Mary Berry’s Christmas Party
Mary Berry on teaching more celebs how to cook fabulous festive fare and her own plans for the holidays…
monday / BBC1
After her joyful Christmas party last year, the queen of baking is hosting another shindig and this time she’s invited BBC newsreader Huw Edwards, Poldark’s Eleanor Tomlinson, athlete Dina Asher-smith and comedian Joe Lycett to help her prepare a festive feast. Mary tells us more…
Mary Berry loves Christmas! For the respected cook and former judge of The Great British Bake Off, the festive season is about spending time with family and friends but it’s also about doing what she has done best all her life – helping others to shine in the kitchen.
After the success of her seasonal special Mary Berry’s Christmas Party last December, this week sees the queen of baking open her doors once again to four more eager, and somewhat nervous, celebrities all hoping to fine-tune their festive cookery skills.
And the pressure is on as Poldark’s leading lady Eleanor Tomlinson, BBC newsreader Huw Edwards, athlete Dina Asher-smith, and comedian
Joe Lycett are invited to help Mary prepare for her own Christmas party.
Mary, 83, tells us more…
What are your secret ingredients for the perfect Christmas party?
The perfect Christmas is all about planning. It’s thinking about how everything will run on the day, putting some things in a freezer, doing some of the heavy shopping in advance like getting the tinned goods in and maybe ordering things ahead. I like to make a plan and think about what am I going to give everybody over the Christmas period; which recipes of mine do they like most? Will I cook that or try something new? It’s all about getting organised.
What were the cooking strengths of each of your celebrity guests?
I enjoyed cooking with all of them. Huw, Dina, Eleanor and Joe were great sports to take part because they had no idea what we were going to be up to. But they were wonderful and keen to do well – it was lovely.
Do you do all the Christmas cooking in your house?
I am hosting this year. I went to my daughter Annabel’s last year. She cooks most of the food but I always cook the turkey. It’s an hour away, so I cook it in my own oven but then it’s done a couple of hours early, so I wrap it in foil, cover it in a sleeping bag then stick it in the boot of the car. This year, however, I’m going to cook here and everyone will bring something. My daughter-in-law’s mother brings the Christmas pudding, others bring canapés, and we all do our bit.
Who does the washing-up? We all do! I actually quite like being at the sink myself and everyone else takes a tea towel. My family knows where everything goes and everything goes back in the right drawers and cupboards – if not I shout and tell them where it goes!
Have you ever had any Christmas party disasters?
I was cooking a crown of a turkey once and I left it on the side to serve it and the dog took it! I caught it and put it back on the carving board and didn’t tell a soul, though it was only my own family. I did tell them afterwards and they love the dog, so it was all fine. I wouldn’t do that to anyone that wasn’t my family, though.
What does Christmas mean to you and what are your favourite memories?
Christmas to me is about family and I love getting everyone together. As for favourite memories, I think it’s lovely when the young do a little play or sing a song.
We always do a puzzle, too, where anybody at a loose end will come and join in. The older generation sitting with someone younger, having a nice conversation over the puzzle.
What is your favourite festive tradition?
Singing carols. I don’t mind where I sing them but until I have been to a carol service I don’t feel Christmassy.
If TV Times came around to yours for a big Christmas party, what would you prepare and what would the party be like?
If TV Times came over as guests, I’d certainly push the boat out. If it was really cold and wintery I’d start off by welcoming everyone with a nice hot spiced mulled drink. If the whole team at TV Times was coming, I wouldn’t have enough tables and chairs, so I would do bowl food; something that’s easy to serve. I would perhaps do a nasi goreng, which is a rice dish that’s easy to eat with just a fork. There would be quiet Christmas music playing in the background. After the mulled wine, I might offer Prosecco – everyone seems to like it!
Who would be your dream Christmas party guests? Truthfully, I can say my dream party guests would be my complete family because we don’t get together that often. Maybe when it’s someone’s 50th birthday, but to have everyone under the same roof is one of the things I like most.