I needed peeled chestnuts for a batch of pickled chestnuts I wanted to make. So I needed them whole, as opposed to a tin of chestnut purée; you don’t pickle chestnut gloop. I know you can buy peeled chestnuts canned in brine, but I wanted to do my own pickling. And with the advent of…
Marks & Sparks Shortbread
Christmas 2013 is the second Christmas I’ve enjoyed these shortbreads from Marks & Spencer. They are hands down perhaps the best shortbread I’ve had. Not sweet at all, really rich and buttery, and with that perfect crumbly, “sandy” texture that good shortbread must have. (Not sure exactly what shortbread is? ) You’ll notice I’ve been…
The hunt for the best egg nog recipe is over
Like many people, for years, come the start of December, I’d eye up an egg nog recipe or two trying to decide which one I was going to try that year, remembering the string of failures and disappointments stretching back into the past. Knowing that I’d probably revert to the tried and true chilled…
Christmas Beer: Bah Humbug
Having previously liked King Goblin Beer from Wychwood Brewery in England, a few trial bottles of this beer went in the shopping basket when it appeared in the store in Decemeber 2013. We liked it so much, we went back and cleaned the store out, stocking up the basement pantry with about two…
