Keeping Christmas Dinner Local - Blandford Fourm

If you're anything like us, the real meaning of Christmas is a giant plate full of tasty roasted meats and veg. And it will all taste so much better if its fresh and locally produced, so here's our guide to the best of local produce for your Christmas Roast.

Turkey

Our advice is to go bronze when it comes to turkey, the flavour is much better. East Farm Shop out at Winterborne Whitechurch supply Christmas turkeys bred at Thornicombe, so nice and local but be quick with ordering that as they will sell out. If you don't mind going a little further, Chilcott Turkeys out at Owermoigne are well worth the miles.

Turkey has a bit of a reputation for being difficult to cook, in particular the drying out of the breast meat. This can be gotten around very simply by cooking the turkey upside down for a more even roast, and use a meat thermometer for the best results.

Stuffing

For the last three years now we have impressed guests at Christmas dinner with my spectacular venison and cranberry stuffing. Now, we must confess - it's a cheat. I buy it from L&C Game who have a great stall at Blandford Farmer's Market. It really adds something different to the christmas table, and it's delicious.

Cranberry Sauce

For real, locally made Cranberry Sauce you'd better try From Dorset With Love's offering. Order from the website or pick up a jar at the Yuletide Festival on the 14th December, where From Dorset with Love will have a stall inside the Crown Hotel.

Roast Potatoes

For many years we thought the King Edward was the ultimate roasting potato but now that well-known spud has been usurped by the mighty Wilja. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside - they're unbeatable in our view. You can often find wiljas at the Blandford Farmers market, or Stokes occasionaly has them but you can be certain to buy them at Vines out on the A31. And use goose fat to roast them in, anything else does them a disservice. Pick some up at Mato's or Bilsland's.

Vegetables

If you can't catch the market, Stokes has to be your first call for vegetables, or perhaps try Riverford Organics box delivery scheme. Veg is a personal thing, everyone's idea of the perfect Christmas dinner is slightly different - we always roast some biggish mushrooms for my Christmas dinner and we're lucky to have Dorset Down mushrooms available at Stokes or you can get them at Wimborne Farmers market every Firday. A sprinkle of salt and a bit of butter and oil is all they need.

So what about you? What local products would you not be without come Christmas dinner time?