Written for Bristol Bites by Rachael Matthews
In a poll conducted by ao.com, the British public stated that being warm and cosy at home is their best thing about winter – even above Christmas. But what does being warm and cosy at home actually mean?
For some, it’s about the ambience: home decor (and heating!) that creates the right vibe for winter. For others, it’s about managing their winter wellbeing. I’d agree that both of these are important, but I think cooking the right food has a big part to play, too.
For me, winter is a time when batch cooking comes to the fore: huge steaming casserole dishes filled with stews, soups, chilli, pasta sauces…anything that I can make a massive batch of and freeze in portions.
But it’s not just about the right type of food and having stuff prepared for the days when I just want to curl up under the blanket. The right food at the right time can play on all the senses – especially our sense of smell.
In ao.com’s guide to a cosy winter (which you can see here), you’ll find five recipes that have been carefully curated to invoke a cosy winter in your home. A slow-cooked bonfire stew (which I’d probably serve with a fragrant celeriac mash) is hearty comfort food at its finest, while their collection of breadmaker recipes includes soups and even rice dishes – who knew the breadmaker wasn’t just for bread?
There’s a recipe for a crockpot Sunday roast to make this weekend tradition even easier, while the orange and cinnamon baked custard recipe will infuse your home with these two traditional Christmas scents. And if you want to add a touch of American flair, there’s even a pumpkin pie recipe for you to try.
There are so many recipes that I regularly cook that remind me of the winter months, so it’s hard to narrow it down to my top five. But, if pushed, it would have to include my mulled cider recipe that I make every single year: both the flavour and the smell are so Christmassy, I love it!
The rest of the list would be filled with a traditional boeuf bourguignon, my spicy parsnip soup, sausages and mash, and last but not least, a gooey, decadent macaroni cheese, with the addition of Gorgonzola for added flavour.
What are your go-to winter recipes? If you’re looking for inspiration on making this winter as cosy as possible, visit the ao.com guide.
[…] Written for Bristol Bites by Rachael Matthews In a poll conducted by ao.com, the British public stated that being warm and cosy at home is their best thing about winter – even above Christmas. But what does being warm and cosy at home actually mean? For some, it’s about the ambience: home decor (and heating!) that creates the right vibe for winter. For others, it’s about managing their winter wellbeing. I’d agree that both of these are important, but I think cooking the right food has a big part to play, too. For me, winter is a time when batch cooking comes to the fore: huge steaming casserole dishes filled with stews, soups, chilli, pasta… Read Full Article from Author eknight Source link […]