Merry Christmas!

Eastside Road, Christmas Day, 2016—

EMMA, BLESS HER HEART, said she'd like a traditional Christmas dinner: roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. And that's exactly what we had.

But first: all hands turned to a spread of appetizers: smoked salmon, crackers, butter, horseradish, olives, cornichons.

Champagne, of course.

Then at the table we confronted the main event. The beef and pudding were perfect, with a fine dark gravy, missing in this not very good photograph. Another tradition in our family: Brussels sprouts sautéed with chestnuts. Thérèse took the trouble, as I rarely do, to split the sprouts before cooking them; somehow they and the chestnuts were all the same size and so all cooked to the same degree — perfect.

A green salad, of course; and some very good cheese. Then, back in front of the fireplace, dessert: Mince pie, made from Cook's hundred-year-old mincemeat; with hard sauce. A splendid dinner.

Tinto de toro (Tempranillo), Teso la Monja Romanico, 2014: inky, deep, fruity, serious, big.

☛RESTAURANTS VISITED, with information and rating: 2016
(2015 restaurants)