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As the end of the year approaches, I suspect we’re

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FEW MONTHS AGO we joined forces with the Sustainable

A SLICE OF MY LIFE Charles Dickens

The Victorian novelist, journalist and chronicler of London life is said to have helped invent Christmas. The great man reveals what it means to him

The gift guide every food lover NEEDS

Still searching out a few special finds for the culinary-curious? Here’s some last-minute inspiration

It happened one Chr istmas

From Puritans to eggnog rioters, by way of royal gluttons, history is peppered with curious festive events of culinary interest. Les Dunn takes a food lover’s tour through time

Menu planner

Give your celebration the personal touch with these winning combos

Do you have a degree in washing up?

After the big feast has been brought forth and devoured, facing the aftermath and scaling the washing-up mountain is no one’s idea of Christmas joy. Debora Robertson explains how to minimise the scullery drudgery – even if delegating isn’t your superpower

EVERY COURSE, EVERY OCCASION Your Christmas cookbook

“Planning what to eat over the celebratory days is

ALWAYS A WINNER Tear, share, enjoy!

These seriously impressive pull-apart wreaths look super Christmassy and are easier to make than you’d imagine. Choose from melty-oozy cheese with garlicky buns, a sticky, boozy, nutty number and a gorgeous star-shaped wreath with a secret ingredient. But why stop at one?

ROASTS… the veggie ones

If you’re looking for a knockout meat-free centrepiece, look no further… Either of these flavour-packed creations for the main event, from two brilliant chefs and tested by our food team, will grace your table in style

CHRISTMAS ROASTS the Donna Hay way

Drop-dead-gorgeous pictures and achievable, fab-tasting recipes are the trademarks of Australian cookery legend Donna Hay. Bring on the glistening ham and crisp, fruity duck – roasts fit for a baronial-style platter, a day of celebration and a gathering of the clans

A lunch for the IN-BETWEEN DAYS

If the house is quiet and the kitchen is free, indulge in some me-time to create homemade pasta filled with one of winter’s best (and often overlooked) veg: celeriac. Gill Meller’s ravioli puts it centre stage

The best way to throw a NEW YEAR PARTY

Gather your friends and celebrate the coming of 2020 with a laid-back sharing feast. This gorgeous collection of Indian flavours will add spice to the proceedings – and it even includes a zingy, knockout idea for leftover sprouts. Let the countdown begin…

Giant sausage roll

“Who doesn’t love a warm sausage roll to kick off a Christmas party? A slice of this Italian-inspired version is generous enough to serve as a main course with a winter salad, or it will sit splendidly as part of a sharing spread. The flaky, buttery pastry is a little readymade cheat I’ve discovered… Think of it as my Christmas gift to you.”

The 500-year-old mince pie

These little beauties might all look the same, but some of them hide an unexpected but very traditional ingredient among the usual fruit, spices and booze. Turn the page to find out what it is

LOOSE ENDS SPECIAL Make the good times last

‘Waste not, want not’ is a good motto to live (and cook) by, especially at this time of year. Give your festive leftovers the love they deserve with these practical, flavourful recipes

DELIA RETROSPECTIVE: A crème brûlée with a difference

It’s hard to imagine that before Delia showcased cranberries, they mostly came in sauce jars. This simple do-ahead dessert is a wonderful way to use the fruit’s sharp-sweet characteristics

Dreaming of a White Christmas…

These supermodel puddings aren’t ‘just like the ones you used to know’: each has had a snowy-white makeover, and the results are as luscious as they are beautiful… Eat your heart out, Vogue

WHAT A NIGHT!

Back in October, 320 of you joined us for a special evening with Delia to celebrate 50 years since she published her first recipe. It was a night of joy, friends old and new – and, of course, great food

NEW YEAR PARTY GAME Choux box roulette

These light, creamy, choc-filled buns look innocent – but three are spiked with chilli. After dinner, serve them to daring guests to see who gets the treat and who gets the heat

COOK IT LIKE delicious.

…and you could WIN a stunning copper cookware set

Your 2019 food & drink quiz

When the turkey’s been gobbled, instead of reaching for the remote, why not make the cook the quizmaster and pit your wits against one another? Losing team does the washing up…

delicious.and Delia invite you to… Dinner with Tom Kerridge

We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to this very special dinner to celebrate Tom’s latest cookbook. If you want to join in the fun, you’d better hurry – there are only 50 tickets left

Brownies with a Christmas pudding twist

He’s known for his inventive chocolatey creations and, at this time of year, Paul ramps up expectations (and the flavours) even further. These super-easy iced brownies combine classic festive flavours in a single bake. The result? A crowdpleaser that’s pure Christmas

The one-hour cake decoration

Dressing up your fruit-studded cake in snow-white finery with a hidden layer of marzipan is a tradition worth sticking to. There’s no need to spend all afternoon doing it, though. This easy-but-beautiful decoration uses Delia’s classic Christmas cake as its base (if you missed it last month, find the recipe at deliciousmagazine.co.uk)

SUBSCRIPTION

Make Christmas wishes come true for yourself or the

WIN! The holiday of a lifetime to SRI LANKA

Experience the buzz of Sri Lanka’s capital and see the beauty of its coast with an exclusive five-night stay

COOK ONCE, EAT TWICE

Serve these great dishes straight up – or double the recipe and stash a batch in the freezer or fridge for another day. Plus, there are simple variations – it’s all about the flexibility

THE GREAT Christmas drinks refresh

Nephew Luke is back from his first term at uni and

THE FESTIVE DOZEN

In choosing the best wines for Christmas 2019, drinks

THE DIY PIMP-YOUR-GIN BAR

Simplify your drinks selection this year by creating a mix-your-own station featuring a selection of gins – gather copa glasses, bags of ice and tonic waters, then add a few ‘go-with’ garnishes and flavourings and let your guests customise their drinks to their hearts’ content

The best 18 products OF CHRISTMAS 2019

The array on shop shelves is mind-boggling, from the glitter-dusted to the ‘more style than substance’ (no comment). Then there are the festive food treats that are clever, look the part and taste brilliant. We dedicated hours to tasting and seeking out the best… The products on these pages are the ones worth making a detour for

THE CREATIVE CHEESEBOARD

A good showing of cheese is non-negotiable at this time of year. What is negotiable is which cheese you serve. Cheese aficionado Patrick McGuigan encourages an adventurous approach, making room for some of Britain’s best new cheeses

GIFTS that keep on giving

Give someone a meal and you feed them for a day… Buy them a cookery lesson and they can feed you for a lifetime. Deal! Cookery classes make great gifts, so here are a few – from the regular to the unusual – to consider for someone special

Best cookbooks of 2019

Read them, cook from them, enjoy them… Susan Low picks her favourites

YOUR GET-IN-THE-MOOD PLAYLIST

We’ve put together a collection of songs inspired by the season’s food and drink – an ideal companion for wrapping presents or preparing the feast… Turn up the volume and enjoy!

10 ways to stay calm

If the festive season makes you feel more Bleak Midwinter than Joy to the World, Sue Quinn has these soothing words of wisdom

GREAT ESCAPESL Eat, stay, walk

Of course the food comes first: it has to be great. But add a midwinter walk in bracing air, a warm welcome at a cheering country inn and a plush bed for the evening and you have the perfect recipe for a wonderful UK break

PRIZE CROSSWORD

1 The ‘king of English cheeses’, at its best at this

Present tensions

Put your feet up for the conclusion of Bake Off judge and novelist Prue Leith’s exclusive Christmas story for delicious. Does Chloe’s husband Joe return… or has he left for good?