A Matsue Christmas

Kinoko (mushroom) and Kitty-chan baubles

Christmas trees and shoji screens

Beautiful Yule Hearts made by the crafty, nimble-fingered Miss Violet.
One hangs them on the tree and fills them with nuts, fruit or chocolates.

Our tiny, be-tinselled tree.

Haigh's chocolate pud, sent by express pigeon from Adelaide.

The stash of Christmas presents and stuffed Yule hearts
(I refrained from filling the bottom two hearts, in case the tree toppled over at an awkward moment).

The Christmas feast at Mistress P's manor: featuring vegetarian nut roast (front), mushroom gravy, roast vegetables, cranberry and blue cheese salad, turkey, cranberry and apple sauces and vegetarian stuffing.

On Christmas Day, after Sir S and I had our usual present-opening frenzy and Haighs' chocolate pud consummation before the Christmas tree, we spent the day at the manor of Mistress P of the Turkish Cigarettes, where we ate and drank until we were unconscious. Mistress P laid out a sumptuous spread, serving up delicious mince tarts, golden roast vegetables, mushroom gravy and a spiffingly moist plum pud that looked dramatically aflame in electric blue. I baked a nut roast from this recipe which turned out, I'm pleased to say, most famously! I had even ground the nuts using a teatowel, hammer and eye-goggles. It was worth the effort! The apple sauce accompaniment was delish. How can one ever tire of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice flavours?