Mid January

farewell Christmas

Today marks almost the mid part of the month. But I still feel like I’m clearing up from Christmas. We have had snow here in my little corner of North Wales and its stopped us in our tracks. The bins were not collected for a week and I had recycling piling up around me. I still don’t feel as though I’m on top of things after Christmas although an eerie silence has descended upon the house as the masses have dissipated.

There is still the remnants of the feasting nestling in my fridge, a little cheese adding a topping to some fish or melted into a soup, the last bit of cranberry sauce to anoint a sandwich or sweeten a stew (thank you Nicky) and the Christmas book I need to update before I put the Christmas cookbooks away for another year.

I wrote about my Christmas book in my last newsletter it was commented on that you would like to know more. So as I update it I thought I would explain. When my Mother died in 2002 we were left rudderless. I had memory but nothing was written down. It was all in her head and now it was gone. I had no guidance as to how she would make certain elements of the feast or knowledge of how she pulled it all off, considering she worked right until the last minute in her business. We didn’t think to ask, she had it all under control, and we didn’t think we would lose her so soon.

At first after my Mum died my beloved Mum in Law took the reigns. Inviting my Sister and I and other members of our extended family to her house. But when she moved in with us; I took the reigns. Aided and abetted by her and my Sister we started to create a new narrative. I started the book in 2009; it details how I want the house to look, what theme I will follow and how I wanted it to feel.

I wrote a list of everyone I bought presents for and what I wanted myself. Interesting that on my list was a salad bowl, a sewing machine and a chicken coup! That was the year I rescued some hens from the British Hen Welfare Trust. Into the back of my urban garden in Liverpool we built a shelter and a run. When asking them how much space the hens needed. I was told that they had been in a cage, so anything bigger than that was fine. It is worthwhile noting that a lot of people got cookbooks that year, at least seven. But I didn’t write down what I bought them. Maybe they came from my present cupboard that I build up throughout the year! More on that later.

I make notes on wreaths, how to hang my Christmas cards across the large kitchen that inhabited the basement of our Liverpool house. Edible gifts and non edible decorations. Then we move to Wales and therein began a new chapter. A prized recipe for Christmas Pudding from an event we did as one of the first for Slow Food Cymru Wales. With a local and well known baker. We had stir up Sunday in our sites (the last one in November) and we encouraged people to get their mixing bowls out.

In 2016 what I wanted was a lantern by the front door flickering with a welcoming flame and a sprig of mistletoe to steal a kiss as you entered my home. I love that moment when friends arrive, the hug after a period of absence. A welcome telling you that you matter to me and the anticipation of an afternoon or evening of joyous time together.

In 2021 we had curried spiced parsnip soup and chicken liver paté. The latter will have been brought by my husband’s Uncle, a great cook and the king of that dish. It will have blessed our buffet table on the Boxing Day. When the extended family amass and much feasting is done. My cousin’s wonderful Italian wife will bring all her family and in total we will be about 12. Sitting around, feasting, talking, laughing and there always has to be trifle. That is compulsory.

One year my Sister made the most amazing mushroom and chestnut roulade. We needed a veggie dish for those who don’t eat the ham and roast beef that is traditional here on that day. But this was something else. Encased in pastry. It was a triumph. There was literally not a scrap left. One for the memories and the Christmas book.

Then I missed a few years for some reason. I think I went digital. Just writing lists on my phone. But its not the same. So this year I’m back to pen and paper. I have written the menus and the things that worked really well, the new recipes and the old together under one roof.

I had a new cookbook Skye McAlpine’s Christmas Companion. Skye’s recipes felt fresh, a genuinely new set of flavours to grace my table. I wasn’t sure I needed another Christmas cookbook but after hearing Skye on gilly smith’s Cooking the Books exuding pure joy about the Christmas table my mind was made up.

Stand outs for me were;

Nonna’s Stuffing p.167 (minus the chestnuts because I forgot!) crunchy full of flavour and delicious. We had leftovers on the buffet table on Boxing day

Martin’s Ruby Red Cabbage, cooked in Ribena unbelievably unctuous and absolutely delicious. A gleaming mass of purple delight.

For sweetness a block of Nutty Chocolate Torrone (p.239) which my Sister made. So decadent and delicious it made my heart sing. A mixture of hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds. You make it by melting chocolate combining nuts and refrigerating it all to create a block of delight which lasted us for a few days nibbling and calling us from the sideboard. A real treat. She describes how the nuts reveal themselves perfectly here;

when you slice through the log you can see their different shades and forms, like mosaic pieces set into clay¹

Finally for New Year’s Eve bash we were back to an old favourite. Aromatic Shoulder of Pork ‘Donnie Brasco’ With a beautiful piece of Gloucester Old Spot raised by my friend, anointed with star anise, fennel and other five spiced delights and cooked slowly overnight. From The River Cottage Meat Book p.231.

I have noted it all down with page numbers, and notes on cooking times and what worked and what did not. It is a record of the time we’ve had. The making of memories and keeping note for the future. From now on the Christmas book is firmly back centre stage.

It is now nestled back on the shelf where remains all year round. So Christmas is officially over. Let the Easter preparations begin now that there are Cream Eggs in the shops!

1. McAlpine, S (2025) p.238