Well – this has been a thoroughly frustrating month blogwise! Basically I haven't been able to post at all between December 1st and December 27th. Something to do with the Blogger beta nonsense and settings getting changed as I migrated to the new version. But I was mostly annoyed about the complete lack of support from Blogger – oh, wait, what am I talking about? They don't HAVE support!

We'll see how it goes – four years of running my blog earns them some credit. But I have been exposed to more modern blogging platforms through work and let's just say Wordpress is pretty slick.

Anyway – I am going to treat the fact that I can publish again as another reason that this month's Paper Chef theme was celebration.

To review since it has been so long, here are the ingredients:

Ingredient 1: Vermouth (which we are going to reinterpret as any fortified wine or herb-influenced liquor for those who can't manage vermouth)
Ingredient 2: Cranberries
Ingredient 3: Sparkling drink (of any kind)
Ingredient 4: Something wild

Here are the full rules.

We only got four entrants this time alas. And with the hiccups we had this time around maybe it is time to let the event pass on – the problem is that while Paper Chef afficionados are few they are very passionate and I like them, so I keep on wanting to run the event.

OK, enough whining – on with the show.

First entrant in this time was Brilynn at Jumbo Empanadas with a staggering array of entries – all of which she had the gall to claimn were 'home' entries. All I can say is “where is your home and when is dinner?” She entered a Wild Cherry Gin Fizz (that also got entered for Mixology Monday), a spinach cranberry goat cheese salad, Venison Chops and Shallots with Shiitakes and Dried Cranberry Gravy, and Drunk Cheesecake with Cranberry Port topping.

Next up was The Culinary Bookworm at Weekly Dish with a sumptuous cake called “Wild Aunt Em’s Savannah Cake with Cranberry Sauce.” There is a lovely story to go along with it too.

Third entry – squeaking in under the official deadline wire – was from the perennial and delightful entrant Noodle Cook at the Electric Restaurant who, as usual, went completely over the top – and by decree does NOT get to enter this in the home category but has to go over to haute because I couldn't make this in my home so it isn't fair he can. The menu – for it is a full menu is:

• Drunken pickled pork with cranberry jelly and sparkling apple granita
• Cranberry sorbet on ice
• Hangover pickled pork ravioli with apple and chives balsamic dressing
• Lemon Myrtle scented rice puddings with cranberry wine sauce, glaced desert limes, and sparkling apple granita
• Spiced apple and cranberry biscotti with wattleseed latte

You will notice Noodle Chef's use of interesting Australian spices – dig into his archives to find out how to get some of your own.

Final entrant – way, way late, but with an excuse good enough to count – is from the dynamic duo of Chopper Dave and Mrs Deedop at Belly Timber – who went even more overboard than everyone else – and I caught a reference on another site that Mrs D thought it might have been Chopper's best meal ever – and for those of you who know them, that's saying a LOT.

Here's their menu...

• Butter and herb poached salmon with yellow pepper and sweet vermouth coulis, fried, beer-simmered polenta, and cranberried sugar snap peas
• Apple champagne gelée, and cranberry gelée parfait with sweet vermouth caramel

There's the roundup – and since I am so far behind, I will try to follow up with official judging tomorrow. And then we can move right on to Paper Chef 24 which is due to start January 5th!
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I'm back! Although I am concerned about the fact that every publish is now accompanied by a laundry list of publishing errors - despite that the blog seems to be OK.

The problem - unknown. I had narrowed it down to an issue with ftp to an external host and today I just reset the ftp process within blogger from the beginning - entering as if new some incorrect details and then re-entering exactly the same details as they had been. Now it worked - although still kicking out exactly the same errors as before - the difference being that the actual blog seems to be correct - although it will take some time to be sure.

I may well yet be switching to Wordpress!

More importantly - I can now do the Paper Chef roundup and judging and catch up on about a month of backlog!
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OK – time for the revelation – what IS this month's Paper Chef challenge?

Here are the nominated ingredients: Crab, Pork, Something you or a friend grew, White wine, Sour cream, Cheddar, Mushroom, Ramen Noodles, Edible flowers, Vermouth, soda pop (any kind), frog (legs), coconut milk, wattleseed, broad/fava beans, ground meat (any kind), pomegranate, beef, lentils, ginger, maple syrup, apples, mace, something wild, cranberries, ginger, chestnuts, sparkling drink, whipped egg whites.

And....the results are:

Ingredient 1: Vermouth (which we are going to reinterpret as any fortified wine or herb-influenced liquor for those who can't manage vermouth)
Ingredient 2: Cranberries
Ingredient 3: Sparkling drink (of any kind)
Ingredient 4: Something wild

And we have a theme of celebration!

I can see drinks, cocktails, desserts and interesting dishes with these ingredients. Also remember that we are open to free interpretation – something wild could be wild as in not tame or wild as in crazy!

For full rules, see the rules.

You have until next Monday at noon – December 11th – to make something using these and any other ingredients, then post about it at your blog, then leave a message in comments here linking to your entry (or email me). Remember to suggest that you be considered for 'haute' or 'home'...and have fun!
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Just a heads up - I'll be too busy to turn this on at my customary noontime, so it will be a couple of hours later than that...and I'm looking forward to the comination of crab, soda pop, chestnuts and maple syrup (just kidding - I haven't picked the ingredients yet!)
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