THE COUNTDOWN
ONE MONTH BEFORE
Order turkey
Invite your guests
Buy Champagne, wine and drinks
Start making fresh breadcrumbs and freezing them (use up stale bread)
2 WEEKS BEFORE
Shop for store-cupboard goods
Make bread sauce and freeze
2 DAYS BEFORE
Shop for vegetables and perishables
Make turkey stock
Soften the ice cream and fill the mould for your ice-cream bomb
Make spiced poached fruit (to accompany Christmas Bomb)
THE DAY BEFORE
Make the soup and chill in the fridge
Prepare the stuffing, stuff the onions and chill in fridge
Stuff the breast with remaining stuffing, prepare and chill the turkey
Blanch the root vegetables; par-cook and chill the potatoes
Thaw any frozen food you made ahead
Assemble bacon trimmings on skewers
Chill drinks
ON CHRISTMAS DAY
9am Remove turkey from fridge to bring to room temperature
9.30am Heat the oven
10am Start cooking the turkey
10.30am Remove the prepared vegetables from the fridge and bring to room temperature.
11am Set the table
1pm Add the stuffed onions and leftover stuffing to the oven to cook (rolled in foil).
1.30pm Remove turkey from oven, cover in foil and rest in a warm place. Keep an eye on the stuffed onions and remove to a warm place when cooked. Add the vegetables, bacon rolls and chipolatas to the oven. Heat the bread sauce if having. Make the gravy. Cook the cabbage. Gently reheat the oyster soup and whip the cream ready to serve
1.45pm While your guests are having a drink, serve the soup in little cups - as directed by the recipe - before coming to the table.
2pm Clear the soup, seat guests and serve lunch