On the first day of Christmas the landlord served to me: a pint of Xmas ale, three mince pies, two spiced quail, one plum pudding - and a huge plate of roast turkey…
Yes, the festive season is upon us. So this December why not step back to Christmas past with a feast of classic dishes paired with sumptuous beers?
Here's my own Twelve Dishes of Christmas - two starters, eight main courses and two desserts - all glitzed up for the big occasion and partnered by some gorgeous ales.
To start:
•Creamy chestnut and blue cheese soup. Beer: a jolly Christmas ale with fun name/bottle label to get everyone in the mood, such as Legless Santa, Rosey Nosey, Rudolph's Revenge, Christmas Cracker, Lords-A-Leaping, Mr Scrooge's Humbug Bitter, and many more.
•Salmon and prawn terrine wrapped in smoked salmon. Beer: a citrussy wheat beer such as Belgian Hoegaarden or English Sparkling Wit.
To follow:
•Roast turkey (or turkey breast) with wild boar sausage cakes (de-skin wild boar sausages and form into small cakes), and a cranberry and port sauce. Beer: a big, spicy Christmas ale such as Fuller's annual bottled Vintage Ale, or 'champagne' Belgian beer Chimay Grande Reserve at nine per cent.
•Festive individual venison pies of minced venison flavoured with nutmeg, cinnamon and crystallised ginger. Beer: a wineglass of barley wine such as Green Jack Ripper (current Champion Winter Beer of Britain) or Woodforde's Headcracker "with sultana plumminess."
•Pot roasted pheasant flamed in calvados and cooked in cherry beer. Beer: O'Hanlon's Port Stout or Liefman's Kriek - a sweet 'n' sour cherry beer.
•Roast gammon studded with cloves accompanied by caramelised pears and cider gravy spiked with cider brandy. Beer: a dark porter with the sweet edge of roast malt.
•Roast leg of pork with cinnamon crackling (rub oil into crackling and sprinkle with cinnamon), accompanied by dessert apples stuffed with dried fruit steeped in sloe gin. Beer: classic pale ale, bottle-conditioned White Shield.
•Crispy duck breast and confit duck leg with kumquat and Cointreau sauce. Beer: RCH bottled Ale Mary, originally created for Christmas, with orange fruit, coriander and ginger, or a Xmas ale with dried fruit palate.
•Roast goose with plum and damson wine sauce. Beer: a spicy winter ale, bottled gooseberry beer Grozet to cut through any greasiness, or even damson beer.
•My vegetarian special - a large mushroom stuffed with wild mushroom pate topped with a few redcurrants, wrapped in puff pastry, served with a champagne and truffle sauce. Beer: current Supreme Champion Beer of Britain, Hobsons Mild, packed with roast malt, or Theakston Old Peculier.
To finish:
•Traditional Christmas Pudding. Beer: Just made for a dark, spicy, fruity Christmas beer - wine simply can't compete! If you make your own puddings, soak the dried fruit in the Xmas ale for 48 hours before use.
•Dark chocolate, chestnut and brandy mousse decorated with white chocolate twirls. Beer: sparkling raspberry beer or Young's Double Chocolate Stout.
And a very hoppy Christmas to you all.