How Dickens defined Christmas food
Charles Dickens loved a bit of Christmas; the family gatherings, the crackling fires and above all, the nosh.
Dickens was a serious foodie and his writing is full of references to sumptuous suppers, hearty family dinners and of course, insufficient quantities of gruel.
Pen Vogler, whose new recipe book focuses on food in Dickens' literature, describes his influence on our 'traditional' Christmas dinner.