Christmas Eve is the sparkly magical wait before the big event.

Mince pies are being defrosted and dredged in snowy icing sugar, we bundle up in coats and gloves and hats and march around the local countryside for a walk, and the radio serenades us with gentle Christmas music. (Nothing too happy-clappy though, thank you, it’s been a bumpy end to the year, although I did hear Britney’s Christmas track in Paperchase the other day and I even lingered in the shop to listen, again it’s a strange time, I don’t know what I’m doing).

When we were children, Fiona and I were allowed to open a present on Christmas Eve. It was an early treat, probably to kerb the nonstop nagging, hyperactivity and demands for it to be Christmas Day NOW. Luckily, we don’t need that kind of soothing these days, however, I’ll never say no to being soothed with edibles.

So, this morning, I indulged myself. I’ll never dismiss my treasured granola, but I saw the bacon, the bread, the marmalade and window of opportunity.

As the bacon fried, I buttered the bread and turned them buttered-side down in the pan of bacon fat. They soaked up all the salt and crisped into salty dark patches. I spread a piece of this bacon bread with a thick layer of bitter marmalade, topped with the bacon, and squashed down that top bread layer. No need for ketchup, brown sauce, or whatever other sundries we like in our sarnies; the marmalade complemented that salty rich meat with sticky sugar, and its thick cut orange rind added a twist of bitterness. I ate and the molten marmalade dripped onto my plate and I wiped it up with the crusts.

Treat yourself this Christmas and have a lovely holiday!

Merry Christmas!

Bacon and marmalade sandwich

I can’t believe I’m leaving a sandwich recipe, but there you go…

• 2 slices of fresh crusty bread
• Butter for spreading
• 2 tsp marmalade, preferably thick-cut
• 2 slices of back bacon – I used unsmoked, but this is probably delicious with smokey bacon which begs for sweetness in much the same way I’m begging for a hair cut these days

1. Heat a frying pan on medium high heat and fry your bacon. Meanwhile, butter the bread and turn them butter-side down in the pan to gently fry.
2. When the bread is crispy, spread the marmalade on one of the pieces. Top with bacon and bread. Eat.