Amber Guinness
Next up in our Christmas interview series is the supremely talented cook and best-selling author Amber Guinness. Amber has just published her third cook book, Winter In Tuscany – beautifully presented and packed with cosy, hearty and easy to follow dishes that have completely re-invigorated us in the kitchen. A complete natural, she makes everything look and sound sumptuous and delicious.
Amber champions the slower, more soulful side of Italian cooking and celebrates Tuscany’s off-season charm, along with that of Arniano – the Tuscan farmhouse her parents so exquisitely restored together, where she grew up and learned to cook. Winter in Tuscany is the perfect Christmas companion. We loved hearing Amber's stories and festivities that bring it to life, and we're sure you will too.
Amber with her book in the kitchen at Arniano, Tuscany
What are you most looking forward to cooking over the Christmas holidays?
I love Christmasy drinks, it’s one of my favourite things about this time of year – getting dressed up and catching up with loved ones over a glass of fizz – so over the holidays I love curating a really abundant aperitivo. Aperitivo literally means ‘before the meal’ and these are the recipes in Italy that suit raucous Christmas parties, where no one sits down to eat as there are too many nice people to chat to. Some of my favourites at the moment are from my new book ‘Winter in Tuscany’: crostini with chicken liver pate are really simple to make as well as being super festive and tasty as I add a little sweet wine (vinsanto) while cooking it.
Another crostino I love from the book is my mustardy baked artichokes with a little chilli for vegetarian friends. And the showstopper for a Christmas party are my coccoli, these ‘little cuddles’ are very light and airy pieces of dough that are fried and eaten with Parma ham and cream cheese, they are indulgent and extremely moreish – the sort of combination one wants at Christmas.
Amber's Crostini with chicken liver pate from her book, Winter in Tuscany.
What is your favourite Christmas dish of all time?
The turkey sandwich one makes with all the leftovers on Christmas night. The sandwich has to be made using very cheap white sliced bread and contain most of the elements that made up Christmas lunch.
What is your most surprising Christmas tradition?
My family are obsessed with Christmas stockings, I know you might not say this is surprising, but there have been moments where it’s been completely out of control. Until my dad was 50, he had three at the foot of his bed every Christmas – one from my mother, one from his mother AND one from his step-mother.
If hosting a party at your beautiful home, how do you make it feel fun and festive?
Lots of greenery, colourful drinks and delicious antipasti. For Christmas I like to forage for bows of greenery to hang from the ceiling and put in huge pots to create enormous arrangements. Greenery in our garden means lots of olive branches. I buy little battery powered strings of white fairy lights and wind them thorough the leaves. It’s so festive and pretty.
Pomegranates are at their best this time of year and the ruby red colour of pomegranate juice couldn’t be more festive, so the perfect Christmas drink to me is a pomegranate bellini, served with some crostini topped with my vin santo and chicken liver pate.
You've been invited to a Christmas dinner party, tell us what you might take with you as a thank you gift.
A homemade panforte wrapped in beautiful wrapping paper. Panforte is a traditional Christmas sweet from our nearby city of Siena and dates back to the 11th century. It’s made with nuts, honey, sugar and lots of spices, such as nutmeg. As it’s made with no eggs or dairy, it will suit everyone, even the pickiest eaters and it can keep for a longtime, ready for people to snack on throughout the festive period, though in our house it’s usually all been eaten fairly soon after I’ve made it.
If you could choose just one thing from the JamJar Edit collection, what would it be and why?
That is a VERY difficult question, you have so many lovely things. Thankfully, I already have my copy of the Modern Flower Press, so no need to say that. I would choose one of your Rose Globes, I love the modern twist on an old-fashioned object. I also adore that it’s not useful, it’s just a beautiful thing to look at. It’s also fab that you can change the flowers inside so it will never be quite the same from week to week.
Rose Globe by JamJar Edit
The Arniano Painting School
Well worth a look - Amber hosts The Arniano Painting School which offers luxury residential art retreats for artists and enthusiasts of all levels. Artist William Roper-Curzon does the teaching, while Amber cooks delicious, seasonal meals from locally sourced ingredients.
