tasty recipes for the holiday season.

*** TRADITIONAL CHESTNUT STUFFING 1 lb peeled chestnuts 1 cup onion, minced 1 cup celery tops, minced 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 8 cups bread cubes (packaged is okay) 1 tbs fresh thyme 1 tbs or more freshly-rubbed sage generous pinch of nutmeg small bunch of parsley, minced 1 cup raisins, plumped in 1 cup Gosling's Black Seal Rum 2 medium apples, peeled, chopped 1 tbs salt (or to taste) 11 tsp freshly ground pepper In a pan of water, place the boiled, peeled chestnuts along with a small halved onion, and a little sugar and salt. Bring to a oil and simmer 35 minutes until tender. Drain, cool and chop.

For the stuffing: Saute' the onions in butter until translucent. Add the celery tops and cook another couple of minutes. Add the bread cubes 1 cup at a time, stirring well with each addition. Allow the cubes to saute' until golden. Transfer to a large earthenware bowl. Add thyme, sage, nutmeg, parsley, raisins, Gosling's Black Seal Rum, apples, chestnuts, and salt and pepper and mix with your hands. Allow to cool completely. Stuffing may be prepared ahead. Do not stuff bird until just before it goes into the oven. See chart on previous page for cooking times.

To successfully peel a chestnut, make an 'x' on the shell with a sharp knife and either plunge them into boiling water for about 2 minutes, drain and cool, or roast them in the oven (400 degrees or over an open fire) until they split open. Peel away the hard shell and inner shell and proceed.

*** HOLIDAY SMOKED HAM 2 cups apple sauce 2 cup brown sugar 1 cup Coleman's English Mustard 1 tbs ground cloves 2 tsp cornstarch 1 ham, bone-in Score the ham by forming a grid across the fat. Mix together all the above except the cornstarch. Moisten the cornstarch with a little water, stir until smooth and add to the apple sauce mixture. Now rub down the ham with the mixture, making sure it gets in the crevices and clings all around. This may be done a few hours ahead, and the oven-ready ham kept refrigerated.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, 25 minutes. The rub should form a nice, lightly-golden crust. Serve hot or at room temperature.

*** STANDING RIB ROAST For 6-8 Served with Yorkshire Pudding and Stilton Peppercorn Sauce.

Still very much a Christmas favourite, especially with those who have a portrait of the Queen somewhere in the house. Buy the beef a few days ahead and dry-age in your refrigerator by setting the rib in a paper towel-lined pan. After 3-4 days, the rib will have lost a little weight, but the flavours will have become considerably more concentrated. If a dried crust develops on the ends, take off a thin slice and proceed.

FOR THE SAUCE 1 lb or more of Stilton cheese, softened 1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature) 1 cup Gosling's Black Seal Rum 2 tbs green peppercorns or mixed peppercorns 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup minced parsley FOR THE YORKSHIRE PUDDING 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup flour 1 tsp salt 1 cup water 2-3 tbs hot beef fat FOR THE ROAST 10-lb sanding rib roast, bones `frenched' (last 2 inches scraped clean) 4 cloves garlic, cut in slivers 4-5 tbs prepared Coleman's England Mustard freshly ground black pepper TO PREPARE THE BEEF Tie the fat in place with butcher's string. Make little pockets in the beef with a small knife and secret pieces of garlic in each. Smear all over with the mustard and generously pepper the roast.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Cover the bone ends with foil and place in a heavy roasting pan. Put meat in oven and lower the heat to 350 degrees and cook for 45 minutes. Cover the fat loosely with foil and cook another 75 minutes for rare (125 degrees on meat thermometer). Remove foil in last 10 minutes if more browning is desired. Let stand 5 minutes or so before slicing.

STILTON PEPPERCORN SAUCE Make the sauce by creaming together the cheese and the butter until smooth.

Bring the Gosling's Black Seal Rum to a boil and add the peppercorn. Reduce the liquid until nearly evaporated, then add the cream and reduce by half.

Lower the heat and slowly whisk in the cheese-butter mixture. Do not allow to boil. Whisk in the parsley and serve in a warmed gravy boat.

YORKSHIRE PUDDING Beat together the eggs and the milk and whisk in the flour, salt and water.

About 20 minutes before the roast is done, remove the beef fat from the roasting pan to a 10-inch skillet. Heat the skillet in the oven for about 10 minutes. Pour the prepared batter into the skillet bake in the oven with the roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes until puffed and golden. If you happen to have 2 ovens, bake it in the separate oven. Don't forget to pre-heat.

Recipes from the Spirit of Bermuda Cookbook ROAST TURKEY SUPREME 1 12-pound turkey 2 tablespoons salt 1 teaspoon Season-All 1 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning 1 teaspoon Nutmeg 1 teaspoon dry Mustard Butter or oil Clean and rinse cavity and outside of turkey; wipe dry. Combine seasonings and rub inside and outside of turkey (If desired, lightly fill neck and body cavities with stuffing. You will find a variety of stuffing recipes in this chapter.) Skewer neck skin to back. Fold wing tips back and under, in toward the body, or skewer to the body. Fasten body cavity with skewers and lace shut. Tie drumsticks to tail or push under bridge of skin. Place turkey on rack in shallow open pan. Rub butter or oil over entire surface of bird. If a meat thermometer is used, insert so the bulb is in the centre of the inside thigh muscle or the thickest part of the breast meat. Cover top and sides with butter-moistened cheesecloth or aluminium foil (If cheese-cloth dries during cooking, moisten it with pan drippings.) Roast in 325 degrees F. oven 5 hours or until meat thermometer registers 190 degrees F. The bird is also sufficiently cooked when the drumsticks move easily from side to side. Serves 8.

NOTE: For variety, other seasonings may be used instead of the ones listed above. Since suggested seasonings are: Bon Appetit, ground Thyme, Curry Powder, rubbed Sage, Savory, Onion Powder, White Pepper, Paprika and Ginger.

*** CROWN ROAST OF LAMB Festive and very special for grand occasions; a succulent crown of lamb delicately spiced with Cardamom and Orange Peel.

1 teaspoon dry Mustard 1 teaspoon Cardamom 1 teaspoon Orange Peel 1 teaspoon bon Appetit 1 teaspoon ground Marjoram 1 teaspoon Black Pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 14-rib crown roast of lamb (about 3 pounds) Stuffing Combine seasonings and rub over roast. Place on rack in shallow roasting pan.

Fill centre with Basic Bread Stuffing. Roast in 325 degrees F oven 2 hours (about 35 minutes per pound), or until meat thermometer registers 170 degrees F to 185 degrees F., depending upon desired degree of doneness. You may roast the crown roast of lamb without the stuffing and when ready to serve, fill center with cooked minted peas or a combination of cooked carrots and potato balls. Serves 6 to 7.

VARIATIONS: Herbed Crown Roast -- Instead of marjoram in above recipe, use 1 teaspoon of one of the following: Thyme, Rosemary or Herb Seasoning.

Substitute Season-All for Bon Appetit.

Gingered Crown Roast -- Add 1 teaspoon Ginger to seasonings suggested in above recipes.

*** ROAST GOOSE SUPERB 1 10-pound goose 1 teaspoon Black Pepper 2 teaspoons Bon Appetit 2 teaspoons Season-All 1 teaspoon Onion Powder 1 teaspoon dry Mustard 1 teaspoon Nutmeg 1 tablespoon salt Water or dry white wine for basting 1 teaspoon Marjoram Leaves 1 tablespoon Celery Flakes 1 teaspoon Parsley Flakes 1 teaspoon Bon Appetit 1 cup dry white wine 1 Bay Leaf 2 cups water Flour Rinse goose inside and outside and pat dry. Combine pepper, the 2 teaspoons Bon Appetite, Season-All, onion powder, dry mustard, nutmeg and salt; rub inside cavity and over outside of goose. Turn the skin of the neck backward and fasten with skewer. (If desired, stuff cavity with 16 dried prunes and 4 tart apples which have been peeled, cored and quartered. Sew up the vent.) Tie the legs together loosely. Prick well all over with a 2-tined fork. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast in 400 degrees F. oven 20 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees F. and continue to roast, allowing 30 minutes per pound. Baste several times with small amount of water or wine. If goose browns too rapidly, cover breast and drumsticks with cheesecloth, moistened with goose fat. Remove cheesecloth during the last hour of roasting to crisp skin. Pour off most of the fat as it accumulates in the pan. (Save every drop of the goose fat. It is a real treasure in cooking!) While goose is roasting, place the giblets and neck in a saucepan; add marjoram leaves, celery flakes, parsley flakes, Bon Appetit, wine, bay leaf and water. Bring to boil and simmer 21 to 3 hours.

Strain the broth; reserve for gravy. Chop giblets. When goose is done, remove to heated platter. Pour off fat, leaving the browned bits in roasting pan; stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons flour, cooking until bubbly and lightly browned.

Gradually add the broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of pan to remove all the brown bits. Add the chopped giblets and simmer about 5 minutes. Serve gravy in sauceboat. Serve goose with stewed apples and prunes or the fruit used for stuffing. Well worth the time it takes to prepare.

Recipes from Spices of the World Cookbook.

*** CASSAVA PIE 4 lbs. Cassava 3 lb. soft butter 2 cups sugar 1 tablespoon salt 12 eggs (beaten) This is the recipe used in our family. Many other families add: 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla Place the Cassava in a dish towel and squeeze out all of the liquid. Place the Cassava in a bowl.

Cream butter and sugar in a larger bowl, add beaten eggs then Cassava. Mix well. FILLING: Simmer until cooked 4 to 5 pounds of chicken with 2 teaspoons of salt, a sprig of thyme and a few stalks of celery. When cooked, cool the chicken. Discard bones and skin. Reserve the broth. You may prefer to use 3 pound of cooked chicken and 1 pound cooked cubed, lean pork.

Our family prefers a filling of chicken only.

Generously grease a deep pan about 11x9x4 inches with shortening. DO NOT USE butter or oil sprays. These cause the pie to brown too quickly.

Place half of the batter in the pan building it up on the sides. Place meat filling in the pie. Moisten this with about 3 cup liquid poured evenly over it. Cover with remaining Cassava mixture and smooth down making a design with a knife.

Bake the pie at 300 degrees F for about 3 hours.

If you notice the pie shrinking from the sides of the pan before the 3 hours then the pie is cooked.

Remove the pie from the oven and cool covered with a damp dishtowel and foil.

This will keep the crust from becoming hard. I usually cook my pie on Christmas eve so that it can be eaten at room temperature with baked ham on Christmas morning. Cassava pie can be eaten cold or warmed.

Many calories? Of course! I understand an average slice contains from 500-1000 calories depending on the pie's contents.

The above recipe should be sufficient for a family of 4.

FARINA PIE Many Bermudians prefer Farina pie.

Farina is the dried starch of the Cassava. It must be soaked before using. 1 lb. farina 1 lb. butter 6 eggs 1 12 cups sugar 1 level tablespoon salt 3 tin evaporated milk (about 9 ozs.) 2 lbs. cooked chicken 1 cup chicken broth Damp the Farina with 2 cups of water. Let stand for 2 or more hours. Prepare the Farina pie the same as the Cassava pie. Bake for 2 hours at 325 degrees F.

*** CANDIED SWEET POTATOES 6 sweet potatoes 1 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup water 1 small tin of pineapple chunks Boil the sweet potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. In a skillet melt the butter and brown sugar. Add pineapple chunks and sweet potatoes. Turn potatoes until brown on all sides. Add water and cover.

Baked at 300 degrees F for 30 minutes.

*** CHRISTMAS PUDDING 11 cups shortening 11 cups brown sugar 4 eggs 6 cups bread crumbs 1 box seedless raisins 2 cups mixed peel 1 cup cherries 2 cups rum 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp salt 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp cloves 1 tbs cinnamon Tasty delicious recipes Cream shortening and sugar. Add beaten eggs and all other ingredients. Mix well.

Steam in a pudding mould for 6 hours.

LEMON SAUCE FOR PUDDING 1 cup sugar 1 tbs cornstarch pinch of salt pinch of nutmeg 2 tbs butter 2 tbs lemon juice 1 cup boiling water Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt and nutmeg. Add boiling water gradually. Simmer over low heat until thick and clear. Add lemon juice and butter. Mix well.

Serve with Christmas pudding.

Recipes from The Bermuda Cookbook *** OLD ENGLISH MINCEMEAT RECIPE 3 lbs. suet 1 lb. raisins 1 lb. apples peeled and cored 1 lb. currants 1 lb. sugar 14 lb. mixed peel 1 cup rum spices to taste (cinnamon and allspice) Put all the fruit, peel and suet through a mincer mix thoroughly with the rest of the ingredients. Store in glass jars until ready to use. Much better if made several weeks before using. Makes about 4-5 lbs.

Recipes from St. Johns Guild Pot Pourri EASY MINCE TARTS Use frozen puff pastry or patty shells 6 frozen patty shells -- defrosted 11 cups mincemeat Defrost 6 frozen patty shells. Roll one into a 6'' square. Cut into 3 oblong pieces.

Stretch each piece to fit into a boat-shaped tin or small muffin tin.

Reroll pastry scraps and line a 4th. tin. Repeat with remaining patty shells.

Prick pastry with a fork. Fill each unbaked pastry shell with 1 tbp.

mincemeat. Bake at 400 degrees F. 20 mins. 2 doz.

*** CHRISTMAS EGG-NOG 12 egg yolks 1 cup granulated sugar 1 bottle (26 oz.) Jamaica rum 12 egg whites 1 qt. heavy cream, whipped 1 qt. (approx.) milk nutmeg Beat egg yolks until thick and light. Gradually beat in sugar. Slowly stir in rum. cover; chill for at least 3 hours. Before serving pour mixture into punch bowl and fold in whipped cream, egg whites beaten stiff, and enough milk to thin as desired. Serve sprinkled with nutmeg in punch cups.

Recipe from What's Cooking in Bermuda.