url.

[Jester]

Here's a collection of Rum Balls recipes.

Thank you! I will definitely peruse those!

Many of them say to use rum essence: you can remove some of the other liquids and replace the rum essence with rum.

Which, of course, I will. But that brings up the obvious questions, asked with all the righteous indignation of a dedicated rum aficionado: what in the flying hell is rum essence, and why would anyone in their right mind use IT instead of actual RUM? More proof that the world is bonkers.

I make mince pies and fruit cake. Mainly because you can't get mincemeat easily during the rest of the year...

You would think that having a sister that has lived in England for the last 11 years I would know this, but I don't, so I have to ask: what is mincemeat, and why is it so less readily available the rest of the year? Is it a holiday thing, much like the total lack of cranberries in my local store outside of this time of year?

(And is anyone else here kinda flabbergasted that (despite not being a big sweettooth sort of person) Jester doesn't have a favorite RUMball recipe? !)

You shouldn't be. Not only am I not huge on desserts and dessert items (though I do enjoy them), before last year, I had never even HEARD of rum balls!

We always used Mount Gay Rum (don't know you view on that jester).

I'm assuming you're using the Eclipse, which is Mount Gay's flagship rum. (If you order Mount Gay and coke at a bar, that is what you'll get.) Which seems totally reasonable to me. It's a good mixing rum, and it would make total sense to cook with. Good rummy flavor.

And I have that nice bottle of Brinley Gold to try...

Which one? The Vanilla? That would be very interesting in rum balls. If you do that, let me know how they turn out, please.

[Kheldarson]

Which, of course, I will. But that brings up the obvious questions, asked with all the righteous indignation of a dedicated rum aficionado: what in the flying hell is rum essence, and why would anyone in their right mind use IT instead of actual RUM? More proof that the world is bonkers.

I do believe rum essence is flavoring, like vanilla extract. And you'd use it in you wanted a nonalcoholic version of the dessert for kids (because I believe rum balls aren't cooked) or if you're like me, and don't particularly like rum enough to buy a bottle

[CoffeeMonkey]

I do believe rum essence is flavoring, like vanilla extract. And you'd use it in you wanted a nonalcoholic version of the dessert for kids (because I believe rum balls aren't cooked) or if you're like me, and don't particularly like rum enough to buy a bottle

You would also use it if you are only adding a few teaspoons of the extract to something, and thus need a very concentrated flavor. Enough actual rum to make something taste rummy would throw off the liquid in a recipe.

[sdg31000]

Just posting to tell Jester that mincemeat is a mixture of dried fruit, candied citrus peel, suet, alcohol and spices. It did have minced beef in it in the distant past, but as dried fruit became more affordable the meat was taken out. It is made into mince pies using shortcrust pastry and traditionally served warm with brandy or rum butter.
Here's a link to a mincemeat recipe and my favourite mince pie recipe.
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/m...mincemeat.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mymincepies_71055

Hope that is useful.

[MoonCat]

Hey, Jester, no, I only have the spiced rum that you said wasn't anything too special (but I think it's better than Capt. Morgan). I haven't found the vanilla yet, but I'm still looking....

[Jester]

I do believe rum essence is flavoring, like vanilla extract. And you'd use it in you wanted a nonalcoholic version of the dessert for kids (because I believe rum balls aren't cooked) or if you're like me, and don't particularly like rum enough to buy a bottle

If you're cooking enough, you don't have to like something to use it. Not the best example (because I actually like it), but at this point in my life, I buy Jack Daniel's ONLY for cooking. (It's a major player in my chili recipe.) I can't remember the last bottle of it that I bought that I actually drank any of.

Your first point is noted, as I was unaware that there was no cooking involved.

Just posting to tell Jester that mincemeat is a mixture of dried fruit, candied citrus peel, suet, alcohol and spices. It did have minced beef in it in the distant past, but as dried fruit became more affordable the meat was taken out.

So, there is no actual meat in mincemeat? Makes total sense.

And what, pray tell, is suet?

Hey, Jester, no, I only have the spiced rum that you said wasn't anything too special (but I think it's better than Capt. Morgan). I haven't found the vanilla yet, but I'm still looking....

I don't know that it's better than Captain (it's a subjective thing, really), but I'd say it's as good as it.

For a truly great spiced rum, I highly recommend Kilo Kai, if you can find it.

And I highly recommend that if you see Kraken in the liquor store, you just keep right on walking. Blech.

[CoffeeMonkey]

Suet is raw beef (or mutton) fat.

[dalesys]

My mother would make real mincemeat in the winter... beef, beef heart, suet, apples, raisins, sugar... all ground together and left in a pan like a giant pie tin (18" across, 8" high) in the kitchen entry hall/washroom (cool, not freezing) to ferment.

We'd sneak dollops out of the pan as we traipsed in and out... She froze what was left... It kept bubbling while frozen, so I guess we had some powerful yeasties in it.