Food before the feast
The first is from Sarah Raven, a gardener/cook who makes regular appearances on BBC’s Gardeners World where she shares her expertise on how to grow the beautiful vegetables, fruit and herbs that abound in her garden at Perch Hill in East Sussex. Somehow, in the midst of all the sowing and planting she managed to write another cookbook, Sarah Raven’s Complete Christmas Food and Flowers.
She guides us through the Christmas build-up, suggesting puddings, sauces and edible presents to prepare before everything becomes too hectic. She then offers ideas for maximum-impact, minimum-fuss flowers and decorations, stylish party nibbles and a host of Yuletide meals for every palate, including a last-minute recipe for the all-important Christmas pudding. Finally, she sees us safely through Christmas, St Stephen’s Day and beyond with fantastic ideas on how to use the inevitable mountain of leftovers.
