Antony Worrall Thompson's Christmas lunch made easy

Have you been gripped by a rising level of panic as the big day approaches? Help is at hand as Antony Worrall Thompson offers us a sneaky insight into how he keeps the Christmas meal a stress-free affair

What's the best variety of turkey to go for this year?

Antony Worrall Thompson: I think Kelly Bronze still comes out near the top. They're generally widely available in supermarkets, but if not just look out for any Bronze.

What's particularly good about the Bronze variety?

Antony Worrall Thompson: They've been reared outdoors and have loads of flavour, which is what it's all about. Bronze is a great old-fashioned variety, not what I call the modern 'Dolly Parton' turkey - heavy on the chest as it were - so round it can barely stand up, and pretty tasteless.

What are your tips on keeping Christmas eco-friendly?

Antony Worrall Thompson: Go to your nearest farmer's market and buy local. Stick to what's in season; root vegetables are best for the winter and they haven't travelled thousands of miles across the world and lost their flavour along the way. And of course you're saving the old 'food miles'.

I'd also advise buying organic where possible. We're pumping loads of chemicals into the soil and losing all the minerals. We've lost loads of selenium out of our soil because of intensive farming. And going organic has its health benefits too. I think our immune systems are being eroded because we're digesting so many chemicals. I've been organic for about ten years and I never get a cough anymore, and that's coming from a smoker (I know that defeats the object, but I'm going to give up)!

But going organic is expensive...

Antony Worrall Thompson: It is more expensive, yes, but it's Christmas and consider it another way of treating yourself.

But in general, I always say if you can only afford to go organic on two items, choose milk and chicken. Chicken is the most abused of the species that we consume; they're pumped full of growth hormones and enhancers, fattened up and pumped with water and they only live for 40 days or so.

So yes, it's more expensive, but we're talking £6 for an organic chicken. That's an average of £1.50 a portion and when you compare that to £1.99 for a Big Mac...