I've never had the pleasure of staying at the London Ritz, although I've been fortunate enough to stay at the downtown Atlanta branch, as well one at Amelia Island, Florida--my experiences there were so positive that I can't help but to think that celebrating the holidays at any Ritz would be a happy and festive occasion. This is a place that knows how to indulge its clientele. According to this tiny book, those fortunate to stay at the London Ritz have small individual trees in their rooms, as well as stockings thoughtfully filled by Santas among the staff. (For those with no limit on their credit card, one suite offers having a choir come in and sing as you open presents. This is probably wonderful if you don't mind people seeing you in a state of dishelvement, but seems more than a little daunting to yours truly.)
The book also highlights some of the history behind the holiday--the popularity of Christmas trees in England following Prince Albert's example, and the story behind fruitcake, as well as other little interesting tidbits.
Well, what about the recipes? All have metric/imperial measures as well as cup (i.e. 'regular'), no matter what side of the Atlantic you find yourself, you should have no trouble following the recipes. Only one soup offering, Celeriac and Stilton Soup--okay, this I didn't even try to make as the name itself seemed unappetizing, although apparently it's a good way to use up turkey leftovers. Glazed Ham sounds sweet and spicy and delicious, but depends on ginger wine, which I've had no luck finding. Raised Game Pie, made with pheasant and rabbit, is doubtless wonderful if you have access to those two meats. I don't, and quite frankly, find the idea of combining them further with pork sausage a little too heavy. Roast Turkey with Chestnut and Sausagemeat Stuffing--ah, here we have something even we Americans can appreciate! The neck is filled with Chestnut stuffing, the rest of the bird with the sausagemeat variety. This is a traditional preparation, and if you forget the frequent basting, you may find yourself with a dry turkey. (The recommendation to surround the finished bird with sausages seems a bit much, as well. But if you have dedicated sausage-eaters in your family, it could be a good idea). If you prefer something more English in tone, perhaps the traditional Cold Spiced Beef or Goose with Prune Stuffing will be more to your liking. For myself, I love the Stollen recipe (even if it is more traditionally German than English) and Plum Pudding, for a sweet and spicy ending to the meal. The book closes with a variety of potent Yuletide Cocktails. (Fie with the milk and cookies for Santa--one of these will leave him feeling much more generous!)
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