I love sprouts, I'm in dire straits here.... how can I survive without them....? Best cooked till just crunchy and then tossed in melted butter with roast chestnuts.... even better cold the next day in a sandwich.

What will Bratling do? She loves to help me peel them and I have to buy twice as many as I'll cook because she eats half of them raw whilst helping.

Sprouts are traditional, as are parsnips, at Christmastime because they are in season at this time of year. They are best gathered after the first frost, and this is the reason there is a shortage. Because we've had a warm wet winter so far, they are just rotting on the stems and there isn't the manpower to harvest them.

LTS - very angry because there are no sprouts and some bastard stole the Christmas wreath from my front door. I spent ages making it with Phoebe last Thursday, and I noticed this morning that some bugger has nicked it.... they'll have the pants off your arse if you squatted in the gutter here.