It’s official the John Lewis Christmas ad is out… back in to London with BBC Good Food show today and feeling thoroughly festive. The Christmas lights are on in Oxford Street and I already sense it seems busier, how many shopping days till the day?
I have been busy with more Christmas canapés this time beetroot, dill and goat’s cheese cups (yes I know the beetroot is still featuring on my menu!) and Thursday evening my first drinks party for Christmas. My homemade marmalade has had to be moved over to make room for homemade Christmas mincemeat. Next week, hope to get started on the Christmas cake!
This Sunday its ‘Cheese week’ at Tonbridge Farmers Market and I am in the demonstration kitchen about 11.30am showing off a great festive idea with Camembert or brie. If you are in or near Tonbridge Sunday morning it would be great to see you, pop along! The farmers market behind Waitrose is really crammed with delicious hot and cold food, fresh produce and local meat, fish, cheese etc.. Talking about cheese – I am looking forward to the ‘Evening of Cheese’ taking place at London’s Borough Market too, on the 14th December. This will be a a good shopping and tasting opportunity. Christmas is the one excuse a year I have a chance to go crazy on cheese, I always like to have a fantastic selection in the house and put on a great cheese board to guests over the festive season!
As we as a family spent a few years in the states and our eldest daughter was born stateside we are celebrating Thanksgiving this year on the 24th November. I am thinking a small turkey just for warm up!
I hope hot pots and soups are well and truly on the menu as the weather has really cooled down. We have had one pot Mexican lasagna (a firm favourite in our house, using tortilla wraps instead of lasagna sheets) Spanish chicken which I throw in the rice too, and a couple of homemade soups this week with my Omniblend… loving my new gadget! Another warming, cosy, ‘little bowl of heaven’ is a risotto and this week I have been using up all the beautiful squash I had out for Halloween. Risotto with Squash and Parmesan Cheese – delicious and another very easy, one pot in the microwave is my Tomato and Chorizo Risotto recipe
If you need any recipes or inspiration check out my website at http://www.alivewithflavour.com
With the US election result and Mr. Trump all over the media I have quite enjoyed taking refuge in the kitchen, sometimes food is the answer!