1976: A Traditional Country Christmas Dinner | A Taste of Britain | BBC Archive

Some scenes may be upsetting.

From the fruits and nuts in the early dawn stocking to the after-math of Boxing Day, food is at the heart of the English Christmas. Traditionally it is the one time in the year that everyone unbuttons and eats their fill.

Derek Cooper looks at traditional Christmas fare - he visits a family farm at Minsterworth in Gloucestershire, where goose is prepared by hand. He meets the regulars at the Red Lion pub in Arlingham, who consider the merits of the current festive favourite turkey, and reminisce on the types of meats that traditionally found their way onto country tables at Christmas - pork, beef, rabbit or pheasant - and regale one another with tales of how those meats found their way to the table. In the pub, another winter favourite - scrumpy - is served, warmed up by the poker from the fire.

In Appletreewick, North Yorkshire, Betty Walker demonstrates how to make a traditional Christmas cake from scratch. Carol singers are served mulled wine and traditional mince pies made with rump steak. While back at Minsterworth, the goose is cooked, and a bumper Christmas Day feast is served with ingredients sourced straight from the farm.


Clip taken from A Taste of Britain, originally broadcast on BBC Two, 22 December, 1976.





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