Herbs and spices that make food festive.

Adding herbs and spices to a recipe can turn the everyday into something uniquely Christmas.
Where would Eggnog be without the nutmeg?  Or Mulled Wine without the cloves and stick of cinnamon?

Or Baked Ham without the clove studs.

Try dipping the rim of coffee cups in beaten egg white then sprinkle with powdered cinnamon and caster sugar.

Here are some other tips.

• Add some ground nutmeg or ground cloves to Plum sauce for a delicious accompaniment to turkey.
• Add ground cardamom and a little honey and grated orange rind to sweet potato.
• Make a pear and fennel seed chutney for the ham.
• Add a teaspoon of ground allspice to chestnut and rice stuffing.
• Stuff roast port with prunes and ground ginger.
• Serve glazed carrots with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Add cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg to white wine punch.
• Add cinnamon to cooked apples as a side dish to baked ham.