4 1 8 DECEMBER 2022 Weekending Photograph: Raise the Roof Productions, The Piv at Combe, Riki Chettri / 500px Rise and shine or lie-in? I’m50:50. I love a lie-in, but I don’t likemissing things, so it’s usually: “Come on, get up, get out of the house!” Breakfast or brunch? I try not to eat breakfast, but if I’ve got people staying over it’s one of my favouritemeals to cook. I’ll do roast tomatoes, poached eggs, sausages, and avocado on toast with chilli flakes. I love hot ginger and lemon in themorning, but it takes ages to grate the ginger, so every two weeks I do a big batch and put them in ice-cube trays in the freezer. Relaxing or raring to go? I’mnot a sitting-down person. My father was an auctioneer andmymother was an interior decorator, so I’membedded in the concept that on Saturdaymornings you get up and go to a local auction room. I spendmy weekends more in Devon than London, and there are lots of auctions and antique shops near us. That’s what we really like to do. Cook from scratch or buy it in? From scratch. Mymost-thumbed cookbooks are Ottolenghi’s Simple, which is a game changer. Diana Henry’s From the Oven to the Table is really good if you have people coming over, and Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook is sensational. Is there much food in Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas? Actually, we have quite a bit of cooking. I originally vetoed an edible wreath, because I’d had a previous experience with choux pastry, but I was really pleased that I was talked around. We also have pasta crackers, and the boozy hot chocolate is really good. Pub grub or restaurant? Unless pub inspecting is your job, you can’t have seen as many pubs as me and Phil [Spencer, cohost of Location, Location, Location]. When we’re filming, wemeet in a pub, have lunch in a pub, then do the house o ers in a pub – I should get paid to rate themas a sideline. So probably not pub grub. There’s a hotel near us called The Pig at Combe – I love eating in the orangery. What do you eat on Christmas Day? We’re abroad this year. We’ll have steak and chips, controversially, and puréed Brussels sprouts, also controversially because it turns out no one else does them. You parboil the sprouts, then roast them, then put them in a blender with some crème fraîche, marron glacé and salt and pepper. I just don’t understand why it isn’t more common. Book, e-reader or audiobook? Audiobook, because I like doing things. Recent ones that I’ve enjoyed are John Sweeney’s Killer in the Kremlin, Bill Browder’s Red Notice, and The Palace Papers by Tina Brown. And Lynda La Plante has written a whole lot of prequels to the Prime Suspect books, which are really good. Early night or up all night? I am the definition of a binge watcher. I’m really bad. I liked Yellowstone, 1883, and I cannot recommend Sherwood more highly. Once I get into something I’ll watch until 3am– I have my iPad on the bedside table and I fall asleep with it on. Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas is on Friday (9 December), Channel 4, 8pm. Interview: EmmaHigginbotham FOOD FAVOURITES Kirstie (left) cooks a hearty breakfast for overnight guests, to include eggs and avocado on toast (below); The Pig at Combe (bottom) KIRSTIE ALLSOPP Myweekend The TV presenter, 51, lives in west London and Devonwith partner Ben Andersen and their sons, Bay and Oscar
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