Are we back to baking bread or is Lockdown 2.0 too tedious and gloomy to get enthusiastic about sourdough starters? You know my view – there’s nothing as uplifting as rising dough.
Joking aside, I have new challenges. And yes, they are to do with Christmas, in whatever shape and scale it will come.
This could be the year you make your first mince pies, from scratch – pastry, mincemeat and all. This could also be when you learn to make marzipan and bake Stollen: large or mini ones. If you mastered breads last spring, you could explore various wonderful Christmas bakes from all over the globe: julekake, joulilimppu, dabo or St Lucia buns. They are all worth making the acquaintance of.
I say it again: this is your chance to try your hand at panettone or pandoro. At trying to cook brussels sprouts in a novel way. At making your own stuffing.
I am embarking on a takeaway Christmas project: in case Christmas is limited to one household, I’d like to gift an oven-ready Christmas lunch to my near and dear who can’t sit at my table. More about it soon.
For everyday cooking, how about chicken with sweetcorn and feta? Use frozen corn, this is the time of year now when a lot of seasonality comes from the freezer. You could make a lamb doner in the oven, and serve it wrapped in tortillas or pitas. You could do worse than a herby courgette pasta bake. And don’t forget venison, slap bang in season: venison casserole will certainly be warming.
Keep well and safe. I’m sending new recipes your way every week if you’re subscribed to my newsletter.