Christmas Newsletter 2020

Christmas 2020 What a year!

Celebrate & support local business with us.

As we write this piece we reflect on a first year that none of us could have predicted.

Victoria North & Brenda Rogers. Directors & Podiatrists.

We opened our doors in late September 2019 and welcomed lots of familiar, and new, faces to our new clinic. We were very proud of what we have achieved to get the new clinic open and we were delighted to receive such encouragement and loyalty from our patients.

After a flurry of excitement, an introduction to new staff and lots of new treatments, we were rudely interrupted by a global crisis. Along with the rest of the nation, we closed our doors on 23 March not knowing the next steps were and certainly not knowing how we would all fare.

For those of you who know Victoria and Brenda, will know that we are not good at sitting back and certainly not in a crisis. With our doors closed but skills aplenty we signed up to our local NHS to help in whatever way we could.

Victoria joined the NHS to help fill the gap with high risk podiatry patients in the community and Brenda worked in both the community hospital and a local dementia care home. Never has so much plastic been worn in such hot conditions but our struggles were few compared to so many others.

Covid19 is still a threat but we are so pleased to have been allowed to reopen our doors at the end of June. Those of you who have been in, know about our strict infection control guidelines and the new measures that we have had to put in place to keep everyone safe.

So forgive us that we no longer allow our patients to wait in a relaxed reception areas reading glossy magazine whilst sipping a hot drink but as I am sure you will agree, keeping you safe is our priority. Full details of our new clinic arrangement.

With regards to treatments, we are able to offer a normal podiatry service, we are still doing nail surgery and verruca surgery/treatments. Edward, our MSK podiatrist is able to full MSK assessments whilst offering steroid injection therapy and shockwave.

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You might exclaim you need a bit of cheer this time particularly this year. And I can’t help but agree. The looks on my children’s faces as the boxes come down from the loft is superb, I must admit I’m getting quite excited myself despite the changes we’ve had to make over this last year. Less on my mind are the material things are Christmas and more in my mind are taking time out with my family and hopefully getting the chance to see our friends. I do hope my parents and brother make it over to us. Perhaps even sneak out to the pub for a beer. Though I’m not sure they will be open. 

It’s usually my responsibility to prepare the Christmas menu and when the Christmas decorations come down from the loft, I like to start thinking about the food we are going to have on the build-up to and on Christmas day. 

Wine …

One of things I do really get excited about is the wine that we are going to have, I start looking at the options available to combine with my Christmas menu. All my adult life I have been a beer drinker and only recently I’ve made attempts to try and educate myself about wines and matching them with food. So, when I do start to think about the Christmas menu naturally, I start to think about what we can have a drink with. Traditionally Christmas morning, once the presents started to be opened the wife and I might try and sneak a glass of something bubbly. This year we had to be a little more economical so instead of bottles of champagne we were trying different types of Prosecco and Cava I must admit in many cases I prefer them. 

I have a Cava from Funambul squirrelled away and I think that will be our treat in the morning.

Starter

As a starter on Christmas day I have a cold starter of smoked fish with some nice fresh bread and butter to attend to go for a white wine with this this year I’ve the Chardonnay by the name Bread and Butter which is a rich but refreshing wine from California. It’s also one that you can drink through into the main course if you desire. 

Dinner

For Christmas we usually have turkey with all the trimmings particular pigs in blankets which are my own personal favourite. My wife likes white wine so she will often carry on with the Chardonnay we had from the starter but myself and my dad will tend to move on to red. We tend to prefer something Italian which is a bit smoother. In the past, as it is Christmas, I have had a Banfi Brunello di Molalcino, I could drink that all day but is a wine for a special occasion, this year we are going to southern Italy around the heel (no pun intended) with a Primitivo from Puglia or possible a new world Grenache.

Dessert

Pudding this year will be a Pavlova for the children and Christmas pudding for the adults. Although at this stage you may not feel like very much more to drink I think I would offer up a Pedro Ximenez sherry. Great with Christmas pudding it is silky smooth and like drinking liquid raisins. It is something you can open and have a glass and keep coming back to it over the new year. A great winter warmer.

Beer

Beer wise I tend to prefer light ales so would suggest you try XT, the brewery in Thame, XT1 is excellent and really hits the spot for me. If you like something a little darker than Roasted Nuts from Rebellion Brewery in Marlow is a good ale.

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Helping the homeless & vulnerable in Oxford this winter – It’s going to be PANTS this Christmas is the campaign for 2020. Building on the SOX APPEAL campaign from 2019, we are supporting The Gatehouse again this year, in even harder circumstances.

Christmas shopping? Buy an extra gift this year!

This year we would love PANTS as well as SOCKS. We would also welcome POTS of noodles, pasta or similar. Due to COVID clients are unable to access all centres and food and drink needs to be in takeaway containers. Gifts can be dropped into the clinic, please call to arrange drop off.

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Merry Miller Recipe – starter for Christmas 2020

Chloë North – Apprentice Chef – The Merry Miller

Mini Yorkshire puddings with beef and béarnaise sauce

20-25 mins

Ingredients:

For the Yorkshire puddings

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup eggs
• Vegetable oil

For the filling

• Beef fillet

For the Béarnaise sauce

• White wine vinegar
• Lemon
• Sprig tarragon
• 1 Shallot
• Egg yolks
• Butter (clarified)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven (fan) to 180 degrees.
2. Mix the flour, eggs and milk together, leave to rest while you cook the meat.
3. Cut the beef fillet into smaller pieces, wrap cling film around and leave in fridge to hold its shape. 
4. Place oil in the muffin tray and heat up in oven, once heated pour a little of the pudding mix into each muffin hole. 
5. Cook this for 8 – 10 minutes or until golden brown. 
6. Sear the meat in a hot pan until medium rare or however you desire.
7. To clarify the butter you need to heat it in a pan till foaming, then remove off heat and leave to stand until the white solids float to the bottom.
8. Place the butter through a sieve to remove the lumps.
9. Chop the shallots and tarragon and heat gently in the vinegar, keep seasoning to taste and continue to heat until it starts to reduce.
10. Strain this and set it aside, but do not pour the vinegar away.
11. Lightly beat the egg yolks and cooled vinegar, ensuring to not go too fast or you can scramble the eggs adding a little bit of lemon juice to this.
12. Pout mixture into bowl and suspend over a pan of hot water, whisk constantly until the mixture thickens.
13. Remove from heat and carefully fold the butter into the mix, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Fold in some chopped tarragon leaves and season to taste with salt and pepper.
14. To serve place beef onto the Yorkshire puddings and dress with béarnaise sauce, reheat in the oven for 1 – 2 minutes.

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Lockdown has been tough on everyone, in the summer it was easier to get outside to be active. The last month has been dark and dreary, with indoor and outdoor gyms closed it has been difficult to find a safe space to exercise.

Leah’s Fitness At The Farm is now back open for business and the farm offers a wonderful place to get outdoors in the fresh air and start enjoying exercise again. Leah is all about encouraging people to find the joy in movement. It doesn’t matter what your level of fitness or experience is, everyone is welcome at her Circuits classes.

Check out her timetable and book your first class for free using the code FITFREE2020

Fitness At The Farm – Leah MacLean

Online Booking Contact us