One of the more bizarre annual rituals of the food world are the various Christmas in July events put on for folks in the magazine world who work months in advance. So Hot Dinners found ourselves surrounded by fairy lights and poinsettia in a warehouse just off Carnaby Street yesterday for the Morrisons Xmas do.
Normally, we have to admit, Morrisons isn't a draw in quite the same way as Waitrose with Heston and Delia as its ambassadors. But the supermarket has just poached executive chef Neil Nugent from Waitrose eight weeks ago, so we were wondering what kind of difference he'd make.
From first impressions it's going to be an interesting time for the supermarket which apparently is now Britain's fastest-growing chain. 'Waitrose was a Michelin kind of job,' he told us, 'but the people at Morrisons are so ambitious. They're different because they own most of their suppliers. From the farm right to the plate - no other retailer does that, that's what really excites me.'
Things to look out for this Christmas from Nugent's range include the crackling turkey - turkey wrapped in a pork loin with crackling (we kid you not) and the rack of lamb with a parsnip and chocolate crust. Hints that Nugent's been watching trends in London and Scandinavia came out with the hay-smoked ham 'it has a lovely sweet flavour'.
Normally based in Yorkshire, Nugent had spent the week in London and was full of praise for a meal he'd had the night before in Koffmann's in Knightsbridge. 'The best food I'd had in ages - amazing,' he raved. 'There was a ox cheek dish which I can still taste now - it was beautiful.'
