Fare.

I am finalising what we are going to eat for Christmas and have been busy perusing the cookbooks:

How much do you love Christmas food? I think about it almost obsessively at this time of year - OK maybe not on the yoga mat!

We always buy our ham and from The Wursthaus Kitchen at Salamanca and this year, because we are nostagic for France, we are also getting a guinea fowl. 

The best accompaniment to a glazed and clove studded Christmas ham is my friend Ally's Mango Mayonaise. Try it:

1. Blend 1 or 2 room temperature egg yolks in food processor and slowly drizzle in 1/2 to 1 cup flavourless oil.

2. Add lemon juice to taste and teensy clove of garlic if you fancy.

3. Add one or two ripe mangos.

Our pudding is all sorted - made back in November from Stephanie Alexander's Cook's Companion. Two have been dispatched to impress friends in  France ($133 in postage later!). All it needs to accompany it is a vanilla bean flecked custard and some fresh local berries. We have also ordered a Buche de Noel from Jean-Pascal Patisserie - Hobart's own French Pastry Chef originally from Normandy.

As we do every year at this time, Kim and I have been taste testing our way around Hobart's mince tarts. If you were to ask us both the question Kim would no doubt say his faves are from Jean - Pascal because he prefers the more malleable pastry and more subtle fruit mince. Whereas I am a fan of those that come from Jackman and McRoss (Hobart, Battery Point and New Town) with their light, short, crumbly pastry and darkly spiced fruit mince which boast whole hazlenuts and citrus peel.

R