Traditional tastes for 6

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Melting Cheese 
The lovely thing about pumpkin is that it has a really velvety texture in soup, and if it's oven-roasted before you add it to the soup, it gives an unusual nuttiness to the flavour.

Pot Roast of Pheasant with Shallots and Caramelised Apples 
This is a superb way to cook pheasants and would make an excellent alternative Christmas lunch for four people. The pheasants are first browned and flamed in Calvados (apple brandy) and then are slowly braised in cider.

American One-crust Pie with Spiced Apples and Raisins 
This is without doubt the easiest apple pie in the world. No special pie tins needed, no lids to be cut and fitted, no tiresome fluting of edges. It's also a beginner's dream because, somehow, the more haphazard the whole thing looks, the better.

served with

Mascarpone Nutmeg Ice Cream 
This very easy ice cream is made with mascarpone and has a rich, velvety texture. The freezing process seems to draw out the aromatic flavour of the nutmeg superbly, making it an absolute winner with apple pie.