CHRISTMAS SURVIVAL GUIDE

2015

‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLy...In case you hadn’t noticed, Christmas is nearly here. So to celebrate our first ever Christmas, we wanted to spread some cheer of our own.

Now, we all know this is a special time of year, one where we get to spend much needed quality time with our friends, family and loved ones. But we also know that, if we’re honest, Christmas can be a bit of a challenge. It’s the only time of year that we’re expected to redecorate our entire house; serve up faultless food to 18 people, three times a day; choose, find and wrap thoughtful gifts for everybody we know (and their kids); and do it all with a serene and festive smile on our face.

So we’ve put together this Christmas Survival Guide to try and make things a bit easier. We’ve gathered some words of wisdom from the traders and small businesses who make Pop Brixton so special, and packaged them up as a little early present.

So read on for alternative Christmas recipes you won’t find anywhere else, last minute gift ideas (not that you would need them, of course), suggestions for how to entertain your family over the break, and some good old fashioned words of winter wisdom.

Merry Brixmas everyone.

FESTIVE FAVOURITESWe all know what the best thing about Christmas really is... eating, drinking and being merry. The traders here at Pop Brixton have been serving up seasonal specials for the last few months, and now we’ve asked for their top tips for feeding the family over the break.

The boys at Boombocs shared their passion for mince pies with us, claming that they are simply compulsory every day at Christmas. But when you’re fed up of turkey, pigs in blankets and cranberry sauce, you might be ready for a bit of a change.

So let our food and drink experts inspire you with a few of their own festive favourites.

TURKEY BONE NOODLE SOUPFrom Kyonocha Sushi

INGREDIENTS:

Turkey bones1/2 Jar goose fat or roasting oil 50g Shiitake mushrooms5 Cloves whole garlic50g Sliced Ginger2 Large leeks , sliced thickly2 Large carrots, sliced thickly50g Brown sugar150ml Sake or white wine

METHOD:

Add all ingredients to a large lidded pan and add water to cover, then the same amount again.

Simmer on a medium bubble with lid slightly off for about 5 hours replacing any water boiled away.

Strain the liquid and use it as a noodle stock, adding a splash of soy and a pinch of sugar to taste with ramen or udon noodles.

For a deeper flavour simmer for another 3 hours at least adding another tablespoon of goosefat.

BRUSSEL SPrOUT KIMCHIFrom Kyonocha Sushi

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag Brussels sproutsPinch of ginger and garlic1 Jar KimChi NoMoto (available online or direct from Japan Centre, Sriracha Sauce is an acceptable substitute)2 large tablespoons of sea salt

METHOD:

Prepare sprouts as you normally would, slicing in half. Add all the salt to sprouts, mix well then let sit for at least 1 hour.

Drain and wash thoroughly to drain salt away then mix with half of the kimchi NoMoto and leave for at least 24 hours.

Then enjoy as the perfect accompaniment to your turkey noodles!

Ron & Hirokofrom Kyonocha Sushi

JERK TURKEYFrom mama’s JErk

INGREDIENTS:

1 x 3-4kg Whole Turkey (free range Is better). Split in half butterfly style.

Jerk Marinade:2 x Sliced scotch bonnet peppers½ Bunch fresh thyme – chopped6 Cloves of garlic chopped2 x Bunch of scallions (spring onion)2-3 Tbsp ground allspice or pimen-to2 Tbsp salt2 Tsp ground black pepper2 Tbsp natural honeyJuice of 1 lime½ Cup vegetable oil ½ Cup water

METHOD:

Roughly chop the scallion, garlic, peppers & thyme, then blend all the other marinade ingredients using a hand blender or mixer until it forms a thick paste. This is your Jerk Marinade.

Lightly score the turkey with a sharp knife to allow the marinade to soak deep into the meat, Rub the meat with the Jerk Marinade (remembering to leave some for basting) then refrigerate for 24 hours so the meat starts to ten-derise and is infused with the Jerk Marinade.

Grill the turkey slowly over a grill (preferably a low heat charcoal & wood smoke BBQ) turning and basting the turkey every 15- 20 minutes and basting with the re-maining marinade sauce.

This should take around 1.5 hours for the turkey to be fully cooked with a crisp golden brown skin.Once cooked, cover with foil and leave to rest.

Serve with spicy sweet potatoes, BBQ corn on the cob, grilled plantain, coleslaw & salad.

WINTER ROAST PORKFrom SCHULTZ VAN DYKES

INGREDIENTS:

Dried chilli flakes18 Fresh bay leaves2 Large onionsSalt & black pepperExtra virgin olive oilA bottle of good dry ciderA quality pork joint with lots of skin

METHOD:

Roughly chop the onions and lay in aroasting pan, with the bay leaves on top. Rest the meat on top of the onions and bay leaves and rub in olive oil, salt and chili flakes all over the pork’s skin and meat.

Put into pre heated oven around 200 for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat and roast 1.5/2 hours. Check crackling and if it’s not quite there then baste and whack up the heat. When done take pork from pan and leave to rest.

Place roasting pan on stove add bottle of cider to the juices onion and bay leaf left from roasting and bring the boil. Cut pork into thick slabs, pour over jus and enjoy!

COLA BAKED GAMMONFROM SCHULTZ VAN DYKES

INGREDIENTS:

Smoked gammon jointOnionBay leafBlack peppercornsLarge bottle of cola (the sugary one)English mustardBrown sugarBreadcrumbs

METHOD:

Check the boiling time for your gammon joint, then place it in a large pan. Add half an onion, the bay leaf, and a few black peppercorns.

Cover the join with cola, cover the pan and boil for the time described Keep covered whilst cooking. When the time is right, remove gammon and allow to cool slightly. Remove the rind from your gammon but do not remove the fat underneath.

Make a paste with the English mustard, brown sugar and breadcrumbs. Pat this paste onto the fat, then roast for 15 minutes in a hot oven. Then serve up!

MULLED MERLoTFrom THE NEW ZEALAND CELLAR

INGREDIENTS:

2 Bottles of Merlot2 Clementines1 Stick cinnamon2 Star anise6 Cloves1 Teaspoon grated nutmeg15g Caster SugarA Dash of Lemon Juice

METHOD:

Add sugar to the pan on a very low heat, carefully peel the skins away from the clementines and add to the sugar, squeeing some of the juice into the mixture.

Add cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, and slowly stir in half a bottle of Merlot.

When all the sugar has dissolved and you’ve got a nice syrup, add the dash of lemon, the star anise and the remaining wine.

Keep stirring every so often over a low heat until the wine is warmed through. Now you should have a perfect mulled wine ready for your guests.

Rosie & Mel from The New Zealand Cellar

HOHOHODOWNWINTER PUNCHFrom ZOE’S GHANA KITCHEN

INGREDIENTS:

40ml Whitley Neill Gin40ml Port20ml Fresh orange juice10ml Sugar syrupProsecco

METHOD:

Build in the glass and garnish with orange, or turn it into a huge punch bowl. Finish by topping the punch with prosecco.

Simple as that.

You know it’s Ghana be tasty.

Zoe fromZoe’s Ghana Kitchen

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS...Christmas is a time for giving. But it’s only too obvious that picking the right presents is tricky. There’s only so many more times we can muster the strength to put on ‘that face’ when yet another pair of stripy socks emerges from the wrapping paper.

So Pop Brixton is takng a stand, to try and put the excitement back into Christmas giving. We have asked our fashionistas and retailers for their expert gift-giving tips, and to tell us about how they handle the struggles of Christmas shopping themselves.

Our traders have been offering alternatives to the normal high street present fodder all year, and here are a few of their suggestions for how to get the right gift for any of the loved ones in your life.

For eveyone who is still struggling with the last few names on their Christmas shopping list, look no further.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS...

Sarah from Make Do & Mend is here to help solve all your last minute gift dilemas without having to brave the Oxford Street scrum.

For Her

“For the lady in your life you can’t go wrong with a bit of sparkle to put a smile on her face on Christmas morning. Pick out a vintage style piece, such as our Fleur de Lis gold necklace or one of our beautiful glass and marcasite rings, and she’ll treas-ure it forever.

Or how about one of our vintage sequined tops, perfect to wear on Christmas Day at lunch or to light up your NYE Party! Go for classic pieces like this, that will never go out of fashion. Pair with tailored trousers or skinny jeans and a heel for a perfect relaxed but glamourous look this Christ-mas.”

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS...

For Him

“If its the man in your life your stuck looking for. How about a vintage novelty Xmas sweater? Perfect to wear down to the pub and cosy enough to fall asleep on the sofa with!

For a fun gift, we stock a selec-tion of vintage and vintage in-spired shirts from ourselves and our fabulous stockists - Friday on my Mind Vintage and Shoop Doop London.

Whether you need a funky paisely shirt for your boyfriend, a crazy lobster shirt for your food loving dad or a classic denim vintage shirt for a difficult to buy for cousin we’ve got all your bases covered!”

Sarah from Make Do & Mend

“Well do you need to ask? Everybody needs a Boombocs! I actually think my parents will be getting a per-sonalised BoomBocs this year. I’m usually pretty good at giv-ing presents - I don’t generally buy things, I make them. This has varied from making picture frames filled with pictures to writing songs and making the lyrics into some kind of wall-hanging. I’m absolutely terrible at wrapping though. One year I completely forgot to wrap them, so when I got home from the pub at 2am on Christmas Eve, I drunkenly put them all in black binliners and stuck them under the tree. My bad.”

Jonny from Boombocs

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS...

“‘Let’s face it – Christmas gifts can become uninspired and boring. We have become an army of profes-sional ‘pretenders’. So at London Barberhood we are campaigning to take the pants out of Christmas.

Say no to socks, and give the gift of looking and feeling great this Christmas with a London Barber-hood gift voucher for your loved ones, to spend on pampering and grooming.”

Ben from London Barberhood

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a bit of sparkle. So Queen of the Harpies are encouraging us to go one step further than wrapping your tree in tinsel.

“Nothing spreads Christmas cheer like a matching set of sparkly underwear. So treat yourself, or any of the adventurous Harpies in your life, to this intricate hand adorned bra and pantie set. This year, all that glitters ain’t gold!”

Leanne from Queen of the Harpies

PICK OF THE PANTOSFrom CHINA PLATE THEATRE

Our resident experts have reviewed London’s winter theatre offerings and are offering their pick of the best places to head with the kids and grandkids when you need to escape the house:

Town Hall Cherubs at Battersea Arts Centre

The Snow Childat The Unicorn

Wow Said the Owl at Little Angel Theatre

The Little Bird Who Stayed for Winter at the Roundhouse

The Railway Childrenat Kings Cross Theatre

... and for when you need a moment away from the kids, here’s a tip that’s strictly for grown ups!

La Soireeat the Southbank Centre

“Don’t only wait till Christmas to show someone you love them, do it every day and any day you can!”

Ray from Sunshine International Arts

“Reuse, recycle, revive, remake – restore! Bring Restoration Brixton any old or newly new items that

could benefit from a new lease of life, we will touch up, Repair and restore these items turning them into perfect

Xmas gifts for family or friends.”

Tinka from Restoration Brixton

“Don’t let anyone be alone this Christmas.”

Kwaku, Site Manager at Pop Brixton

WORDS OF WINTER WISDOM

from

Join us again to ring in the New Year, and get January off to the right start. We’ll be kicking off 2016 with a

calendar designed to inspire everyone to try something new for the New Year. From Capoeira to cooking class-es; skateparks to Supper Clubs, anyone can find some-

thing new to distract them from the January blues.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Love from everyone at Pop Brixton.

MERRY XMAS AND A HAPPY

NEW YEAR

Photo Credits: Lee Arucci