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!