The unveiling of the menu

Could I have a drum roll please? I have at last finalised my menu for our Christmas festivities. Not only that, but I have it beautifully laid out in a spreadsheet with tables for the occasion, the menu, the recipe book the meal comes from, the ingredients that need to be bought for it and the date on which it needs to be prepared. I am officially a food geek.

So with much drum rolling, I would like to unveil my Christmas menu. If it sounds rubbish, lie and tell me it sounds marvellous. That way I won't have to go through the whole tedious process again. I must emphasise that this took a LOT of whittling down as I'd quite like to have made more. But I fear I will keel over from the effort of it all and we might be accused of gluttony.

Xmas drinks and nibbles with friends on Sunday:
Rosemary gin & tonics
Mulled Winter Pimms with apple juice

Cranberry and soy glazed cocktail sausages
Asparagus with parmesan dipping sauce
Crisps
Olives

Xmas Eve - afternoon tea pre crib service at church:
Home made mince pies with brandy butter (bought although I've been told it's dead simple to make but it's a bridge too far), tea (in my shiny silver teapot)

Xmas Eve
Vodka Metropolitans
Spiced nuts (made by my own fair hand)

Lamb & date tagine
Red onion and pomegranate salad
Festive Cous cous
Green salad with pine nuts
Cranberry, orange and almond pudding with custard

Xmas breakfast
Mango, blueberry, pomegrante salad with lime
Natural greek yogurt
Granola (sniff - I wanted to make this but it too would have ended up being like Operation Market Garden and the old Arnhem bridge)
Salmon
Ham/cheese
Bread/pastry selection
Bloody Mary’s

Xmas lunch
Champagne and nibbles (nibbles largely bought rather than made)

Turkey with lemon/sage butter
Super crunchy roast potatoes
Maple glazed parsnips
Lemony/sagey turkey gravy
Red cabbage with apple and pomegranate juice
Lemon and tarragon carrots
Green beans, baby leeks and asparagus with sesame seeds
Gingerbread stuffing
Boozy cranberry sauce

Apple and calvados pudding with cream

Xmas night
Cheese board washed down with gaviscon

Boxing day
Eggs and soldiers for breakfast

Lunch or supper depending on what we're doing:
Leftover turkey
Roast applewood smoked gammon
Dauphinois potatoes and parsnips with porcini mushrooms
Leftover red cabbage

On the 27th I'll probably have to go shopping again and start all over.

But for now, let the feasting begin!