Great British Food Christmas 2024

6 Port or Madeira: A post-prandial tipple for the big day, but also just the ticket for livening up gravy, mince pies, puddings and leftovers. 7 Redcurrant jelly: Muchmore versatile than cranberry sauce. Serve it with your turkey (with some zested orange and a splash of booze), use it to bring body to your gravy, and it pairs very well with goats’, soft cow’s milk and blue cheeses. 8 Citrus fruits: A bit of acidity can rescue almost any dish that’s fallen flat. 9 Nuts: Take advantage of offers on whole nuts in the shell. They taste infinitely better, and cracking them open is a brilliant way to ease December tensions. 10 Stock and bones: Homemade gravy, conjured frompan juices, is one of the best parts of a Christmas dinner. Make yours extra special by snapping up deals on chicken wings and fresh stock now. Freeze, then defrost and roast on Christmas Eve, adding the bones and juices to your gravy on the day. 11 Frozen pastries: A Godsend on Christmas morning. Defrost on trays overnight. Pop in the oven on the day. Breakfast done. 12 Rice and pasta: The midweek staples are handy during Betwixtmas (that period between Christmas and NewYear when you never knowwhat day it is) for turkey risottos, leftover cheese pasta bakes and more. 13 Vegetables: Many a meal can be made fromBrussels sprouts, parsnips, potatoes, carrots and peas. Do not buy them on Christmas Eve, when supermarkets tend to sell off the lingering ‘worst of the crop’ on the cheap. Bought a week in advance and stored properly, better quality veg will see you through. 14 Condiments: Enhance your standard offerings of ketchup, mustard, mayo and strawberry jamwith two other jars of deliciousness – one sweet and one savoury. Chilli jams are hot this year, as is anything exotically Middle Eastern. 15 Mincemeat: Make mince pies, cakes, pancakes and even trifles in a flash. Go for the good stuff that contains more fruit and alcohol than sugar. 16 Frozen pastry: Shortcrust can be spread with tomato paste or sauce, cheese and leftover charcuterie for instant pizza. And you can do all kinds of culinary wizardry with puff pastry. 17 Bubbles: Treat yourself, and don’t feel you have to choose Champagne or prosecco. Cremant from the Alsace and Loire Valley can be stunning, and there are some incredible Cavas on the market. Look too, at English sparkling wine. 18 Crisps: The ultimate ‘canape’ for unexpected guests. Nostalgic andmeaty flavours are bang on trend this year. We are loving truffled crisps, and those seasoned with ultra- luxurious ingredients like Iberico ham. 19 Tinned fish: The charcuterie board craze continues, but 2024 has been the year of the fish grazing platter too. Forget boring brown tuna. We’re talking mussels escabeche, Spanish-style octopus, smokedmackerel with chilli, andmeaty pieces of hake in lemon and olive oil. Stock up on the prettiest gourmet tins, a jar of really goodmayo and part-baked baguettes, and you’ve got yourself an instant party on standby. 20 Edible gold dust: If your meal goes to pot, never fear. A few sprays of edible glitter or gold dust works wonders. Flourish over dessert and your guests will forgive you (almost) anything. 119 greatbr i t i shfoodawards.com FEATURE | FEST IVE LARDER