Where does the time go?

I can't put it off any longer - if I'm to make life easier for you I have to start writing about Christmas.

It only seems five minutes since last Christmas yet here we are again. The familiar merry-go-round of shopping, cooking and feeding family and friends. Cancel “merry-go-round” since I associate it with being happy and carefree – substitute with hamster wheel!

We are bombarded again with posh catalogues from the supermarkets encouraging us to spend a mortgage on food that in all probability won't get eaten. However, the one good thing about them is that it allows you to peruse in the comfort of your own chair – complete with a glass of something festive and fizzy – anything from Prosecco to lime juice and soda!

I'd venture to suggest that you'll discover that some are considerably cheaper and more reasonable than others – to prove my point, here are three prices ...

… if you want to roast a goose this year

£8.99 per kg (2.2lbs)

£12.00 per kg

£15.00 per kg

taken from three different catalogues – yikes!

What they omit to mention, despite the fact you've done as asked and ordered and paid for your food ahead – to save time – yeah right – is the queue to get into the car park and another to collect your goodies on the day – result – meltdown!

Okey dokey enough grumbling, lets get started. My antidote – be resourceful and creative.

Sort out your freezer so that you've space to refill it.

Family dynamics vary as do the number of friends you'll have passing through. You may not be at home for the holidays but you'll still need to eat when you return home! Liberate yourself – make lists – in fact make several, they'll change your life and save your legs too, not to mention the risk of panic buying – do you really need four boxes of 12 canapés just because it's an offer you can't refuse?! You'll be a much happier person and less likely to bankrupt yourself.

Back to resourceful and creative – my contribution to relieving the pressure is to suggest you have the elements ready to produce different dishes - a starter that can morph into a lunch or a supper – whatever is most appealing.

Hold those thoughts …

P.s. Don't panic I've not forgotten the desserts.

The Italian – stuff you need to know

There's a Two Course Special at £12.95, check it out :

There's a Children's Menu too.

If you're thinking of having a private party The Italian has private dining/function room facilities - it would be the perfect venue.

I think that just about covers it!

Oh, just remembered, an added bonus – we ordered a pizza to take home for Nathan – so everyone was happy. Nothing is too much trouble.

If you want good food in a happy atmosphere go see Julia – you'll be glad you did.

Spoilt for choice

There's all the favourites on the menu, plus a few new dishes too. Old habits die hard as they say – here are our choices :

Tagliatelli

Pasta ribbons cooked in cream, tomato, ham and mushroom sauce – without the ham for me, perfect for the vegetarian!

Pollo Pepe

Chicken breast cooked in a creamy peppercorn sauce.

One word – delicious!

Coming up, stuff you need to know.

Fancy a weekend away?

If you like the Autumn colours and enjoy a walk, or even a hike if you're really fit, then there's nowhere better than the Peak District. I admit to bias – it's my home turf. The Peak District National Park begins in South Derbyshire in Ashbourne, Matlock to the East, Buxton and then Glossop further North West. The Park spans 555 miles, mostly in Derbyshire but does extend into Staffordshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and South and West Yorkshire. If you should venture near Glossop then I've got the perfect solution for your evening dining.

I should explain that our favourite restaurant has been sold – a sad day. However, I'm thrilled to say that Julia Ballone has opened a new establishment The Italian in High Street West, Glossop. When I visit my Sis we always treat ourselves to supper out. We decided to go say hello – it would be rude not to!

Apart from trying to enter through the wrong door – never could get my bearings – we were greeted by Julia and welcomed into a contemporary yet at the same time cosy setting – not easy to achieve.

Here's what you see :

Food choices on their way!

A message to my friend in America ...

… it occurs to me that it's coming up to Thanksgiving.

Before I begin can I just say that “I'm not trying to teach my Grandmother to suck eggs” a strange English saying which means “a person giving advice to someone else about a subject of which they are already familiar – probably more so than the first person”.

I know that Thanksgiving has its strong traditions and that two of the most popular desserts served are Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie.

This year Thanksgiving falls on Thursday 22^nd November – I wonder whether you're expecting family and friends for more than one day? If the answer is yes you might be interested in what follows.

What about a dessert “up your sleeve” that benefits from being made ahead. This dessert does come with provenance.

My very good friend and student in the USA was sceptical when we were planning a dinner party many moons ago. I convinced him that an orange tiramisu would be a great choice despite his misgivings because of his dislike of chocolate - it has just a sprinkling. He watched me make it.

He loved it and thereafter it became his signature pud.

Up to date … “Neil made your orange tiramisu for me last weekend … he's making it again when friends visit … it was wonderful”.

I'm sending you my tweaks and secret weapon so that you can “zhuzh” to your hearts content! This recipe stands the test of time and some might say, myself included, that if it ain't broke don't fix it. I'm also fond of saying that rules are made to be broken. Judge for yourself – have a look at the original recipe - The dessert … for the birthday dinner, The Tiramisu Tweaks and Your secret weapon.

I can tell you that I served the Tiramisu to six guests on two separate evenings and it was a huge success on both occasions.

A definite crowd pleaser – more converts – my work here is done!

Thinks … not just for Thanksgiving but for Christmas too – hmm.

Your secret weapon ...

... an optional extra – serve a syrup with your Tiramisu. The syrup can be made ahead and fridged. You can serve it in tiny jugs or add it to a portion before serving.

Here's the recipe :

Orange Syrup

200g icing sugar

9 fl oz/250ml orange juice (no bits)

Put the sugar and orange juice in a small saucepan and heat gently so that the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Cool the syrup then box and fridge.

The syrup freezes well too.

Here's the finished product :

If you'd like to see an individual Lemon Tiramisu take a look at “A Tiddy Tiramisu– Desserts – Tuesday”

Just before I go, here's another trivial piece of information - Tiramisu means “pick me up” or “cheer me up” - you never know when trivia might come in handy!

The Tiramisu Tweaks!

I don't know whether you've come across this product but you can buy orange curd. It's delicious and an excellent addition to your store cupboard.

I added the orange curd – 2 tablespoons - to my Mascarpone mixture, folding it through to give a rippled effect and extra zing!

In addition to the sprinkled chocolate I added 4 Amaretti biscuits, crushed to a crumb. Set aside the crumb and sprinkle with the chocolate just before serving.

I've discovered a new version of Cointreau liqueur – Blood Orange – one for the Christmas List I think!

Don't forget to omit the alcohol, substituting with orange juice when catering for the kiddies.

You have serving options – one large Tiramisu or a tiddy – meaning small or individual servings.

A little help – if you opt for the tiddy set your stall out – choose your size of glass or dish and an appropriate cutter to fit – here's a photo of the glass I use :

The glass has a capacity of 160ml – it measures 7 cms in diameter and 7 cms deep - the cutter I use measures 4cms in diameter and I slice the cake in 1cm slices. The method is exactly the same as the recipe given in The dessert … for the birthday dinner. One final tip – complete your tiddy with a circle of cake - add a teaspoon of the orange curd to the cake top and then sprinkle with the chocolate and crushed Amaretti biscuits – the curd “glues” the chocolate and Amaretti biscuits in place.

The tiddy benefits from being made ahead – time to soak up all that orange loveliness – and the alcohol too if you are indulging in a grown-up version.

A perfect party pud!