Stollen a piece of my heart

Today is the start of Advent, a Christian season of expectation and preparation as the church prepares to celebrate the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is also Hanukkah, celebrating the Jewish festival of light. Judging by the current frenzie in the shops and supermarkets, it's also a time to stock up on the Christmas essentials.

It can be a marmite moment but personally I love Christmas Pudding, Christmas Cake and Mince Pies (check they are vegetarian as some contain non-vegetarian suet).

An Italian treat is Panettone; a sweet bread loaf containing some fruit. Although delicious, it is fairly dry. Many people prefer to eat it toasted or throw it into a trifle or tiramisu. If eaten as it is it should have a sweet wine to accompany.  It appears in the shops well before Christmas and has a long shelf life so ideal to buy in advance.

One of my favourites is German Stollen; a fruit bread of almonds, spices and dried or candied fruit with a marzipan centre and covered in sieved icing sugar or icing.

So whether celebrating Advent or Hanukkah, the proof of the pudding is definitely in the preparation. Whether baking your own or joining a queue at the checkout, like any good scout, be prepared.

Can't believe my mince pies

Little Jack Horner

Sat in a corner,

Eating his Christmas pie;

He put in his thumb

And pulled out a plum,

And said "what a good boy am I!"

I always thought that young Jack was eating a type of mince pie but apparently there are other hidden meanings behind the childhood rhyme. It is believed that Jack was actually Thomas Horner who took some title deeds (hidden and sealed in a pie) from the Abbot of Glastonbury to King Henry VIII. He decided to put his hand into the pie and drew out a plum piece of real estate for himself and obviously thought he was very clever for so doing.

Mince pies used to be filled with minced meat and fruit before the meat was replaced in the 20th Century by beef suet and fruit. Thankfully for vegetarians the beef suet has (mostly) been replaced by vegetable suet and there are vegan alternatives too.

Without mincing my words, I just love a mince pie with a cup of tea.