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PLANNING ACHRISTMAS PARTY:What Food to Serve…

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Christmas is a very special time of year whenfood is at the centre of things – after all,traditionally this was always a time offeasting.But choosing the right food requires a littlethought, if your party is to be remembered asa Christmas cracker.So here are a few thingsto consider…

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StyleHow formal do you want your party to be?An informal evening with lots of finger andbuffet food or something more substantialwith people sitting at a table?The festive season can be an exhaustingtime for many of us - will you have theenergy for a formal party thatrequires planning of menusand extra shopping?

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StyleIf you opt for an informal gathering,then at this time of year the shops are full ofpre-prepared party food, cakes and snacks.You can also add your own home-madesandwiches, salads and cheeses to the mix.

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TimeThink about how much time you’ll have forcooking on the day.If you’re going to be time tight, or don’t wanttoo much pressure, consider serving a heartyseasonal stew, prepared well ahead andheated up at the last minute.This is not only a tremendous time saver butalso will give you a chance to mix with yourguests and enjoy yourself.

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DateWhen are you having your party?At Christmas time you may be tempted toautomatically opt for a traditional turkeyroast with all the trimmings and Christmaspud to follow.The closer you get to Christmas itself, themore likely it will be that people are alreadygetting tired of yet another turkeydinner and may welcomesomething different instead.

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DateIn that case, what about a less traditional,but still very special roast, such as rack oflamb or rib of beef or even a delicious goose?If you aren’t sure how to prepare or cookthem, you could start by asking your butcherfor advice.

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DateOr it could be an opportunity to push theboat out by serving some more indulgent andextravagant dishes like Beef Wellington or awhole poached salmon.

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Ring the changes…But if you’re sticking with the tried andtraditional, then consider ringing the changeson some old favourites: Use goose fat to give your roast potatoes greater richness and crunch Roast a mix of winter vegetables like parsnips, celeriac and butternut squash, rather than the usual carrots, peas and sprouts.

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Ring the changes…Don’t forget to cater for at least somevegetarians with non-meat but still festivedishes, such as a rich chestnut andmushroom roast or a spicy Moroccan-stylevegetable tagine.You may find non-vegetarians glancinglongingly at their neighbour’s plate!

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The shopping…But whatever food you plan to serve, makesure you get the bulk of your shopping donein good time and ideally pre-order meat andfish and stock up on wine, spirits and softdrinks.Empty supermarket shelves on the day couldturn your party into The Nightmare BeforeChristmas!

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We hope we’ve given you some food forthought…You’ve got the menu sorted, so why not checkout some Christmas Party Venues and planthe rest of your festive party?