Christmas time can be a wonderful occasion to get-together with friends and just enjoy the day or the time leading up to it.  Try some of these bushfood ideas and incorporate into your menu....not difficult...so don't get daunted ....

Firstly the Chrismas pudding.....if you are a pudding maker and you have a tried and true recipe that you love stay with it, but why not add some wattleseed in with the mix for a slightly coffee/chocolaty flavour.  You can also grind up dried quandongs (I use a coffee grinder to make a powder) and add about a dessertspoon of quandong powerder for a peachy/apricot piquant edge.

To accompany the pudding try Wattleseed Ice Cream

or some Wattleseed Cream...to do this you bring to boil in a saucepan a mug of water, add about 3 dessertspoons of wattleseed and about 2 dessertspoons of sugar....cook at a high temperature for a further 5 minutes, strain out the wattleseed grains (but save them to use in muffins or cakes) and blend the syrup through some whipped cream or mascopane....just delicious and serve that with your pudding.

If you want to add some bush fruits to your pudding or as a dessert you could try Quandongs, Muntries, Riberries or Davidson Plums.....the best way is to poach them and serve with the pudding or cream or ice-cream.  Poaching syrup....2 cups of water to 1 1/2 cups sugar, dissolve sugar in water bring to boil, add fruit and slow simmer under tender...careful not to overcook as they'll turn to mush...more ideas tomorrow