Nothing says Christmas like a weird family food tradition

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. I think of Proust’s madeleines, how the narrator of ‘In Search of Lost Time’ ate a piece of the small cake and ‘at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory – this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence’ As we get older, Christmas becomes less and less about the presents and the parties. I think of Proust’s madeleines, how the narrator of In Search of Lost Time ate a piece of the small cake and “at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory – this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence.” One forkful of Concoction – sausage, bacon, overcooked pasta and all – and it all comes back to me. Everyone thinks their family’s roast is the best, their Christmas dinner second to none, their spaghetti bolognese unbeatable.