Why do I adore mince pies (the sweet variety, although the real meat ones aren't bad) but hate Christmas pudding and Christmas cake? It's just one of those bizarre anomalies...

It was the Christmas gathering on Sunday, with everyone cooking their favourite Christmas recipes. I ate goose for the first time (I have to say it tastes fairly similar to duck, and that sneakily I rather prefer turkey) and also had my first foie gras experience. Nice, smooth and livery (no kidding!)...but no idea how the French manage to eat it and then combine it with all of this... Still rather uneasy at its methods of production too...