It's here! The Booths Christmas Book is out today

The Booths Christmas Book is available from today...a sure sign that the festive season is on its way.

And if you needed any prompting this year to steer clear of the queues and potential shortages, it's all the incentive you need.

So what's new?

Well there is a great new 'brunch bundle' offering a chance for a leisurely Christmas morning around opening presents and peeling the sprouts. Suggestions include Eggs Royale - poached eggs and smoked salmon on muffins with a Hollandaise sauce and a half bottle of champagne to croissants, bagels, bacon and cheese. Definitely one to think about....

There are some interesting starters, including a whole Camembert for baking with Spanish chorizo to king scallops with Lancashire black pudding gratin. Might be too much for the big day itself, but sounds tempting for a Boxing Day treat.

There are lots of fishy options, the stand out being a lobster, shrimp and prawn platter for a help-yourself starter, plus plenty of different kinds of smoked salmon, I can recommend the beetroot and champagne smoked version, which was a hit last year.

For the main meal, you can get the whole thing in a box - turkey, trimmings, veg, pudding - enough for eight people - for £110. But if you want to start from scratch there is everything from traditional turkey and goose to mutton, venison and game bird roasts - plus plenty of veggie options, including a roasted parsnip, chestnut and butternut squash tart.

For pudding, if you've any room, there is a melting middle sticky toffee pudding which might well be worth skipping the starter for....or what about a cookie butter and spiced apple cheesecake. That's if you don't want one of the many traditional Christmas pudding options on offer.

There is Booths' usual amazing selection of party food and a fantastic beer, wine and spirits section.

But the best part, as ever, are the lovely family recipes shared by all the Booths staff, including venison casserole from Anne Booth, wife of main man Edwin and some gingerbread Christmas cupcakes from Dawn at the Ulverston branch.

If this doesn't get you feeling festive, nothing will.

Booths Christmas book is in stores now.