Countdown to Christmas Prep – week one

Friday Foodie blog time and it happens to land on the 1st December 2017. An appropriate time to start the Christmas countdown. In our house the advent calendars for the children are up and on the local radio station this morning, in the breakfast show, the countdown to Christmas being sung out loud!

Its easy for me to sit back and say what should have happened, or in an ideal world… but how far are you with the Christmas preparations? There are a lot of families out there that are much more organised than me as I went online trying to book my Christmas shopping delivery and all the ideal slots are well and truly gone! One of the ladies at the Waitrose counter tells me people book their Christmas food delivery back in September, so I thought I was organised! Never mind, I have ordered the turkey which is the most important ingredient, and will have to push my trolley round gathering sprouts, bacon and smoked salmon. Surely, I think that will be more festive than just unpacking it at my door (trying to think positive).

So I have made my Christmas cake and am now feeding it with a few tablespoons (yes I am over generous) of brandy each weekend. My Mum has made and is bringing our Christmas pudding so I can look forward to that with all those dollops of cream and brandy butter… I really should have my lunch before typing this!

“It’s not so much to do with the preparations for Christmas Day itself. It’s making sure I’m ready for all those other bits of random socialising that seem to happen at this time of year – the mate who is ‘just passing’, or the friends who pop in for a drink and end up staying for supper.  A well-stocked fridge and cupboards help take the stress out of the whole business.

So what should you have up your sleeve? Well, perhaps the makings of a quick canapés or two, a few bits and bobs you can heat up in the oven; a crowd pleasing salad that works with cold meat and cheese; a pudding that can be whipped out with a fan-fare – ‘ta da’. Add a store cupboard filled with the sort of versatile ingredients that can be pressed into service at short notice and you’re ready to go” Lu