Festive Foods Friday Five

In an effort to enter into the spirit of the season I am playing Friday Five....

Well friends, we've covered advent, music, and movies/TV--but we here at F5 HQ would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that quintessential holiday topic... fooooooooood.

1. Favourite cookie/candy/baked good without which, it's just not Christmas.

If I dare to say mince pies I will probably be lynched by half of the British public who by now are stuffed with these wonderful things...... but I love mince pies

2. Do you do a fancy dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, both, or neither? (Optional: with whom will you gather around the table this year?)

Yes and yes, we usually have a Gammon roast on Christmas Eve before walking to  to Mid-night mass together... then obligatory Roast turkey on Christmas day.This year it will be a relatively small family gathering...

3. Evaluate one or more of the holiday beverage trifecta: hot chocolate, wassail, egg nog.

Hot chocolate with marshmallows after a long walk- highly recommended- add whipped cream and it gets better- add a dash of brandy and now you're talking!

4. Candy canes: do you like all the new-fangled flavors or are you a peppermint purist?

Not too keen on candy canes, but would pick cinnamon over anything else!

5. Have you ever actually had figgy pudding? And is it really so good that people will refuse to leave until they are served it?

Yes Figgy pudding is a traditional British Christmas pudding!

Recipe as follows:

Serves 4

300ml (½ pint) Milk
225g (8oz) Flour
175g (6oz) Dried Figs
150ml (¼ pint) Brandy
110g (4oz) Suet
110g (4oz) Prunes
85g (3oz) Raisins or Sultanas
50g (2oz) Dried Apricots
50g (2oz) Dates
25g (1oz) Dried Apples
1 tbsp Honey
¼ tsp Ginger
¼ tsp Cinnamon

On the day before making the pudding, place the dried apricots, prunes and apples to soak in water and place the raisins or sultanas to soak in the brandy.
Remove the stones from of the dates and prunes.
Butter a large pudding basin.
Sift flour into a bowl.
Stir in suet and mix to a fairly soft dough with cold water.
Turn out on to a floured surface.
Lightly knead until smooth.
Roll out two-thirds of pastry into a round and use to line a well-greased 2-pint pudding basin.
Melt the honey and stir in the ginger and cinnamon.
Add to the soaked fruits and brandy mixture.
Mix well and place into the pastry lined bowl.
Moisten edges of pastry with water.
Cover with lid, rolled from remainder of the pastry.
Press edges well together to seal.
Cover securely with greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil.
Steam steadily for 2 hours.
Ensure that the water does not evaporate, topping it up from time to time with boiling water.
Turn out onto a plate and serve.

And yes it is worth refusing to leave for!!!!!

Well friends, we've covered advent, music, and movies/TV--but we here at F5 HQ would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that quintessential holiday topic... fooooooooood.

1. Favourite cookie/candy/baked good without which, it's just not Christmas.

If I dare to say mince pies I will probably be lynched by half of the British public who by now are stuffed with these wonderful things...... but I love mince pies

2. Do you do a fancy dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, both, or neither? (Optional: with whom will you gather around the table this year?)

Yes and yes, we usually have a Gammon roast on Christmas Eve before walking to  to Mid-night mass together... then obligatory Roast turkey on Christmas day.This year it will be a relatively small family gathering...

3. Evaluate one or more of the holiday beverage trifecta: hot chocolate, wassail, egg nog.

Hot chocolate with marshmallows after a long walk- highly recommended- add whipped cream and it gets better- add a dash of brandy and now you're talking!

4. Candy canes: do you like all the new-fangled flavors or are you a peppermint purist?

Not too keen on candy canes, but would pick cinnamon over anything else!

5. Have you ever actually had figgy pudding? And is it really so good that people will refuse to leave until they are served it?

Yes Figgy pudding is a traditional British Christmas pudding!

Recipe as follows:

Serves 4

300ml (½ pint) Milk
225g (8oz) Flour
175g (6oz) Dried Figs
150ml (¼ pint) Brandy
110g (4oz) Suet
110g (4oz) Prunes
85g (3oz) Raisins or Sultanas
50g (2oz) Dried Apricots
50g (2oz) Dates
25g (1oz) Dried Apples
1 tbsp Honey
¼ tsp Ginger
¼ tsp Cinnamon

On the day before making the pudding, place the dried apricots, prunes and apples to soak in water and place the raisins or sultanas to soak in the brandy.
Remove the stones from of the dates and prunes.
Butter a large pudding basin.
Sift flour into a bowl.
Stir in suet and mix to a fairly soft dough with cold water.
Turn out on to a floured surface.
Lightly knead until smooth.
Roll out two-thirds of pastry into a round and use to line a well-greased 2-pint pudding basin.
Melt the honey and stir in the ginger and cinnamon.
Add to the soaked fruits and brandy mixture.
Mix well and place into the pastry lined bowl.
Moisten edges of pastry with water.
Cover with lid, rolled from remainder of the pastry.
Press edges well together to seal.
Cover securely with greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil.
Steam steadily for 2 hours.
Ensure that the water does not evaporate, topping it up from time to time with boiling water.
Turn out onto a plate and serve.

And yes it is worth refusing to leave for!!!!!

Well friends, we've covered advent, music, and movies/TV--but we here at F5 HQ would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that quintessential holiday topic... fooooooooood.

1. Favourite cookie/candy/baked good without which, it's just not Christmas.

If I dare to say mince pies I will probably be lynched by half of the British public who by now are stuffed with these wonderful things...... but I love mince pies

2. Do you do a fancy dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, both, or neither? (Optional: with whom will you gather around the table this year?)

Yes and yes, we usually have a Gammon roast on Christmas Eve before walking to  to Mid-night mass together... then obligatory Roast turkey on Christmas day.This year it will be a relatively small family gathering...

3. Evaluate one or more of the holiday beverage trifecta: hot chocolate, wassail, egg nog.

Hot chocolate with marshmallows after a long walk- highly recommended- add whipped cream and it gets better- add a dash of brandy and now you're talking!

4. Candy canes: do you like all the new-fangled flavors or are you a peppermint purist?

Not too keen on candy canes, but would pick cinnamon over anything else!

5. Have you ever actually had figgy pudding? And is it really so good that people will refuse to leave until they are served it?

Yes Figgy pudding is a traditional British Christmas pudding!

Recipe as follows:

Serves 4

300ml (½ pint) Milk
225g (8oz) Flour
175g (6oz) Dried Figs
150ml (¼ pint) Brandy
110g (4oz) Suet
110g (4oz) Prunes
85g (3oz) Raisins or Sultanas
50g (2oz) Dried Apricots
50g (2oz) Dates
25g (1oz) Dried Apples
1 tbsp Honey
¼ tsp Ginger
¼ tsp Cinnamon

On the day before making the pudding, place the dried apricots, prunes and apples to soak in water and place the raisins or sultanas to soak in the brandy.
Remove the stones from of the dates and prunes.
Butter a large pudding basin.
Sift flour into a bowl.
Stir in suet and mix to a fairly soft dough with cold water.
Turn out on to a floured surface.
Lightly knead until smooth.
Roll out two-thirds of pastry into a round and use to line a well-greased 2-pint pudding basin.
Melt the honey and stir in the ginger and cinnamon.
Add to the soaked fruits and brandy mixture.
Mix well and place into the pastry lined bowl.
Moisten edges of pastry with water.
Cover with lid, rolled from remainder of the pastry.
Press edges well together to seal.
Cover securely with greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil.
Steam steadily for 2 hours.
Ensure that the water does not evaporate, topping it up from time to time with boiling water.
Turn out onto a plate and serve.

And yes it is worth refusing to leave for!!!!!

If I dare to say mince pies I will probably be lynched by half of the British public who by now are stuffed with these wonderful things...... but I love mince pies

2. Do you do a fancy dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, both, or neither? (Optional: with whom will you gather around the table this year?)

Yes and yes, we usually have a Gammon roast on Christmas Eve before walking to  to Mid-night mass together... then obligatory Roast turkey on Christmas day.This year it will be a relatively small family gathering...

3. Evaluate one or more of the holiday beverage trifecta: hot chocolate, wassail, egg nog.

Hot chocolate with marshmallows after a long walk- highly recommended- add whipped cream and it gets better- add a dash of brandy and now you're talking!

4. Candy canes: do you like all the new-fangled flavors or are you a peppermint purist?

Not too keen on candy canes, but would pick cinnamon over anything else!

5. Have you ever actually had figgy pudding? And is it really so good that people will refuse to leave until they are served it?

Yes Figgy pudding is a traditional British Christmas pudding!

Recipe as follows:

Serves 4

300ml (½ pint) Milk
225g (8oz) Flour
175g (6oz) Dried Figs
150ml (¼ pint) Brandy
110g (4oz) Suet
110g (4oz) Prunes
85g (3oz) Raisins or Sultanas
50g (2oz) Dried Apricots
50g (2oz) Dates
25g (1oz) Dried Apples
1 tbsp Honey
¼ tsp Ginger
¼ tsp Cinnamon

On the day before making the pudding, place the dried apricots, prunes and apples to soak in water and place the raisins or sultanas to soak in the brandy.
Remove the stones from of the dates and prunes.
Butter a large pudding basin.
Sift flour into a bowl.
Stir in suet and mix to a fairly soft dough with cold water.
Turn out on to a floured surface.
Lightly knead until smooth.
Roll out two-thirds of pastry into a round and use to line a well-greased 2-pint pudding basin.
Melt the honey and stir in the ginger and cinnamon.
Add to the soaked fruits and brandy mixture.
Mix well and place into the pastry lined bowl.
Moisten edges of pastry with water.
Cover with lid, rolled from remainder of the pastry.
Press edges well together to seal.
Cover securely with greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil.
Steam steadily for 2 hours.
Ensure that the water does not evaporate, topping it up from time to time with boiling water.
Turn out onto a plate and serve.

And yes it is worth refusing to leave for!!!!!

Yes and yes, we usually have a Gammon roast on Christmas Eve before walking to  to Mid-night mass together... then obligatory Roast turkey on Christmas day.This year it will be a relatively small family gathering...

3. Evaluate one or more of the holiday beverage trifecta: hot chocolate, wassail, egg nog.

Hot chocolate with marshmallows after a long walk- highly recommended- add whipped cream and it gets better- add a dash of brandy and now you're talking!

4. Candy canes: do you like all the new-fangled flavors or are you a peppermint purist?

Not too keen on candy canes, but would pick cinnamon over anything else!

5. Have you ever actually had figgy pudding? And is it really so good that people will refuse to leave until they are served it?

Yes Figgy pudding is a traditional British Christmas pudding!

Recipe as follows:

Serves 4

300ml (½ pint) Milk
225g (8oz) Flour
175g (6oz) Dried Figs
150ml (¼ pint) Brandy
110g (4oz) Suet
110g (4oz) Prunes
85g (3oz) Raisins or Sultanas
50g (2oz) Dried Apricots
50g (2oz) Dates
25g (1oz) Dried Apples
1 tbsp Honey
¼ tsp Ginger
¼ tsp Cinnamon

On the day before making the pudding, place the dried apricots, prunes and apples to soak in water and place the raisins or sultanas to soak in the brandy.
Remove the stones from of the dates and prunes.
Butter a large pudding basin.
Sift flour into a bowl.
Stir in suet and mix to a fairly soft dough with cold water.
Turn out on to a floured surface.
Lightly knead until smooth.
Roll out two-thirds of pastry into a round and use to line a well-greased 2-pint pudding basin.
Melt the honey and stir in the ginger and cinnamon.
Add to the soaked fruits and brandy mixture.
Mix well and place into the pastry lined bowl.
Moisten edges of pastry with water.
Cover with lid, rolled from remainder of the pastry.
Press edges well together to seal.
Cover securely with greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil.
Steam steadily for 2 hours.
Ensure that the water does not evaporate, topping it up from time to time with boiling water.
Turn out onto a plate and serve.

And yes it is worth refusing to leave for!!!!!

Hot chocolate with marshmallows after a long walk- highly recommended- add whipped cream and it gets better- add a dash of brandy and now you're talking!

4. Candy canes: do you like all the new-fangled flavors or are you a peppermint purist?

Not too keen on candy canes, but would pick cinnamon over anything else!

5. Have you ever actually had figgy pudding? And is it really so good that people will refuse to leave until they are served it?

Yes Figgy pudding is a traditional British Christmas pudding!

Recipe as follows:

Serves 4

300ml (½ pint) Milk
225g (8oz) Flour
175g (6oz) Dried Figs
150ml (¼ pint) Brandy
110g (4oz) Suet
110g (4oz) Prunes
85g (3oz) Raisins or Sultanas
50g (2oz) Dried Apricots
50g (2oz) Dates
25g (1oz) Dried Apples
1 tbsp Honey
¼ tsp Ginger
¼ tsp Cinnamon

On the day before making the pudding, place the dried apricots, prunes and apples to soak in water and place the raisins or sultanas to soak in the brandy.
Remove the stones from of the dates and prunes.
Butter a large pudding basin.
Sift flour into a bowl.
Stir in suet and mix to a fairly soft dough with cold water.
Turn out on to a floured surface.
Lightly knead until smooth.
Roll out two-thirds of pastry into a round and use to line a well-greased 2-pint pudding basin.
Melt the honey and stir in the ginger and cinnamon.
Add to the soaked fruits and brandy mixture.
Mix well and place into the pastry lined bowl.
Moisten edges of pastry with water.
Cover with lid, rolled from remainder of the pastry.
Press edges well together to seal.
Cover securely with greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil.
Steam steadily for 2 hours.
Ensure that the water does not evaporate, topping it up from time to time with boiling water.
Turn out onto a plate and serve.

And yes it is worth refusing to leave for!!!!!

Not too keen on candy canes, but would pick cinnamon over anything else!

5. Have you ever actually had figgy pudding? And is it really so good that people will refuse to leave until they are served it?

Yes Figgy pudding is a traditional British Christmas pudding!

Recipe as follows:

Serves 4

300ml (½ pint) Milk
225g (8oz) Flour
175g (6oz) Dried Figs
150ml (¼ pint) Brandy
110g (4oz) Suet
110g (4oz) Prunes
85g (3oz) Raisins or Sultanas
50g (2oz) Dried Apricots
50g (2oz) Dates
25g (1oz) Dried Apples
1 tbsp Honey
¼ tsp Ginger
¼ tsp Cinnamon

On the day before making the pudding, place the dried apricots, prunes and apples to soak in water and place the raisins or sultanas to soak in the brandy.
Remove the stones from of the dates and prunes.
Butter a large pudding basin.
Sift flour into a bowl.
Stir in suet and mix to a fairly soft dough with cold water.
Turn out on to a floured surface.
Lightly knead until smooth.
Roll out two-thirds of pastry into a round and use to line a well-greased 2-pint pudding basin.
Melt the honey and stir in the ginger and cinnamon.
Add to the soaked fruits and brandy mixture.
Mix well and place into the pastry lined bowl.
Moisten edges of pastry with water.
Cover with lid, rolled from remainder of the pastry.
Press edges well together to seal.
Cover securely with greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil.
Steam steadily for 2 hours.
Ensure that the water does not evaporate, topping it up from time to time with boiling water.
Turn out onto a plate and serve.

And yes it is worth refusing to leave for!!!!!

Yes Figgy pudding is a traditional British Christmas pudding!

Recipe as follows:

Serves 4

300ml (½ pint) Milk
225g (8oz) Flour
175g (6oz) Dried Figs
150ml (¼ pint) Brandy
110g (4oz) Suet
110g (4oz) Prunes
85g (3oz) Raisins or Sultanas
50g (2oz) Dried Apricots
50g (2oz) Dates
25g (1oz) Dried Apples
1 tbsp Honey
¼ tsp Ginger
¼ tsp Cinnamon

On the day before making the pudding, place the dried apricots, prunes and apples to soak in water and place the raisins or sultanas to soak in the brandy.
Remove the stones from of the dates and prunes.
Butter a large pudding basin.
Sift flour into a bowl.
Stir in suet and mix to a fairly soft dough with cold water.
Turn out on to a floured surface.
Lightly knead until smooth.
Roll out two-thirds of pastry into a round and use to line a well-greased 2-pint pudding basin.
Melt the honey and stir in the ginger and cinnamon.
Add to the soaked fruits and brandy mixture.
Mix well and place into the pastry lined bowl.
Moisten edges of pastry with water.
Cover with lid, rolled from remainder of the pastry.
Press edges well together to seal.
Cover securely with greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil.
Steam steadily for 2 hours.
Ensure that the water does not evaporate, topping it up from time to time with boiling water.
Turn out onto a plate and serve.

And yes it is worth refusing to leave for!!!!!

And yes it is worth refusing to leave for!!!!!