No actual recipe. Saute pancetta cut into 1/4 inch cubes. Add brussels sprouts and about a half cup water. Steam until done. Drain water off. Add walnuts and a couple tablespoons sour cream. Add salt, pepper, and a bit of fresh ground nutmeg. Heat through.

I don't think we "get" mince pies over here. I think we make them. In fact, in my exercise class, we were just discussing recipes for mince pie. I never cared for them when I was a child, and when one woman said she made them with minced heart, I finally understood why. Heart! How disgusting!

You can find them in British food shops, but homemade are the best.

lvillinois, "mince" pies are not the same as mincemeat pies here. Same mincemeat, but they are individual size. You have to find pretty shallow, smaller-than-muffin size baking pans to make them right.

Mince pies were made with meat (minced meat, hence the name) back in the Middle Ages. These days they're not. None that I ever ate, anyway. More "sugar and spice and all things nice". Not sure where "here" is, but if it's the U.S. I definitely saw mince pies for sale this week. In boxes.

julia_t, thanks for the pudding recipe. Any idea what's American for treacle? Would umm..sorghum do, or dark corn syrup?

What time's the King's College broadcast?

>>Yorkies with turkey: What fresh yankee madness is this?<<

A candy bar with turkey does sound a bit odd... :-)

We have rib roast and Yorkshire pudding at Christmas, because we just roasted a turkey a month earlier for Thanksgiving dinner.

Lee Ann

I believe molasses is an American substitute for treacle. At least, the English told me to use treacle for molasses in my gingerbread this year and they turned out fine.

It's too late and too much faff to make mince pies now, but this is what Christmas "mincemeat" means nowadays:

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/h...t,1235,RC.html

Easier components of a British family Christmas (oh, how stfc's description rings true) would be nibbly bits scattered about, in a vague imitation of Victorian/Edwardian splendour for a family of fifteen - things like tangerines, mixed nuts (don't forget the nutcrackers), Turkish Delight (loukoum), dates, preserved figs, stray boxes of chocolates. You don't need all (or any) of them, but they any or all might evoke a bit of nostalgia.

And as for King's - 3pm GMT on Christmas Eve for live broadcast (so sometime in the morning in the US), but it will be available on their website for some days:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/progra...elessons.shtml

They also have some pre-recorded video clips of individual carols.

And if you really want to watch HMQ, that too will be on the internet:

http://tinyurl.com/2z6xx3

According to this morning's news she's going to have her own channel on Youtube as well.

I think that molasses is runnier than treacle and a step along the refinement process.
I can imagine substituting treacle for molasses, but it might not always work the other way round.

Of course, there's always a possibility that he might be of this view:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld1YEXlRDTk

The Queen:

http://uk.youtube.com/theroyalchannel

What ever next?

A taste of King's carols (Honestly: this is something that we do better than anyone else - do make an effort):

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PC4MUhSDzPA


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PC4MUhSDzPA

I came across this on youtube and it would be a shame not to share:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iXze_T...eature=related

At the risk of being a bore:

My old school give it large:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lg00cc...eature=related

My father in law loves mince pies, and I've always bought a jar of mincemeat pie filling in the supermarket (usually Nonesuch brand) and dumped it into the crust. It's easy and not half bad. The jar is expensive, however.

I've made Christmas pudding the day before and it was wonderful - then I saved it for months and it got better and better. The recipe I made used Guinness (was given to me by an Irish friend).

Saute pancetta cut into 1/4 inch cubes. Add brussels sprouts and about a half cup water. Steam until done. Drain water off. Add walnuts and a couple tablespoons sour cream. Add salt, pepper, and a bit of fresh ground nutmeg. Heat through. >>>>>

This misses the point of brussel sprouts - you use them the next day to make bubble and squeak. You shouldn't ponce about with them. It would muck up the bubble.

My old school give it large:

So they do and don't the choirboys look cherubic?
Were you ever one of them?

We also have goodies scattered around.
I can still get real Turkish delight, but what has happened to Chinese figs and EatMe dates?
I haven't seen either for years.

The BBC says rain in London for Christmas. Is the BBC reputable for their weather forecasting?

I understand we will be having a vegetarian curry dish for Christmas. I want some figgy pudding, lol. :)

>>The icing on the cake is to get as many members of your family, particularly ones you don't get on with, in as small a space as possible and wait for the arguments and tantrums. Copious amounts of alcohol helps move this forward.<<

We definitely have this part down!! I think it's a worldwide phenomenon...

All these great ideas, maybe we'll have a totally British Christmas this year!! And I would love to extend Christmas to Jan. 6, but it doesn't seem to fly around here...pity!

Champagne and Guinness?? Can't wrap my brain around that taste combo, may have to try it out of curiosity...

Have enjoyed everyones' memories and the suggestions of the Queen's speech and King's choir.

Merry Merry!