Out & About December 2017

In the run-up to Christmas, ROMILLA ARBER enjoys the comfort food that keeps us going, such as warming stews and steamed puddings and the opportunity to spend time with family and friends Indulge in winter warmers

A nother year comes to an end and Christmas is upon us. We have at last in the south of England had our first frost which, in these days of climate change, is a bit of a relief. I hope for a cold winter this year. Last year’s balmy, grey winter was unsettling, to say the least. Food makes winter days tolerable. Not the glorious, ice-cold sunny days, which are blissful in any event, but the grey, damp days that get even the hardiest non- adventurers thinking of foreign trips. Our bodies and souls need nourishing with hearty stews and meat pies, creamy soups and syrupy puddings. All the clichés make a show at this time of year, in magazine articles, on television and in cookbooks, but who cares, we occasionally need clichés. They provide us with security and help us to understand who and what we are in a world that can sometimes feel uncertain. Even the most reluctant of cooks often venture into the kitchen during the winter months to experiment with a dish or two, maybe a beef and ale stew or a steak and kidney pie. It is definitely the time of year when I feel happiest sticking to traditional British fare,

It is a time to enjoy the closeness of our loved ones, take some time away from work, if we are lucky, and really indulge in a slower pace to life for a few days. At Honesty, as I write this, we are turning our minds to Christmas production in the bakery, making mince pies, stollen, puddings and Christmas cake, iced biscuits and gingerbread. If you were lucky enough to have got onto one of our wreath-making courses in the cookery school a beautiful display should be hanging on your front door. (If not follow Lindsey Kitchin’s step-by-step guide on p14) Look out for plenty more courses in the new year to revive the tastebuds and enhance your culinary skills. Our coffee shops are full of all our lovely cakes and bakes. If you are stuck about ideas for a last-minute present then why not put together one of our bespoke hampers and fill it with jams and chutnies, Christmas biscuits, pudding, cake and mince pies. We have lots of exciting plans for next year so watch this space. Have a very Happy Christmas and see you next year.

no hunting down pomegranate molasses, avocados or za’tar in the supermarket, I am happy to cook with cabbages, leeks and parsnips and make yet another apple crumble for Sunday lunch. By the first sunshine in March, I will certainly be hankering after other more exotic ingredients, but for now it is mashed potato, roast parsnips, treacle tart and marmalade sponge pudding with a spoon or two of custard. At a time of year and in a world generally where we are encouraged, some may say harassed, to buy, borrow, bet and be discontented with our lot, the kitchen can feel like a place of solace. We can rediscover the basics in life, working with fire and water to produce some of the sturdy dishes that bring a warmth to our hearts and a smile to our faces. Christmas is looming. The secular among us may let out a collective moan about all that this entails, it is really the pure and simple bits of the season that in the end appeal to us more than the material aspects. It is a time to close the door, once guests have been welcomed, eat well and thank our blessings for the good lives most of us lead.

Christmas cake

Christmas pudding

Mince pies

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