Fresh cut roses, check.
Table setting, check.
Carols lined up on Spotify -- the proper Catholic ones, and not your I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus type of rubbish versions -- check.
For the first time in 20 years since I got together with my partner J, I am hosting his family for the all-important Christmas dinner gathering.
Don't be silly lah. There's nothing to be stressed about, J says casually to me about my grand task of hosting his family.
He's sitting on my couch and already is busy killing zombies on his mobile phone.
But J is right.
After two decades of being J's partner, there's no need for me to be nervous about making a good first impression.
Nor is it the first time J's family had visited my place.
And I shouldn't over worry about the gathering later, lest I forget to enjoy the process of hosting.
I love hosting.
I love J and his family.
This combination should be fun and enjoyable.
Plus, J is here with me to host his family.
It will be fun.
In order not to keel over from stress, I had decided to cook the main dish of Calderata two days ahead of Christmas.
The Filipino beef stew is said to taste better over a few days.
I figure this is one dish J's mum, being traditionally Peranakan and all, wouldn't have tasted (much less cook it) so it's a safe choice.
I made it as authentically as possible, following my friend's mum's recipe to a tee, except for the Reno-brand liver spread, which is supposed to thicken the stew.
The liver spread had apparently been banned in the Philippines so getting my hands on one of those here meant not only potentially getting on the wrong side of Singapore law but also that of the mother in law.
Instead, I found pate at the supermarket and am casually using it as a substitute.
That should do the trick.
I will also be whipping up a salad -- and this one is risky.
Risky because it has a Nonya twist to it.
Years ago, J's mum and I had discussed a recipe published on the Sunday Times by our favourite food writer.
The main salad pieces were poached prawns, rose apples, pineapples, and winged beans.
For the sauce -- and here's where it gets tricky -- I need chinchalok (fermented prawn paste), lingam's chili sauce, honey and lime juice.
I remember J's mum saying such a combination would be nice.
For our salad, I'll be adding my own touch -- J's mum loves Japanese cucumber so I'll toss that in. And I'll sprinkle some finely-chopped kaffir lime to give it extra zest.
J will be taking with him leftover meats from our party at his place last night: Sausages, turkey, ham.
His brother and sister in law are taking the easy way: KFC and pizza.
They should be at my place by 4pm, and I'm knocking out this piece in record time.
I look around my kitchen (the stew is slowly warming up and filling my kitchen with a wave of tangy sweetness), and my table setting is ready.
I'll take one more sip of wine.... and I'll go get busy.
Merry Christmas, and a meaningful New Year, dear readers!
Adam's stories are based on real life events and inspired by real people
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