My family all know how to make the traditional cakes, but assure me that mine are the best... They think I don't see through that ruse!
A lot of people still bake here. All my close relatives do, apart from my sister in Australia. She hates cooking!
The house smells wonderful and, for me, this is the real start of the season. When the cakes and black buns are baked, I store them in airtight containers and once a week, I 'feed' them with brandy or malt whisky. The cakes get marzipanned and iced in the week leading up to Christmas.
I try to alternate the bird for Christmas, Norfolk bronze turkey or goose. I serve it with all the usual sides, bread sauce, kilted sausages, honey glazed carrots, roast parsnips and potatoes, home made pork and sage stuffing balls and cranberry sauce and a port reduction gravy.
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