KISS this Christmas

I first heard this word (well known in the Design Industry) in a photography class, where our tutor kept peering at what we had done and exhorting us to KISS. No, he was not in an amorous mood. It was a directive to remove all the background clutter from our photographs and to concentrate on the main subject. KISS meant Keep It Simple Stupid!!!

We had a Girls Night Out last week and we did it! We kept it simple and it was fun and relaxing. On arrival, the table was set with fresh flowers, the candles were lit, and we had a glass of celebratory bubbly. We had each brought some food and a bottle of wine to share.

Most of us of us had simply dropped into one of our favourite larders and picked something up on the way home. One of mine is the Cake Stall at Royal Oak where the smell of fresh baking wafts from the adjoining kitchen into the shop. Their shortbread stars were perfect for this occasion.

Some-one had brought a gluten free chocolate brownie slab from Sugar Plum which she had cut into tiny squares. Intensely fudgy and chocolatey, they are to die for, whether you are gluten free or not.

Another contributed a packet of Pandoro’s little mince tarts, deliciously fruity and spicy.

Was it cheating? Not really. It's fun to bake but if time is short why not buy? All of these bakeries use fresh and natural ingredients, and their chefs have spent years honing their craft. That’s why their baking tastes so good.

On the table there was also a bowl of those huge red strawberries which are everywhere this summer. A few dedicated bakers had brought home made treats such as meringues laced with chunks of chocolate and flaked almonds and little filo pastries filled with mincemeat. The maker of these had discovered a jar of last year’s mincemeat lurking in the back of her fridge, and swirled in a liberal swig of brandy to make it moist and delicious.

They were all small bites, no huge gateaux or cheesecakes or cup size muffins. So we had lots of small tastes without feeling that we had overindulged. And for those who craved something savory, there was one good cheese, a bowl of pate and a loaf of French bread. It all looked amazing, a table fit for a queen.

Halfway through the evening we wandered down to the 26 metre high Telecom Tree at Western Park. The voices of children as they rang Santa at the North Pole from phone boxes at the base of the tree magically activated the lights, creating an ever changing and beautiful light show. We went right inside the tree and gazed at the radiant star at the top of the tree and felt surrounded by the festive spirit. Then we ambled back to party on and nibbled and sipped and gossiped till the end of the evening.

There’s more pre Christmas dos to go to before the main event. So I’ll be checking out a few more goodies at local larders, or make some that don’t take much time or effort at all.

Here are two little recipes that fit the bill nicely.  They are both pastry based. You could make your own, but the commercial varieties are perfectly edible, so why bother!

For the first I simply cut stars of different sizes from Edmond’s Sure to Rise savoury pastry. They were baked until they were very lightly browned. I scattered them on a large white platter. Served with a trio of dips, feta with yoghurt, salmon and chunky red pepper as a pre dinner nibble, they disappeared fast, soon leaving the table bare! They are best served freshly baked so still warm and crisp.

The second recipe, bite sized lemon tarts, are very easy and delectable little treats. To make them look more Christmassy simply arrange them on a platter interspersed with strawberries with their green stalks left on for handles.

I am happy to divulge that I always use Mrs. Ebdale’s Lemon Honey, produced locally in Torbay. It is made from lemons, sugar, butter and eggs without any additives or preservatives.  No- one would ever guess you haven’t made it yourself.

If there is any left over you will be tempted to scoff the remainder out of the jar in spoonfuls or slather it on hot toast. Just in case, however, that you can’t locate it, or would rather make your own, I’ll add a microwave recipe.

Happy Christmas entertaining! And remember to KISS!

Bite Sized Lemon Tarts

Before serving fill each with a teaspoonful of lemon honey.

Microwave Lemon Honey

If you would like to find out where the baked goodies can be purchased visit these websites:

Sugar Plum Patisserie

Pandoro Bakery

The Cake Stall