Festive spirit will be flowing in Boroughbridge tonight as the town hosts its annual late-night shopping, Christmas tree lights switch-on and a visit from Santa.
The event, organised Boroughbridge and District Chamber of Trade, will see shops stay open until 8pm.
The night will begin with the official Christmas tree lights switch-on in Hall Square at 5.30pm, followed by carols from three school choirs — Boroughbridge Primary and High School and Roecliffe Primary.
Boroughbridge Lions will host Santa and his sleigh and there will be community stalls, children’s rides and a donkey and miniature horse.
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Festive food and drink will include the Scouts’ roast chestnuts and Brighter Boroughbridge’s mulled wine and mince pies stall. There will also be a hog roast.
The shop window display competition theme this year is A Christmas Panto, with entries to be judged tonight,
The lights on the Christmas tree will be switched on by BBC Radio York’s Georgey Spanswick and the Mayor, Sean Hynes.
Chamber president Derek Hufton said:
Stray Kitchen: Christmas Hacks the Stray Kitchen way“Anyone coming along will find the town buzzing.
“There will be lots of great independent shops to browse and buy Christmas gifts from.
“Santa and his sleigh, along with the kids’ rides, will be big attractions to the younger generation. But wrap up warm!”
Stray Kitchen is our column all about food written by renowned local produce expert, food writer and chef, Stephanie Moon. Stephanie is a champion of food produced in the UK and particularly in Yorkshire and the Harrogate district.
I love, love, love this time of year, and the feeling of festive fun is really growing in tempo this Christmas…
So how do we make Christmas easy? This is a question I always get asked, and truthfully, I don’t think catering for a large group at Christmas is easy at all. But there are some ways we can make it as pain free as possible.
Mulled wine: Everyone has a mix they love, and for me it is a bottle of Malbec red wine, shot of brandy, shot of sloe gin, a clove studded orange, three cinnamon sticks, and three star anise, brought up to the boil with two glasses of lemonade and a glass of cranberry juice. Sweeten it up to taste, and for a real trick, pour it into a slow cooker so the mulled wine is warm and ready to go when your guests arrive.
Nibbles and dips: I love a quick homemade hummus. Boil two tins of chick peas with the aqua faba (chick pea juice inside the tin) until the juice evaporates. Add crushed garlic and tahini with some Ras El Halenout (spice mix), rapeseed oil, a splash of water and lemon zest and juice. For something to dip into the hummus, try my simple recipe for Harrogate blue cheese straws.
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Ingredients
- 1 packet of ready-to-roll puff pastry
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 eggs cracked and mixed into egg wash
Method
- Brush the egg wash over half of the pastry.
- Add 150g of grated Harrogate blue cheese and 2 teaspoons of finely dusted smoky paprika.
- Place the other half of the pastry on top and egg wash again.
- Cut into strips about 2cm thick and twirl to give that lovely shape.
- Pinch onto the tray to allow the straws to bake evenly and straight.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C, then cut whilst they cool.
Starters: Jazz up your prawn cocktail with some cooked lobster and a few slices of locally smoked salmon for a real treat. For the Marie Rose classic, try adding some finely chopped soft apricot pieces. Or, if you fancy a tropical alternative, why not add some fresh mango pieces and a light curry powder to your mayo.
Time to bring in the turkey! Steph is pictured here with London based chef Valentina Harris and her assistant Cher, at the Ideal Home exhibition.
Main: The turkey is the main event. Everyone cooks their’s differently and has their own favourite stuffing mix, but the gravy often gets left to last minute. Show your gravy some love this year and really glaze the turkey tray properly, removing the fat to get all that extra flavour into your gravy. To make a light roux, whisk this onto your flour and butter mix and cook out well with a good splash of red wine and stock; add a little redcurrant jelly for sweetness and hey presto, you’ve got a lovely turkey gravy.
Pudding: To flambe or not to flame, that is the question. If you do, make sure it is on a robust serving platter: one year I had a disaster at home, when the platter broke and flambe juices ran down the dinning table! Always warm the alcohol before pouring over the hot pudding, then set it on fire just before you enter the room… making sure decorations and long hair is well out of the way!
Have fun, and remember it is your Christmas to enjoy too!
Ho Ho Ho
Steph x
Ripon wine experts share top picks for your Christmas gifts and pairings
This article is sponsored by Yorkshire Vintners.
As the festive season draws closer, you might find yourself wondering what to gift that awkward relative – or even how to impress your in-laws with the ‘correct’ wine for each course of your Christmas dinner. Ripon-based wine merchant, Yorkshire Vintners, is here to help ease that stress.
Since launching over a decade ago, Yorkshire Vintners has been supplying Michelin Star restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels and event venues with wine and spirits. The experienced team offers a professional, knowledgeable, and friendly service at the store on Ripon Business Park – with free off-street parking and even a tasting room!
Yorkshire Vintners is now open every Saturday until Christmas, giving you even more chance to discover your new favourite drink. Saturday shoppers will also receive a complimentary glass of mulled wine.
With over 1000 wines and spirits on offer, there’s a lot to choose from – so here are Yorkshire Vintners’ top Christmas picks.
Christmas Wine Cases
From £95 for six bottles
Sorting out Christmas food is stressful enough; ditch the hassle of also picking your tipple with an expertly curated Yorkshire Vintners Christmas wine case.
Each case contains six bottles of either red or white wine from around the world, and a tasting sheet with great Christmas food pairing suggestions.
With three price levels of cases, each made up of six bottles, you’ll be free to enjoy your celebrations. Prices are £60 for an Everyday case, £95 for the Discovery case, or £150 for the Classic Christmas case.
Within the Red Discovery case, you’ll find the Queulat Cinsault Gran Reserva 2016 Ventisquero, with aromas of wild berries and spices, which is delicious with roasted turkey.
Or if you prefer a white wine, why not pair your cheeseboard with the White Discovery case’s Riesling ‘Riverbank’ Wente Vinyards, USA dry white wine, which features fresh aromatics of pear and honeysuckle.
Order your Christmas wine case here.
Nyetimber
The Nyetimber range
From £29 for a classic cuvee bottle
The full range of Nyetimber English sparkling wine is available at Yorkshire Vintners. Situated in the rural heart of the South of England, Nyetimber uses only the finest estate-grown fruit to craft these award-winning, world-renowned wines.
Classic Cuvee, Nyetimber’s signature wine, is a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier and offers a balance of elegance and intensity. It’s perfect when paired with delicious seafood, especially smoked salmon or scallops.
When you buy six bottles of Nyetimber (including mixed cases), you’ll receive a free Nyetimber ice bucket.
Maple Falls Mulled Wine
Maple Falls mulled wine
£4.95 per bottle, or a case of six for £27
This aromatic, fruity and spicy mulled wine is rich in orange, lemon and hints of red berry fruits balanced with traditional spice aromas of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. It’s a Christmas classic that’s delicious served warm for a traditional mulled wine infusion, or cold as an ideal base for seasonal punch.
Top tip: pour a few bottles into a slow cooker, add some halved oranges with cloves pushed into the skin, some cinnamon sticks, rosemary, and a dash of fresh orange juice. Leave to slowly heat up (making sure not to boil), then ladle into glasses or mugs and enjoy on a cold evening.
Order the Maple Falls mulled wine here.
Spirit of Yorkshire Cream Liqueur
£29 per bottle
As a rich, luxurious, and warming, award-winning Cream Liqueur, this is a fantastic local alternative to Baileys.
Yorkshire single malt whisky and single malt spirit (made with 100% homegrown barley) have been gently married together with the richest dairy cream to create a beautifully balanced and complex cream liqueur of exceptional quality and flavour.
It’s best enjoyed on its own, either straight-up or over ice – so simply pour generously. The stunning bottle also makes it a fantastic Christmas gift.
Order Spirit of Yorkshire’s cream liqueur here.
Graham’s Tawny Port
Graham’s Tawny Port
From £7.50 for a 200ml bottle
With its nutty character and fruity bouquet, tawny port is a fabulous pairing for dark chocolate, fruit cake, or sweet deserts like apple pie or creme brûlée. In the 200ml size, prices start at £7.50 for the 10-year-old, £10.50 for the 20-year-old, or £16.50 for a 30-year-old. For a perfect present, try the gift set which includes one of each age at the discounted price of £32. If you really want to impress, there’s also a 4.5litre bottle of Graham’s 10-year-old Tawny port in a wooden box, priced at £235.
Discover Yorkshire Vintners’ range of Graham’s Tawny Port here.
Order online to collect in store, or use code northyorkshire10 to receive free delivery anywhere in North Yorkshire. Pre-order before Friday 17 December for delivery or collection in the week leading up to Christmas.
Visit the Yorkshire Vintners shop at Unit 2, Ripon Business Park, or www.yorkshirevintners.co.uk to find out more.
Christmas Gift and Food Fair returns to Ripon CathedralThe Christmas Gift and Food Fair at Ripon Cathedral will return this month.
The popular event is usually staged annually but could covid restrictions meant it did not happen in 2020.
This year it will take place for the first time over two days, on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 November from 9.30am to 4.30pm on both days.
There will be 95 stalls offering a wide selection of unusual gifts, crafts and local food.
A pop-up café will serve hot turkey sandwiches, mulled wine, hot drinks and homemade cakes.
Ripon Cathedral
Live Christmas music will be provided by local choirs over lunchtime on both days in the ornate setting of the cathedral’s quire.
The fair is popular with families and although Santa will not be attending this year, there will be craft activities for children, who will be able to decorate a Christmas bauble to take home and hang on their tree.
Harrogate solicitors Raworths and Leeds wealth management firm Brewin Dolphin are supporting the event as part of their business partnership with the cathedral.
Zoe Robinson, managing partner at Raworths said:
“As a business partner, Raworths is delighted to play a part in the preservation and development of the Cathedral and to support local community-based events organised by Ripon Cathedral’s team, such as the wonderful annual Christmas Fair.”
Entry is £5 payable on the door by card or cash or online. Entry for accompanied children is free.
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