Christmas MADE EASY

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Dec 16, 2007 | by Interview by ADAM LEE-POTTER

GORDON Ramsay is famously the world's most foul-mouthed cook and the rudest man on telly. Rivals fear him and underlings revere him.

The Michelin-starred chef is still striving for global domination. Worth more than pounds 60million, Ramsay, 41, has restaurants in London, New York and Dubai.

Only one individual dares defy him - and that's his wife Tana. At Christmas, it's Mrs Ramsay who rules the roost. "It may be Hell's Kitchen for Gordon the rest of the year," she says. "But on December 25, it's Tana's Kitchen."

Food writer Tana, 33, adds: "I'm a cook, not a chef.

And Christmas is very much my gig. I buy the food, I cook the food and everybody prefers it that way.

"If you want roast pheasant stuffed with truffles and a horse chestnut veloute, Gordon's your man.

"But if it's a good old-fashioned family Christmas you're after, you'd best come to me."

The Ramsays are spending Christmas at their South London home with their four children - Megan, nine, seven-year-old twins Jack and Holly and five-year-old Tilly.

They will sit down at 2pm on the big day for roast turkey with all the trimmings, finished off by Tana's piece de resistance - miniature Christmas puddings in little pots.

"I pinched the recipe off Gordon's head chef at Claridge's - but he nicked it off his mother, so I don't feel too much of a heel."

Tana is still busy stocking up on last-minute provisions. But she and her children took time out to bring a little Ramsay magic to your Christmas by testing the best Cava, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, yule log, Christmas pud, brandy butter and mince pies. Enjoy!

TANA'S TIPS ON MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR DAY

1 CHILL your glasses in the fridge or freezer. Cava, in particular, tastes much better ice-cold.

2 WHEN you've got a big bird to cook and lots to do, you will find that lunch - even in our house - can run late. I make sure we have food in for a decent breakfast. Smoked salmon bagels are special and filling.

3 GET your children to help with the meal. I get mine to help me peel the vegetables the night before. I make it part of the build up and it occupies excited children.

4 GET your husband to carve the turkey. Men love it - even mine! It makes them feel manly. And it gives you the chance to put your feet up and have another glass of sherry.

5 TRY to make time for yourselves as a couple. Gordon and I like to share a bottle of wine and watch a trashy movie after the children have gone to bed.

6 TIDY up as you go. I know it sounds dull but there really is nothing worse than stumbling downstairs on Boxing Day to find the sink overflowing with dirty dishes.

7 DON'T be afraid to experiment - but do try to keep things simple on the big day. Simple, tasty and hot will always win over complicated, burned and cold.

8 WHEN you're doing your last-minute supermarket shopping remember to buy good tasty bread. Opt for something different to your usual loaf so that when you serve sandwiches with leftover turkey, they taste a bit special.

9 MOST importantly - enjoy yourself! Christmas is meant to be fun, not forced labour. Try to make sure you get the right balance."

TANA Ramsay's Real Family Food: Delicious Recipes For Everyday Occasions (Harper Collins) is out now priced pounds 20.

THE BEST.. YULE LOG

'Not my thing but the children seem to love it. And it is Christmas - a little of

what you fancy does no harm'

WINNER: TESCO

Christmas Chocolate Log, pounds 5 4/5

HOLLY: Lovely. All yummy and moist. And it looks fab.

TANA: Tesco wins by a mile. It's tasty, not too dry and it looks incredibly glamorous.

MORRISONS

The Best Luxury Fudge Yule Log pounds 3.29 3/5

JACK: It tastes of alcohol but I'd eat this every week. It should be for life, not just for Christmas.

WAITROSE

Waitrose Chocolate Yule Log, pounds 4.99 3/5

TILLY: Scrummy and it's pretty. I love chocolate.

ASDA

Extra Special Belgian Chocolate Ganache Yule Log, pounds 2.68 2/ 5

TANA: Very, very dry. It doesn't taste like Belgian chocolate to me.

SOMERFIELD

Somerfield Chocolate Yule Log, pounds 1.70 2/5

MEGAN: Dry and crumbly. And it looks scruffy.

..CHRISTMAS PUD

'I prefer to make my own miniature puds, which are delicious and not too much. We all know how dreadful you feel after eating too much pud'

WINNER: ICELAND

Traditional Christmas Pudding, 1.2kg, pounds 5 5/5

MEGAN: Mine looks the nicest and is lovely and moist..

TANA: Iceland have come up with a cracker.

MORRISONS

Morrisons Rich Fruit Xmas Pudding, 454g, pounds 1.99 3/5

TANA: Not too bad, but it looks rather mean and small.

TESCO

Tesco Luxury Laced With Brandy, 454g, pounds 3.19 3/5

TILLY: It's too rich for me but that 's probably because of the brandy.

SOMERFIELD

Somerfield Luxury Pudding 454g, pounds 3.50 2/5

HOLLY: Dry and dull - not my idea of luxury.

LIDL

Lidl Luxury Christmas Pudding, 750g, pounds 2.79 2/5

JACK: It looks like a congealed kneecap. It was a big mess.

..BRANDY BUTTER

'You will never see brandy butter on my table but if you've got a sweet tooth, why not make your own? It's just icing sugar, butter and a dollop of brandy'

WINNER: SOMERFIELD

Somerfield with Courvoisier VS Cognac, 200g, pounds 1.50 4/5