The prospect of feeding a dozen people with the complicated traditional turkey roast can be daunting. Prudent cooks with plenty of time on their hands will probably do their preparation the day before. The sprouts will be prepared, the potatoes peeled, the turkey stuffed, its stock and the brandy butter already made and they will coast through the day itself on a triumphant wave of self satisfied efficiency. If you count yourself among their number, read no more.

Those of us, however, who are a bit more pushed after all, many of us are travelling on Christmas Eve and some of us are even working - will just have to get it together on Christmas morning. Here is my schedule that should make the experience a pleasure. (I always enjoy smoked salmon as a starter an hour or two before the main meal: oysters, again with brown bread, or potted shrimps with toast are equally good.)