Tuesday, November 15, 2022

A British Isles Christmas?

Christmas time is, as I fondly remember Andy Williams singing, “the most wonderful time of the year.”  And, among the many ways that Claire and I celebrate the season, one of the most delightful is having friends over to our home for lunches, brunches, desserts, teas, and dinner parties.  

Well, this year we have decided to take a decidedly British direction in our at-home events which means that traditional Christmas items from England, Scotland, and Wales will be "the staples of our table." No, we're not abandoning our Paleo lifestyle (even for Christmas) but our guests will be enjoying such tasty (and decidedly non-Paleo) fare as roast beef, Yorkshire Puddings, turkey, Bubble and Squeak, Cawl Cennin, cranberry dressing, various vegetables, and so on.  For the mid-day meals, we will be serving such flavorful offerings as Ploughman’s Lunch, roast chicken, Cullen Skink, the cheeseboard, Kilted Soldiers, Tattie Drottle, morning rolls, and more.  

And for the brunches, teas, and desserts it will be Figgy Pudding, cyflaith, Yule Log, scones & clotted cream, nut roast, mince pies, Clootie Dumpling, trifle, Eton Mess, cranberry muffins, etc.  An interesting and fun approach to Christmas entertaining?  Certainly.  But of still greater interest and fun will be the fellowship we will enjoy with good friends, trusted and true.