Xmas dinner for friends, 2009

In December 2009, I had a brainwave; to cook dinner for my friends. Looking at my diary, however, my weekends were already filling up. This left around 4 or 5 possible days left which could accommodate such an event. Figuring that, being December, everyone else would be busy too, I started spraying invites around. Very rapidly, a date was agreed upon and a total of 12 people were to be catered for.

With a good dollop of help from Anna and my other housemates, we pulled off an awesome extravaganza, which I have tried to document here.

Starters (with cava)

• Assorted Canapés [BBCGoodFood]

Mains (with assorted white wine and pinot noir)

• Roast turkey with pancetta and mascarpone, stuffed with port and cranberry stuffing
• Maple syrup and mustard glazed ham [BBCGoodFood]
• Pigs in blankets [Jamie Oliver]
• Veg (all organic from the farmer’s market)
  • Carrots
  • Red cabbage [BBCGoodFood]
  • Roast potatoes
  • Roast parsnips with honey
  • Roast sweet potato with honey
• Gravy from duck and turkey giblets
• Farmer’s market cranberry sauce

Dessert (with muscadet)

• Individual christmas pud, served with individual measures of brandy for lighting

After-dinner

• Cheese and biscuits (with port)
• Chocolate truffles [BBCGoodFood] (with coffee)
• Whisky

There is a timeline of the day of the event itself here, which details what was being prepared, roasted or boiled at what point in time.

I took some photos as preparation progressed, but sadly once the turkey was in things got a bit hectic and photo-taking stopped. Check out the album.

Roll on next year…