The Story Behind Vodka Cream

Glen and I got married, on New Years Eve 2009, I can’t think of anything more romantic, or more fitting for that matter. We get to start a New Year, symbolically in our marriage every year. You tend to start fresh every New Year I think, and we get to do that with our marriage at the same time… Sounds kinda, kooky, I know, but it’s, how I feel.

The way in which we got married, is incredibly special for us, and a story I love to tell. I must be honest it always puts a smile on my face, I am smiling now. We’d been planning to get married since 08, looking at rings and possible wedding locations, Mexico, Bahamas, Caribbean, Vegas, the choices where endless and at the time financially not constrained, I could have gotten married anywhere! Something inside me though didn’t sit right, I wasn’t after something massive or outrageous, but I did want something different – If it’s not in a registry office or a massive church wedding everyone gets married on the beach or in Vegas (well everyone I know anyway) so we started looking for an alternative. Glen found a website and sent me a link and I loved what I saw – New York – We talked about Central Park if it was summer and he Empire State building if it was winter, with our minds made up over rings, location and my dress which my mother made, all we had to do was wait, for the minor complication of my divorce to come through, which should have be finalized in November 08. It took a year longer than expected and the court date came through for my Ex’s birthday.. 03 November 2009…… In theory I had been divorced since July 2008, everything was agreed (he got EVERYTHING), any paperwork that needed signing had been signed I just needed a judge to date stamp it. I had already moved to America to be with my husband, so I had to fly back for the court date, I was in the court room less than 15 minutes! Some poetic justice, in the date though, I feel. A few days later I returned to the States.

Christmas was looming, and I was keeping myself busy with new recipes, ice hockey, Christmas parties, the cinema and coffee dates with friends and my Aunt.

On the 29^th of December, Glen and I went down to the town hall and filed for our marriage licence, once in the building, it took longer to find the office than it did to get the licence. I had changed my mind about where I wanted to get married and opted for the DC area, instead, Virginia is where my heart is and had been for 22 years since my very first visit, it feels like home. I had contacted a Rev. Dan a few months before and he was prepared to do the ceremony for us as soon as we were ready. As soon as we got home from the town hall, I emailed him and said we wanted to get married as soon as possible, he responded within the hour “How about Thursday, call me” Oh my, Monday we were talking about getting a marriage licence, Tuesday we get it, Thursday we’re getting married, talk about a whirl wind. Rev. Dan suggested his house due to the weather and we had no venue. So at 1630 we turned up at his house with a friend in accidental last minute tow, she drove me to his house. I got married in a man’s house who I had never met, in Springfield….. How cool is that?

That night we went to the Union Jack in Balston, with some friends of ours. We went round to theirs for a few nibbles and drinks before we went, and we arrived, to a bottle of champagne, a wedding cake, and I photo of Glen and I, which, we love and always has pride of place in our home.

In the Union Jack we danced and drank, and ate….. Appetizers were being served, including Vodka cream – Yum yum… My tipple of choice and I tried to recreate the recipe this is what I came up with….

   Vodka Cream

1 tsp corn flour
1 Tbsp butter
250 ml cream
1/2 cup vodka
Salt and black pepper to taste

1. In a sauce pan over a low heat melt the butter, add the corn flour, slowly add the cream, stirring constantly, bring to a boil, to thicken.

2. Add the vodka and season to taste.