Christmas tips and recipes
Christmas is nearly upon us - for some it's an enjoyable culinary escapade, and for others it's highly stressful. I for one feel that Christmas Day (come to think of it - all festive celebrations) should be as stress-free as possible. While the food is definitely important, my top tip is to not go overboard - it's definitely a time where quality prevails over quantity.
Pre-planning, allocating tasks, asking friends and family to bring a dish and deviating from the traditional turkey with all the trimmings are all ways in which you can make your meal easier, but still super tasty...and most importantly, fun!
To save you all trawling through the archives and searching the internet, I thought why not put all my festive recipes and tips in one place? Well, that's just what I've done. Hopefully you'll feel inspired to think outside the box - and by delegating and sharing the load, your day will be a festive feast for the eyes, belly and soul.
If you're still in need of more inspiration, be sure to head over to Pinterest - I've created some festive boards as part of their 'Your Best Ever Christmas Dinner' pin picks, covering everything from canapés to edible gift ideas. There's also boards from the likes of John Whaite, Jamie Oliver, River Cottage and Delicious Magazine, so you're sure to find something to whet your appetite!
And if you find yourself stuck buying gifts, check out my other suggestions below.
Joyeux Noel!
Starters / light bites
Silky pumpkin soup with onion confit
Winter salad with a Goat's Cheese Mousse
Mains
Venison with bulgar-crusted vegetable fries
Desserts
Mont blanc (meringue with chestnut cream)
Baking / chocolate
Picture from Morrison's magazine
Chocolate and cinnamon cantucci
Gifts
Photo by the super talented David Loftus
Prep and hosting tips
Visiting a Christmas market in Alsace, whilst shooting "My Little French Kitchen". Image thanks to David Loftus.
Top tips for a perfect Christmas
Head over to my new project Khoollect for more great tips and delicious recipes you can create at home.