The festive season is here!

The festive season is here and I, like many of you, have grown up with a summer Christmas, so no snow or any of the other things that have popularised a northern hemisphere, winter Christmas. To add to that, it’s absolutely one of my favorite times of the year. How could it not be with the family gathering around to cook and eat together? It is a time for me to get all wrapped up in my favorite things.

Talking of favorite things. My lifelong dream of writing a cookbook came true for me this year. The idea of you getting summer Christmas menu inspiration from the book fills my heart with joy!

The festive season was always such a busy time for us growing up. I’ll never forget the lessons of hard work that I learned while helping to offload the festive season beer stock. Every year over the heat of summer Christmas I am reminded of the solid foundation I received in commitment to the task-at-hand.

The festive season wasn’t and still isn’t all hard work and no play for me though. I have very fond memories of UGogo cooking potjie at Christmas time – it was definitely a favorite for our South African summer Christmas. Just closing my eyes I can drift back to the delicious scents of cooking meat and vegetables under a blanket of dumplings. Times may have changed and our spoils might be different but the air is just as electric with excitement.

This year more than ever I am looking forward to cooking with my family and making more wonderful memories. There is much to celebrate and be grateful for.

I just can’t wait to be in your home kitchen. There are many summer Christmas menu ideas in my cookbook BOARDROOM TO THE KITCHEN WITH NOMFUNDO MCOYI: From Boss Meals to Supermom Dishes and best of all you can eat them throughout the summer season.