Christmas day came early for us this lunchtime, as we sat down to enjoy this year's festive family meal (on the 25th we will be one member short). We ate roasted duck confit (whose meat had been cooked slowly in duck fat beforehand, thus giving it a richer flavour and wonderful tenderness). The fat from the confit was used again, this time in cooking rustic little roast potatoes (smaller chunks= larger total surface area= more crispy bits), and alongside these we served up sweet and tangy stewed red cabbage, brussel spouts and bread sauce.

I didn't have bags of time to make dessert, but it's amazing what you can come up with in under ten minutes using an egg, caster sugar, dark rum, Bourbon brandy, a jug of cream and the culinary instructions of Nigella Lawson. Tiny coffee-cupfuls of eggnog syllabub made a delightful end to the meal, giving us something sweet to finish off with no more strain on the stomach.

Now normally, I am all about the food, yet it must be shared that the real treat of today was the magic of gushing snowfall outside. It certainly gave the meal a special, festive touch...that, and having the whole family together for one of the last times this year.

The countdown to Christmas continues and there will be further festive foodie fun to be had this coming week...so who's game?!

Christmas Lunch Prep.

This duck confit, above, is the starting point of our family Christmas lunch, being eaten today as this is the only weekend that we shall all be together. Roasted limbs half-buried in fat sounds (and looks) a little gruesome, but this is a method of preserving which will give the meat a wonderful buttery taste and unbeatable tenderness.

This will also be the first meal cooked by our new oven, which arrived yesterday. After 25 years of faithful service by our old Cannon cooker, we've upgraded to a shiny black (still gas-run, 'cause it's the best way) Hotpoint. So far, it's taken Mum fifteen minutes to work out how to power up the hob and, having used only four front knobs and no digital timer with the Cannon, I think we're all a little bit daunted by its technology. Nevertheless, we hope to come up with a nice festive meal in the next few hours, of which I'll post some pictures once it's made.