Santa's Grotto (At Home) 2020

Welcome to Santa’s Grotto We’re delighted that you are joining us at Hill House for our big Christmas party called Santa’s Grotto.

OK, so everything is quite different this year.

But we know that you’ve all got used to adapting and boy have we got an event for you to all get your teeth into.

We ran this event at an amazing space, underneath two arches at London Bridge Station, in 2018 and we’ve switched it up to work brilliantly online for this ‘At Home’ Edition in 2020.

We’ve all come a long way this year and we’re excited to be hosting you over Elsewhere TV, our new interactive online events business.

As we write this foreword it looks like science is going to come to our rescue and we look forward to seeing you next year in person at one of our many events.

But saying that we think Elsewhere TV is going nowhere. We love it and are excited about how it can continue to evolve.

In the meantime, grab a drink, take a seat, buckle up and hang in tight...

Welcome to Santa’s Grotto (At Home) and wishing you a Merry Christmas from everyone at Elsewhere.

www.elsewhere-events.com

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Coming To You From: Hill House Norfolk www.hillhouse-norfolk.com

This year we’ve made a break from our tradition of being in Central London and have moved to the beautiful Norfolk countryside.

When it’s all about being virtual - the old adage of location, location, location no longer holds true. Hosted at Hill House Norfolk. We’re coming at you, live, interactive and direct, from the production set in the 16th Century Tudor Manor.

Come again when we’re not in Corona-times- there’s beds for 21 people (with 4 more we can put up), our new pop-up bedroom #10, a choice of two lounges, a glamorous dining room and the relaxed dine in kitchen.

We have a retro games room complete with Star Wars pinball and a classic arcade games. And there’s integrated audio/ video throughout and lots of surprises - from the iPad controlled chandelier to our secret cocktail lounge.

Our 6 acres come with a tennis court and an outdoor kitchen with seating, hot tub with sun lounging area and a wood-fired pizza oven.

Enjoy Hill House as destination in its own right or take a look at some of the amazing places to visit nearby. And our catering options and activities are here for you to tap into as little or as often as you need.

And of course this year beam in over the ether for your big Christmas event- that’s unique just like 2020.

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Your Christmas Chef Theo Michaels @theocooks

After being on Masterchef in 2014, Theo resigned from his IT business of 15 years to follow his passion for food. Born in London, Theo comes from a large Greek Cypriot family. He has lived in America for five years and has backpacked around the world. He now lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and three children - his wife says she’ll never backpack again.

Theo is a best-selling author, having written five cookbooks including his most recent; ‘Rustica’ – Mediterranean village food. He previously saw huge success with ‘SHARE’ and ‘Orexi!

– feasting at the modern Greek table’, which was translated into three languages. Not averse to a bit of self-promotion, Theo has appeared on ITV This Morning for the last few years and on Sky’s The Food Network. Many of Theo’s recipes have been featured in national newspapers and magazines.

Theo is responsible for all food for Elsewhere events, which range from the intimate to the extreme. From fine dining Christmas gala dinners, to managing five services a day for several hundred guests for 48 hours during one of our many corporate festivals. Be it creating vegan street food for a thousand Christmas guests, prosecco fondue waterfalls, 20 ft asado-style bbqs cooking four whole animals simultaneously over 10 hours, or a fine dining wedding breakfast for 80. The food and design changes, but the Elsewhere creativity and dedication to quality remains constant.

Theo loves Christmas and this is his third year as Head Chef at our big Christmas event.

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Traditional Christmas For a more traditional Christmas cookalong, but no less fun!

Our gourmet Christmas cookalong offers a chance to create a delicious meal of pan fried chicken, fish or vegan alternative on a crispy potato rosti, cranberry dressing, sauteed brussel sprouts and all the trimmings!

Equipment: Box grater Frying pan + slotted turner Small bowl Baking tray Chopping board + kitchen knife Cling film (for chicken only) Rolling pin Potato Rosti 1 white potato Salt/pepper Pinch chili flakes 2 tbsp olive oil Method: Grate the potato, give it a squeeze to release some of the moisture and season with salt/pepper and chili flakes. Heat a frying pan with a splash of olive oil, flatten the grated potato into a very thin rosti and lay into the oil – don’t touch it! Leave it to colour and cook for about 3-4 minutes, then carefully using the slotted turner flip it over and cook the otherside for a few minutes. Remove onto a warm plate.

Cranberry Salsa 60ml cranberry sauce ¼ red onion 15ml water Method: Finely dice the onion and mix together with the rest of the ingredients and reserve

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Sides: 4 brussel sprouts and 1 tbsp butter Method: Shred sprouts and fry in hot butter for 3 minutes, season with salt/pepper then remove.

1 parsnip, 1 tbsp olive oil Pinch cumin seeds and a pinch brown sugar Method: Peel parsnip, trim root end, quarter lengthways and fry in olive oil until brown then add 30ml water and cover for five minutes 50g stuffing mixture 100ml hot water 1 tbsp mixed seeds Method: mix stuffing, seeds and water together and reserve.

Main: 1 tsp ground cumin (optional) 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional) 1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 small chicken breast, skin on 1 clove garlic, 1 sprig thyme, splash olive oil and 1 tbsp butter Method: Halve the chicken breast through the middle leaving you with two pieces, one with the skin on top, one without. Lightly dust the flesh side of both halves with spices while seasoning the skin with only with salt/pepper. Heat a frying pan with the olive oil, butter, garlic clove and thyme and lay the chicken breast skin side down along with the other half, fry for about 5 minutes, before turning over.

Cook for a further 5 minutes or until cooked through and keep warm in an oven or covered plate.

Assemble Place the rosti on a plate, top with all the sides finishing with the main ingredient. Dot the cranberry salsa around the plate and drizzle over the red wine reduction.

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1 fish fillet, skin on 1 clove garlic, 1 sprig thyme Splash olive oil and 1 tbsp butter Method: Season the fish with salt, pepper and spices. Heat a frying pan with the olive oil, butter, garlic clove and thyme and lay the fish skin side down, gently push down on top of the fish to stop it curving. Fry for about 5 minutes (less for a thin piece) then turn over and cook the other side for 1 more minute and keep warm.

100g firm tofu, 1 clove garlic, 1 sprig thyme Splash olive oil and 1/2 cup flour (any) Method: Place the block of tofu between two plates and put a heavy weight on top – leave this for 15 minutes to expel moisture and will help firm up the tofu.

Once done, pour away the excess liquid, slice the tofu into 1 inch thick strips and season with salt, pepper and the spices, dust in flour and fry in a hot pan with a splash of olive oil for a couple of minutes each side.

Vegetarian version: use a block of halloumi cut into 1 inch slabs. Season the cheese with pepper (no salt) the spices, dust in flour and fry in a hot pan with a splash of oil, cook for 1 minute each side.

Gravy 250ml red wine,1 tbsp butter Method: In the pan you’ve cooked the main ingredient, leave the thyme and garlic in and pour in the wine and reduce by two-thirds.

Remove from the heat and once it stops bubbling add the butter and swirl the pan to emulsify.

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Christmas Burritos A delicious hands-on Christmas cookalong with a difference! Pan fried Christmas spiced chicken, fish or vegan option, dressed with a sweet sharp cranberry salsa with cumin parsnips and stuffing all wrapped up with warm fluffy homemade flatbreads!

Equipment: Mixing bowl Small bowl Baking tray Chopping board + kitchen knife Frying pan + slotted turner Cling film (for chicken only) Rolling pin Flatbreads 1 cup self raising flour ½ cup milk or water Method: Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and work with a fork until you reach a ‘scraggy mess’ then pour onto a clean, lightly dusted work surface and knead with your hands until you reach a dough like consistency; adding more water/milk or flour until it comes together. Divide the dough into small golf ball sized pieces and roll out until they are ¼ inch thick.

Heat a dry frying pan and lay one flat bread at a time, cooking for a couple of minutes each side. Wrap in a towel or cover to keep warm.

Cranberry Salsa 60ml cranberry sauce ¼ red onion 15ml water Method: Finely dice the onion and mix together with the rest of the ingredients and reserve

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Fillings 4 brussel sprouts 1 tbsp butter Method: Shred sprouts and fry in hot butter for 3 minutes, season with salt/pepper then remove.

1 parsnip 1 tbsp olive oil Pinch cumin seeds Pinch brown sugar Method: Peel parsnip, trim root end, quarter lengthways and fry in olive oil until brown then add 30ml water and cover for five minutes 50g stuffing mixture 100ml hot water 1 tbsp mixed seeds Method: Mix stuffing, seeds and water together and reserve Main: 1 tsp ground cumin (optional) 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional) 1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 small chicken breast Splash olive oil Method: Lay the chicken breast flat between two sheets of cling film and use a rolling pin or small saucepan to beat the chicken breast until it is about 1 inch thick. Season with salt, pepper and the spices. In a hot frying pan, add a splash of oil and lay the chicken into the pan – cook for about 5/6 minutes each side or until cooked through, then slice into strips.

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1 white fish fillet ½ cup flour (any) Splash olive oil Method: Season the fish with salt, pepper and the spices then dust in the flour. In a hot frying pan, add a splash of oil and lay the fish into the pan – cook for 3 minutes each side (depending on thickness) and fry until cooked through.

100g firm tofu ½ cup flour (any) Splash olive oil Method: Place the block of tofu between two plates and put a heavy weight on top – leave this for 15 minutes to expel moisture and will help firm up the tofu.

Once done, pour away the excess liquid, slice the tofu into 1 inch thick strips and season with salt, pepper and the spices, dust in flour and fry in a hot pan with a splash of olive oil for a couple of minutes each side.

Vegetarian version: use a block of halloumi cut into 1 inch slabs. Season the cheese with pepper (no salt) the spices, dust in flour and fry in a hot pan with a splash of oil, cook for 1 minute each side or until golden.

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Zoom by Lucy Bryant @hausoflucy

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No-Cook Nutella Cheesecake These delicious no-cook Nutella cheesecakes can be made with vegan alternatives and are a huge hit with everyone!

You can make this as a large cheesecake to serve by upping the recipe but I like to make individual ones for guests to enjoy. This recipe makes 2 – as one ain’t ever enough!

Equipment: 2 small bowls 2 spoons + 1 fork Espresso cup or small glass to serve.

Ingredients 150g Nutella (or about 3 heaped tbsp)/vegan alternative 150g cream cheese/vegan alternative 2 Cookies or 2 Oreos (vegan) 1 tbsp butter, room temp (or vegan alternative) Pinch sugar/salt 1 tbsp chopped nuts (optional) Method: Crumble the biscuits/cookies with the butter (or vegan alternative) until fully combined then push down into the base of your serving cup – refrigerate if possible till later.

Meanwhile, mix the Nutella, creamcheese (or vegan alternative) pinch of salt until fully combined then spoon into the serving cups on top of the biscuit base. Sprinkle with chopped nuts to decorate and store in the fridge if possible to further set until ready to serve.

Oh, and a little teaspoon of brandy goes well in the mixture, just saying!

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Golden Tickets Who is going to be tonight’s Charlie Bucket?

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Play Your Cards Right Standby with your playing card that’s attached for you here

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Colour-in and cut-out-and-keep with id-iom @thisisidiom

These gonzo designers are more than willing to take a punt at pretty much any design challenge! Hugo’s hands and feet however are proportionately too big for his body whilst Sholto’s head is shaped like a peanut.

This pair of twisted brothers battled against the system for a while until they decided the only way out was to assimilate and take over the whole system – one idea at a time!

To implement a full spectrum dominance of the global economy they decided to start with the fickle world of art and design. In order to introduce cognitive dissonance in non-believers all their designs have been carefully chosen and arranged to please believers and make them feel harmonious and confident whilst causing non-believers to become disorientated and mentally challenged.

You have been warned people…

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Artwork by id-iom @thisisidiom

Colour-in Therapy If you feel brave enough maybe try to colour in this imperious looking reindeer

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Covid-safe Santa Mask

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Desk Fireplace Carefully cut around the outside lines of the picture, then with a sharp knife cut as far as the dotted line around each of the three stockings. Bend back evenly on the dotted lines (except those marked with an X), which should be bent forward. Secure the parts by gluing where indicated.

This is what you are aiming for.

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Retro Classics With the 40 TV Christmas tree and some wonderful screens dotted around the Manor House, there’s a real nod to some old school Christmas classics which span 50 years.

Playing on the Hill House cathode-rays during your event: Morecambe and Wise (1969-1977, not 1974) Are You Being Served, Christmas Crackers (1975) Coca Cola Christmas Ad (1977) Delia Smith’s Classic Christmas Part 2 (1979) To The Manor Born, The First Noel (1979) Only Fools and Horses, Christmas Crackers (1981) Grange Hill Christmas Special (1981) Christmas with Terry and June (1982) Minder’s Christmas Bonus (1983) Christmas Eve with Val Doonican (1986) Blackadder’s Christmas Carol (1988) Die Hard* (1989) Home Alone 1 (1990) Last of The Summer Wine, Barry’s Christmas (1990) Birds of a Feather, Christmas in Dreamland (1994) The Fast Show Christmas Special (1996) The Royale Family at Christmas (2000) Love Actually (2003) Elf (2003) Bad Santa (2004) Gavin and Stacey (2008) Christmas at Downton Abbey (2011)

*yes, of course it’s a Christmas movie.

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Shop ‘til you drop Now that you’ve met Theo and id-iom they would like to offer you some special priced swag.

Just for you guys, you lucky devils.

Rustica by Theo Michaels RRP £16.99 use GETRUSTICA for an exclusive discount at https://rylandpeters.com Exclusive offer for Elsewhere Santa’s Grotto guests; get 50% off your first 3 months membership at FiveDinners.com – making planning dinner easy and stress free!

Use coupon code ELSEWHERE And go to id-iom’s big cartel page https://idiom.bigcartel.com - the discount code for 25% off (for £60+ spend) is ‘December’

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