Christmas Eve: We did a traditional full on English fry up for dinner. I opted for half of the full on, pictured here. Which was more than enough. I found a few grocery stores here in E-town that carry *British* baked beans and yes there is a difference. They are not as sweet as the ones that are regularly sold here. Also I found a deli which sells Cumbria sausages.
For dessert we had a slice of date, prune and fig cake from Fortnum and Masons called Ambrosial Alchemy and it most certainly was! It was quite lovely. A cup or two of Classic Earl Grey hit the spot nicely before watching A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim.
Christmas Day: We started the morning off with a round of Bucks Fizz and a lovely mincemeat pie, dusted with gold on top, from Fortnum and Mason's. The pie was from their Three Kings minced pie collection. I could really not resist having these for breakfast. Especially this one that had the fragrance of rose.
The midday meal was roasted pheasant with roasted veggies and stuffing. The pheasant was wrapped in slices of bacon to seal in the moisture. A Chateauneuf - Du - Pape was the wine of choice. It was satisfying to have the major meal midday. That way digestion was slow and a walk was gratifying.
And later on if you were feeling a bit peckish then mixed kale dressed with a raspberry vinaigrette, slices of Lancashire cheese, malted biscuits and a slice of Melton Mowbray / Pork Pie kept the hunger at bay.
It was a great day to relax. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas everyone! - JW