Plympton Magazine December 2022

The

Community Magazine. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the expressed written permission of the publisher. We have done our utmost to ensure that all the content is correct and accurate at the time of print, but we emphasise that Oracle Publications accepts no responsibility for any mistakes or omissions in this publication. All opinions expressed in The Plympton Magazine are that of the individual contributor and are not always shared by the publication.

Murray Skoda Plymouth spoke to us about their new all-electric Skoda Enyaq iv as well as how to stay safe on the roads this winter in an electric vehicle.

Hannah Burnett Florist shares her DIY tutorial on how to make your own Christmas Wreath with her Wreath kit which is available to buy.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Amy Fry - Editor

Nothing beats the smell of freshly ground coffee and a handmade pasty, crimped that same day. Yield Bakery is the new St. Stephens Bakery, with the same friendly faces, and delicious recipes in the same location on the Ridgeway, just a brand-new identity. With the expanse of their new headquarters at Newnham Industrial Estate, they can increase the quantities without compromising on quality. We caught up with husband-and-wife owners, Stacey & Sam, 3 years since their first interview with us to find out more about the re-brand and their exciting new headquarters.

The Bakery has been a part of Stacey’s family ever since she started her first part-time job there at the age of 15. After working there for a few years, her parents took a keen interest in the business and put an offer across to purchase the bakery. In 2006, they gave the Bakery a lick of paint and a fresh new logo with the name ‘St. Stephens Bakery’ and brought the venture into the 21st Century.

In between Stacey’s studies and career as an occupational therapist, she liked to help her parents out in the Bakery when they needed an extra hand. She enjoyed seeing new and regular customers come through the door and felt a sense of pride knowing her family owned one of the best Bakeries in the Plymouth area.

Once they found a recipe that worked, and that the customers loved, they never changed it, even to this day. Some recipes are those of Stacey’s grandmother which has stayed untouched for years. Almost all of their products have always been and will always be fresh and handmade that same day, without fail.

Stacey’s parents were reaching the age where they wanted to take a step back, therefore, in 2016, they asked Stacey and her husband Sam if they’d like to buy the business. At first, it seemed out-of-reach to the couple but after some consideration, they knew that this opportunity doesn’t come around every day. To honour the hard work and time that Stacey’s parents put into making the Bakery what it is today, she knew it was up to her to continue the family-run business.

Short of a few bob, Stacey and Sam worked tirelessly, juggling three kids, a new house and working two jobs, to be able to buy the business. In 2017, they eventually had the funds to be able to take ownership of the Bakery which came with a great sense of achievement.

Since 2017, there have been a lot of changes to the Bakery. Two years into the ownership, they outgrew their kitchen which forced them into purchasing the neighbouring lot with a kitchen upstairs. The Bakers Lounge cafe came soon after which offered their customers a place to sit whilst enjoying their freshly made goodies. With the initial plans to knock through halted, they knew they needed a plan B to be able to keep up with the increase in demand.

In June 2022, plans were afoot to open a large unit at Newnham Industrial Estate which meant they had a lot more space for a more efficient working environment. The original Bakery in St. Stephens Place is still there, but most of the produce is handmade just down the road at HQ and shipped up to the Bakery 5/6 times a day, every day.

Stacey and Sam felt it odd to be calling their HQ ‘St. Stephens Bakery’ when the unit wasn’t located on St. Stephens Place, therefore, they decided it was a great opportunity to put their own stamp on things and have a re-brand. To keep the branding uniform, they changed the name to ‘Yield Bakery’, inspired by a baking term in many of their recipes. This came with a brand-new logo for both premises which looks fresh and modern. Yield Bakery may be the new name but they have kept a sentiment of the original ‘St. Stephens’ on the Bakery shop frontage.

The idea to open up a HQ 5 minutes from St. Stephens Place was one of the best decisions the couple have made since owning the Bakery. Sam and Stacey’s father take turns shipping the fresh produce up to the Bakery every day, ready for their hungry customers. The pasties are still baked at the Bakery shop throughout the day but are now made from scratch at HQ.

With the aid of the larger space, they can ensure that all their staff are trained in each section, therefore, they can rotate to keep the staff happy and engaged.

Stacey and Sam are pondering the idea of opening up another shop in the near future, at a close distance from HQ. They would love to be able to share the quality of Yield with the whole of the Plymouth area in years to come. This growth will only happen if the standard of their bakes never become compromised.

Often you order pasties from pasty shops that are baked from frozen and shipped across the country before they land on your plate. When you order something from Yield, you can guarantee it will be made fresh by hand using traditional methods. No freezing involved (unless you purchase their fresh frozen pasties to cook at home), no preservatives and no additives.

Yield believes they have the perfect pasty recipe that will give its top competitors a run for their money. Packed full of piping-hot potato, swede, onion, steak and seasoning, encased in a golden shortcrust pastry, their pasties are one to beat.

With the countdown to Christmas fully underway, they have lots of festive-themed goodies to pick up such as fruit log cakes, mince pies, Xmas-themed decorated cakes, Xmas pasties as well as their Xmas baguettes. Their Xmas baguettes are filled with turkey crown slices, stuffing and pigs in blankets, topped with gravy and cranberry sauce served hot at their Bakery

shop at St. Stephens place. They offer cocktail pasties throughout the year but these become increasingly more popular to order for Christmas/Boxing day nibbles.

Christmas bundle boxes can be purchased in the shop or online, which make great little gifts. These include brownie or cake boxes, 4 for £7 and muffin boxes, 4 for £6.

All orders for delivery can now be processed through their new website and shipped directly to your door. You can also ring up if you require a bespoke order or are not familiar with online ordering.

Working with the community is something Yield does very well. They are always happy to help out local charities and have recently offered to be the sponsor of the Plymouth Patriots Basketball team after really enjoying watching their games.

Reflecting about the journey over the last 5 years… “Nobody buys a bakery business in the hope of having a better work/life balance.’ - laughs Stacey. The whole family have worked endlessly in order to keep the standard high and the customers happy which has come with a lot of life sacrifices. In the near future, they would love to be in a position where they can hire a production manager that can oversee the team meaning Stacey and Sam can enjoy their family life a little more. With family being at the core of the business, Stacey and Sam felt it was only right to work up until Christmas Eve and then let the whole team have the rest of December to relax and enjoy being with their families.

They say everything happens for a reason. What started as disappointing news about the Bakers Lounge, turned into a giant leap forward without them even realising at first. With plans to expand even further with a second shop soon, Sam and Stacey are only just getting started.

THINK ‘SUSTAINABLE’

THIS CHRISTMAS

Ithink we can all agree that when it comes to Christmas, the excitement and the pressure gets to us all and a little bit of panic buying comes in to play. The pressure built up to ensure Christmas goes smoothly and nobody gets disappointed is getting bigger and bigger each year. I personally think that if we put less pressure on ourselves during this period, we would have more time to enjoy it. Christmas was never about the gifts and the money; it was always about spreading love and joy to all and spending the holiday with friends and family.

The amount of waste that comes after the Christmas period is largely fuelled by the sheer panic and excitement from shops and social media to make it the ‘best Christmas ever’. The more the merrier is the general thought process and who can blame us for thinking this way with the growing pressures of social media.

We are here to prove that you don’t need to miss out when it comes to making your Christmas more sustainable. In some areas, you can even save money by doing a bit of DIY!

Brown paper packaging tied up with string is the way forward! Actually, I think it looks a lot prettier and you can add your own personalised touch to it with some foliage, dried orange, and maybe even a stamp using eco-friendly vegetable ink! If you want some more colour to your packages, we recommend www.re-wrapped.co.uk, they have a wide range of Christmassy designs all made from vegetable ink!

Most Christmas cards are not environmentally sustainable. Why not make your own Christmas cards this year using eco-friendly ink.

When it comes to buying your Christmas tree this year, make sure you are sourcing it as local as possible. And when January comes, make sure you contact www.recycledevon.org/recycle-your-christmastrees as they can collect your tree and recycle it!

When Christmas shopping- remember to take your bags for life with you to avoid having to take any unnecessary plastic bags home with you.

Christmas is the time for all things sparkly; glitter, sequins, tinsel, baubles, fairy lights and everything in-between. Unfortunately, all of those lovely sparkly items are made from plastic and are non-recyclable and often get washed down the sink and end up in our oceans.

If you are in need of an extra bauble or two, avoid ones with glitter or that are made from plastic. Head to the high-end stores that offer quality baubles that are less likely to break over the years.

With all of these sustainable Christmas ideas, we hope this has inspired you to think outside the box and adopt an eco-friendly Christmas this year without compromising out on a thing!

With Christmas

in close

proximity,

it is all too easy to forget the positive eco-friendly advances we have made and switch to panic buying mode. It is time to slow down the Christmas shopping experience and think greener.

DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS?

Travel safely with Murray Skoda -Top Tips for driving your EV during the Winter months

Whether you’re embarking on a festive road trip or simply staying local this December, getting from A-B during the Winter can require a bit more preparation. Shorter days and inclement weather conditions can make the roads a little more difficult to navigate, so ensuring that your vehicle is up to the challenge is essential.

Most drivers are aware of the need to keep their cars in tip top condition but if you’re an EV owner – or considering getting behind the wheel of one in the future, you might be wondering just how well they perform in colder, wetter conditions. Wonder no more! The team of experts at Murray Skoda have all of the information you need to ensure that you stay safe and comfortable in your EV over the festive season and beyond.

With any vehicle, it’s important to keep it well maintained for Winter. Keeping anti-freeze topped up is a must. Keeping your car clean – especially the windscreen, lights and number plate areas will ensure maximum visibility for you and other road users. Check that your tyres have sufficient tread and ensure wiper blades aren’t too worn.

As with their ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) counterparts, electric cars become less efficient in the Winter. This is predominantly because the naturally darker, colder conditions increase usage of lights and heating, subsequently draining the battery. This, in turn, has an impact on the distance you can travel on a single charge. If you use public charging points, it is worth factoring in a little extra time as extremely cold weather can result in slightly longer charging times. So be prepared for them to be occupied for longer than normal.

The good news is, there are several things you can do to maintain the charge in your electric car. Making use of apps such as Skoda Connect to remotely pre-condition your vehicle has triple benefits – it saves time, makes your vehicle more comfortable and increases range. You can use the app to configure the climate in your car for the number of passengers so, if you’re driving alone, pre-conditioning allows you to only heat the driver’s seat, saving valuable battery energy. In addition to this, pre-conditioning your car will warm the battery, meaning that when you hit the road, it will immediately run more efficiently in the cold weather. If you set the remote conditioning whilst your vehicle is connected to a charging point, the energy will be drawn from the charger, not the battery. So you’ll be warm and cosy with a fully charged battery to boot – all co-ordinated from the comfort of your bed, if you so desire. What’s not to love about that?

One of the biggest concerns for anyone considering an electric vehicle is range. So it’s worth noting the impact of cold weather on the distance an EV can travel on a single charge. Most electric vehicles run on a Lithium Ion battery, which produce electricity by moving Lithium Ions from anode to cathode. Lower temperatures slow this process down and therefore reduce the performance of your car. The additional usage of heaters and lights also take their toll on the battery and contribute to limited range – overall around 20-30% less distance can be covered.

With the colder weather comes the possibility of icy roads and EVs can be a blessing in disguise. They have a lower centre of gravity owing to the battery being situated closer to the ground, which means much better tracking and handling. Models such as the award winning Skoda Enyaq come with 4 wheel

Photos by N2 Photography

drive, stability control and anti-lock braking – all of which help to keep you steady on slippery roads. However, it’s advisable to switch off regenerative braking as this may lead to unusual handling characteristics. It’s also worth noting that electric cars tend to be heavier than ICE ones, so if you do hit an icy patch, it can be harder to control slides. Steering into the direction of the slide and avoiding heavy braking can help if you find yourself in trouble.

Whilst we live in hope of a white Christmas, the reality is Devon is much more likely to be plagued with torrential rain during the Winter. As you’d expect, electric vehicles are well equipped to deal with rainy conditions, given that the drive units and batteries are sealed. However, if you find yourself having to drive through large areas of flood water, you’d be wise to exercise some caution – which is, of course, common sense and applies to ICE vehicles too! Water will eventually find it’s way in if you are driving in a very deep flood or through standing water for a prolonged

period of time, so try and size up the obstacle first. As a general rule of thumb, if the water isn’t higher than the kerb, it should be safe to tackle if you take it slowly and steadily. Electric vehicles have the added benefit of not having an exhaust or air intake, so the propulsion system is not adversely affected by water. Charging your EV is also perfectly safe, even in heavy rain as both the cars and charging points have protective layers and covering shields to ensure the components are kept dry.

Whether you drive an EV, Hybrid or ICE vehicle, it really pays to keep your car maintained. Murray Skoda are here to help with a range of offers to get you ready for Winter. From now until 31st December 2022, wiper blades have 20% off and we’re encouraging customers to take advantage of our free Winter Health Check too.

Call us on 01752 349850 to book an appointment today!

Murray Skoda are based at Valley Road in Plympton and offer the latest Skoda EV models such as the award winning Enyaq and Enyaq iV Coupe, as well as a large range of Approved Used Skoda vehicles.

Whatever your travel plans this Winter, Murray Skoda have got you covered!

Enyaq iV

With

We really hope our short guide to wreath making gets you into the festive, creative spirit! Don’t forget, you can purchase our DIY Kits directly from us, which include all of the ingredients you need to create the perfect wreath.

STEP 1

Soak your foam ring until the bubbles stop, and attach a ribbon tie with a tight double knot. You will use this to hang your wreath, so make sure it’s nice and secure! Begin to snip your foliage, beginning with the spruce. Clean the bottom of each stem by at least an inch, removing the needles and leaves, so that each piece goes in easily to the foam.

STEP 2

Push the spruce into the foam, starting with the outside edge, try to keep these pieces the same size, to create an even circular edge. Continue adding foliage to the inside edge with smaller pieces, again, keeping the pieces a similar size. Then begin adding spruce to the top of the ring, pushing in to the foam at a flatter angle.

STEP 3

Once you have added a good amount of spruce, begin to add your next foliages (eucalyptus, holly and conifer) in the same way, cleaning the base of the stem and pushing into the foam between the spruce. Continue until you have created a good coverage, with little to no foam able to be seen.

STEP 4

Following the foliage, snip your berries into smaller clusters, and place evenly across the wreath, pushing firmly into the foam.

Join us again this year at Camel Creek for our magical festivities throughout the park, and not forgetting our sell-out personalised Santa experience!

What days can you visit?

26th & 27th November 10am – 5pm

3rd & 4th December 10am – 6.30pm

10th & 11th December 10am – 6.30pm

– 23rd December 10am – 6.30pm

Our Santa experience includes;

• A personalised ticket upon your arrival, with your allotted time to board our Elf Express to Santa’s Grotto

• Enter into the immersive Santa experience through the Christmas tree forest, where you will find even more arts and crafts for your little ones to enjoy. And there’s something for the grown ups too, we know you’ve been good so a complimentary warm drink and mince pie awaits you!

• After being called in for your families personal magical moment with Santa in his grotto, journey into our elf workshop for your child to spend time choosing their own gift with Santa’s helper

How much is it?

• Santa Experience for Child members £11.95, accompanying members enter for free.

• Santa Experience for non-members £19.95

• Christmas entry to the park £14.95 per person for over 92cm (non-members)

Make it a December to remember at Camel Creek Book online for day tickets and save 10% at www.camelcreek.co.uk For Santa Experience tickets call 01841 540276 from the 1st of November for members, 3rd of November bookings open for all. 01841 540276 hello@camelcreek.co.uk

LOCAL ChristmasMarkets

There are lots of wonderful Christmas Markets popping up in South West England that are all worth a visit. We thought we’d share 4 of our favourites which are all within 2 hours of Plymouth. (In no particular order)

1. Plymouth Christmas Market

Image: Penny Cross

With over 50 local traders selling gifts and delicious hot food right in the heart of Plymouth, the Plymouth Christmas Market is the perfect place to grab yourself some unique Christmas presents. Local traders such as, Kaya Gallery, Olivia’s House, Flapjackery and Devon Rum Company will there so make sure you come on down and show your support. There is also a whole host of entertainment too with choir performances and upcoming artists. This years Christmas Market will be running from Thursday 1st to Sunday 18th of December, 10am - 6pm (Sundays 10am - 5pm) What better way to help your local economy than this festive event.

2. Totnes Christmas Market

The stylish, hippy nature of Totnes makes for an excellent Christmas Market. With over 70+ artisan stalls and street vendors as well as Totnes’ independent stores, there are a huge amount of exciting gift ideas. Kids will also love the free Totnes Gnome Trail and they are even holding craft workshops where you can make your own free pompom robins. Enjoy free music and street entertainment as well as lots of festive lights to get you in the Christmassy mood. This Christmas market and late night shopping is happening on Tuesdays 6, 13 and 20 December 3pm-9pm.

Image: hunthalloween.com

3. Padstow Christmas Festival

Calling all foodies! The Padstow Christmas festival features celebrity chefs, cooking demonstrations, a Christmas market, firework display, live music, a lantern parade and so much more. You’ll be able to watch chefs such as, Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth, Mitch Tonks, Angela Hartnett plus 26 more cook up some delicious dishes. The Christmas Market is full of the best locally-produced food and drink the West Country has to offer. As well as all of the food and drink, there are lots of artisan gifts and products such as, Atlantic Blankets, KernowSpa, Newquay Studio Art Pottery and Padstow Candle Company. The festival is running from 1st - 4th December 12pm5pm, tickets are £7 per day.

4. Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market

Located on the green beneath Exeter’s historic Cathedral lies over 100 twinkling festive chalets all featuring local gifts and produce. Exeter’s Christmas Market is the largest in Devon and promises a heap load of festive entertainment and Christmas magic. Traders include Alison Miles Pottery, Cake or Death, Cornish Cheese, Wild Wool Salcombe Distilling Co. and so much more. This market has already begun and will carry on running until the 18th December. Times and more information is available at www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk

Image: Exeter-cathedral.org.uk

Image: Cornwall Live

LOCAL Festive Lights

Get into the festive spirit by visiting some of these exciting Christmas experiences in the local area. With sparkly lights, magical lanterns and chanting orchestras, there is so much to see in the South West this December.

1. Longleat Festival of Light

Image: Longleat.co.uk

2.

Enjoy this festive event with the whole family. Longleat have combined the Characters of Roald Dahl’s stories with their iconic annual light festival to give you The Wondrous Worlds of Roald Dahl. After a busy day spotting tigers and lemurs around the park, head back to the estate gardens for a night of magic and light. Take a stroll through the neatly trimmed shrubbery and spot giant lanterns of your favourite Roald Dahl Characters. Enjoy Britain’s biggest singing Christmas tree for a spectacular display featuring lights, carols and even a flurry of snow! This even has already begun and continues through December until 8th January. Book your tickets now.

Shipwreck Treasure Museum

Explore the Shipwreck Treasure Museum this Christmas as it’s transformed into the most Festive place in Cornwall! Walk through the magical tunnel of lights and journey through every imaginable Christmas setting, from the snowy winter wonderland of Narnia’s frozen forests, to a room filled with giant baubles of every colour. See their Shipwreck as snow falls around you and have a browse at their mini German Christmas Market. This begins on the 3rd December and finishes on the 8th January. You can book peak and off-peak tickets through their website with prices starting at £12.50 per adult and £8.50 for child (5-17).

3. Christmas at the Eden Project

Image: Visitcornwall.com

Join the Eden Project to celebrate Christmas this year with their all-new immersive music and light experience. The Mediterranean Biome will be filled with an incredible immersive orchestra experience featuring 11 live musicians on multiple stages across the Biome. There will also be light displays in the Rainforest Biome with sparkling fairy lights, twinkling orbs and fiberoptic illusions. The Outdoor Gardens will be festively dressed and there will also be a Tunnel of Lights on your way into the Link Building. Complete your visit by meeting Santa and his Elf helper and booking a session on their ice rink.

4. Heligan Night Garden

Immerse yourself in The Lost Garden’s of Heligan’s enchanting lantern experience. Travel through the garden train and spot lots of beautiful lantern installations of fauna and flora. Explore at your own pace, take in the beautiful displays, toast marshmallows by their magical fire bowls and enjoy a seasonal warming refreshment. They also have a beautiful shop full of amazing gifts that are perfect for Christmas presents. This night garden takes approximately 1 hour to explore and starts on the 24th November and finishes on the 2nd January. Tickets cost £5.

Image: Visit Cornwall

Image: Greg Martin / Cornwall Live

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Wins ‘Best Curry Restaurant in Plymouth’

We are proud to announce that on the 30th October 2022, Shapla Balti Cusine from Plympton, were awarded ‘Best curry restarant in the South West Region 2’ at the Bangladesh Caterers Association 2022 Awards.

The Bangladesh Caterers Association held the annual awards night, now in its 16th year, to announce the winners. The theme for this year’s event was ‘celebrating success and inspiring others’. Shapla Balti was chosen out of hundreds of nominees and was judged based on its innovation, presentation of food, hygiene standards and customer service.

Moshahid Ali of Shapla Balti, Plymouth says: “We are so proud! Our hard work and love for making curry has been recognised. Thank you, BCA for this award. Thank you for recognising our talented team, our chef and importantly the contribution we are making to the curry industry. Times have been tough; times are still tough, and this award makes a big difference. It’s a triumph! We ask everyone locally to continue supporting us.”

Mr. Mitu Choudhury, Secretary General, BCA says: “BCA Awards celebrates the very best of the Bangladeshi curry industry, shining a light on great local curry houses! All the winners are inspirational, creating some of the best experiences on the high-street.”

Saidur Rahman Bipul, Chief Treasurer BCA says: “All BCA winners are not just inspiring, they are keeping the legacy of British curry alive. The awards show the best of what our curry houses have to offer.”

Sir Gary Streeter MP for South West Devon and his wife Madam Streeter joined Mr Ali and his business partner and family at the awards night to support the Plympton-based Balti restaurant. Mr Ali feels blessed

to know that Sir Gary Streeter and his wife attended the awards night especially for Shapla and the other curry houses in the area.

The awards night took place in the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hall in London and was joined by hundreds of hopeful nominees from across the UK. The competing restaurants were all of such a high standard which gave Mr Ali such pride in winning the best Balti house in the South West Region 2. The awards night was also joined and presented by celebrity chef and BBC Masterchef presenter Gregg Wallace.

Mr Ali of Shapla Balti Cusine would like to thank all their customers for their continued support by dining with them and writing wonderful reviews online that has enabled Mr Ali to be considered for this award. He would also like to thank everyone who voted and supported them, without you, they wouldn’t be in the position they are today.

Mr Ali and his team would like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

GOODIES FESTIVE

It’s officially Christmas season therefore, we have found the best festive recipes to complete your feast this year.

Sloe Gin Cocktail Serves - 1

• 50ml sloe gin

• 25ml lemon juice

• 25ml gin

• ice (crushed and cubes)

For the juniper syrup

• 100g white caster sugar

• 1 tbsp juniper berries

ONE Start by making the juniper syrup. Put the sugar in a small saucepan, then add 100ml water and the juniper berries. Bring to the boil, then take off the heat and gently squash the berries in the liquid using a potato masher.

Leave to steep until completely cold, then strain into a sterilised bottle or jar. Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

TWO Put the sloe gin, lemon juice, gin and 2 tsp of the syrup in a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes. Shake well and strain into a tumbler filled with crushed ice. Serve immediately.

Easy Christmas Turkey

Serves - 6

• 100g butter, softened

• 3 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped

• 1 turkey (around 4kg, but not more), giblets removed

• 1 garlic bulb

• 1 lemon, halved

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 large banana shallots, unpeeled, cut in half lengthways

• 250ml white wine

• 1 red cabbage (about 900g), cut into 6 wedges

• 500ml good-quality chicken stock

• 1 tsp cornflour (optional)

ONE Take your turkey out of the fridge at least 1 hr before you cook it. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and beat the butter with the rosemary. Starting from the neck of the turkey, carefully push your fingers underneath the skin until you can get your whole hand between the skin and the breast meat. Trying not to tear the skin as you go, spread the butter inside the pocket.

TWO Put the garlic, lemon and bay leaves inside the turkey, then season liberally all over. Put the shallots in your largest flameproof roasting tin and put the turkey on top, breastside up. Roast for 1 hr, then give it a good baste, pour in the wine and nestle the cabbage wedges in the tin (or underneath the turkey if they won’t fit). Return to the oven for another 30 mins – covered with foil if the turkey is looking too brown. The juices should run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh, or a thermometer should read 75C.

THREE Set aside the turkey on a board to rest for 1 hr, transferring the garlic and bay to the roasting tin for the gravy. If you want crispy skin, don’t cover the turkey. Wrap the cabbage wedges in two parcels of foil, with a spoonful of the turkey juices, season liberally and return to the bottom of the oven to carry on cooking while the turkey rests. Spoon away most of the turkey fat, then put the tin on the hob over a medium heat. Mash the veg with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as possible , then pour in the stock and reduce the gravy by half. If you want to thicken it, stir in the cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water. Once happy with the consistency, strain and keep warm.

Chocolate fudge crinkle

biscuits

Makes - 35-40 mini biscuits

• 60g cocoa powder, sieved

• 200g caster sugar

• 60ml vegetable oil

• 2 large eggs

• 180g plain flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 70g icing sugar

ONE Mix the cocoa, caster sugar and oil together. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until fully combined. Stir the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt together in a separate bowl, then add to the cocoa mixture and mix until a soft dough forms. If it feels soft, transfer to the fridge and chill for 1 hr. Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the icing sugar into a shallow dish. Form a heaped teaspoon of the dough into a ball, then roll in the sugar to coat. Repeat with the remaining dough, then put, evenly spaced, on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.

TWO Bake in the centre of the oven for 10 mins – they will firm up as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. Will keep for four days in a biscuit tin.

Crispiest ever roast potatoes

Serves - 6-8

• 4 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 1½ kg Maris Piper potatoes, cut into quarters, peelings reserved

• 50g butter

• ½ bunch of lemon thyme

• 6 garlic cloves, lightly bashed

• 1 tbsp sea salt

ONE Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Add the oil to a large flameproof baking tray and put in the oven for the oil to heat up. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, tip in the potatoes and the peelings (to impart extra flavour) and simmer for 8-10 mins. Drain the potatoes and discard the peelings. Leave to steam-dry for 15 mins, then return the potatoes to the pan, put the lid on and gently shake to lightly rough up the edges.

TWO Remove the tray from the oven and put directly on your hob over a medium heat. Add the butter to the hot oil and, using tongs, add the potatoes to the tray, one by one, carefully turning them in the fat, and leaving a little space between them. Reduce the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Nestle the lemon thyme in amongst the potatoes, along with the garlic. Sprinkle over the sea salt and return to the oven to roast for 1 hr, turning every once in a while, until golden and crisp.

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