With fireworks in the air, sausages and spicy drinks to make the night go with a bang

I like to watch fireworks outdoors in the cold autumn air, where I can see and smell the spectacle of neighbours’ rockets and fountains exploding in the midnight sky. My own celebrations will be crowned by a sweet and spicy supper: sausages that will be cooked long and slow, then tossed with maple syrup.

Bravery and a close eye on the progress of the sausages will be rewarded as their skins turn a rich, burnished mahogany and take on a glossy, deeply savoury note. They will be turned regularly in the pan until just the right side of burnt and will come with potato cakes, soft and floury, spiked with the sourness of kimchi and the warmth of gochujang. A side dish for the sausages, but also substantial enough to serve as principal course.