Hey everyone! Seems like it's been cold everywhere this week. Even here in Northern California, it's been cold. I'm staying warm lugging gifts home and wrapping them. Writing a bit too. Last week's email got readers a-thinking. In answer to the many questions about my Christmas food, I leave answers below.
The best Yorkshire pudding recipes and other British food secrets
This has absolutely nothing to do with books but here we go. Below are answers to questions I got after last week's email about my Christmas food plans. (British readers can just skip this bit.)
Can you give me a good Yorkshire pudding recipe?
I am a fan of Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay's recipes. They are basically the same. You can find them here and here. The trick is to heat the oven to a very high heat and get the fat very hot before you put the batter in. You can use a muffin pan to make individual puddings or I have used Pyrex dishes to make large ones.
Where can I get good sausage rolls in the US?
Irish Grub. They call them banger rolls but they are the same thing. I cut each one into three while frozen (easier to cut), then defrost and bake. I also get pork pies from Parker's. Their Melton Mowbray pork pies are our favorites.
Where can I get English biscuits?
Amazon – just search “British Biscuits.” These Fox's Fabulously Chocolatey biscuits are excellent. British Corner Shop – biggest selection for all British foods. And thanks to eagle-eyed newsletter subscriber, Thomas W., I now have a new source. Brit Superstore has Tesco products including the Extremely Chocolatey Biscuits I mentioned last week. Keep an eye on shipping costs. They can get pricey.
Do you make your own mince pies?
I used to. Then one day I had a Walkers Luxury Miniature Mince Pie and decided never to bother making my own again. There are some things for which my life is too short and one of those is making my own sub-standard mince pies when such elegant alternatives are available.
I think that's it for this week. It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas, isn't it? See you here next Thursday for more news and seasonal cheer.
Happy reading!
