Christmas cooking shows

We love cooking and cookery shows.

Our Christmas Day routine was transformed many years ago when we discovered Phil Vickery’s method of cooking a turkey.
It’s absolutely foolproof and produces delicious moist Turkey year after year.

I enjoyed watching Delia’s Christmas cookery programme years ago, filmed in her lovely country cottage kitchen, saying how she always enjoyed making her mince pies while listening to Carols From Kings.

Personally, I would feel stressed out if I were still making mince pies at tea time on Christmas Eve.

Don’t think Delia was either. Have since read she spends Christmas in Barbados, where I don’t envisage her rustling up a few mince pies.

GrannyGravy13 - I fully understand we all have our preferences for what meat to eat on xmas day and how to cook it, what I was getting at is all the rubbish thrown at us for the rest of the meal. Jamie Olivers "merry mac-n-cauliflower cheese" with 12 ingredients. Who is going to cook Tom Kerridge's Christmas carrots with star anise? And who wants to spend half an hour on Christmas morning making Justine Pattison's creamy brussels sprouts with all ten ingredients when there is so much else to do?
Last week Mary Berry cooked all her vegetables the day before and laid them out on a large platter, covered them in foil and put them in the fridge. Then the following day put the whole platter in the oven until they were thoroughly heated through and put them in the middle of the table. Not tried this, but she says you would never know that they were pre cooked and I bet a lot of mass caterers do the same.

Sashabel I think if you love cooking and are confident in using many ingredients it’s not such a chore .

I prepare everything in the morning on Christmas Eve regardless of if we are 5 as in this year or up to 20 + as it was when the children were home and my parents were alive.
Christmas food is an integral part of the festivities and I really enjoy the preparation and trying something different. (I even enjoy clearing up the kitchen on my own whilst the rest of the family chill out round the house)

There are some great cookery programmes around but also some really rubbish stuff. Who has time for all of this? I can remember years ago watching Fanny Craddock shoving butter under the skin of the turkey - I still shiver at the thought of it. So funny!

I love watching the cookery programmes---just watching Mary Berry ( who looks wonderful ) then try and memorize one or two of her hints .
I do like Danish blue, but not mixed with food. Crackers are my preference.

Right, must get the mixed grill on the go now as all this cooking/ baking has made me feel peckish.

My daughter and I prepare as much as possible on Christmas Eve and do the rest between us the next morning. But the clearing up is down to the men in the household - although my daughter's brother in law just sits on his fat bum and does absolutely nothing all day and it really annoys me. Thankfully he will not be there this year. It's nice to know that once the meal is eaten it is our time to just enjoy the rest of the day with the children with a glass of something in one hand and a chocolate in the other.
I used to love cooking and am a confident cook, but I'm not prepared to waste precious family time virtually spending all day in the kitchen while everyone else is having fun in the living room.

Sashabel that’s the advantage of having a large open plan kitchen, nobody needs to be shut away .

The GC are involved as soon as they show interest (we have a two year old GC who stirs any sauce/gravy with supervision of course)

Calendargirl

I enjoyed watching Delia’s Christmas cookery programme years ago, filmed in her lovely country cottage kitchen, saying how she always enjoyed making her mince pies while listening to Carols From Kings.

Personally, I would feel stressed out if I were still making mince pies at tea time on Christmas Eve.

Don’t think Delia was either. Have since read she spends Christmas in Barbados, where I don’t envisage her rustling up a few mince pies.

I always assume that when these cooks film in the ir own kitchens that the TV company must have paid for it, I do know of one male cook who that was true for! Apparently St D wouldn't allow the TV crew to use the loo in the house so there was a mobile loo out of sight. Her mincemeat is lush and so easy to make but since OH died there's no-one other than son-in-law to eat mince pies, ditto Christmas pudding. Does anyone recall a formidable Yorkshire woman, Dorothy Sleightholme I think, she published Yorkshire Farmhouse Recipes, that Christmas pudding is wonderful as well as the parkin, as essential for Bonfire Night.

And I bet they don’t do all the clearing and washing up either!

I used to enjoy cooking but I really don’t nowadays. I don’t know why especially as I have so much more time now I’m retired. The fewer ingredients the better as far as I’m concerned, and anything that can be made well in advance and chilled or frozen gets my vote. I was delighted to find that a trial run of mushroom wellington for my vegetarian daughter in law froze and cooked from frozen brilliantly.

Some people have a lot more spices and herbs in their kitchen anyway than others do. I might add more ingredients if I have them but wouldn't buy lots of things I wouldn't normally use just to have spiced veggies. Having lots of ingredients doesn't necessarily mean it takes much more effort.

We just watched Nigella making red cabbage and cranberries which looked really nice. And it can be made in advance.

I like watching James Martin

kate1949 I too enjoy watching James Martin, he's very easy on the eye and like me loves his butter.

Another vote for James Martin here!

I agree Ladygracie. I'm going with my daughter to see his live stage show in March.

I’ve made our baked red cabbage and apple today and frozen it. Did our cranberry sauce the other day and it’s in the freezer. I don’t really like celebrity chef cooking shows. They put so much butter, salt and sugar in their recipes. But of course they will be super delicious.

It the stupid ingredients that some of these Chefs/cooks use , things that overpriced and you know you won't use again and are difficult to find in most normal towns outside the M25, also how much stuff have they cooked that they have so much leftovers but still feed at least 15/20 people at the lunch? I used to love watching cookery programmes on TV and especially St. D as her recipes are fool proof. Lately I avoid these programmes especially Nigella, and her midnight eating in her sexy outfits it is enough to put you off.

I love the TV cooks - Jamie does some simple but great dishes and I will watch James Martin as often as he's on. His masterclasses are a revelation. I do prepare a lot in advance - red cabbage, stuffings, pigs in blankets, viennese carrots, cranberry sauce, gravy base and pudding. On the day it's pretty much turkey, potatoes and sprouts. I'd miss my old hostess trolley! And no tree presents until washing up is done. Now I have a dishwasher I aim for one load during dinner, one in and the rest stacked during presents. Tends to keep people on their toes. Just wish I'd had the dishwasher when my four kids were young! Those were the days!