I have tasted some wonderful things over the past few weeks, some of which I craved all last year. So one of my resolutions is not to save absolutely every treat for Christmas.
High on my list is the fabulous Brussels sprout, one of my favourite vegetables. Sprouts taste amazingly right with a traditional Christmas dinner, followed a very close second by the taste of a sprout in my Boxing day bubble and squeak. These are both meals, however, with close equivalents in my year-long repertoire; I think I will certainly start buying sprouts to eat with roast chicken or with sausages and mash, too.
Mince pies are lovely little things. I tend to start eating them at the beginning of December and indulge until January when, for some reason, they disappear completely from our shops. It's still winter in January and February, and I see no reason not to enjoy the seasonal spicy flavours. What better way to combat the early-February blues than with a yummy mincie and a warming glass of mulled wine, after all? If I can't find them in shops I shall make my own.
Chestnuts - there's another one. They'd be great in a salad or with pasta, so i'm going to keep them in mind all year round as an alternative to walnuts, which I tend to stick in everything without even thinking.
Finally, the whole ethos of Christmas eating is something I don't want to lose. I like cooking a huge lunch and making it the focal point of the day. It brings a family together, frees up whole afternoons and evenings and makes some use of our dining tables! I also like the idea of having odds and ends around to graze upon, whether it's nuts, satsumas, cheese and biscuits or the odd chocolate. It doesn't have to be unhealthy: substitute the salted nuts for natural roasted ones, swap the Quality Street for good-quality dark chocolate and go easy on the cheese. But retain the no-guilt, non-scheduled, celebratory, healthy attitude to food - go on, treat yourself!
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