Never mind the giblets

You would think that anyone who wanted to spend half the day with their arms up to the elbow in the nether regions of assorted poultry would have become a vet. Sojust why those without a veterinary bent should choose to waste the moming of Christmas Day stuffing the turkey is beyond me. Especially when there‘s so much more fun to be had tormenting nephews, staying in bed or laying waste to the booze cabinet.

‘If in doubt, cat out‘ is a useful motto to bear in mind and it holdsjust as true during the festive period as it does for the rest of the year. Domestic kitchens and their appliances are fine for making snacks, brewing up coffee and the like but the enthusiasm and effort needed to produce anything tasty for more than two people are beyond all but the most determined of amateur chefs. Stir in factors like meddling relatives who are convinced they know the definitive way of making gravy and the creeping inertia that accompanies a couple of Yuletide breakfast shenies and it's little short of a miracle that anyone ever gets round to eating home-made Christmas lunch.

A Restaurant and a half

ARE YOU DREAMING OF A LIGHT CHRISTMAS? EDINBURGH’S BRIGHTEST FOODSTOP HAS GONE JINGLE BELLS. FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER YOU CAN ENJOY THE BEST EATING

EXPERIENCE IN TOWN AT PRICES THAT'LL MAKE YOU BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS.

At the 5L6. Restaurant we don't do things by halves.

36 GREAT KING STREET EDINBURGH EH3 60H TEL 0131 556 3636

Fauna nnmx

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T. , 1'45” ,- ‘9’, 4 I gvl‘ I. It; a x

Family coming for Christmas dlnner? Best book out

Now this probably comes as a bit ofa shock to those of you who haven‘t actually realised that summer has come and gone and would like a decent period of mourning before thinking about Christmas. Well it's time to wake up and smell the plum duff. The point is that the nation's office workers are, as you read this. hard at work booking

up every available restaurant seat between now and mid-February so that they can hold their annual team- building debauch. So if you want a piece of the action for your own office or you just want to hold your Christmas get-together with the nest of vipers that constitutes your family on neutral territory. then book now.

'LA CW ION! Christmas lunches:

£12.50 From December 5th I996

Booking advisable

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_. .x’ ,. “g “153% 18 of Odile’s most popular recipes, lusciously illustrated by Edinburgh painter Ruth Montada are now available in a beautiful box at £16, either directly from the restaurant or Waterstone’s. French Institute

13 Randoph Crescent Edinburgh 225 5685

Distinctive Scottish and Continental cuisine served in rich and dramatic, yet charming, unpretentious surroundings.

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RESERVATIONS

0131-315 2225

South Learmonth Gardens, Edinburgh

The List 15-28 Nov I996 109