Well, I couldnt let this one pass without mention of our upcoming last dinner of the year which is pretty much bang on for being British.
To start - a smoked salmon, beetroot & fennel salad
Then - roast rib of beef, roast spuds & parsnips, steamed Hispi cabbage, Yorkshire salad, gravy.
Cheese - we have Gubeen , Montgomery Cheddar, Appleby’s Cheshire and Sparkenhoe Red Leicester. OK, a lapse here - Gubeen is Irish but we love it. We’ll have that with crackers, chutney and celery
Dessert - fruit compote using dried fruits - apricots, figs, sultanas, prunes - mixed with chestnuts in a spiced sugar syrup. Now, that might not sound very British (and, indeed, the original recipe I have is Spanish - compota de Nochebuena) but dried fruits are a traditional mainstay of our winter cuisine.
And finally, coffee and chocolates.
Happy New Year.
