Beating the New Year Blues

As of today, December is upon us and the countdown to Christmas can finally begin. For many, this is the best month of the year, filled with parties, presents and a variety of delicious drinks. The festive period brings warmth and cheer to an otherwise fairly depressing season, one that would be characterised chiefly by it’s unfavourable weather. Here at The Passage House Inn, we are delighted to be fully booked for Christmas Day itself and are very much looking forward to seeing lots of groups joining us over the coming weeks for their work parties and family gatherings. It truly is a season for thanksgiving, merriment and good times with the people you love.

However, whilst we love Christmas, we are also aware of the gloom that can fall upon us in January and February, once the decorations are packed away and everyone has gone back to work. This seasonal slump is well acknowledged by many to the point where a mathematical formula has been used to calculate ‘Blue Monday: the most depressing day of the year’ (it’s the third Monday in January if you’re interested). It makes complete sense really, all the excitement of Christmas and New Year’s Eve has fizzled out, the presents have been given, there’s no reason to go out and the weather is usually at the peak of its dreariness. I don’t blame anyone for feeling a bit glum in light of all this.

However, we’ve come up with a solution to try and bounce back after Christmas and beat the New Year blues! This year, at The Passage House Inn, we’ll be giving everyone who dines with us in December, a very special Christmas present. Think coffee shop loyalty card but with a much better rate of return! Every diner will receive a festive discount card with 8 fantastic vouchers that will be redeemable when you come back to eat and drink with us again in January and February. From a free pint of Fosters, Thatchers or Tribute when you order a main meal to a free dessert when you buy a main meal, we are offering a variety of treats that we’re excited about giving out in the New Year. So now you can fully enjoy the advent period and Christmas holidays, safe in the knowledge that you’ve got something special to look forward to even after the tree is back in the attic and the mince pies are all gone! From all of us here at The Passage House Inn, we would like to wish you Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Eat, Drink and Be Merry

Here at The Passage House Inn, we’ve recently finished putting together our Christmas menu and even if we do say so ourselves, it’s looking pretty delicious! During the process of doing so, we got to thinking about the history of traditional festive foods and so I thought I’d explore a few of them here today. Turkey, mince pies, brussel sprouts, chestnuts, figgy pudding…the list of foods synonymous with Christmas is endless. For some, food is the highlight of this winter holiday and with so many tasty things on offer, it’s easy to see why! But why are these foods particularly associated Christmas? What are the stories and reasons behind them?

I think it would be amiss if we didn’t start by looking at the most festive of pies, the beloved mince pie. Originally, mincemeat was a little different to that which we know today as dried fruits, sugar and spices were mixed with chopped meat, a way to use up leftovers and make meat go a little further. I don’t know about you but I’m very glad that we have them in their current state, I’m not sure the brandy cream would go so well with beef in the mix!

The other food that instantly comes to mind when I think of Christmas is roast turkey. Love it or hate it, it’s considered an unmissable staple by many. Why has this funny looking bird become a permanent feature of our Christmas table? Well it wasn’t always our first choice. Traditionally, people chose to eat geese at Christmas. They didn’t want to use their cows for beef as they provided milk throughout the year and chickens were expensive as well as producing eggs. As geese only lay eggs for part of the year, they were the obvious choice to be fattened up and eaten at Christmas.

But what are you to do if you love the end result of a festive feast but can’t face the idea of slaving away in your kitchen for hours whilst everyone else gets tipsy on eggnog and sherry? The answer is simple! Our Christmas Party menu has just been printed so why not book a table and join us for an amazing meal here at The Passage House Inn in Topsham over the festive period this year! Give us a call on 01392 873653 or pop in to reserve your table and guarantee yourself a truly fabulous festive dining experience!