Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - S16 Ep 10: Festive Feast

Episode Date: December 20, 2023

It’s time for our annual tradition, the Table Manners Christmas Special, and boy oh boy do we have the crème de la crème of guests for you this time round! We’ve welcomed back some of our very favourite chef guests from across the years to tell us all about their tips & tricks for the perfect Christmas meal. We’ve got the incredible Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson, Paul Hollywood, Alison Roman & John Torode all dropping by for a chat, to help you through the Christmas canapés, starters, mains and desserts; what more could you need for the ultimate cooking advice?! We loved hearing about their perfect party food ideas, easy cocktail recipes, how to conquer the Christmas dinner, the perfect way to bake mince pies, and it’s official that freezing bread sauce in advance is chef approved! Join us for a veritable 'Festive Feast' of guests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to this festive feast of an episode. We are so excited to have an absolutely incredible lineup of chefs, bakers, cooks and past guests that are going to give you brilliant tips to see you through Christmas with party food ideas. What else mum? Easy cocktails. How to make your sausages into a cocktail. Yes, and how to conquer the Christmas dinner, mince pies, we basically have got you covered. Easy cocktails. How to make your sausages into a cocktail. Yes. And how to conquer the Christmas dinner. Mince pies. We basically have got you covered.

And to prepare a lot in advance. Prep seemed to be the key to having a relaxed Christmas, darling. I am hosting Christmas this year. 16 people. No big deal. So I absolutely needed this episode. Yeah. I think it's been really helpful.

Has Sam made mince pies this year? Potentially. And actually, he's going to follow a very, very good recommendation from one of our guests coming up. What better way to start, though, than with the prolific, wonderful Jamie Oliver. He's got his own Christmas cookbook. How many cookbooks, darling, has he got? How many Christmas specials has he done? 25 or something? Yeah. A Christmas cookbook and a get-ahead gravy. Yeah. So we need to find out if he was ready for Christmas. Other than presents

for Jules, I've done nothing else. I mean, I've done a pencilling of my ordering and I've got my turkey sorted, but that's basically it. I am also a turkey farmer. Are you? Oh, wow. Yeah, I did 3,500 turkeys this year. I work for a guy called Paul Kelly, Kelly Bronze, and we have those lovely rare breed turkeys.

Kelly Bronze are famous. Yeah. So I'm one of his 23 farmers and they're all bred in the woods and it's like the Ritz for turkeys until the last minute. Yeah. So I'm one of his 23 farmers and they're all bred in the woods. And it's like it's like the Ritz for turkeys until the last minute. And yeah, they're dry plucked and they're hung and they're very delicious. Are we too late, Jamie? I'll get you one if you want one. I'll send you one. Do you want one? We'd love one.

I'll send you an email because then you can get one from my flock. So will it say the Jamie Oliver flock? No, it won't. But if you do it through you can get one from my flock. So will it say the Jamie Oliver flock? No, it won't. But if you do it through me, it comes from my flock. And the important thing is that free range organic is lovely, but what they love is dappled light and they love forests. They don't really like, poultry doesn't really like free range. They're very scared. They're always thinking they're going to get eaten by an eagle or something. They're very scared. They're always thinking they're going to get eaten by an eagle or something. So when you get one from a wood, then they're really happy and they're just very fit, healthy.

Jamie, it doesn't have a name or anything. I'm starting to feel attached to this turkey. No, no, there's thousands of them. They all look the same, so you can't get attached. OK, all right, fine. And they're dealt with very beautifully and respectively. And it's like the Ferrari of turkeys. I will send one to your house with great pleasure.

Well, on that note, happy Christmas, Jamie Oliver. Happy Christmas. What a time of year. But listen, what a bloody episode of this podcast we've got. We've got the creme de la creme of chefs. So just thank you for gracing us and talking about your turkeys. So I just need to know, this is a Christmas special. Will you be allowing Jules or even River, who is a budding...

Is it River who's the budding? No, it's Buddy who's the budding chef. Buddy's the budding chef. What will Buddy be doing on Christmas Day or prepping? And will Jules be allowed in the kitchen? Jules is always allowed in the kitchen. I love people helping in the kitchen. However, I don't think anyone's going to be helping me much in the kitchen they they seem to disappear

I I tend to call for help and they sort of they kind of waft through um but I might get um Jules helping me peel the potatoes get a bit of prep done the day before um I might get Buddy helping with a bit of veg prep Buddy's actually a really good cook, so he's super handy. But he's kind of, he hasn't found women yet because he's 13, but he has, you know, he just loves anything with a ball in it. So rugby, football, tennis, you know, even golf now. I mean, anything he can whack, really. So we'll see. We'll see.

And then River is just utterly fabulous and running around causing chaos everywhere. I want to know, will you be doing your get ahead gravy definitely get ahead gravy is a must whether you do it a week before or two weeks before i just started it about 10 years ago as a just a silly little fun thing and it's become a bit of a phenomenon tell the listener if they don't know what get ahead gravy is explain so look i started to realize that one of the big faux pas at christmas is if you run out of gravy yes you've got a perfect spud and you've got nothing to dip it in like and everyone just looks at you with like you know death stare so um I realized and I also realized that the best way to make gravy is with gravy so what I do is you know when you take the

turkey out to rest and you get rid of all the fat and you've got all the sticky bits on the bottom of the tray I put gravy on the sticky bits to make double gravy so what I do like a week or two before is just go to the butchers and get some like chicken wings and bits and pieces like that and make a gravy with veggies and you know flour and a bit of booze and make like a nice big batch of gravy and you can freeze it if you want and And that's what we do. But I mean, as simple as or as strange as that sounds, it's kind of kicked off and everyone loves the idea. But I think people like the idea of prepping ahead to take the pain away from doing everything on the day. I am with you. What do you thicken your gravy with, corn flour or normal flour?

Either. It doesn't bother me really. You don't mind? Yeah. And I've got a couple of gluten frees in my family. So I just use a bit of that gluten-free flour it's all good it all works. Oh that's a good idea what what about what are you going to stuff your turkey with? Very good question I like to get a little bit of pork shoulder and I have some slow cooked onions and I have lots of sage so it goes sort of down a traditional route but then I try and have a little bit of fun with the breadcrumbs I've used panettone last year which was actually very good you're kidding yeah it worked really well that's a great idea so any stale bread or anything you got you could use a little croissant if you wanted to but I think the panettone was a nice touch what fruit do you put

in yours do you put any in chopped apricots we like and sour cranberries work very, very well and some chestnuts, but just not loads of it and just seasoned really beautifully. So that normally goes up the back of the neck and then I also put some in a dish and with wet hands kind of smooth it off and it kind of creates... So I have some that's kind of like soggy stuffing that happens when you put it in the turkey

and it flavours the turkey, obviously, and then I have some in a dish that gets really crispy and I find that people like a bit of both. Jamie that's genius and also I always get given panettone's as well so this is thank you this is fantastic. Could I also prep that a couple of weeks before? You can if you put it in the freezer I do it the day before so what I like to do on Christmas Eve is have a little day of prep I parboil and dress all my potatoes I get all my veggies ready I kind of like dress the bird and literally whether you keep it in the garage if it's cold enough or the fridge I just kind of get all that stress done so on the morning I'm just like roasting and sort of I've got my gravy done so I'm everything's easy What are some of the Oliver Christmas traditions

that will happen from the morning until the evening? We do the whole, obviously, Santa comes, we get excited, River and the little ones are very excited about that. Then we have a lovely breakfast, and then everyone kind of goes off and chills out, and I kind of basically cook, and we have our lunch about two o'clock. Oh, you're early. Yeah, we do a two o'clock. I don't know why, because when I was a kid, have our lunch about two o'clock. Oh you're early. Yeah we

do a two o'clock. I don't know why because when I was a kid it was always a five o'clock. It's easier with little ones two o'clock. I think so that's probably why we do it but yeah we do like slightly later lunch and everyone sits in the same place. Historically what I have done which I enjoy is I take a Christmas cracker and I take it apart and I remove the mild joke what I like to do is in accordance with whoever gets it say for instance the mother-in-law yeah perfect we get an appropriate inappropriate joke that seems to work very well sometimes I change the presents out because that's nice and god rest her soul my nanny who nanny betty and one year i removed the present and put in a pack of viagra and she was very very pleased with that and she had a boyfriend at the time as well oh my god yeah and then and then i said because it was actually only i went

into the chemist and said can i have an empty pack of viagra please and i filled it with smarties so um she looked a bit upset when she found out it was Smarties. But anyway, it worked very well. It's all about having a laugh at the dinner table. Jamie, do you start again around seven o'clock with a sandwich, turkey sandwich? Bless you. Yeah, about eight o'clock the munchies comes back. Yeah. Yeah. Which is ridiculous. I normally, and I would encourage your fine listeners, I like to support British farmhouse cheesemakers um so if you go to any of your local delis and they've got some of those brilliant british cheesemakers i have a little cheese board defo five or six cheeses some nice bread little pickles bits and pieces you know smoked salmon all that kind of stuff we yeah it's sort of it always starts out small and then it

ends up being like emptying the whole fridge of bits and pieces and it like it's like a little giant picnic so yeah i don't know where that energy comes from for the second second hit but it always comes like clockwork which chocolate is the last one left in your box always do you know what anything with like those dribbly boozy bits in oh yeah do you know i mean i'm not i'm not really into sort of like kind of like... Cherry liqueur. Champagne truffles. Yeah, yeah, no, no. I like praline, I like nutty. Yeah.

I quite like coconutty praline. I'm definitely not into the boozy. Can you freeze bread sauce? Yeah, you can pretty much freeze most things. I've got a really good recipe for bread sauce as well. A baked bread sauce. Wow. Yeah, it's really good.

Like sweet onions, heavy on the english mustard a little bit of herbage nice bread nothing too clever or flashy like a a largely white sour doughy sort of bread but nothing too clever and um you just scrunch it all up almost like bread and butter pudding and you bake that a really really good but you can pop that in the fridge a few days before and then bake it on the day but yeah you can freeze that kind of thing and you can pretty much freeze you know pigs in blankets once you've parboiled the potatoes you can actually freeze those if you wish i'm going to do yorkshire puddings this year the ones i do is in a tray and they're massive it's like a triffid it's like a ufos landed on the planet also you can use it as pancake batter which is super helpful on christmas

morning and on boxing day and stuff like that so actually is a logic. I've fine-tuned that Yorkshire pudding recipe for years to the point where we worked with, I think it was one of the British London schools of chemistry, like how, when, why. And so I have adjusted the recipe to get ultimate rise, which involved a little thimble of water, which helped make it go. Are you kidding yeah i'm the worst yeah i'm the worst at your shoes if i showed you the size of these things you would be so impressed by the size of it well i'm always impressed by size jamie that goes without saying darling i trust you to make a sexual innuendo in our christmas special, darling? It just comes out. You can't stop yourself.

Oh my God, shall not say that. Shall not say that. I'm not sure about Yorkshire puddings on Christmas Day. I think I'm going to sit that out. I'm not sure I can be bothered, to be honest, but it's good to know

that you can freeze your bread sauce, which is exactly what I shall be doing today. Well, let's hope it tastes nice if it's been frozen. I'm sure you'll let me know then. Did you follow my recipe, darling? I will be following your recipe because I love your bread sauce. Next up is the goddess, Nigella Lawson, looking as fabulous as ever.

Not only did we want to hear about her Amsterdam Christmas special on BBC One, but first we had to know what she would be putting in her micro-arvet. That doesn't really get a look in, I'm afraid. Do you know, it's quite odd because I always feel less well-equipped to say about what people can expect than anyone else on the crew, because I just talk and I never see it and I'm just there. I think what I've really tried to do, I haven't, even though for me the idea came with thinking I just so adore Amsterdam at this time of year and I want to show its beauty and have this wonderful time with the lights on the water and it's such a treat.

At the same time, I knew I didn't want to do a Dutch Christmas which wouldn't really mean an awful lot to us and so I've certainly sort of drawn a lot on their baking tradition because we have similar climates of course and that means the food is quite similar. The spicing that they use for their Christmas baking is exactly what we'd expect too. And so it's about choosing perhaps, perhaps something more user friendly recipes. And when I've done, you know, even though I did some speculars, which is their gingerbread, I did, I didn't do it in the way that they're made traditionally because that is very complicated. And in fact, they don't even make them a lot at home there anymore in that way when you roll some dough into a wooden mold and then have to unstick it. I mean, that is not what we can deal with over Christmas.

But I was given full permission there. and then have to unstick it. I mean, that is not what we can deal with over Christmas. But I was given full permission. They say, no, no, no, if we make them at all, we just roll them out and use a cutter. So I did. What I was thrilled about is that they make just the most extraordinarily good cheese biscuits. And I don't know how you operate at Christmas, but a cheese board is very important, I think, for me.

What's on Nigella's cheese board at Christmas? Well, the cheese I got there ruins you for any other cheese. You know, the Gouda, or should I say Gouda? And I have managed to keep, and not eat yet, quite a bit of Dutch cheese. managed to keep and not eat yet quite a bit of Dutch cheese but otherwise for me I like a really good cheddar a really disgustingly pongy blue cheese and also you know a soft cheese whether it's barren by god or a camembert or something like that or a bachereau but I'm rather keen on the barren by god as long as I leave it out to you know start walking across the counter of its own volition and so I I did three cheeses is all I think you need otherwise

you have to get so many different cheeses and you don't have enough to go around so I like three big old blocks and what are your condiments are you an a cut up apple kind of gal a bunch of grapes chutney where are we going with this I think chutney you have to have yes I also like a hot sauce at this time of year with cheese I make a fermented hot sauce and I always feel it makes, especially if you're having hard cheese, it makes it slightly easier to digest as well. I love that idea. Because cheese is wonderful, but it isn't always kind on the tummy.

No, it's not. Not on the amounts I eat. Do you eat your cheese after your Christmas lunch or dinner or do you save it as the, like like in the evening, the go to? Well, actually, I do. I do Christmas dinner in two stages anyway, because I like the Christmas pudding a couple of hours or so later. OK, so I end on savoury and then I start watching a film, you know, with everyone. savoury and then I start watching a film you know with everyone and then while I'm watching the film I think oh pause it now now I'm ready for my Christmas pudding and then later on and throughout the you know next 10 days or whatever it's you know cheese while I'm thinking about what I'm

having oh wow what will be apart from the Dutch cheeses that have been brought back, what else will be on the Christmas table that will be included from your Dutch Christmas special? As well as drawing on that wonderful Dutch northern tradition of baking, with gingerbread and also they have a very traditional pastry theirs is made slightly differently made in a long log and I've done really little ones they look like sweet little sausage rolls so it's almond paste with bought shop bought puff pastry that you just roll round cut into lengths as a bit like you if you were making sausage rolls and egg wash and then when they

come out of the oven I paint them with apricot jam and a bit of lemon juice put on some flaked almonds and then a little bit of lemon icing just you know icing sugar and lemon juice and they are lovely and I've already started taking those to people you know like anytime I have people around for mince pies I would make these as a partner because they're the same sort of thing about sweet bite, but without the dried fruit. And there are always people who don't like the dried fruit, even though it's so quintessentially Christmassy. So that definitely I can't stop with those. And I've got a cake, which is a cake you don't bake because it's one of the, I mean, it's one to where the Puritans can be, this isn't a recipe, but, you know, this is the sort of thing that makes your life easier

because you get bought gingerbread and you make a creamy filling. And I've borrowed from the Dutch drinks cabinet and it's, the leading ingredient is avocado.'s that it's a egg it's like egg nog liqueur oh you're too young oh it divides eggnog sure if i would like it i got drunk on it at a wedding when i was nine i tried it and i've never been i was i was so ill afterwards because there were you were nine, Mum. Well, it was a wedding and they had avocado. I don't know why.

And I tasted it, thought it was so delicious because it's something a child... It's like custard. It's like drinking alcoholic custard. Maybe I'm in now. And I tried it and then drank two or three. Didn't drink a lot, obviously, because it comes in a little thing and was very ill. To make me steer clear of this, I wouldn't want to be responsible for an inappropriate evacuation.

We don't want that. Can I ask, you love this time of year. You celebrate it. You love it. I can see you're living, breathing it, embracing it. Have you got any pet peeves around the traditions of Christmas or is anything that makes you just go, bah, humbug? I'm not good at dried peel.

Dried peel is your pet peeve? It's not a pet peeve, but I would rather avoid it unless it's homemade dried peel, which is, you know, a lot of effort. And I'm very happy to leave it out of Christmas puddings and things like that. No, I don't. I'll tell you what, I'm very against first courses for Christmas dinner. Who does that? Who's doing a first course?

They do. Like what? They have, you know, smoked salmon roulade and things. Now, I don't mind putting some, I will sometimes put some smoked salmon on a bit of bread or pumpernickel and take it round so that people don't get too drunk straight away. But the idea of having to lay the table,

jump up and then clear a table straight away. And also it's such a big feast. You don't want't get full up first no but i actually like all of it i mean you know you can't have too many candles and fairy lights for me can i ask uh i'm doing a little drinks party on on the 23rd and i spotted on you uh a cardo i spotted a little a recipe of yours for cosmopolitan cocktail sausages yes would you recommend i go for that yes yes just just just do as you're told and line the chin with foil otherwise the washing up will be hideous i love that thank you is cosmo one of your drinks nigella

well i mean i probably whenever it was current. My favourite drink ever. Well, good, then you have to. So really you're using a bit of cranberry sauce, a bit of lime juice, you know, all the ingredients that go into it. And I do do a splash of vodka. I mean, obviously you can't taste it, but it makes me feel more like, you know, the party's started.

You can have a quick drink as you're doing it. They've seen me through countless parties over the years. Yeah, I mean, I've always just done the honey and mustard, but I'm going to do it the Nigella way this time, and I'm excited. But they're all lovely, you know? You never can go wrong with a cocktail sausage. I agree.

You can't. What will be the order of the day? How do you start your day? Well, I might do a later one this year. Okay. So I might do five o'clock rather than the normal day. So I'm veering towards early dinner. It depends.

I will start laying the table the night before, not because it's so necessary, but because it makes me happy. And also I don't like doing things when I'm up against it. There's no point. And it's fairly simple, because it isn't like you need lots of things. But it's just about getting all that Christmasy, you know, tut out and making everything look, you know, red and green and white. And that's just happy making.

Then I write my list for the next morning what time I'm doing everything uh which I don't always stick to but I will you know prep various things and what I do is I get all the serving dishes and I put post-its saying what's for what because otherwise I'll just forget after I've had a drink well no I don't always follow, but the thing is, is that once I make a big jug of poinsettia, which is what I often do, which is a drink that's so, okay, so it's dangerous because it doesn't taste alcoholic. So essentially, for each bottle of fizzy wine, and obviously you don't want a distinguished one when you're plonking other things in, you have for each bottle it's like as far as i remember 125 mils of either quantro or grand manier yeah and half a liter of cranberry juice and i make big big jugfuls of that so i'm by the time i've had a drink i'm i'm not enough of a drinker that i don't have a huge amount of resistance so I need to have

done all my post-its saying what bowls beforehand for what and what I'm doing when but I'll have made the red cabbage already so the first thing I do like my mum did before you know is when I get up in the morning is I steep the milk for the bread sauce. And I've already got the bread staling just because I don't know about you, but for me, that thing of coming down in the morning and smelling the mace and onion and pepper in the milk and bay leaves to me is the smell of Christmas. I'm about to go and do my bread sauce now and freeze it. So I'm in advance doing all of that.

Jessie, are you sure about that? Well, I think actually it's really easy to do on the day. However, then what do I do? Listen, the thing is, Jessie, do what's easier. Just do what's easier. All that will happen is that it will go a bit more solid and maybe a bit pappier, but it's meant to be pappy. So when you heat it up, make sure you heat it up quite gently because what

will happen otherwise is the milk bits will burn on the side of the pan and then you know do you know add some double cream and some butter as you heat it up yes sorted it sounds actually fabulous one more question which chocolate always gets left in the box over Christmas? Well, the orange creams are hugely popular. You're kidding, they're my best. Do you want them? Shall I save them for you? I want more, especially the Black Magic orange creams. Well, I'll save all orange creams for you.

Okay, thank you. That's a treat. Darling, I'm looking forward to all Nigella's orange creams. Do you know, I don't think Black Magic is made anymore. I don't even know what Black Magic is. Well, there you go. It's not made anymore. Both Jamie and Nigella say it is okay to freeze bread sauce, okay?

So that's what I shall be doing. Are you going to do that? We'd like to know. I'm definitely, definitely doing it. So bread sauce is sorted. We also wanted to nail the perfect mince pie. And who better to ask than the delectable Paul Hollywood. Old blue eyes.

Yes, we had to have old blue eyes back for the Christmas special because, well, let's face it, Lenny couldn't do a whole year without Paul Hollywood in her face. Looking into his eyes. I started off by asking him what his favourite childhood memory of Christmas was. I remember Christmas time, my mum always, so she'd get up another 10 minutes in bed, to be honest, but she used to put an annual at the bottom of the bed to keep me occupied for at least another 15 minutes before my three brothers sort of dived in and woke her

up at half four in the morning on Christmas day. That is very, very's clever clever I guess I just shove an iPad in front of my child's face but well nowadays yeah I do like the romance of the annual maybe I'll start that as a tradition I still want an annual every year now though that's the thing I still want to kick my feet which one now I don't Bake Off. My own book sitting in the back of the bed. Oh, that's nice. Yeah. Tell me about these advent calendars for a second. I'm understanding you're into Christmas if you're buying a bloody Lego advent calendar before summer is over.

I used to buy them for my lad when he was growing up. So that was something we did together. For your lad, it was really for you, Paul, wasn't it? Well, yeah. I mean, the chocolate ones were for me, especially nowadays. Have you noticed you can buy double chocolate? So,

obviously, if you open up an advent calendar, there's normally only one chocolate in there, isn't there? But now, obviously, you're with a partner. They do two chocolates in each day. Isn't that perfect? Oh, sweet. So is that what you and your fiancé have got? Not fiancé, Jessie. He's married now.

Did you get married? Yes. Since we last met. I did get married, yeah. Oh, Mazel Tov. Congratulations. Thank you. So is this your first year as a married couple? Yes, first Christmas, yeah.

So what's going to be some of the Christmas traditions that the Hollywoods are going to be doing for their first Christmas? I mean, every Christmas is the same, to be honest. I mean, I'm normally up early. I'm a baker. I tend to get up early anyway. So Christmas Day is no difference. I'm normally up about seven o'clock. To be honest, I'll probably be preparing the turkey to put it in the oven.

To be honest, I'll probably be preparing the turkey to put it in the oven. I normally, there's a farmer that drops off the turkey on Christmas Eve night around six o'clock and has done for many years. He brings the turkey. It's fresh, but the giblets are one in the bag. So I normally spend Christmas Eve morning preparing the stock. So I'll prepare a nice stock from that. So the morning I can start preparing the turkey getting it all ready to start cooking but I enjoy turkey I love Christmas

dinner I love a roast if I'm brutally honest I think a roast on a Sunday is one of the best things the British have ever given to society certainly over here um I just think it's the best thing ever especially when you wrap it up with a i don't know a crumble or a sticky toffee pudding or something at the end with loads of custard not christmas pudding oh no i love that now i'm talking about generally for a roast oh generally christmas pudding with loads of custard because i'm from the north i mean i know brandy cream obviously is a big thing and cream, but custard. I want to see possibly a little island of pudding in the middle. And then it's just surrounded, swamped by two litres of custard.

Have you made your Christmas puddings yourself? I used to make them, not so much nowadays. When I was at the Dorchester, we used to make them a year before. A year? Yeah, everything was done a year before. And then they were in the cellar waiting for us for the following year. Just maturing, getting lots of flavour. What liquor were you putting in?

Was it rum or brandy? Cognac. There was rum. Yeah, cognac, rum. I mean, when it was mine, it was often a really good cognac. Talk to me about your mince pies, because we like a supermarket one. Have you got a favourite one that you will a recipe or a supermarket basically i i almost use the shortbread recipe to create the shell and the lid and it's again high butter content and that creates it's quite tricky to work so you've got

to fold not not make it rubbery you just got to fold it a couple of extra times to bind that together because there is so much butter in there so once you've lined your deep you know tins like this then get any ready-made mincemeat you like is fine i go to the romances one and then i'll just get that and then i'll basically chop up a load of apples throw that in there put a little glug of cognac in there then i'll get a load of satsumas or tangerines and then load that in with the mincemeat and stir it all together oh so you're kind of high lowering it so I like that it's supermarket but it's blended with a little Hollywood finesse well it's not supermarket is it I mean it might be mincemeat from a supermarket not necessarily from a supermarket but it's just the mincemeat i don't bother making so i use a

base mincemeat but i add apples satsumas uh rum cognac if you like and then you end up making a rich pastry obviously shell for the for the base and then when you bake them off honestly wow they i think the satsuma really it's christmas to me a satsuma you know you get that smell and I put a bit of zest in there as well and it honestly it'd be the best mince pie you've ever had the apple the satsuma that little bit of zing it's beautiful I'm loving how much you love Christmas by the way you are fully committed I love Christmas Paul what time do you eat your are you a dinner person or a lunch or a mid-afternoon? Good question because that's changed over the years as I've got older. Ideally I like to eat half four five o'clock

weirdly so it's right in the middle between sort of lunch and dinner. I think half four five o'clock is perfect because by the time you've finished which could be a couple of hours and you had some wine and everyone's flaking out on the sofa watching some evening television, and the two ronnies used to come on about 8 o'clock. It's normally about that time when I'm sort of chilling out. But, yeah, about half four. But before that, have you had a little champagne and a few canapés?

Yes. I say a little champagne. I'm not really a big champagne drinker. I like red wine. I like some good Bordeaux. Nice, kicky in the teeth Bordeaux. I wouldn't normally have that till p.m. I might have a little sort of light bubbly stuff in the morning while I'm sort of around the kitchen and me normally with a Santa hat on preparing the dinner. But no, I wouldn't normally drink till 12. Do you have canapes? on preparing the dinner. But no, I wouldn't normally drink till 12. Do you have canopies? No, but I will do a big breakfast. So it'll be a full-cooked breakfast for everybody.

And sort of Melissa's family will be around. So I'll be doing a full-cooked breakfast. Have that about 10 o'clock. And then you just have to wait till half four for the rest of it, you know. There'll be nibbles around, you know. Your in-laws must be thrilled that she's married you. Well, he's a chef

as well actually because they they own the village pub so it's a beautiful old medieval inn uh and he's a good chef as well so are they open for Christmas day yeah they're open for drinks which I love because I love going down the pub for a drink Christmas day between 12 and 2 and then you're back home aren't you eating so everything's cooking while you're down at the pub. That sounds very calm. Your kitchen sounds very, very calm. And what is going to be for pudding? Strictly Christmas pud?

Or are you going to have a little extra something, something chocolatey? Chocolate log. Ooh, will you make it? Yeah, I will make a heel log, yeah. I make one most years. So I'll make a big Swiss roll. I will put cherries in there,

a little bit of kirsch in there as well, cream, and then just make a chocolate log from it. A bit of zest of orange in the ganache as well on the outside so that the ganache will have a little bit of orange in there. I bet you have a chocolate orange in your stocking. Yeah, I used to have tangerines. Yeah, literally just fruit. And I go, oh, wow.

My mum's got an old video from the 70s. I must have been five. And I was sort of rifling through my sack. And then I lifted it up and went, oh, wow. My mum's got an old video from the 70s. I must have been five. And I was sort of rifling through my sack. And then I sort of lifted up and went, wow, a tangerine. Oh, my God. See? Life was tough. Oh, a pen.

Can I ask the king of pastry? Lots of people will be listening to this. And maybe they're doing a drinks party at home any really cheeky quick canapé that you could recommend with a bit of puff pastry i mean puff pastry just cut out your little volo but you can't beat a volo i mean the volo or a mince pie so i mean cut your volo i'll make a little circle in the middle bake that off take the inside out you have a volo shell fill that with your basic mary rose sauce with some prawns chopped up hello and a little bit of paprika just sitting on the top so use that

to make a little vol-au-vent and obviously the rest of puff pastry make a you can make a pasta stanata you know a little custard in there with a little bit of chocolate as well as another thing so you can use ready-made custard pop it into there just bake that or mince pies so have you i get your mincemeat add your tangerines apples get your rough puff pastry or your ready-made puff pastry line your shell pop your mincemeat in there you don't need to cover it and then bake them off for about 20 minutes bring them out and then a little drizzle of good cognac inside so just simple stuff wow paul thank you that's fantastic i've got a three-course meal there thank you and now now paul which chocolate is always left in the box coffee tends to hang

around a bit like a bad smell yeah i i do think that um yeah the coffee one's pretty awful isn't it i mean anything with nuts in and caramel and hazelnut and it's gone. I normally order two boxes and then hide the other box for me. Where do you stand on bounty? I love Bounty. Me too. Yeah, yeah. Me too. I love coconut. I just love coconut. Me too. I don't understand people that leave that one.

No, I don't. I mean, Prue hates coconut and so she doesn't like coconut in the Bake Off tent, so I'm straight in there, you know. I mean, I drink a bottle of ombre soleil I think coconut's delicious I really do I think it's lovely last but not least what do you think is an overrated Christmas tradition Paul cards get on me nerves now because I tell you why what Christmas cards well yeah I mean I like to get them in early so people don't feel too humiliated that I've caught them out. And when I don't get one back, now that really winds me up. Yeah, I know, it's annoying.

They're not getting one next year. Yeah, I remember. I'm like an elephant. Me too, yeah. And I remember, and in fact, three years on, I saw someone recently and I haven't seen for a while, and I remember sending them in a card and I never got one. And I saw him recently and I said, you never sent me a

Christmas card you know and he went what I said three years ago he said are you serious three years ago I said yeah three years ago I never got a card and he said I'm sure it did I said I never got a card and he went hang on wasn't I moving then I said I don't care whether you're moving or not I sent you a card. I want a card back. This is like an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, but down in Kent. I'm so here for it. So now I just drop cards.

I just don't bother with cards. Have you sent him another one? No, I'll never speak to him again. Sod him, yeah. Well, we better get your address and send you a card. Oh, no, we've already crossed that. Last year, I never got one. This year, I never get one.

So forget it. I'm not going to send any cards. Forget it. Okay, fine. Paul Hollywood, thank you so much for joining us for our Christmas special. My pleasure. We loved having you on the podcast. And we'd quite like to have a Paul Hollywood canapé cooked for us sometime.

So we must get together again. Have a great Christmas. Yeah, yeah. Don't worry. I'll send it with the card. Stop it. And happy Christmas. Well, I don't think we'll be getting a Christmas card or a canapé from Paul.

No, but we still love you, Paul, and thank you for joining us on the Christmas special. I loved the way he talked about zhuzhing up mincemeat. Yes, and that is what Sam is going to do this week. Clementine's apple. That's all you need. Make your life easy. Get a jar and zhuzh it up mincemeat. Yes. And that is what Sam is going to do this week. A bit of clementine, apple. That's all you need. Make your life easy. Get a jar and zsuzs it up with a bit of booze, some apple. I'm all for zsuzsing, darling.

Yeah, all for the zsuzs. Also, likes a gravy in advance? Yeah, I mean, I understand making the stock in advance, but I don't understand about freezing gravy. Well... Well, we'll see, won't we? Right, let's find out how they celebrate Christmas over the pond with our favourite American chef, the darling Alison Roman. Since they've just had Thanksgiving where they eat a lot of turkey,

I really wondered whether they had turkey at Christmas as well. I don't think they do. No, not really. Christmas in America seems to be heavy on the beef, like a prime rib. Okay. Like a rib roast or a ham, like a Christmas ham. Okay.

I really am curious to try a goose. I may see if my friends who are hosting want to do a goose this year. You don't get a lot of meat though, do you? You don't, but it's sort of like a, it's like you buy a tree to have in your house for three weeks. It's like, who cares? You, but it's sort of like, it's like you buy a tree to have in your house for three weeks. It's like, who cares? You know, it's sort of like, it's part of the silliness of tradition around the holidays where it's like, if not now, then when? Yeah. And I do think that

it might be worth it for the fat. If you can like roast it in such a way that regardless of the meat, you're left with like buckets of goose fat, which feels like a good gift for yourself. Yeah, it's true. Yeah. So have you got any Christmas traditions? My tradition has changed every year. Honestly, like, well, one tradition that I think we're not actually unfortunately doing this year. But there's a there's a Chinese restaurant in Manhattan called Wu's wonton king

that I go to pretty frequently and I have spent many Christmases there Christmas Eve specifically I've also there's a friend of mine a noob and he and I used to like host co-host a Christmas Eve sort of I guess like party but it was it was like a multi-course dinner party but as it grew over the years it sort of became untenable to sit down so it just became like okay we're gonna do several different dishes it was like vaguely feast of the seven fishes-y but I think like this year marks like a new tradition era like I and I don't know what that is yet because it's my first year being married it's my first year like because of the timeline of my relationship with my husband like the first year I'm like considering another person and their schedule for Christmas normally I'm like alone

and I'm like oh well I'll do whatever I want like I'll join these people we'll get a little table at Woo's we'll do our party with a noob and now I I'm like, oh, like, this is our first year as a couple being married. And it's like our first year of establishing tradition. So what is that going to be? And I don't know. That's so exciting. So if you were doing your Christmas Eve party, yes, because some people that are listening to this may be doing a little Christmas Eve party, they may be hosting, they may not be doing the turkey the next day. Is there any go-to Alison Roman, no nonsense, canapé or bowl of something that you would recommend someone doing stress-free? It's not on Christmas, but I do do an annual ham party and mine is this weekend. And this is like the fourth or fifth year I've done it.

weekend and this is like the fourth or fifth year I've done it and each year it gets like a little easier and a little more absurd but the number one like party trick that does not fail is to have like several different types of dip or bowls of dip and like vegetables and chips and like things to put in them because if you're waiting for something like the ham to come out or your dinner to be ready or whatever like it is something that people will be so grateful for and doesn't like fill you up in the same way as like a big meat and cheese board which I sort of stay away from because I want people to save their room for this giant ham that I've just roasted for them and in addition to that it's like I'm doing a mart bar. So I pre-batch my martinis. I really love the idea that the priority is batch making the martini. Because I don't want to pour, I don't want to mix a martini for anybody. I want you to say, here's the martini,

pour yourself a martini. So you give them a big jug. It's like a pre-batched in a bottle. And then I set out like little olives on a toothpick for garnish or little lemon peels on a toothpick for garnish. You could also do little pearl onions for like a Gibson. A Gibson. Yes. I'm desperate to try one. I just find that like most people, when they come to a party, they're bringing a bottle

of wine, a bottle of champagne, or like a bottle of whiskey or tequila for the house. And to like stop what you're doing, lead the conversation and make somebody a personalized cocktail sounds like a nightmare. So having something like a batch martini or a punch or something like that, people can decide whether they want to do that. And then from there, it's like, you're either drinking wine, beer, or I'll have like basic mixers. So like soda water, tonic water, citrus, and then alcohol for people if they want to make like a high ball. But I never make people a drink

once they've arrived ever. If we're going to serve up a pud, a dessert from Sweet Enough, which one would you go for for Christmas day? Which would be easy enough that you could maybe prep it the day before. Sorry, my children's screaming in the background if people can hear that.

They're having a great time. They're fine fine which one would you recommend people should go to that could be a bit of crowd pleaser honestly I would do a giant bowl of chocolate pudding that's what I would do because you can make it in advance and it's like one of those things that you can do in like a beautiful I don't have it in this room but like a beautiful big bowl or even like you you know, some sort of vessel of your choosing. And it looks stunning. And you pile it high with whipped cream or like with mascarpone or something like that and crumble some like cookies on top or whatever and set out a few spoons and like you eat it after dinner. And that to me sounds like the best thing in the world. I might actually do that this

Christmas. I might, that might be my contribution. You can also like, of course, portion them out into individual like little cups or teacups or bowls or whatever. But to me, after a giant meal like that, I want something like soft and creamy. And I'm using pudding in the American sense, but it's also pudding in the British sense as it is a dessert. But to me, that's like the chocolate custard, chocolate pudding, however it translates is what I would do. Do you have mince pies in the USA? No, we don't. Have you ever had one?

I can't say that I have. Oh, Alison. Do you know what it is? I wouldn't know where to find one. It's kind of currants and dried fruit. Fruit and liquor. And liquor and apple. And it makes a big, mushy...

Orange zest. Orange zest. And it makes a big, mushy mincemeat. What do you do with it? You put it in pastry and you have a little pie. I think you would like it. I hate to say it, I have seen it on the Great British Bake Off. Oh, yeah, yeah, you would have done.

All right, I'll try it. Do you have Christmas pudding? Not in the way that you do, which is like this, it's like steamed in a mold. Steamed, yeah. Right? Yeah, no. The baking style is very different here. I say that as a person who wrote a dessert book and then as a result received many questions about that book, I'm realizing like where we're at generally as a demo my demo anyway and like the questions that we're asking the the equipment people have the terms they're familiar with is very very different and even me like having to translate the book to be published in the UK it became very apparent how little I knew about the dessert style over there so So Alison Roman, thank you so much for being on

the Christmas special. Have the best new Christmas traditions with your other half and Merry, Merry Christmas. Thank you all so much. You guys are the best and I hope you have a beautiful holiday. Jugs of martinis and margaritas sound like a fantastic idea. Are you having a Christmas party? Are you in charge of the cocktails? Well, make a jug of it. That's what Alison Roman would do and maybe you'll be less stressed. I think I'm going to be serving a vermouth.

On that Torino one? Yes. Yeah. So I may not be doing the jug because I don't think that many Brits like a martini as much as the Americans. But Margs, they like. And is it bad to say that I'm just not going to serve red wine

because I don't want somebody spilling it on my carpet? I think you're mad because some people don't drink white wine. Well, they can try something new for the two hours that they're allowed in my house. And then they can buzz off. You think you're going to get Claire not drinking red wine? Claire's allowed, but she has to be on a... A wooden floor. A washable floor. Yeah. Well, but she has to be on a... A wooden floor. A washable floor.

Yeah. Well, where's your carpet? You haven't got any carpet. Your house is all wooden. I have soft furnishings that I don't need ruined. Okay, maybe I should just not have a party. I don't know. Last but not least, the wonderful John Turowd,

one of my favourites. Let's hear about John Turowd's family Christmas traditions. I wonder if it's different because he comes from Australia. Is there a barbecue involved? Let's find out. Let's find out. The first thing that happens in Turow's family Christmas is all about a ham.

Oh, wow. Because a whole ham is something that we've had since I was a little tiny kid. And a whole ham always for the whole family. And it all lives in a pillowcase in the fridge. Why a pillowcase? It needs to rest, Jesse. That's right, right yeah it needs to have a little rest at night time the reason it's it's because a pillowcase is cloth and it breathes so if you wrap it in cling

film what will happen is of course it will sweat foil and all that sort of stuff doesn't work such a good idea so you keep your ham in a pillowcase, and it was always a pillowcase. And the same thing is that as kids growing up, our Christmas stocking was also a pillowcase with a picture of Santa on it. And I still have it, and it still goes out on Christmas Eve. So every single year I buy a ham, I cook it the way it needs to be cooked, and every single year it's here, and it's just part of what I've always done. Christmas Eve, it means hot buttered toast a piece of ham and all the kids everybody knows

that the ham is always there and they'll go pups you're gonna carve the ham and away it goes wow can i steal that tradition because i think that sounds fab are you allowed to eat ham no jesse listen are we allowed to celebrate christmas jessica we're doing it all john we're doing it all that's a great tip for anybody who's doing the gammon or the ham um this christmas do you store the ham in the pillowcase before it's cooked or after it's cooked after it's cooked so cooked okay obviously mom and then then in the pillowcase okay and you'll cook it about two days in advance it'll usually arrive on something like the sort of the 18th of december and then i'll cook it but i cook it i don't put in a big pot one of the worst things about ham is actually how to cook it

because it's a big motherfucker you know what i mean and that's the problem with it so the only way to do it is i i sort of watched this guy years ago it's a bread rack sorry cake rack in a tray and you put water in the bottom of the tray cover the whole thing with first with paper then with foil and you put in an oven at 160 for the number of hours it is kilos so if it's three kilos or three and a half kilos it's three and a half hours this is very straightforward i like this in australia what happens is you buy a ham already cooked you don't buy a gammon you buy a ham already cooked so you so when I came here it was like it did my head in for years I couldn't work out how

to do it and then I met this guy called Bob Dove in on Northcote Road and Bob Dove of Dove Butchers and he his partner used to cook hams and she showed me what she used to do so I just followed really her idea and then I worked out the timings Because she used to do whole hams without a bone. And I do mine with a bone in. And what seasoning? Do you put cloves in? Do you put orange in? Nothing.

Nothing? No, no, no, no, no, no. Because it's not glazed ham. It's just a ham. And so the other thing is that you put seasoning on it. It's already cured. The thing is, if you put any seasoning on it, it's only going to be on the outside. And then once you cut the first bit off, it's gone.

It's done. It's like taking the chicken skin off. It's done. It's done. It's like taking the chicken skin off. It's done. It's finished. So it's all good. Yeah. So there's that. And there's always, always stuffing.

So one of my big presents for Christmas is I send out stuffing to people. So people who I've known for many, many years, including certain people who used to be relations, but they're not anymore due to things that happened in the past. And you still send them stuffing? Yeah. Wow. You're kind. No. no well it's the mother-in-law but um the uh the request for stuffing comes every year so i always send it out what's the ingredients in your stuffing granny smith apples chestnuts bacon sausage meat bread uh a little bit of water lots and lots of salt and pepper and that's it but i make up about i make a sink full of it like people make christmas pudding i make up loads and loads and loads of

it and do different size dishes some i freeze some i give out to other people some's cooked some's not cooked some's raw some's frozen whatever and that off goes disappears how do we get on this list john i've got the address now you might just get some wow boom you love sending presents too you sent the loveliest thank you card. You basically are the best guest ever. I would like to have you over for Christmas dinner one day, but I'd like to steal your stuffing first. That's nice.

That sounded a bit dodgy. Sorry. Excuse me. Yeah. What's on your Christmas list? What are you getting for Christmas? Well, I'm getting,

what I'm getting for Christmas this year is everybody around the table, which I, it doesn't happen very often. You know, with families, I've got, you know, I've got two ex-wives and all that sort of stuff, and I've got four children. And then we've got Billy, who's, you know, number five, really. She's sort of my number five. They're all going to be around the table, which is great. Partners, everybody else.

There's lots of people coming from all over the place. And it's going to be a massive, massive Christmas. How many? 16. Whoa. So that should be fun. do you put the kids on a kids table no are they too big now they're a little bit too big now my kids are about your age i mean you know come on they're massive i mean one six foot four oh wow yeah who will you be letting into the kitchen who will be allowed to be your sous chef oh only lisa maybe victoria maybe lisa's sister victoria might be allowed in a little bit okay besides that nobody else just get out get out i'm setting up a bar in the front room

and there's certain children who are who have been round up they'll have to do cocktails and then they've got to be the waiters so that's all sorted out everybody's got their own little place and things to do and then um we build an annex outside so if anybody wants to go out there and disappear and just have a bit of quiet time they can and then off they go so that but everybody stays out the kitchen until such time as then christmas dinner happens and then there has to be a system. System is always important. Because you run restaurants, you need the pass working well. See, I don't believe in plating food up for other people. I want people to choose what they want to eat for Christmas Day.

So I sort of set it out almost like a buffet idea. And there's plates at one end. The table will be set with glasses and cutlery and crackers and all that sort of stuff. But then people have to actually know which direction to go around into because our house is not that big. And so they've got to be able to they've got to follow the system. And Alan, my brother-in-law, always goes, Jono's always got a system. Jono's system, it always works.

We know it's Jono's system. Don't. Whatever you do, don't wreck Jono's system. It gets really upset. So Jono's system happens. Can you explain to us some tips for a good Jono's she gets really upset so Jono's system happens can you explain to us some tips for a good Jono's system well I think the first thing is

don't take everything out of your trays so wherever you're cooking your stuff in don't take it out because all you're doing is making washing up for yourself I so agree I agree all your spuds and all that sort of stuff

just leave them in the trays your cauliflower cheese in the trays and do things in big lots so they stay nice and warm so your stuffing's in a big tray your cauliflower cheese in a big tray I things in big lots so they stay nice and warm so your stuffing's in a big tray your cauliflower cheese in a big tray i do what i call gravy carrots so i can't i can't do the roast carrots because they're just a pain in the butt because they always go wrong so i'd actually just cook whole carrots in gravy and just cook them on the stove and then they sit in the pot

and then they stay nice and hot that sounds yum sounds delicious then i'll do the turkey and stuff but this year i want to do some pork and some beef so i'm doing keeping that hot in the barbecue outside and then i'll bring it all in and then what i'll do is only slice a little bit of it and then when half the system's gone because people picked up their bits then i'll carve some more stuff wow and will you get to relax oh yeah I'll be shit-faced by three. Which cocktail will you be drinking? Well, I don't know yet. I'm sort of, I'm not quite sure. Are you a cocktail person?

Yeah, I like a sour. So actually yesterday somebody made me a whiskey sour and I thought, well, actually I might just line up the Pisco Sours. I think the Pisco Sour on Christmas Day might be a nice idea. So I might do that. But actually for me, a bottle of fizz is always good. Yeah. You know, I love fizz.

There's something about it. And, you know, it has to be special. Blanc de Blanc, preferably Runa. And then, you know, I've done the Christmas wine already. Everything in large format. Big magnums. We've got to show off a bit, don't you? Magnums of rosé, big bottles of red wine, you know,

all that sort of stuff. Two liters of Coca-Cola for those who don't drink and actually think it's good for you what time do you eat are you a mid-afternoon or a lunchtime or an evening no i'll be mid-afternoon i think yeah and it doesn't really matter i mean because everybody will be here and it's not it's not in any way prescriptive for things sort of change and move it's not an issue whatsoever have you got any ideas for little fancy canopies that aren't too much trouble yeah pigs in blankets and would you serve those not with the food but you'd serve them first i just think the thing is about it is everybody loves a pig in blanket i just think people like a sausage yeah you're right a sausage out and it doesn't matter what you do it like with some soy sauce on it everybody only sausage look we you

know there's that sort of thing of us there's smoked salmon always with a little bit of bread or you know whatever there'll be the ham will always be out in little bits and pieces but really there's things to people nibble on and and there's yeah i don't do fancy canapes you know me it's like it's eating food of course john and lisa's weekend kitchen christmas is all back on as well for three weeks before Friday. And one of the most, actually, one of the biggest things we did, one of the most popular was sausages for little chipolatas four ways. Same thing. I mean, just like different ways of doing it,

whether it just be plain or some Asian ones or, you know, whatever. People love them. They do. They're easy. Who's in charge of pudding? Well, this is it. This year we're asking everybody to bring something with them. And I think it's another tip for everybody if you've got lots of people

coming around. Tell people to bring stuff. If your auntie makes great cauliflower cheese, tell her to make it. So Victoria, Lisa's sister, makes the most amazing pavlova, so she'll bring a big pavlova of some type. I think that Nina, lisa's godmother will bring the chocolate mousses there'll be a christmas pudding which we're going to buy from the local bakery because right now we're so busy she's going to make christmas cake but

not spuddings and they'll all be out and then um one of my sons who works for a supermarket so he'll bring the cheese and then after that the important thing is what happens on Christmas night? Well, what does happen on Christmas night? The picky bits. Oh, of course. The picky bits. The picky bits. Don't we all like the picky bits?

But don't you just put all the picky bits into a sandwich with, like, doorstop? No, no, no. All the picky bits usually come out of the freezer. Do you know what I mean? The really bad, naughty things. You know what I mean? Tell us. What?

Well, things like the pre-made. I will always make a load of sausage rolls days before. They'll be in there. So they'll come out. Then we've got a couple of vegans. So there'll be sort of some vegan nuggets here and there. Just a bit of sort of naughtiness that goes on on Christmas night so that everybody can just be a bit naughty.

That's so interesting. See, I would always do the picky bits, like the things you bung in the oven that you don't like frozen stuff like the indian selection from you know whatever like you know or prawn toast i'd do that on christmas eve so you're doing it after your big christmas lunch respect john to road yeah well look the thing is that everybody's always a little bit hungry but they don't really know what they want and they don't really want a replay of christmas day they said that happens boxing day you know the replay of christmas day

so it happens boxing day but um yeah so it's the picky bits and then there'll be a game of something like cards against humanity or you know something like that yeah and and when you've got somebody like you know a couple of 80 year olds around a table playing cards against humanity it's quite funny especially after a few pisco sounds i think we'll have to get it especially when they're really posh and some of those words that come out john what is an overrated christmas tradition i feel like you like every christmas tradition going so i don't know if you think any are overrated to be honest well listen listen i'm not turkey it's okay oh is that why you're doing the beef

I love turkey yeah it keeps people happy I grew up in a world where it's hot right my nana's Christmas you know taught me to cook and it was one of the first times I really cooked with her Christmas day there was always about 20 around the table and it was pork beef chicken and lamb because chicken was so expensive when I was a kid in Australia I mean a chicken would you only and it was pork, beef, chicken and lamb. Because chicken was so expensive when I was a kid in Australia. I mean, a chicken you only had at Easter and Christmas. And we didn't really have turkeys because, I don't know, it was probably just too hot for a turkey to live, I suppose.

And I remember that the first time we ever had a turkey, it was like a Steggles thing, which had some sort of weird flavoured butter and it was just weird and it had been attacked by nails to make it tender. It wasn't very nice. So that's what she did. So I always think about her when I do Christmas. It's my sort of favourite Christmas memory is my nana. And, you know, that whole thing of the ham was always about her fridge was that and in the fridge there was always the ham on Christmas Eve

and caramel slice, which is what you guys call me in a short fridge. Oh, how delicious. Yeah. So condensed milk, chocolate and biscuits, because she just knew how to make people smile. Oh, that's lovely. John, which is the chocolate that's always left over? I think the strawberry chocolate one.

Yeah, I hate those two. They're weird. They've got the weird texture inside. They're like creamy but sandy. I think kids like them though. So maybe because your kids have grown up i feel like it's a kid thing this is a good thing about halloween halloween although you know it's november next year just hold those put them somewhere in the larder right

all the leftover chocolate and just put them out on your halloween get rid of them that way yeah that is a good point yeah john trode you have given us so many tips and so many wonderful memories i really think that yours sounds like a fabulous christmas day in the tarod household so i wish you much festive cheer and a happy new year and we hope that we can eat with you very very soon lots of love happy christmas to you all and happy 2024 lots of love happy christmas darling i'm completely doing the pillowcase ham thing however I am going to glaze mine sorry John um you can't glaze it and put it in a pillowcase what if I put a bloody colander over it huh that's my little input mum thank you no darling why glaze it once you take it out the

fridge okay you can't put a glaze on then the pillowcase because it's going to be sticky i don't think i would want a vegan nugget after my fabulous christmas meal well you might do if you're a bloody vegan yeah maybe but i'm willing to try it i'm willing to save some of my indian canapes bits picky bits for christmas day jesse you could put all the food on that counter and people serve themselves instead of putting it all on the table. This is so interesting for everyone listening. Yes, we're just already,

we're organising our system now. Are you organising your system too? Has John Turow put the fear of God in you? Has John Turow lightened the load for you by saying just don't get it into, I agree with him serving plates sack it off keep it in the baking things it will taste better and keep warm and do you know what darling I've just thought you could put all the plates everything and we

do the conga around your island as you take your food what like with sprouts flying sure great can't wait and then we'll all end up in A&E Lewisham A&E great fabulous I hope he sends us some stuff I know do you think I was too forthright you were a bit pushy darling but it's fine I felt I believe in him and I believe he's gonna send it because he's that nicer guy yeah he's lovely do know what? I think there's a theme, adding apple to everything. Paul Hollywood adds it to his mincemeat. John Turow adds it to his stuffing. So many brilliant tips from the creme de la creme of chefs. We hope you've enjoyed this episode as much as we've enjoyed recording it. It was such a hoot. It was so lovely to see old friends of

the podcast and get the best tips for Christmas. Just been brilliant. So exciting. Thank you to all our wonderful guests for taking the time out to chat to us about all their tips. Thank you to you listeners for listening to us again for another year. And there's one thing I'd like to say. What? Feliz Navidad.

Feliz Navidad. We'll be back next week. Oh my God, you sound like Arnie. We'll be back next week. I'll be back. I'll be back. Do let us know if you've tried any of these suggestions. Please email us at hello at tablemannerspodcast.com.

Have the most brilliant, gourmet, gorgeous, fabulous Christmas and we'll be back next week. And if they don't work out, it's not our responsibility. Disclaimer. Merry Christmas. Thank you.