Christmas Cooking Starts Here ....

.... is the title on the yellowing and Sellotaped newspaper article by Jocelyne Dimbleby that includes the Christmas pudding recipe that I have used since the seventies. I've missed Stir-Up Sunday but no matter. This needs no maturing, though it will keep. It's made with breadcrumbs, no sugar, syrup or treacle and I use melted butter instead of suet. Same old same old for us. We love upholding our peculiar family Christmas traditions. I try to follow as many of my MIL's as possible. Family and keeping a good table were all to her.

Cook's nips is a bit of a tradition too. The recipe requires a quarter of a pint of Guinness. We always make the rest of the pint into a Black Velvet which I don't usually bother to pour properly. I can though, my mates will vouch for me. So disappointed that I couldn't do it tonight for you. :( Maybe it's because the stout has been hanging about opened waiting for the sun to get over the yardarm? I was reduced to stirring up the Guinness and even that didn't work. I'm enjoying sipping it though as the puds simmer away releasing their Christmassy aroma. :)