Fuss-free entertaining for the big day

The latest from NZ House & Garden magazine If this email is not displayed correctly, [click here]( to view an online version. [NZ House & Garden]( Hi {NAME}, Well, here we are in December and I can hardly believe it’s that time of year again. Just when we all feel like winding down after this challenging year, we have to take one last breath and make it across the Yuletide finishing line. My plan to cater for the big day successfully is to go with recipes that produce memorable results without being too tricky to prepare. An impressive centrepiece is crucial; turkey is still my favourite main but this glazed ham or vegetarian tart would be equally good. Then I’ll surround the main event with a variety of interesting and substantial salads full of freshness and flavour to round out the feast. Keeping it relatively simple but special and preparing as much as you can in advance means that everyone can relax and enjoy the day’s merriment – including the cook! While festive foods and traditions are often passed on from generation to generation, I believe there’s always room to add some variety and give traditional dishes a modern twist. In our December issue, I’ve created a menu capturing many of the foods and flavours that infuse Christmas with magic and meaning but I've slanted them towards our summer Christmas time. And Olivia Galletly has shared some delicious dessert recipes to end any celebratory feast on a sweet note. Whatever you decide to cook on the day, remember to enjoy the simple pleasure of preparing and sharing food with the ones you love. And on that note, I wish you all a joyful Christmas followed by a bright and happy New Year. Julie Le Clerc Food Editor From the files Cider-glazed Ham with Star Anise A glazed ham makes a handsome centrepiece for a meal and provides a relatively fuss-free way to feed a large gathering. We used a 7kg ham, which is big enough for about 24 servings. [Get the recipe]( Red Roast Vegetable Tart with Buffalo Mozzarella & Salsa Verde This colourful pie can serve as a special side dish or a tasty main for vegetarians. The tart shell and salsa verde can be made the day before. [Get the recipe]( I'm loving Mt Cook Alpine Salmon Sauces Most soy sauces are overpoweringly strong and not suited to the subtleties of freshwater king salmon, so Mt Cook Alpine Salmon asked a master chef to specially blend this range. Each of these sauces works to complement and enhance without overwhelming the taste of alpine salmon and other foods. There are three sauces in the range: Tosa is a fragrant and delicate Japanese-style soy sauce and its subtle taste is perfect with sashimi and sushi or it can be used on grilled salmon; Ponzu is a tangy yuzu citrus soy sauce that is aromatic and refreshing and can also be used as a marinade or dressing; and Teriyaki is a light, sweet, soy glaze with gentle character that is neither too sweet nor overly salty and is best used in the last stages of cooking. Available from [alpinesalmon.co.nz]( selected food retailers. [Shop now]( Little Bit of Pud Cocktail KitsAt this time of year, when what you’re most thankful for is a cocktail that’s fresh and easy and right in front of you, look no further than these cocktail kits from premium drinks specialists Black Pineapple Co. First launched during lockdown, these ingenious kits proved very popular. Now, two festive-themed cocktails have been added to the mix. The Little Bit of Pud range features the Christmas Cake Old Fashioned and the deliciously inspired Kiwi Pavlova. The pre-ordered cocktail kits arrive at your doorstep with all the quality ingredients and toppings required, along with premium glassware by Spiegelau, professional barware and easy-to-follow instructions. All you have to do is pour, shake, garnish and look like a total pro. Prices start at $69 for two people, allowing four fresh cocktails. Available from [blackpineapple.co.nz](. [Shop now]( Giveaway Win a Hema skincare pack We're big fans of the wonderful skincare products made in New Zealand by Margaret Hema and have a skincare pack to give away to one lucky winner, worth $560. It features the Margaret Hema Facial Cleansing Oil ($140), Millennium Face and Body Oil ($150), Restoration Night Facial Oil ($130) and Day Creme SPF12 ($140). Closes 11.59pm, Wednesday 16 December 2020. [Enter here]( On my bookshelf Magnolia Kitchen Design: A journey of sweet inspiration By Bernadette Gee, published by Allen & Unwin, $50 Bets Gee’s first baking recipe book, Magnolia Kitchen, was a runaway international bestseller. Now she’s back with a second beautiful book. This one has some great new recipes too, however the focus of this book is firmly on the design elements of her incredible cakes. Each of the cake design projects is described in great detail, including a written brief and helpful diagrams. Bets writes very honestly about the ups and downs of her baking business and shares many hard-won tips. Plus there are invaluable step-by-step instructions for key design techniques such as stencilling, lace work, hand painting, transporting tiered cakes, and more. This book is the complete package and will inspire and guide cake makers of every level. Shared Kitchen: Real food from scratch By Julie and Ilaria Biuso, published by Bateman Books, $40 Julie Biuso and her daughter Ilaria love talking about food and cooking together, so it makes sense that they have collaborated on this cookbook. Based on their website of the same name, the recipes in Shared Kitchen are designed to inspire you to get in the kitchen and start cooking real food from scratch. There are also extensive recipe notes that fans of the Shared Kitchen website have come to love, plus helpful ingredient alternatives for those less common items. The duo have put their never-fail family favourites in here and their best-ever versions of classic dishes such as Mac 'n' Cheese, Caesar Salad and Chilli con Carne. This is the sort of food you can make and eat most nights of the week and enjoy sharing with loved ones. [( Promoted content The light fantasticThe clean and classic design of Hinkley’s Alford Place features a precision die-cast frame, hanging arm and top loop, paired with a sealed glass roof. Or select from the Alford Place pendant collection for your alfresco areas, or any of Hinkley’s Lighting NZ collections. This is some of the world’s best outdoor lighting on display, available at Bardsley’s Lighting in Takapuna. [Visit now]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Advertise]( | [Contact](mailto:editor@nzhouseandgarden.co.nz) © Copyright 2020 NZ House & Garden, a division of Stuff Limited (Magazines). Freephone NZ - 0800 113 446. Cider Building, 4 Williamson Avenue, Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand