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Christmas comes but once a year, what makes it worse is that every year is that it gets earlier and earlier…

This is the first year that I am not cooking – after 10 years of ‘being dad’ my father is cooking for the whole family, rather than the whole family descending on us…  that would explain the journey to Fortnum and Mason this afternoon…  Fortnum’s, the queens ‘corner shop’ purveyors of everything great, fine and tasty…  My dad’s favourite store.

This year it seems like Iceland did best when it came to Mince Pies…  It’s true, they beat Fortnum and Mason hands down…  What’s odd is that I get the whole thing.  I too preferred them!

The best service I think I have received this year has to have come from two retailers – one because I am too lazy to shop (and the fact that Amazon is on every one of my phones and tablets!) and the other because I genuinely think that Selfridges get it right year after year.  The most exquisite service, the most incredible range the most delicious eateries.

I think all four of the big supermarkets have much the same stock at much the same prices and they will be just as packed as each other over the next week.  However food that I have cooked in the last week:

Some fine pork bellies purchased from our local Sainsbury’s butcher department, slow roasted with onions and peppers like a 90’s Jamie Oliver recipe – But it was great!  Truly great.

I did make a rather splendid Chicken and pasta dish on Sunday, with leftovers for Monday and in the 5 minutes it took me to run my brother home – the trusty food hoover – weimaraner was up on the countertop and had eaten the lot!  despite panic in my house, it did him no harm, however that is the only ‘human’ meal he has had ever.

When it comes to retailers, I would love to sit here and rant about the bad ones – but I promised myself that I would be positive about the whole thing. So despite wanting to say how bad some things are I am biting my tongue.

So here at Cassa Me, the trees are both up, the Weimaraner is fast asleep on the heated floor and the big day is 8 days away.

I will manage to let you know how the family trip to the west end went when I get back later this evening.