PX is a unique Spanish sweet wine that I discovered a while ago, so sweet in fact that it resulted in me having to make a trip to the dentist. PX, or Pedro, short for Pedro Ximénez, is one of the darkest, richest, stickiest wines in the world and by rights shouldn't exist as a wine at all. Oozing with viscous sucrosity, it's the perfect blending sweetener, in small doses, for cream sherry and sweet oloroso. Did someone dunk a finger in a cask of Pedro one day and think "I could get a pat on the back from the mouthwash industry for bottling this on its own"?

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The Human condition: Never lie your baby on his front, on his back - or on his side...

... and never listen to half the advice that assaults new mothers, says Sheila Hayman

What, when, where ...

Feeling peckish after Christmas? Go wild at the Great British Pudding Festival, held at the Three Ways House Hotel in Mickleton. Those who take their puddings really seriously can stay in the Spotted Dick and Custard bedroom (booking essential) and feast themselves at the Pudding Parade of seven puddings, including one mysteriously known as "Lord Randall".

eye give ...

20 present-buying days to go ...

Bring back... Arctic roll

Children have been reared and placated on Arctic Roll as a staple part of school dinners for decades.

Where it's Nordic but nice

EATING OUT; ANNA'S PLACE; 90 Mildmay Park, London N1 4PR. Tel: 0171 249 9379. Open Tues-Sat 12.15- 2.15pm and 7-11pm, and for Sunday brunch 11.30am-3pm. Closed Sunday evening and Monday. Average a la carte price, pounds 21. Major credit cards accepted

Cricket: Glamorgan shortfall

Hampshire 309-4 dec & forfeit Glamorgan forfeit & 287-8 Match drawn

Spaghetti functions

Pasta should be a dish in its own right, not just an accompaniment

Comment: Smarten up? You must be joking

Most of the teacher training package unveiled yesterday was eminently sensible - which the Labour Party's ready assent showed. Strip away the party political posturing, and here is the basis for a much needed re- professionalisation of teaching. But Gillian Shephard could not resist over-egging the pudding.

God bless them every one

THEATRE A Christmas Carol, Lyric, Hammersmith

O'Dwyer double

Conor O'Dwyer took the riding honours at Navan yesterday when completing a double on Ask The Butler in the Christmas Pudding Handicap Hurdle, writes Ian Davies.

Kissing love goodbye

Lucasta Miller enjoys a sentimental education; Zoe Trope by Amanda Prantera, Bloomsbury, pounds 14.99

Words: Interest

Some MPs seem to have been biting their pencils a good deal before making their contributions to the Register of Members' Interests, presumably not being certain just what is meant by the word. But the OED would have offered them 10 main definitions to choose from, including "regard to one's own profit or advantage; selfish pursuit of one's own welfare", which may or may not have been what Lord Nolan had in mind. He certainly wasn't thinking of fretwork or birdwatching, which are also interests.

Oh crumbs!

Food

Plum pudding in the melting pot

Christmas in America by Penne L. Restad Oxford, pounds 17.99; From Santa Claus to `Away in the Manger', many of our best loved Christmas traditions are American imports, according to a new cultural history. By Christina Hardyment
Career Services

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