Life with Nat - EP72: Scraping the Christmas Barrel #11

Episode Date: December 23, 2024

Nat and Marc are joined by their eldest daughter Eliza and Marc rates some mince pies and Irish creams. Christmas chat and fun! Enjoy! X Please subscribe, follow, and leave a review. xxx You can find us in all places here; https://podfollow.com/lifewithnat/view INSTA: @natcass1 We're also on Facebook now too: https://www.facebook.com/lifewithnatpod A 'Keep It Light Media' Production Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: [e-mail] SHOW INFO: Life with Nat - it’s me! Natalie Cassidy and I’ll be chatting away to family, friends and most importantly YOU. I want to pick people's brains on the subjects that I care about- whether that’s where all the odd socks go, weight and food or kids on phones. Each week I will be letting you into my life as i chat about my week, share my thoughts on the mundane happenings as well as the serious. I have grown up in the public eye and have never changed because of it. Life with Nat is the podcast for proper people. Come join the community. ♥️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

welcome to scraping the barrel plus eliza hello you all right darling yeah good ah it's sunday evening and it's quarter to ten at night, but Eliza hasn't got school tomorrow and she didn't want to sit on her own for an hour, so she's come up to join us. Indeed. How are you, Mark? I'm okay, thanks. Yeah? Yeah.

Good. We had a nice day today, didn't we, sweetheart? Yeah, really lovely. We went to the Christmas Essex Fest in Bill billericay which i cannot recommend enough thank you to matt and lauren for sorting it all out and i highly recommend it was fantastic really really good take the kids really good ice skating was excellent hot chocolate personalized experience with father christmas and your family really really special highly recommend it and father christmas is a really lovely man and it wasn't as expensive as uh lapland uk

a fraction of the price and i would say very very similar 95 there yeah 100 so thank you so much highly recommend they're all booked out, but put it on your list for next year. Tonight, I'm going to do a little taste test. Mark, you really do love a mince pie, don't you? Yeah, I do. Yeah. It's a bit early for mince pies.

I enjoy mince pies as well. Early for mince pies. Early? It's 10 days till Christmas. Yeah, I'd like to have a mince pie maybe the day before Christmas Eve sorry last year you had them in mid-November no I didn't

you were having one like every night no I wasn't in the microwave no not at all yes you were not at all maybe that was me

then thank you nothing to do with me you like a mince pie don't you I love a mince pie I'm not a mince pie fan no but I don't I like them I fan. No, but I don't.

I like them. I can eat them cold, but I prefer them in the microwave 10, 15 seconds. Then with double cream on top. Can't beat. I like my own mince pies. Yeah, you see, I prefer the shop. I can't wait to have your mince pies this year. It's going to be lovely, isn't it?

Yeah, I should do some on Christmas Eve. It'd be lovely. Yeah, but last year you kind of ruined them because you used puff pastry rather than short crust yeah i'll do short crust really yeah just don't do that one again okay but yeah i'm looking forward to making mine i haven't made any of mine for tonight unfortunately no oh where's georgia's ones that she bought eliza go downstairs to the biscuit tin okay georgia my producer of my other podcast has kindly made us some ones in the biscuit no in the uh cake tin next next to the yeah next to the bread bin thanks darling and how have you been all right yeah yeah you had a good

day yeah yeah i mean it's quite a lot on at the moment, isn't it? It's quite busy. It is busy. Yeah. But we're getting there. We're not long. We crawl into the end and then we can have a really lovely break, can't we? Yeah.

Which would be nice. Yeah, it is nice. It'll be nice to wind down after the weekend. The thing is, babe, do we wind down? I suppose we do because we haven't got any work to think about. That's the main thing, isn't it? We can switch off from that. But I feel like we sort of continuously run around the house.

Yeah. It's busy. Busy time of year. But it will be nice. Yeah. I'm going to pour you out a little Irish whiskey. Okay. A little liqueur.

Obviously, we all know Bailey's. And I've got three different flavours of Bailey's here tonight, not the original, that I'd like Mark to try. Because we only buy the original, don't we, darling? Usually. How many Bailey's bottles do you think we've had so far this autumn? Because you started buying them quite early, didn't you? I bought them in November.

And I think I bought a couple. And then I bought another couple. I reckon I bought six bottles of Baileys. How many are in the cupboard now? Four. Oh. But with one nearly empty as well yes oh we haven't done too bad no i think that's right yeah it's acceptable when you said an irish whiskey well it's not sorry it's an irish cream

isn't it an irish cream liqueur but it has whiskey in it okay yeah sorry I'm with you now. You see, we're going to start with a Lidl white chocolate Lidl Irish cream. White chocolate? Mm. Okay. Have a look at the bottle. No, you cannot have some. No, you can't. You just said it's cream.

It's eight years old. Ah. You just said it's cream. White chocolate. Oh, it's Baileys. Flavor country cream. Right, okay. What I will say about that as you drink it, it's quite, it seems to be quite thin compared to a Bailey's, say.

The viscosity. Yes. Why are you pulling a face? Just because you don't need to go near the mic. Well, okay. It's really nice, that. Is it? It's not very strong.

Okay. It definitely does taste like white chocolate. Really? Yeah. Would I have it over Bailey's? It's a bit sweet. Mm-hmm. Sweeter than Bailey's.

That's a statement from you. Yeah, but no, I'm not massive. Mm-hmm. Sweeter than a Bailey's. That's a statement from you. Yeah. But no, I'm not massive. Oh. Hey. Okay. I do like the old sweet thing. Yeah, it's good, that.

Yeah? Yeah. Great. Do I have to give it something out of 10? No, not really. Well, you could do. That's a nice idea. Why not?

White chocolate. Don't know what to give that. It's a difficult one. It's the first one. Maybe something like... Maybe at the end you could have a real... Oh, okay. All right, okay.

Moving on to the next one. No, we're not moving on to the next one. Oh, I'd like to. What I'd like you to do... Okay. ...with your last dribble of the white chocolate... It's gone. ...country cream.

Oh, it's gone. Yeah. Or maybe put a bit more in. Right. You're going to try a Sainsbury's Taste the Difference mini mince pie. Oh. There we are. Would you like one?

First mince pie. Yes, please. I would, actually. Have you got a plate? No, Mum. We decided not to bring plates up. Eliza, could you go and get a plate and could you go and get a knife? Why don't you put George's mince pies...

Good idea. ...on a little piece of plastic on the floor? But that means we're going to have to share the plate. Absolutely fine. Move your iPad to the other side. Okay. Put the plate there. Problem solved.

There we are. Thank you. Pleasure. I do quite like mince pie to be fair. I've not had one for ages though so it's probably going to taste a bit weird.

You're having one first are you? Yeah, go on. Alright, okay. I think you can both do it otherwise we'll be here all night. Talk amongst yourself then. Yeah, we will do.

Whilst you're doing your mince pies, finishing them off, listen to this. Hey, hey, hey, how are you both? I love Christmas and my boyfriend isn't overly fussed. Mark, are you as invested as Nat? And Nat, how do you get Mark into the Christmas spirit? Kirsty from Hastings. So we'll go back to that question, Kirsty. We'll have a little think about that. What did you think of the taste of different Sainsbury's mince pie?

Very nice. Sweet. Right? Yeah. Sweet. Fine. Tastes like a mince pie Just tastes like a mince pie

Yeah Fair enough Nice Bog standard Not offensive No I think Could be better

Why could it be better? Too sweet A mince pie Yeah I get they are A sweet treat But that was too sweet Like I can still taste the Clinch of the sweetness of my tongue.

Have you ever had a mince pie that isn't like that? Yes. Okay. From M&S. Obviously an expert in mince pies. Yeah, clearly. In your 14 years of experience of eating mince pies, of which maybe three of them you didn't eat them.

Maybe, I don't know. How many years have you eaten mince pies? Four? For me, actually, thank you. That was quite sweet. I'm allowed to have an opinion. Okay. Thank you.

Don't we know it? Lovely. It'd be nice to have something to compare it with, though. You need like another one. It's a sort of very difficult one. We're going along. Okay. Because I think I've got a suspicion

that all the mince pies are going to taste like mince pies. Shock. I've got a feeling that's going to be the verdict. This is Georgia's one. This is Georgia's homemade mince pie. I'll have one bite of this and then Eliza can have a bite of it. Okay. I'm much more Christmassy than Mark, but I'll have to give the guy a chance because it is my absolute favorite time of year it's almost a hobby

of mine really so i think for mark to be able to be as christmassy as me is quite difficult but i would say i would say mark gets into the christmas very, very close to Christmas, i.e. the day before Christmas Eve. Not like us. Not like us. We're in from November 25th. We're in. Yeah. Mark's got a mouthful of George's mince pie at the moment.

He went for a second bite. After he's finished that, he could answer your question, Kirsty. That mince pie yep is excellent really nice the pastry is brilliant yeah the pastry is really good

the pastry absolutely makes it and you know what I like is I can taste the lemon I can taste a bit of fruitiness in there like a bit of lemon zest I can taste lemon in that

well there's dried fruit in the mince meat presumably shock that was really good Georgia makes really lovely Georgia I can taste lemon in that. Well, there's dried fruit in the mincemeat, presumably. Shock. That was really good. Really lovely Georgia. Georgia makes her own pastry.

It's really good. That's exceptional. Brilliant. Exceptional mince pie, that. Fantastic. Going to be very difficult to beat that, but it's a bit unfair because the listener can't go out and buy one of Georgia's mince pies. The next drink to taste, Mark,'s a bit unfair because the listener can't go out and buy one of George's mince pies no the next drink to taste

Mark yeah is a Bailey's oh yeah but it's an espresso cream you splashed that on the bottle

haven't you I thought it best to buy a few miniatures good idea I quite like this for a lot I'm being

it's quite nice to be given food and drink at home makes a change me preparing it myself quite nice to be given food and drink at home. Makes a change, me preparing it myself. Right, what's this called? A bit of a food critic over here.

Sorry, what is this called? Espresso cream. Have a look at the bottle again. I need to sort of see it. Yeah. Thanks. There we go. Thank you.

Oh, that's really nice. What's it taste like? Baileys with coffee. All right. Let's have a swig. I love the bottle. That was really nice. I like that.

No, I don't. For reference, mummy just like shook her head. It's like Kahlua. You could make a... It's like an espresso martini. Yeah. It's like the Kahlua

that you put in an espresso martini. Hmm. I like that but do you like an espresso martini yes yeah but mummy's not no not a fan first i did like espresso martinis but do you remember the time we went to cornwall and we had them every night, I overdosed on them. Right. And I went right off them. Okay. I really like that. It's a different take. Very good. So going back to Kirsty's question about you being in the Christmas spirit

because her boyfriend isn't so much as her. Yes. What would you say to Kirsty? Does Kirsty's boyfriend work a lot leading up to christmas would be a counter question yeah we can't ask her a question unfortunately so i just i just get the impression that perhaps perhaps he's sort of occupied but i think you're either really festive or you're not but you get really into the spirit Oh I love Christmas Yeah Yeah

Not in November No That's ridiculous But I like Christmas When he's dressed up in his elf onesie Exactly And the slippers on Exactly

Jingling about It's true Pardon? Jingling about Jingling his bells Don't make it weird Kirsty also asked us What are our staple stocking fillers? about jiggling his bells don't make it weird kirsty also asked us what are our

staple stocking fillers hers are scratch cards orange chocolate coins pants and socks i think pants are a staple definitely for a man's stocking sometimes socks you don't need any socks

this year do you is it staple or stable? Staple. Staple. What do I always put in your stocking, Eliza? I can't remember. The one that Father Christmas doesn't do, I mean. You do like a little jokey one.

You'll put like a little game where you have to like shake it and get the balls into the little hole things just to play that. I get a lip gloss now and then, a pair of earrings. What did you put in this year? She's talking about staples though. I think pants are fantastic. I think a body wash.

Yeah, the old smellies. A little miniature bottle of alcohol is always good. You could get a nice bit of that artisan chocolate from the old town in Hastings. Yeah, that is so weird. You've just said that. I was about to say that. I'm not even joking. I was about to say get some nice chocolate from that place in Hastings.

There you go. That'd be good. I don't think I've got time to swing by down there. No. Not this week. That was so good mince pie number three i think is number three plus i think we're going to move on to see what you think of this one right okay

this is a bailey's chocolate i haven't got to deal with Bailey's anyone. I wish. Maybe next year. But they do do some fabulous flavours. Mark being a chocolate lover, I'm looking forward to this one. Alright, here we go. I'm going to have to walk out of this room

by the time we're finished. Can I see the bottle again? You can. It's a lovely bottle. Lovely midnight blue. Lovely on the side. That's nice. That'd make a lovely present, that one. Yeah, like the decoration

on the outside of the bottle is really nice. Hmm. I bet in a hot chocolate this would be good. Now, this is interesting. I'm not really getting

any chocolatey notes in this. I mean, I have just had a white chocolate one and an espresso one express i know espresso espresso sorry espresso i'll have a palate cleanser hang on a sec is it laura i can't remember but laura just turned this one off she's not gonna enjoy this i've got to say, the bottle's fantastic. Not the drink.

It really looks like it's going to be great, but it's not very chocolatey. There's a very, very much a whiskey taste, obviously, being Bailey's. But like you said, that would be lovely in a hot chocolate. It would add, I mean, it would just make a hot chocolate a bit potent. I quite like Bailey's in hot chocolate, so you get that Baileys taste. Can I try it? Yeah. I'd be interested what you think of that.

Because you're not a chocolatey person. Because I could be completely wrong. Eliza, have a little sip of that. She's only had a little sip of that. A tiny one, yeah. I think that Baileys tastes really chocolatey. But then I don't eat four or five Limp Balls on a daily basis. I quite like that. Does it taste chocolatey?

Yeah. It does, yeah. It's got like a chocolatey aftertaste. Okay, but I'm not a massive fan of it. Fair enough. The next mince pie on my list was a bit of a quick buy the other day. I was in Costa. Oh.

And I saw they had a mince tart right interesting and I thought I should we should try the Costa well you bought this in like a high street Costa

I did it was in it all wrapped up that's such a mummy thing to do a little individual mince tart you just you just showed me that

and it all just poured everywhere that's alright no worries here we go I thought there was no eating and drinking in this room. Why do they call it a mince tart and not a mince pie? Because it hasn't got a lid.

Well, it's got a star on the top that's covering a lot of it. It hasn't got a lid. Fair enough. I would imagine that's the definition. Fair. Do you know what I really want to watch this Christmas? What would you like to watch? Alice in Wonderland.

Not for ages. Well, let me let you into a secret, Eliza. On Sky Premiere the other day, we had the channel on, and it came up, and there was an Alice in Wonderland with Father

Christmas animation, and it was all about the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts. On Christmas. All about Christmas for Father Christmas, and it was all about the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts. On Christmas. All about Christmas, for Father Christmas. And it was absolutely brilliant. Can't tell you what it was called. Sorry about that, everybody.

But it'll be on again over Christmas. Have a look for it. Sky Premier. I can't wait. Joanie loved it. It was really good. I can't wait for Tiddler. Tiddler's going to be good.

I can't wait. Childhood book. If you haven't read Tiddler Read it with the little ones Julia Donaldson book The BBC have done that For quite a few years now We've had The Gruffalo The Gruffalo's Child

Stickman Room on the Broom Room on the Broom And this year Tiddler is on Which will be absolutely great Read the book And then watch it

When it's on on Christmas Day Because it's going to be incredible It will be good Costa Mince Tart Mmm What do you think about it? It was really good Now I don't know if it's because you bought it a few days ago,

but it's a little bit crunchy, which I think is a good thing. I think they're meant to be like that. Yeah, but it's really good. It's almost shortbread-y, the pie, the pastry. It's best before the 3rd of February, so it's certainly not... Oh, so it's going to be all right. Yeah. Yeah.

So it was nice. Yeah. Really good, that. Individually wrapped, pop into your local Costa and have a little try. so it's certainly not oh so it's going to be alright yeah so it was nice yeah really good that individually wrapped pop into your local Costa and have a little try and how much did that cost I can't tell you

a lot of money do you know something I'm not doing prices tonight no no no that's fine but that would have been the cost of at least of a box of mince pies

100% that was really nice I really like that yeah really like that. Yeah? Really like that. Get groceries delivered across the GTA from Real Canadian Superstore with PC Express. Shop online for super prices and super savings. Try it today and get up to $75 in PC Optimum Points. Visit Superstore.ca to get started.

Stop sitting on your aer plan points and get big savings so you can be somewhere you actually want to be like on a beach right now you can save up to 25 in aero plan points when you book a trip to one of 180 plus air canada destinations worldwide so stop sitting on your next trip and start saving on one. Don't miss out. Your chance to save in points ends February 23rd. Book at aircanada.com. Conditions apply. Oh, Natalie, I cannot believe that you've given us an off the telegavern and Stacey special on Wednesday and a life with Nat Morgana Robinson on Thursday what a week what an absolute joy it's like Christmas has come early cancel next week we don't need Christmas

anymore we're ready for 2025 we've had Christmas um no in all seriousness it was brilliant thank you what a year you've had um it's been an absolute joy listening to the podcast this year cannot wait for more of them in 2025 I hope you have some brilliant time off with the family uh love to everyone you mark the girls elson roe roe linny tony absolutely everybody emma um hope you all have a fantastic christmas and a lovely new year and i can't wait to listen to more reps bye talking of television lisa fromoles said if you had to pick one Christmas film what one would it be? So hard Straight up

first thing that comes to mind is Arthur Christmas Okay Mummy Grinch That's so hard I'm going to have to go Grinch because he's my favourite

Christmas character The Grinch who stole Christmas not in the animation No Just for reference. I like A Muppet Christmas Carol. You do. But that's just because when I was younger growing up,

I used to watch it a lot. Yeah, but it's great. I love that now as well. There are so many good Christmas films. Can I tell you a secret? People are not going to like this. I think I've got two copies of the DVD as well. I've never watched It's a Wonderful Life.

How have you not watched that? I've never, ever watched it because it's meant to be so sad. No, it's brilliant. I'm scared to watch it. I cannot believe. No, I know. I think it's impossible you haven't seen it. I haven't seen it.

It's on every channel. I know. Amazing. Okay. I'm getting a bit. It's on every channel. I know. Amazing. Okay. I'm getting a bit parched here. Oh, are you now? We are going to go for Marks and Spencer's collection. All right.

Irish Cream Liqueur. I'm looking forward to this one. Oh, so this is the M&S version of Bailey's. Well, the tiramisu flavour. Oh. That Auntie Linny would like this one. Oh, so this is the M&S version of Bailey's. Well, the tiramisu flavour. Oh. That Auntie Linny would like this one. Oh. Oh. I'm going to share it with you.

Okay. You almost emptied the bottle into that. No, this looks nice. Tiramisu. Mm-hmm. Wow. Belgian chocolate, fresh cream. Looks delicious.

That is really good. Is it, fresh cream. Looks delicious. That is really good. Is it good? Yeah. Really, really good. I mean, you wouldn't drink a lot of it, but as a nice little, that's really nice. It's like a dessert in a glass, that. That is like a tiramisu in a bottle.

Really good. Oh, it's quite strong, that one, isn't it? Yeah. Blimey. There you go. So, so far, best combination, well, not a combination, because I'm not drinking the mani, but if you're having a drink and something to eat, snack-wise, the tiramisu baileys no sorry M&S tiramisu

and georgia's mince pie 9 out of 10 currently really chocolate baileys and custard mince pie okay

I really like that custard mince pie and the chocolate baileys but it's the only one you've drunk so far so well she can't really being a child

and all that I'll get in trouble on the pub Well no you actually wouldn't Are you allowed to give your children Over 40 That's what I was about to say We had an assembly at school the other day About drugs and alcohol and how you can't drink

But did you know At your own home Legally if your parents allow you to And are with you And they say to you yes you can have a drink at home or at someone else's house you can from the age of five years old from the age of five from the age of five years old with your parents consent you are allowed to drink in your own home well that's very worrying well google it if you don't believe me no no

i've got to say she's correct actually it's only illegal to give alcohol to children under 5 in your home that's the most ridiculous thing

I've ever heard that is absolutely really it's a good job as well do you remember that time Joni accidentally had that gin and tonic oh yeah

do you remember that in Cornwall I've still got those videos she had like a sip of it evening Nat and Mark I wanted to share our family tradition of a Christmas Eve gift new pajamas that are still open and worn to bed still going on although my children are adults now I wanted to ask also what is your favorite quality street wishing you both a lovely Christmas. Emma from Kent. Emma, I always used to do new pyjamas on Christmas Eve, but I have to say I now do them earlier.

Joni got hers yesterday. Eliza's had some a couple of weeks ago. I just like them to wear and wash, get a bit of wear out of them. So I do bring them out the beginning of december but my mum always got new pajamas for us christmas eve always but you just don't have a mom for long which is the shame of it is that a tradition then a lot of people do new pajamas christmas eve yeah yeah so we never did that no not not a lot of people do that today or was that quite a common thing it's quite a common thing? It's quite a common thing.

Okay. Yeah. I got a lovely pair of pyjamas in Sainsbury's, didn't I? You did. Funnily enough, they have mince pies and bottles of alcohol all over them. Yeah. Made for the pod. From your childhood, can you remember a favourite tradition for Christmas?

Having a Christmas dinner. Oh my God, my mind is blown. We used to pull these crackers, I think, during dinner. No, but you know what we mean.

Unique ones that other people might not have done. Like, what do we have to do? I want to do that after eight challenge this year where you get the after eight

and you put it in your head and you have to go and then put it in your head and you have to go... and then eat it. I mean, what do you expect I'm going to say? Weird traditions? No, a tradition that your family did that made you unite. So, for instance, Bex,

listener Bex goes into a wood with her son and they started it when they were really little and they hang baubles in the woods and now they go back every year even though he's older

they hang a bauble and they find all the old ones that they've hung that is actually really sweet it's beautiful she sent me a picture it's really good I would say one of our

traditions to kick it all off is to get the box out on Christmas Eve morning is that a tradition for you is that what a memory for you a tradition for me it all off just to get the box out on Christmas Eve morning um is that a tradition for you is that what a memory for you

a tradition for me is I always get the big box the box out with the bowl and the coasters Christmas Eve box

the Christmas Eve box with the reindeer food and I like to get that out and then once Joni goes to bed I watch Beauty and the Beast before I go to bed. Oh, every Christmas Eve and I have for like six years.

Have you really? Yeah. I'm not even joking. What was I doing? I don't remember that at all. Where have you got that from? I have always, that's not even a joke. I have watched Beauty and the Beast.

That is the most random. For about four or five years straight. That is the most random thing I've ever heard. Years and years straight, I've watched Beauty and the Beast where have you watched it because on Christmas Eve Carol from Kings is on and then Jamie Oliver's on all night

no Beauty and the Beast is on I remember it very clearly our first Christmas in this house and the Christmas in our old house yeah I've always watched

Beauty and the Beast well I'll tell you something from there I must be that busy that I don't know what you're watching no I've never seen always watched Beauty and the Beast. Well, I'll tell you something. I must be that busy that I don't know what you're watching. No, I've never seen you watch Beauty and the Beast. Okay. Ask Joni. I swear on my life. I mean, I understand why you watch

it because of your parents. Yeah. Because Beauty and the Beast. Oh, shut up. Anyway, no more Bailey's for you. And on the subject of Bailey's, let's try another one. We've only got one more left. Ah. What have we got here?

What a shame. What is it? Before you open it. It's a Bailey's salted caramel. Are you sure? You've not done some sort of deal with Bailey's and not told me. Absolutely not. There's a lot of Bailey's here.

I mean, Tameka. Why is Tameka not around? She won't believe it. She won't. I'll send her a picture. Okay. Yeah, yeah, please do. I'll send her a picture. Salted caramel. Right, Tameka. Why is Tameka not around? She won't believe it. I'll send her a picture. Okay. Yeah, yeah, please do. I'll send her a picture.

Salted caramel. Right, here we go. Are you a salted caramel fan in general? Yes, I am. Ugh. You know that bowl you got me when I had to try that stuff that you thought I was going to be sick on? Malkasan?

Yes. Yeah. I could do with a bowl now, to be honest. I've drunk quite a lot of this stuff. You go to bed sometimes Or you're in the house With a pint of Baileys That's really not

Not a pint of It's very large Sorry Our glass is Have I ever had a pint Hang on No I have a whiskey glass

Okay That's not a pint It's never been a pint Don't exaggerate That is delicious Is it Yeah All of them good

I'm not a massive fan of the chocolate one, but that was good. You are now having a Bakewell and Brown festive classic mince pie. I bought these at the garden centre, but I thought they looked rather homemade. Oh. They were £5.99 for six, so quite a lot of money, as garden centres are really. Yeah. It's quite a thick pastry. Yeah. I quite like a thick pastry though. A lot of pastry there, not a lot of money, as garden centres are, really. Yeah. It's quite a thick pastry. Yeah.

I quite like a thick pastry, though. A lot of pastry there, not a lot of filling, by the looks of things. I've got to say, the pastry, it's really nice. Yeah. But I'm not impressed by that. No. No. Too much pastry, not enough filling, too flat.

Pound each. That's a rip-off. That's a shame. Does Asda still do that? Have you got any value minted pies? No. Asda used to be really good. Did they?

Yeah. No, listen, this was just a little pre-Christmas treat. No, it was nice. I could have done a lot more shopping around, but... Do you like that, Eliza? Mm-hmm. You do like that? I don't think that's a rip-off at all. If you like Lolla? Mm-hmm. You do like that. I don't think that's a rip-off at all.

If you like Lollops pastry. Fair enough. That's a fair comment. a nice buttery pastry. Fair enough. I think that was excellent actually. Well done. Garden centre.

This is the M&S collection mince pie. Oh no. Surely that's going to be alright. Here we go. Nice presentation. Looks nice on the top. Always.

Interesting shape actually as well. Why? No, it's just like a little, it's like a really little mini pie. You know, the angle of the side.

It isn't a miniature pie my eye had though. It's a standard mince pie shape. We just get overly large ones. Yeah, that's good, that. Yeah? Yeah, really good.

Really good. So if you have to rate all the mince pies, what goes first? Georgia's. Well, of course. You can't beat a homemade mince pie. No, that was fantastic. The Costa one, I mean, it would be a very expensive way of buying a mince pie. Yeah.

And it's mince tart. Yeah. You're not going to go to your local Costa and buy those individually, are you? But if you're in a Costa and you want to treat yourself, it's very good. In terms of just stocking up on mince pies, the only option really you've given me is the M&S one. And it's a very good one. Well, the little Sainsbury's tastes a difference. No, they're too small.

Right. It's not worth it. Fine. You're always going to have two of those little ones. Yes. The filling ratio to pastry is not as good. Understood. So you may as well just have an M&S one, a proper sized one.

So an M&S one would be good. Sainsbury's ones are really good. I know you haven't got any here, but I know they're good. I've had those before. Yeah, sorry, I haven't got a Lidl. I haven't got an Asda. I'm sure they're fine. You know, it was just a little treat for you, really, sweetheart, just to get you in the festive spirit.

My very intelligent listener who sends me facts,orgina has just sent me this would you like a mince pie fact they became a popular treat around the festive period thanks to a tradition from the middle ages which saw people eat a mince pie for 12 days from christmas day to 12th night doing this was believed to bring you happiness for the next 12 months. She loves the ones from Sainsbury's. Interesting you eat them from Christmas onwards. I like that.

Yep. So nothing wrong with that then Eliza, is there? No. No, there is nothing wrong with it. No. Eliza, you've been a bit quiet for a second. I've noticed you've picked up your phone. I'm just interested. What are you doing?

I'm on Pinterest. And what are you doing on Pinterest? Well, I am... Would you care to show me? I would very happily like to show you. I've got a question, Natalie. Have you noticed when a teenager Is on her phone And you say

What are you doing with it Am I the only parent To notice That there's this This weird I'll do an impression For Eliza So the phone

Would be facing The teenager Yes Can I just have a look At your phone Yeah yeah yeah Phone's still facing Teenager

Correct Close that. Flip that up. Do that. Press that. Yeah. I was on Pinterest. You saw I was on Pinterest.

Little window. Oh, press that. Oh, just reply to that. Yeah, it happens all the time. There's always sort of standard built-in delay. It isn't because I just grab it and I'll frighten the game. I see. Any other listeners notice that?

Oh, I'm sure they will. There has been a program on with Emma Willis and Matt Willis called Swiped. Yeah, the other night I went to put it on and you went, no, don't put that on now. No, because it's Christmas here. I want to save it. But there is a programme, a documentary, where Emma and Matt went into a school and they took mobiles off of 14-year-olds,

a class of 14-year-olds, and they did a, I think, I don't know how long without it, but it's meant to be an incredible documentary for everybody swiped uh on more for have a little look at that nice i haven't watched it yet that looks very very interesting i'm gonna sit down eliza to watch it well i tell you what i'm looking on pinterest what you're looking at some lovely dresses what for just dresses because i was looking the other night and nails and a lovely glittery dress popped up so i made a little board for dresses and now i'd get loads of dresses and nails and food and bathroom be careful new york ideas a lot of things

pop up you have to be extremely careful yes well I've never had anything bad because I don't look at anything bad on Pinterest. I only look at food, nails, makeup, New York, and dresses. So as a roundup for the drinks. Before you do that, darling, Emma from Kent asks, what's your favourite Quality Street? Which I think is an amazing question. It's a good question. I'm not a massive fan of Quality Street as a sort of a, you know, I don't, it's not like a.

Big thing for you. Not really. They're just there and they're funny colours and I never know what I'm eating. Well, my dad loved the purple ones with the nut in. I was going to say, I'm not a massive fan of the ones with nuts. I mean, I eat any of them now. I'm not really fussy, but I used to like... Did they do the long caramel one or was that another brand?

Was that the... Are you thinking of gold? Little gold stick. That would be my favourite, but is that roses? Yeah, I think it might be roses. No, it's not. Oh, sorry. Hey, do we hang on?

Sorry. Sorry, the 90s chocolate experts just come in. Sorry, Elijah. Forget it. Forget what you're saying. Lizzie got a box of Quality Streets and Secret Santa last week. Right.

At school. Okay. And I had a yellow long one, which you bit into, and caramel came out of it. Shock. Caramel came out of it? Yeah.

You bite into it, and it was caramel in the middle. That's not what I'm thinking of. No, it's not. Because we had Quality Street in the kitchen last week and we had a caramel which was yellow but it was that big.

What me and your mother were talking about, you weren't even born. Well, okay. Specify. It's just a long... Long... A long sweet...

Yellow... Sweet... What are you laughing at? What are you laughing at that, Eliza? Not Quality Street. You said it was a laughing. What are you laughing at? Why are you laughing at that, Eliza? Not. Quality Street. You said it was a laughing. It is a Quality Street.

Thank you. It's the long, yellow street, but caramel didn't pour out of it. It didn't pour out. You bit into it and caramel came out. And the one I'm thinking of is toffee. I think Rose's toffee was a long one. Possibly. Like a stick.

Anyway, mine would be the gold long quality street, which is a caramel toffee type. My dad loved the purple ones. I like the purple ones because they just remind me of Grandad. Yes. But yes, the 90s chocolate expert, me,

is correct once again. I don't mind a green triangle either. No, they were good. But haven't they all changed? No. Are you sure? Yeah, no, they're all good. So what were the chocolates we had in the kitchen?

They weren't quality street then, were they? We've just had, for the last week, a selection box of chocolates in a bowl. What were they? You're looking at me like I'm mad. Oh, they were. They've been on the kitchen for a week. I don't know, but they're gone and I didn't have one. You don't eat them.

I like the odd one. I think heroes beat everything. Cadbury's heroes. Yeah, they are good. They're so good. You can't beat a Cadbury's hero. Yeah, they are good. They're so good. You can't beat a Cadbury's hero. Although I have to say, you know what my favourite is? What?

M&S Cherry Liqueur. It's the only chocolate I enjoy. Or the little bottles that you bite the top off and drink the liquid. Yeah, the boozy ones. They're nice. Yeah, but it depends. Not that I've ever had one. It depends even on those those what one you have

because I don't like all of those and Eliza it was Grandad in Only Fools and Horses that used to bite the top off and drink them yeah

no I don't think it was no I think it was Albert Steptoe possibly but there was someone in a sitcom who used to drink

the liqueurs my dad used to he used to bite the liqueurs My dad used to He used to bite the top off and drink them Yeah, that's where I've got it from From grandad I think that's Steptoe and Son Possibly Ooh, Harold

Not watched Steptoe for a long time That'd be a good watch I was saying to my friend Matt At work the other day He's a big fan of sitcoms Yeah Anyway, we were talking about Steptoe and Son And he was saying about There was two feature length Steptoe and Son, and he was saying about,

there was two feature-length Steptoe and Sons, and he said the first one wasn't great, but the second one was excellent. Was it a Christmas special? I think it might have been, but he said it's on at Christmas. And he said it is like a Christmas thing for him. He enjoyed watching it.

What is your favourite Christmas special sitcom? Well, Only Fools and H and horses, time on our hands. There has to be, doesn't it? Yeah. I think it has to be. Gravy Boat, Maxwell House. I think it's got to be. The Dinner Table.

For me, a close second, a very, very close second, is the Motherland Christmas special, the first Christmas special. No. Is that the one with the graffiti? Yes. No, that's the second one. No, it's not. Is it not?

No. Oh, no, you're right. The one with the graffiti. I watch Motherland Christmas special every night from his bed. And when they go around to the party. Yes. Absolutely brilliant. It's so good.

And it has one of my favourite Christmas lines in. It's Christmas Eve, Jeff. Peel an orange. Peel a satsuma. Crack a nut. I give up. So, any listeners that have really enjoyed Eliza's contribution this evening, don't worry. She's going to start her own podcast.

Life of Eliza. She's going to take over. She's going to start her own podcast. Life of Eliza. She's going to take over. She's going to do her own one. I think it'd be a lot more entertaining. She might occasionally have her mum on it and I might occasionally

go on it, but I'm sure it'd be good. It'd just be me and my own. You'll just be talking. You'll do, what, four hour episodes? Shut up. Five hour episodes maybe.

Well, I think my Christmas special beats all of yours actually. I know what you're going to say. Shoot. What am I going to say? Shoot. Yes. No, shoot. Vicar of Dibbley. Oh. beats all of yours actually i know what you're gonna say shoot what am i gonna say shoot yes no

shoot vicar of dibbley oh thank you vicar of dibbley when she eats like 10 christmas dinners it is excellent so that's first i have to say sorry i'm interrupting you I'm going back. Motherland is not second at all. The Vicar of Dibley is second two times. And it's really odd because when you said the close second would be, I immediately thought of that. And I'm amazed you didn't say it. Forgot about it. This is not very impactful then, is it?

Number one, Vicar of Dibley Natalie's just trying One of George's mince pies They're really good those Go on Can she do Have you seen her again Before Christmas

No Number one Vicar of Dibley Number two Gavin and Stacey Christmas special Number Oh

It's so hard it's got to be the first one when they're at Pam Mix it's got to be what year did that come out I put my foot down I can do no more and I'm not going to

like to you Bryn sorry was that Manuel are you getting your sitcoms confused oh my god I thought it was good and I'm not going to like to you Gwen

I'm absolutely twatted that's very good Eliza do some more impressions Eliza I thought it was good. And I'm not going to lie to you, Gwen. I'm absolutely twatted. That's very good, Eliza. Do some more impressions, Eliza. Do your seagull. Just for everyone's better, do that again, just away from the microphone. Wait a minute. This is brilliant. Do you want some more

yeah here's one Manuel 40 Towers Manuel you need more butter on those trays no no no

un dos tres very good brilliant you could do that as a special on your podcast couldn't you impressions you could do an impressions section Un, dos, tres. Very good. Brilliant. You could do that as a special on your podcast, couldn't you? Impressions. You could do an impressions section.

Oh, yes. I just love chocolate and I eat so many Lindors every day. Sorry, who's that? Daddy. It sounds nothing like him. No, I can't really do a daddy voice. No, go on, try. No, go on, try. No, go on, try.

Why are you making daddy sound posh? I don't know. Interestingness, won't you? Interestingness, won't you? So rounding up the drinks, which I think is only fair to do. Agreed. I mean, there's a lot of Baileys knocking about there, isn't there? I mean, an average Baileys is good.

I imagined you might have got like a Baileys from, you know, I don't know, the Aldi Baileys. I know, but I'm exhausted and I could just get what I could get. Fine. Should have got a Costa Baileys. Well, my favourite, actually, you couldn't drink a lot of it. You know, you wouldn't have more than one glass, I'd imagine, is a tiramisu M&S Baileys Irish cream thing.

Tiramisu flavour Irish cream liqueur, the collection. Very nice. But, I also like the salted caramel Baileys, that was good. You quite like the Lidl's white chocolate. I did, but again would I sit down? Probably not. It's quite watery like you said. It was nice

and it did taste like white chocolate. I think that would be nice in a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate yeah maybe the chocolate baileys i couldn't taste the chocolate i'm sure i'm sure that's just because i've had loads of different types of babies to be honest and i quite like the expresso one espresso sorry espresso i always say expresso god stop doing that espresso terrible it's because you're always going on that express train. It's quite good. I can do no more. The last question I want to answer is what's your favourite part of Christmas?

Lots of people have asked us that tonight. What is your favourite part of Christmas? Well, spending time with everyone, drinking a lot and a Christmas dinner. Very good. But not in that order. What's your favourite part of Christmas, Eliza? Christmas dinner. The hype of waking up in the morning.

And it's like, where are my presents? Where are the smoked salmon blinis with cream cheese? Not that I have cream cheese on mine. And just everyone coming together and being happy. And I'm really, really looking forward to this Christmas. Because last year for me, it felt like it wasn't overly Christmassy. I don't know why that was. But this year, I feel more Christmassy than ever.

But I think it's because of my lips last year. Yeah. Really ruined it for me. Yeah. Eliza woke up and she looked like she'd been to Turkey and had a bodge job on her lips. She had an allergy, bless her, and she woke up. For like the fourth time.

You came in to me at three o'clock in the morning on Christmas morning. And yeah, she did. She looked like, I'm trying to think of someone she looked like. A fish? Well, no, Miss Piggy. No, it was the drummer. It was the drummer. The drummer in the Muppets.

That's right. Yeah. Bless you. It was the drummer. The drummer in the Muppets. That's right. Yeah. Bless you. That was horrible for you. So, yeah, you had a bit of a crappy day, didn't you? Really, really awful Christmas. Awful. Well, that brings my Christmas down then.

But this year is going to be a cracker. I can feel it in my bones. Feeling in my bones? I can. No, it's going to be a good one. I just love Christmas in total. In general, sorry. Oh my God.

And what have you put on your Christmas list this year, Eliza? Clothes, makeup. Right. And just a lovely Christmas. Revision books? No. No. Don't need any.

I've got loads already. Go and look in my cupboard. Do you ever read them? I've got ten folders. She doesn't look at them, but she's got ten folders. I don't need any. I've got loads already. Go and look in my cupboard. Do you ever read them? I've got 10 folders. She doesn't look at them, but she's got 10 folders. I don't need two. I've got a laptop with the whole internet on it. Do quite well, thank you.

Old 97% in a physics test. I'm good over here. Thanks. I hope that's true. It's when the physics teacher hears it and she corrects me. Is he actually Mr.utchings fine is there anything else you want to talk about for christmas before we go are you happy just don't stress everyone out and i know I can't really say anything, but Mrs Wilson told me this before I left school. She said,

just have a good Christmas. Help your mums out, help your dads out, help the family out, because it's not only a stressful time for you, it's a stressful time for everyone else as well. Sorry, she said it was a stressful time for you, Christmas. No, she meant as in her. It's a stressful time for you, Christmas. No, she meant as in her. It's a stressful time for me

but I need to help everyone else out. That's what she said. Well, that's good because tomorrow when me and your mum are at work the room next door needs a good hoover. Fine. So crack on with that. Well, actually, it might not be possible. So I'm waking up. I'm going straight to Elliot's.

I'm looking after the baby. Wrapping presents, coming straight home, getting ready for the thing tomorrow. so I'm waking up I'm going straight to Elliot's I'm looking after the baby right wrapping presents coming straight home getting ready for the thing tomorrow and then getting on the train and off I go full on day for you

then tomorrow I've had a busy few days haven't I no time to whiz that hoover around the house no well no I can but

sure you can't squeeze that in yes oh yeah go on then I'll do it it would be handy little bit of a hoover you could do a room

each day couldn't you wouldn't take you long are you talking about my bedroom sorry it's immaculate I've kept it so clean Eliza

it's only just been decorated I should imagine it's actually been done for like two weeks now no no no you can't say oh no since Tuesday

actually the room you're talking about didn't exist in that form until a week ago. Of course it's nice. It's in a year's time we're interested in. It's immaculate. Yes, I should hope so. It's just been painted. No, I don't mean it's in scratches on the walls.

I mean I clean it daily. Brilliant. Without fail. I clean it every day, morning, noon, night. There's barely anything in it. It's just been painted. No, it's very, very good. But I want to keep it that way, darling, yeah?

Clean room, clean head. Yeah. Tidy house. Well, it's clean. Tidy mind. Really important. If you live in chaos. I think you need to bear that.

If you live in chaos, you think you need to bear that. If you live in chaos, you act chaotically. Trust me. It's not good. Quote from Matthew Cassidy. For anyone who does live in chaos and they enjoy it, that's no problem either.

But for me, the clearer your house, where you know where everything is and the tidier it is, or you just know what's going on, the more you can focus, without a doubt, I have to

say anyway we're just going to wade over all these boxes mince pies bottles of baileys everything else is in the chaos and uh sorry no go to bed are we in the clean and immaculate house can you imagine now i bet there's a lot of people that would leave that and just think we'd do it tomorrow. But we could never because we'd get mice. Wouldn't we? Wake up, there'd be a rat laying on your laptop.

A ratatouille's back. We've never had a rat. Eh? We've never had a rat. We've never had a rat, Eliza. Mice, then. We had a field mouse. It was the tiniest,

cutest mouse. A field mouse. Not a house mouse. Not... A field mouse. Eh was the tiniest, cutest mouse. A field mouse. Not a house mouse. Sorry, not... A field mouse. A? They ploughed the field. We had about 10.

We did, yes. Every day, little mice in the traps. They were so cute. When you're a bit older, you might learn about it. But what happens is... I was looking back at videos of them. They popped up in my memories. What happens is, you'll learn about it when you're older,

but when you have a little boy mouse and a little girl mouse, and they spend a bit of time together over a very shut up over a very short period of time you get little baby mice and it's not like adults

sorry sorry it's not like humans where it takes like eight or nine months to produce is it what is it

eight months nine months shut up but he it, what is it, eight months? Nine months. Nine months. Shut up. He actually means that, everyone, by the way. He doesn't know how long a woman is pregnant for. That's not a joke. The same as he doesn't know the difference between a plum and a nectarine.

Answer, long enough. So the little mice produce babies very quickly. Which, as I say, when you're a bit older, you'll learn all about it. You two have produced babies very quickly. Which, as I say, when you're a bit older, you'll learn all about it. You two have produced babies very quickly. Anyway. The reason we had like eight or nine mice was we didn't know about them for a month. They produced some other mice. And then they, yeah, we got rid of them.

Humanely, with humane traps. Any more text messages? The average gestation period for mice is 19 to 21 days Yeah Wow That's what I'm saying So that's why we had a little selection of them, didn't we? A little family living down there

They were cute though They were cute And we had friendly traps So they were alive when we saw them And then you used to pop in the car We used to drive down to the graveyard and let them go Not in a sinister way. Well, interesting evening with Eliza joining us.

Yes. Really lovely, Eliza. Thanks for joining us. You haven't sounded like you enjoyed having me here. I won't come next time. It's the last you'll be hearing of me, everyone. It's been lovely having you, darling. And I really mean that.

And I hope you have a lovely Christmas we're both working very hard to give you the best Christmas thank you guys and what I love the most is that you you and your sister

love Christmas as much as I do yeah but you know what they say when you grow up in a way you take it all on you do just like you've told me

to love M&S and I was laughing why is that so funny what else has she tried to bribe you about I haven't made you love M&S

I just love it it's my favourite place if someone said to me honestly I don't get paid for this so we've got to stop talking about it right goodnight everybody thank you for tasting those Mark how are you feeling inside me. Honestly, I don't get paid for this, so we've got to stop talking about it. Right. Good night, everybody.

Thank you for tasting those, Mark. How are you feeling inside? Pardon? Well, are you a little bit falafel, a bit sicky, or are you all right? Well, I mean, I've eaten quite a lot of mince pie. I mean, I haven't eaten them all in their entirety. No. Maybe this must be what Paul Hollywood has to deal with.

Correct. It's horrible. Eating these little bits and pieces. Chew that little grumble Hollywood has to deal with. Correct. It's horrible. Eating these little bits and pieces. Did you see that little grumble in his back? No, that was me. That wasn't me. Thank you. Honestly.

But you are right. The tasters, Paul Prew, they eat a lot of cake, biscuit and all of that. He said it's a nightmare paul and how would you know because i am on the christmas celebrity special of the bake-off on christmas eve at 8 p.m so beauty and the beast won't be on mark the bake-off will and then beauty and the beast and off for Christmas. She's still talking. Right, everybody. I will speak to you

very, very soon. But more importantly, Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, everybody. Merry Christmas. Merry Crimbo. Bye. Bye.

Bye. Bye. Hi, this is Chris McCausausland And this is Diane Boswell And we've got a new podcast haven't we Di? We do What's it called? Winning Isn't

Everything Every week me and Diane Are going to be having a little catch up On the back of Strictly Aren't we Di? We are I've missed you Chris I've missed you, Chris. I've missed you too.

We're going to talk some nonsense, so why not tune in? Available everywhere you get your podcasts.