An affair to remember!
Christmas at my mother's table has always been an affair to remember. She always had the most overindulgent spread on Christmas Eve. Days of preparation in the kitchen built the excitement to an almost unbearable waiting for the dinner and the opening of all the presents under the decorated pine tree.
The menu was almost always the same. The roasted turkey, a huge smoked gammon with the most delicious liquor pineapple rings and cherries, roasted lamb with mint jelly and tongue with a mushroom sauce.
The desert was a buffet style extravaganza - almost a deconstructed trifle on a very large scale. Creme caramel, honeycomb sponge, meringue nests filled with custard and vanilla cream down to jelly and custard - they were all there.

Thankfully things have changed.

Christmas Eve is still a very important occasion for my family to celebrate. It is also a wonderful time to spend and share time with our family and friends.

On the culinary side things have changed quite a lot from my childhood memories. Overindulgent spreads have made way for simpler menus, with accent dishes that are easier, slightly more modern and not as overcooked as in the days gone by. Quality ingredients are now the stars of the festive table. Flavours and textures are now the all important elements of the Christmas Eve Dinner. The overcooked and dry Turkey has made way for Roasted Turkey en papillote, or even Duck al'orange or Chicken in anyway you like. The roasted Gammon has been replaced by simply cooking the finest one you can find in a wonderful stock, succulent and tasty bringing out the best in this magnificent dish. Served with liquor pineapple rings and cherries it becomes a visual and taste showstopper. 

Turkey: Turkey is not one of my personal favourites, but for the sake of tradition my wife and I have tried and tested a few not so successful recipes - until we found a recipe, or rather method, by the South African food guru Ina Paarman. For a decent roasted bird there is no better way than her roasted turkey in baking paper. It is golden brown, ever so juicy and truly delicious. The recipe is in 'The Femina Cookbook' with Ina Paarman. There is just no better way than this to dish up and present your magnificent bird.

Gammon: Baked Glazed Gammon can be a daunting and time consuming task. Sure, it looks beautiful if the glaze isn't slightly burnt, but it can very easily become quite dry. Cooking the gammon in a well flavoured stock makes it extemely simple, very juicy and utterly delicious. Served with caramelized liquor pineapple rings and cherries gives it more than enough visual appeal - and the taste is superior to most other methods of cooking this fine dish. Sliced thinly It is also wonderful as a cold ham the next day, served with a sweet mustard sauce.
Uncooked Boneless Smoked Gammon is widely available and comes in many shapes and sizes. The packaging and net sometimes makes it difficult to see the quality of the cut. Choose one that has a lovely brown colour, with the skin covering a large portion of the ham. It could also be better to buy two smaller evenly shaped hams than one large one. It carves easier and the slices are more manageable on the plate.
Here are two foolproof recipes to cook your ham to perfection:

Recipe 1:
The slight ginger taste is very subtle and works well - and it is ever so easy.
Soak the gammon in cold water for 4 hours before cooking.
1 uncooked boneless smoked gammon
2 lt ginger ale
boiling water to cover gammon after ginger ale has been added
1 onion, cut into pieces
4 bay leaves
Place soaked gammon in a large enough pot and add the ginger ale. Top up with boiling water and add onion and bay leaves.
Bring to the boil and cook gently for 30 minutes per 500gr.
If you really want the roasted effect the gammon can be scored and glazed and baked in a preheated oven at 200°C until deep brown and crisp..

Recipe 2:
This recipe has a deeper and more aromatic flavour - truly delicious
Place Gammon in cold water for 2 - 4 hours.
Drain water and replace with fresh water - cover gammon completely.
Add the following ingredients:
1    onion
4    cloves
2    sprigs of parsley
2    bay leaves
5ml    mustard powder
10ml    brown sugar
2    carrots, sliced
3    celery sticks, 10cm long, sliced
5    peppercorns
500ml    apple juice

Slowly bring to the boil and cook for ±20 minutes per 500gr.
Leave to cool in liquid.
Could be used to oven-roast the glaze, served cold or hot at this stage.

It's not about the slow food movement, it's not about 'you are what you eat', 'meat-free Mondays' or the organic status of every morsel of food on your plate.

After living the city-life for fifty odd years we moved to a farm in the beautiful Brandwacht Valley outside Worcester. Living on a farm is a enormous privilege.

I have a veggie patch about the size of two normal backyard gardens. Growing our own veggies and herbs has become a big part of our lives - one we enjoy tremendously.

Food has suddenly become much more than just 'what's for dinner'. It has become part of a new relationship with what nature has given us. Sun ripened tomatoes, crunchy green beans, baby marrows, sweet beetroots, chives and all the other aromatics has changed my whole perception about my relationship with food.

Gone are the days of taking veggies out of the plastic supermarket bag and straight into the fridge or freezer. They are now carefully picked, gently washed and handled with great care and respect.

Great consideration is now given to each and every ingredient and the best possible way to prepare or preserve it. Ingredients are not just added at random to any old dish. No, each one deserves a place of honor on the plate - being part of a complex dish, the main ingredient or merely an accompaniment, each and every vegetable, salad or herb deserves to be recognized and honored.

I appreciate that every city-dweller  may not be as fortunate as myself, but try to lay hands on the freshest produce you can find. The farmers' market, a friend with a plot of land, your neighbor or even from your own backyard.

The tiresome and tedious chore of preparing a fantastic meal will be transformed into one of the most therapeutic rewarding experiences of the day when you transform fabulous ingredients into simple, tasty and nutritious meals.

Come and join me on this food journey by commenting, adding suggestions and sending in recipes that celebrate the wonderful world of food.

Andre.