Saturday 28 January - Heston Blumenthals Roast Chicken...

Georges plan, Hestons roast chicken - this involved going to lots of shops to try and find a meat thermometer, but finally going to see the parents to borrow one. The meat was supposed to be brined overnight, but we wanted to eat this year, so it went in the brine for about 6 hours. It then had to go in the oven for 3-4 hours at 90 degrees. We didn't bother with the gravy, chosing bisto instead as the meat would have been ready 5 days before the gravy if we had followed Hestons recipe.

We hit Gosport Market for the veg - carrot and parsnip mash, some new potatoes, some roasted old potatoes, purple sprouting and some green beans.Plus of course a pack of paxo sage and onion - this is not as nice if you don't add butter....

Pudding -  a flan with fruit in - we found this cream in Morrisways, but it is not to be desired.

Made a chocolate 'fat free sponge' 3 eggs, 3 oz sugar whisked together and then 3oz flour and cocoa powder and a bit of vanilla essence folded in. Topped with some tinned mandarins and some orange easyjel. Served with the above dodgy cream.

Erm, what can I say - not to be recommended, unless you fancy some chocolate flavoured sawdust with tinned mandarins and skimmed creamy stuff on top. Ah well, we have to try these things, and at least I wasn't tempted to have seconds!