Cooking up a farmhouse treat this Christmas

Welcome to my first cookery feature for Farmers Guardian. I have always had a passion for food and cooking is my only hobby - one I was fortunate enough to make a living out of.

I am really looking forward to sharing my passion with you and I hope you will enjoy my recipe tips and stories.

My family are very relieved I can find new recipes, foods and flavours to share with other like-minded people, although they will still have to try my new creations.

My daughter asked if I was going to write a blog. I must confess now to not being very technologically minded and had to look up the meaning. I think my monthly columns are the nearest I will ever come to blogging. I am definitely a pen and paper kind of girl.

Seasonal start

This month all my recipes have a seasonal feel, but having just missed the traditional date for making Christmas pudding - Stir up Sunday, on November 22 - you will have to wait a whole year for my family pudding recipe.

Instead, I am giving you a twist on the pudding, which can be made up to two weeks in advance - or even on the day.

Christmas is such a busy time, so all my recipe ideas are ones which I have been making for years, are tried and tested and really do work.

I love the build-up to Christmas. There is a child in all of us, but I am at my happiest feeding people and you can see I am in my element at this special time.

I make my shortbread and mincemeat slice in bulk to sell at various fairs, and when my children return home from various parts of the country, we always have a traditional family Christmas.

It starts this year with a special trip to the Royal Albert Hall for Carols by Candlelight. We then return home for Christmas Eve, when we have a simple supper of cheese and paté. Our youngest daughter, who still believes in Santa Claus, leaves out copious amounts of carrots, beer and my mince slice, then some of us will go to the midnight service and return home to mulled wine. This night is my favourite time as most of the work is done.

Christmas Day I really think can be over-cooked. There is so much pressure put on us all for the perfect lunch, when really it is only a roast dinner with trimmings and a day for everyone to enjoy.

I now have time to travel and try to go to a new city or country every month, so I am going to keep this page and you all in my mind, and each month bring back a new recipe from my travels.

Deli trip

I am going to New York in December for a few days to celebrate my friend’s special birthday. She is also a ‘foodie’, so we will be going to all the delis, including the wonderful Dean and DeLuca and, of course, the famous Magnolia Bakery where the cup cake phenomenon began.

My next slot for January’s recipes will brighten up the New Year and have an American feel, as well as a Scottish theme to celebrate Burns Night.

Until then, have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year and most of all, enjoy cooking.

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