The Countdown to Christmas

don't worry it's not too late to have a perfectly relaxed and delicious meal which you can prepare plenty of the evening or day before.

Christmas Dinner – The Christmas Ham

Baked ham is very underrated as a joint with the added benefit the cold leftovers are delicious with pickles and chutneys on Boxing Day.

Christmas Dinner – The Turkey Recipe

Most families in the United Kingdom traditionally sit-down on Christmas afternoon for their festive dinner. Today the centerpiece is usually a roast Turkey served with stuffing, sausages wrapped in streaky bacon ( pigs in blankets ), crisp roast potatoes, parsnips, Brussel sprouts and lots of other vegetables, and cranberry sauce.

Christmas Dinner – Chilled Salmon, Dill, and Cucumber Soup

Chilled Salmon, Dill, and Cucumber Soup. This is a lovely starter for a relaxed festive party or a fabulous light lunch, particularly with a nice glass of chilled Riesling or a crisp, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Seasonal Ingredients – December

As the cold, long winter nights really kick in we can really enjoy lots of hearty, filling dishes and great tasting produce such as game, clementines and delicious shellfish. We finish off the month with perhaps the biggest food feast of the year Christmas Day Lunch and all the delicious Christmas dishes and culinary treats.

Classic Fruit Cake

This is my go-to recipe for fruitcake, rich and flavoursome enough for a christening or wedding cake or our family Christmas Cake, it is sturdy enough to carry the weight of marzipan and icing and be used in tiers. It is a real favourite and we bake at least one a month, it is a great match for a nice crumbly cheese like Wensleydale or Caerphilly.

Christmas Dinner – Christmas Pudding

Sunday the 26th November is ' Stir-up Sunday ' the date when many people traditionally prepare their Christmas Puddings. I thought I would post this recipe just over a month early to enable people plenty of time to prepare and make sure they have all the ingredients bought in ready.

National Baking Week

We are in the middle of National Baking Week and at The Online Cookery School are posting a series of classic cake and biscuit recipes as well as traditional Christmas Pudding and Christmas Cake recipes to help you get ready for the festive season in plenty of time.