Christmas is fast approaching, and the most wonderful time of year can be stressful for those hosting either the traditional Christmas Day feast, a New Year’s Eve party, or a casual friendmas gathering.
Who’s vegan or vegetarian? Who has an allergy? How will I fit this dish around that fussy eater? Questions swirl around the over-indulged festive brain, forcing us to reconsider whether we should have volunteered to host in the first place. Indeed, what to cook on the day to fit everyone’s tastes and dietary requirements can be a laborious task and quite overwhelming when you’re not sure where to begin.
You want to impress the masses, but you don’t want to put an immense amount of pressure on yourself. Biting off more than you can chew runs the risk of making Yuletide a distinctly un-cheery occasion for the guests you have sitting in the living room while you panic about whether the 87 dishes you’ve decided to craft from scratch are going to be ready in the right order.
A top tip from us: the very best way to ensure a smooth-sailing and delicious Christmas meal is by taking it back to basics. A classic roast with festive side dishes that can be popped straight into the oven is sure to please. Think honey-glazed roast carrots, perfectly charred sprouts and some creamy mash to boot.
Enlist help from friends and family – whether it be asking them to bring a special cheese each, or commissioning your aunt to whip up everyone’s favourite chocolatey Yule log so that you can tick dessert off your list.
The UK is home to an abundance of chefs and cooks who offer a multitude of options and festive inspirations to make your life a little less stressful. Here are some of the best Christmas cookbook recommendations for you this year. Who knows, you might just discover a recipe that will become a new culinary family tradition every year.
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The Christmas Chronicles: Notes, stories & 100 essential recipes for midwinter by Nigel Slater
Nigel Slater’s cookbook explores his personal connection to winter and how it influences his cooking throughout the season. Interweaving his own recollections, memories and inspirations with his delightful recipes, Slater takes you on an intimate journey and makes you appreciate those long cold months.
The great aspect of this book is its chronological flow, starting from November 1 to the end of January, you are sure to find something among the tantalising 100 recipes on offer.
Buy now £21.77, Amazon
Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook
The loveable Dad of the UK culinary scene, Jamie Oliver delivers every year, not just with his books but his TV Christmas specials too. The chef is no stranger to putting together weird and wacky combinations and these are sure to pop up in this book.
With classic recipes on offer, veggie alternatives and ingenious ways to use up any leftovers and cocktails - a bonus if you ask me - you won’t fall short on ways to impress family and friends.
Buy now £23.83, Amazon
Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities
The master of culinary comforts, Nigella applies her signature no-nonsense approach to fabulous cooking for the festive season in her beloved Christmas compendium. Featuring everything from ‘seasonal support’ dishes like soups, salads, sauces and serve-later side dishes, to both ‘main event’ and ‘alternative’ Christmas dinners, you’ll be set to craft a sumptuous Yuletide meal for the books. Lawson even includes a chapter on gift ideas with a personal touch, as well as recipes to make on Boxing Day.
Buy now £20.77, Amazon
Christmas at River Cottage by Lucy Brazier and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Recreating a veritable countryside Christmas has never been easier thanks to this dedicated festive River Cottage cookbook. It features recipes which have been expertly honed over the years to take the trial and error out of your own festive feasting.
You’ll be exposed to ideas for showstopping centrepieces, sparkling cocktails, prep-ahead canapes that can be popped into the fridge, edible gifts and ways to liven up your leftovers.
Buy now £10.25, Amazon
Fortnum & Mason: Christmas & Other Winter Feasts by Tom Parker Bowles
Festive feasting encompasses so much more than Christmas alone – it’s about crafting warming, wholesome and hearty recipes throughout the entirety of the winter season.
Fortnum’s chef Tom Parker Bowels talks us through flavoursome recipes which are perfect for Christmas, New Year’s, Guy Fawkes and even Burns Night – making this cookbook an essential companion for November through to January.
Buy now £27.95, Amazon
Mary Berry’s Christmas Collection
For marvellously easy-to-follow and simplistic recipes to cook over Christmas and beyond, look no further than the great Mary Berry’s Christmas Collection. Far from sweet treats alone, dedicated chapters include canapes, first courses, Christmas roasts of various kinds, vegetables and sides, buffets and boxing day, as well as options for veggies, pescatarians, and – of course – desserts.
Buy now £20.00, Amazon
Donna Hay Christmas Feasts and Treats
First time hosting Yuletide? Fret not, for Donna Hay is here to help. With recipes that feature step-by-step images to help walk you through otherwise complicated culinary ordeals, you’ll be cooking up a perfectly glossy ham, juicy roast and show-stopping dessert in no time at all.
The book features over 170 seasonal recipes including must-have classics like Christmas pudding, trifle and roast pork, as well as newer creations with innovative twists.
Buy now £19.86, Amazon
Nose to Tail Eating: A Kind of British Cooking by Fergus Henderson
At Fergus Henderson’s St John, the emphasis is firmly on meat. Exemplified by the restaurant’s logo and by the fact that its original location is a former smokehouse near Smithfield Market.
Henderson pioneered a re-interest in all things offal – the meat which is often discarded or forgotten about, especially the internal organs. Nose to Tail Eating celebrates the transformation of discarded innards into delicious and sophisticated meals, with an introduction by the late and great Anthony Bourdain.
Buy now £17.45, Amazon
The Hand & Flowers Cookbook by Tom Kerridge
Tom Kerridge’s The Hand & Flowers is the only pub in the UK with two Michelin stars. Delve into the wonderful world of pub cooking at its finest with a selection of British classics which have been reimagined for 21st-century eaters.
Recipes include favourites from the pub’s menu, such as roast hog with salt-baked potatoes and apple sauce, smoked haddock omelette, as well as slow-cooked duck breast with peas, duck-fat chips and gravy.
Buy now £30.74, Amazon
The Farm Table by Julius Roberts
One of the most exciting new British chefs on the scene, Julius Roberts’ The Farm Table tells the tale of a man who traded in his city slicker lifestyle to become a first-generation farmer. Following a stint as a chef at Noble Rot, Roberts found himself yearning for self-sufficiency in the Suffolk countryside instead.
With immense emotional intelligence and a tangible adoration for seasonal foods, Roberts makes clear the steep learning curve associated with taking on a rural lifestyle while singing its praises. The book is divided into seasonal recipes, demonstrating how self-sufficient farmers adapt according to their changeable local environments.
Buy now £15.00, Amazon
