Solstice Weekend Safety Tip

[dr_pretentious]

You may be planning to set fire to a plum pudding this weekend.

No problem, you're thinking. Brandy burns at such a low temperature, you can play snapdragon with your combustible dessert.

And snapdragon is a lot of fun.

But the plum pudding you're imagining is decorated with holly leaves. Maybe freshly cut holly leaves, maybe dried, maybe--and this would be interesting--plastic.

Igniting your combustible dessert won't burn your fingers, but it will get your holly leaves going in a very serious way, as we discovered a couple of years ago. Your flaming holly leaves could, theoretically, get other things going, too.

So.

Take the holly off and put it well aside before you light the brandy.

Live a long time.

And Happy Yule.

Comments

[violet-moon25.livejournal.com]

I love the idea of flaming desserts but I think they are not compatible with toddlers. Unfortunately, I have the sort of child who will probably love Snapdragon (I plan to keep it from him for at least another 5 years if possible).


What about making sugar holly leaves? Sugar melts at a very high temperature so they should be okay if you are flaming only the alcohol.

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

The two little boys who were in attendance were too young to play snapdragon, but they thought it was Really Cool. Our friend M said the main thing her son wanted to tell his daddy about when he got home was that people ate fire.

I will endeavor not to mention snapdragon to A before 2014.

Sugar holly leaves ought to work. Or marzipan. They might not be much for eating after the combustion, but they wouldn't get you in too much trouble.

[violet-moon25.livejournal.com]

Presumably you had a merry Yule without the fire department visiting.