Practice makes perfect

Someone (who shall be nameless, but it wasn't George or Harry) told me that it's Christmas next week.  No, I said.  It can't be!  Surely it's the week after.  So after being frogmarched to look at the calendar, I had reluctantly to agree that Christmas is indeed next week.

So there has been a flurry of baking. 

The first cab off the rank is the practice edition of the Christmas Braided Sweet Bread called vánočka.  It's Czech, and dates from the time I was married to the ex, when my MIL taught me to make it.

I've probably made a hundred or so over the years, but I always make a practice one just to be sure.  It's only ever eaten for Christmas and I never, but never, make it through the year.

As you see, it came out pretty well.