On Saturday I made a 'Parkin'.

Can't touch it though because it needs to rest, to get itself together, to mellow for a week, so Christmas day will find me cutting a wedge or two.

Parkin is made using oatmeal, treacle, flour, brown sugar, an egg and a good mix of spices... ginger, mixed spice, nutmeg and cinnamon. What I found amazing was the fact that it didn't take an age to bake, just 1 hour in a moderate oven and the brown beauty was ready. And although it had a slightly domed cracked top I fell in love with it immediately. Sitting on a sturdy chair I held it in my woollied arms like it was a present from the gods.
After allowing it to cool I wrapped it in greaseproof paper and placed it in a tin.
On Christmas Eve I might dust it with a little icing sugar to make it look a little festive, I won't though be sticking plastic holly in any of its crevices.

The food I'm most looking forward to making is the Buche Noel.
It's a tricky chap to make on account of me needing to make a near perfect chocolate Swiss roll, then if I accomplish that I'll fill it with sweetened chestnut puree, mustn't be too runny or else it'll seep into the sponge, and it mustn't be too thick otherwise it won't budge.
So I'll be optimistic and say it's filled and rolled, now I'll have to cut slices off in an oblique fashion and stick them on again at angles, to make the log look more log like. And although I've made Buche Noel before I always feel a slight trepidation because it's not just any old choccie sponge, it's a class act is my Christmas Log.
So there it is, filled, cut, and looking woody and authentic all I need to do then is cover it with whipped double cream and go in with the fork to 'bark' it up.

Fish doesn't usually figure large at Christmas except for Salmon Puffs.
The recipe was found in Family Circle magazine about twenty years ago.
A simple choux pastry is made, tiny spoonfuls are baked, then they're pricked to allow the steam to escape then they're left to go completely cold.
After say three hours of all this nonsense they are filled with a mixture of smoked salmon, cream cheese, dill, lemon juice and pepper.. These dainty puffs are supposed to be served with the pre-lunch sherry but I make them to accompany the cold meat sandwiches on Christmas night. They are very very moreish. Rather like Pringles but with a bit more pizazz.

Drinks.
Contrary to popular belief. I don't ddrink much. I do though have a giddy penchant for a swig of ginger wine mixed with lemonade. I used to down it neat but a friend suggested the lemonade thing so I tried it and whoop deee dooo what a whizz that was.
Immense thanks to whoever it was who led me to it!

Tomorrow cabbage.