It's only a month away from the big day now! But what will you be eating for Christmas Day lunch? Are you going for the traditional turkey and the trimmings or being more adventurous and going for goose or guinea fowl?

Have you got some good wines in? Some bubbly? A great bottle of Bordeaux?

:|
I have ordered a free range Capon, don't even know how to cook it but Im guessing its just like any other bird.

Will do trimmings and have instructed guests to bring wine :D

Parents are coming as may some other family members, therefore we will probably all be killing eachother by the end of lunch :hihi:

Originally posted by fox20thc
:|
I have ordered a free range Capon, don't even know how to cook it but Im guessing its just like any other bird.

There's a really good way of cooking it in "French Leave" by John Burton Race. I can't remember what it is at the moment but I'll look it up this evening and let you know what it is. He cooked it for Christmas Dinner also.

My mums cooking pork this year. i much prefer that to chicken.
Plus my mums taking as much precautions as she can, she dont want us getting bird flu and christmas. lol.

from fallen

Not sure. Partner doesn't eat meat and me and kids can't manage a full turkey. Might end up with fish for all of us (Tuna, Shark, Marlin etc. - which she does eat) or fish for her and a nice ham for me and the kids. All the other usual xmas fayre will be on the plate.

It would also be interesting to hear who will be doing the cooking. In our house it will be me!

Usually have a turkey crown & roast beef, plus yorkshire puds & all the other trimmimgs. May only be 3 of us this year, so if hubby dont fancy cooking - it could be bacon butties all round! Eaten whilst wearing the obligatory paper hats of course!

We'll be having turkey for dinner this christmas. i have never had turkey we always had chicken cos my grandparents didn't like turkey.

I normally have a capon...gorgeous meat. If you seperate the skin that covers the breast and stuff butter in there then flatten it out to make a thick layer. Can also flavour your butters. Then make a large foil tent around it and cook on a very low setting. Makes the meat really tender and juicy!

There some stuffing recipes further down this list too.

Normally i cook a beef or pork for boxing day but I think we are visiting relatives this year so I don't know!

Originally posted by Moon Maiden
There some stuffing recipes further down this list too.

what list?

u just bumped the post back up...with a rather appropriate answer to hugh fearnly whittingstall...or whatever his face is :suspect:

I've ordered an organic free-range Devon bronze turkey for Christmas Day lunch. Will have the usual trimmings: King Edward roasts done in goose fat, mash potato with double cream, pork and sage stuffing, carrots, brussel sprouts, sausages wrapped in bacon etc... Going to cover the turkey in a blanket of streaky bacon to keep it nice and moist.

For starters I think I'm going to do smoked salmon on soda bread with lemon juice and cracked black pepper with a small mini prawn cocktail on the side.

On boxing day it's dressed lobster for starters and then a well hung [no sniggering!] piece of Aberdeen Angus beef for main course.

Don't you just love eating yourselves silly at Christmas??

My dad is a traditional yorkshireman, if I offered him smoked salmon on soda bread he wouldnt touch it. And he would much prefer a plate of whelks to lobster :rolleyes:

We tend to have an excessively Swedish Christmas if I'm with my Dad. This year nearly the entire extended family (14 of them) on my Dad's side will be over for Christmas. Except in Sweden it isn't Christmas, it's Jul (Yule).

So, this Yuletide week I will be mostly eating Julbord (Yule Table) , which is like Smörgåsbord, but with a Yuletide angle, and will generally feed the family from the 23rd of december well into the new year. Which means no cooking over Yultide - it's all done before it starts on Lilla Julafton (Little Yule Eve).

Roasted Boiled Ham with Mustard Glaze and Cloves.

Dopp i grytan (rye bread dipped in ham stock with the chipolata sausages cooked in same)

Brunkål (a hot cabbage salad made with golden syrup)

Rödkål (a cold cabbage salad with shredded apple)

Inlagd Sill (15 types of pickled herring)

Gravlax

Kotbullar (50%pork 50%lamb meatballs)

Janssons Frästelse (matchstick potato, onion and anchovy gratin topped with breadcrumbs).

Kavring (a sort of sourdough rye), Vörtbröd (rye with brewers malt), and lots of other dark breads.

and to drink:

Mumma (no translation - a sweet, alcoholic christmas porter)
Glögg (sweet mulled wine with almonds, cloves, sultanas and raisins)
Brännvin Brännvin (chilled grain alcohol). Usually four or five types ranging from the Wormwood flavoured Bäsk to the heavily perfumed and aromatic Skåne Akvavit, and at least one bottle stuffed with berries and aquavit since the Autumn.
Pilsner

Not a bird in sight. Until we go to the inlaws for dessicated turkey and leaden pudding.

Phan,
That all sounds rather delicious! I had no idea you had Swedish roots? It's great to hear about how other cultures celebrate the holiday season.

I'm guessing the inlaws are not such good cooks?

Can I ask why no cooking over Yuletide?

my celebrations will start around the 23rd too but we tend to celebrate Yule and christmas mainly for the kids benefit

The usual traditional lunch but for after we are having flambeed peaches and mangos with cream. We had it last year and it was delicious.

Re the lunch - buy fresh or frozen crambrerries and make your own sauce as its fantastic. You won't go back to those jars ...

chritsmas dinner needs to be special and fun.

At my mums my mum cooks the meat and potatoes all the usual stuff but lays it out on the table along with two crackers on either side of the plate, the above 16's get a glass of wine and my brothers get coke lol. We pull one cracker before dinner and one after. Then we normally have afters of chocolate if we can manage it lol and pull our last cracker. We talk alot over dinner its great talking about different presents. I once got some westlife tickets and i was blabbing on about then all the way through dinner lol.

Does anyone watch the christmas day film? I do at night but during day at my mums we either go out in the snow or nip round and say merry christmas to family.

Its all fun i love it.

from fallen

Originally posted by JonJParr
Phan,
That all sounds rather delicious! I had no idea you had Swedish roots? It's great to hear about how other cultures celebrate the holiday season.

I'm guessing the inlaws are not such good cooks?

Hehe Jon, I am 100% Swedish, despite living here for 35 years! I think it is true that expats often 'amp-up' their national traditions when living abroad. So we go a little 'Scan Crazy' at Yule.

My Mother in law was sent on a Cordon Bleu course after her wedding! A byegone era (thankfully), but she is an excellent cook, although her metier is a little passé.

It's actually more to do with my antipathy towards the Turkey Roast Experience. I really do not like being faced with steaming mountains of food, and it really only differs from a sunday roast in that people customarily choose a bird they never otherwise cook or eat during the rest of the year.

The nice thing about Julbord/Smörgåsbord is that you make as many visits to the table as you like, usually starting with the herring, eggs and dark bread, then Jansson, Meatballs, Ham, Dopp, and the other stuff. Four or five visits to the table is not uncommon. And because everyone is coming and going at their own pace, A meal will last for hours which obviously requires enormous amounts of liquid sustenance too.

Plus it's all there, laid out, for snacking on at any other time over the whole Yuletide. Because of this we always cook double quantities of meatballs, and hold half of them back, because everyone passing through the kitchen will surreptitiously pop one in their gob by reflex.

Another Swedish Tradition is 'Open House' on Julafton (24th) for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. It's exactly what you'd expect, throwing open the doors to your house to friends, neighbours and acquaintances. Guests get some Glögg on arrival to warm them up, a few glasses of Mumma and a Plate of Dopp i Grytan. (We keep the ham to ourselves!).

Since Mumma is unavailable in the UK, my dad has developed a strange concoction based around a guiness shandy with added spirits. It's surprisingly close, although it panders to his sweet tooth and fondness for alcohol. Although we mix a weak batch for open house, otherwise our guests get smashed (it doesn't taste terribly alcoholic) and are difficult to turf out after lunch.

We are going to my sister-in-law for Christmas Dinner. She insists. And she insists on doing all the work though she can't cook. Bless her.

So if it is anything like previous meals we'll be chewing on Icelands finest.

But we'll be together as a family and it's my little boy's first Christmas so we are going to have a fantastic time and champagne disguises many things as does lots of gravy on the ready made roast pots.

Originally posted by fox20thc
:|
I have ordered a free range Capon,
I asked our butcher last year "Have you got a capon?"

He said "Who do you think I am Chuffin Batman"

We are having Turkey and all the trims this year.

its goin to be the traditional christmas day fry up for us, gives my dear old mum a break and gets the family together to eat something everyone likes for once.

We get relatives for the big spread on boxing day.

So what are you all planning to drink? Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Cider, Beer or all of the above?

Beef, roasted slowly, with gravy made from the juices and fat and tater water. Mmmm. And roast taters, roast parsnips, mountains of sprouts, carrots, bacon and sausage rolls, maybe some red cabbage and apple, plenty of stuffing (just because I like it), as many different types of pickle as will fit on the plate, yorkshire pudding, a bit of plastic that has fallen out of a cracker into the gravy, and water to drink with it so as not to spoil those lovely flavours.

:thumbsup:

Veg and potatoes for me I think... dont know what the rest of my family will be eating though. x

Gone for Turkey this year, will detatch, bone and stuff the legs then braise them in stock. Frees up fridge space, no risk of anything drying out, takes less time and we enjoyed it when we did it last time.

Plenty of veg, will include red cabbage with apples & cider vinegar as it's my favourite. Parsnips, carrots & swede mashed with lots of butter and pepper. Love the sound of that potato gratin Phan.

Someone said they would donate a pudding, if that doesn't turn up soon I'll plan something else, probably pavlova or cheesecake type thing with fruit as no one seems big on trad pud.

Jon,
I am pretending to agree to Salmon but will turn the tables upon Julie and demand Turkey as usual when the time is nearer. If she does make a stand, I suppose I've had my way for Donkey's years and will back down and compromise with Pork. I enjoy all the trimmings as you do too, especially the cream mashed potatoes, Roast King Eds and sausages wrapped in bacon.

My very favourite part of Christmas quaffing and gorging is really the consumption of Port and Stilton though. For me, that is the definitive taste of an English Christmas. Also essential are plenty of fine wines, nuts and a decent Pudding.

Regards,
Tim

I don't know what I'll be having, not meat though - I'm vegetarian.

Hopefully we will be having lasagne and a couple of bottles of Budvar.
It's our favourite meal so why not ?

I agree with you, Nick. I always think of it as the finest and most important meal of the year, so why not make it your favourite food? In our case there would be problems if Julie's favourite food was Christmas dinner. Personally, I don't fancy sitting down to Chili Con Carne.

Originally posted by Miss_C
I don't know what I'll be having, not meat though - I'm vegetarian. veggies n potatoes (could someone please tell me how to spell tht) it is then miss_c?

Originally posted by viking
I asked our butcher last year "Have you got a capon?"

He said "Who do you think I am Chuffin Batman"

We are having Turkey and all the trims this year.
Your butchers called Robin though int he? :suspect:

Red wine at christmas has to be the best. Depeding one which one you get it can really warm you up and it tastes nice too.

From fallen

Over the weekend I was in Lancashire and happened to visit a farmers' market where I was able to purchase Lancashire Cheese 'bombs'. They are large round balls of tasty Lancashire encased in a black wax covering. You take the top of the ball off and dip in with a Stilton spoon. It is one of the finest cheeses I have ever tasted.

I shall definitely be indulging in this cheese over Christmas and sipping it with the de rigeur goblet of Port.

I also purchased four different varietals of sausages from Cowmans in Clitheroe; pork with cracked black pepper, pork with plum and port, pork with leek and cranberry and traditional butchers style chippolatas to go with the turkey on Christmas Day!

usual dinner i guess this years as im back living with my mum shell b cookin this year yippie a year off!!!!!!!

I think I'll make a tripple layer chocolate and hazelnut pavlova for desert, that should last us a couple of days.

Originally posted by nick2
I think I'll make a tripple layer chocolate and hazelnut pavlova for desert, that should last us a couple of days.

Try making it with Italian merinque Nick - it's more luxurious which would make it perfect for this time of year.

Originally posted by JonJParr
Try making it with Italian merinque Nick - it's more luxurious which would make it perfect for this time of year.

What does that involve, I'm guessing something like Ameretto ?

Originally posted by nick2
What does that involve, I'm guessing something like Ameretto ?

No it's just made with sugar syrup [boiling hot] rather than granulated sugar. As it's much more stable you can use a blowtorch to caramelise it on the outside instead of baking which then gives you the lovely contrast of textures [crunchy and soft]. Is very nice!

Confit of Duck with red cabbage for my works do.

As for the main day I'll be at my mum's. Usually start off with big long walk with the dogs, hopefully in the snow, then back for Bacon Butties and a lunchtime dry sherry.

Main meal in evening will be Smoked Salmon to start with Champagne then Roast Beef from Crawshaws plus all the trimmings washed down with a nice red like Chataeuneuf du pape.

Then a slow beer addled descent into unconsciousness

Same as every year i guess we be haveing.


1st - We choose from ither soup or prawn cocktail

2nd - choice of turkey or pork meat dinner with all the trimmings.

3rd - christmas pud :gag: or anouther pudding what on offer for them who do not like xmas pud.


Then crash on the sofa till t-time when all the rest of the family come over for a party.My mum cooks for a army at xmas day and not just 14 of us at dinner, and yes 14 sounds a lot but you not seen the food at xmas time.We still think mum thinks she own's her own restaurant some times then wonders why we can not eat nothing till 3 weeks after and waste a lot of food in the evening.

Originally posted by taxman
Confit of Duck with red cabbage for my works do.

I just love Confit of Duck. That texture of finely chopped meat combined with the flavours of thyme, garlic and bay leaves - it's just magical!

Probably HOTDOGS (http://www.allhatnocattle.net/hotdog.jpg) again :(

We'll be having our meal on Xmas eve as is the tradition in Germany (5 German relatives visiting over Xmas) but not sure what to cook yet. Whatever it is it'll be veggie. My wife is working on Xmas day so I'll make a good breakfast for all then take them out for a walk to build up the appetite for evening meal on Xmas day.

We're all going to my parents on boxing day for a buffet (15 of us altogether), lots of chocolate, lots of noise, some drinks :nod: Then collapse on the sofa :clap:

Whatever you do, don't mention the war :suspect:

wow, your all making me sooo hungry!

we always go for the simple stuff, turkey and stuffing, but tend to have a glass or 2 whils attempting to make it!

Thinking of cooking turkey this year, usually have beef. Anyone got any tips for cooking the perfect turkey, mainly stopping it from drying out??

Also we've got a crap oven, really small. So i reckon im gonna find it hard cooking everything together e.g meat. roasties, roast veg, then puds etc etc. Help please!!!

After the Thanksgiving pigout, my family is tired of turkey. So, on Christmas Eve we have champagne, appetizers and a honey-cured ham.

On Christmas Day, we go non-traditional. Last year, we had homemade lasagna, breadsticks, salad and red wine. This year, we're doing a big brunch. The one traditional thing we have on Dec. 25 is a cannon-ball shaped, steamed raisin-and-suet pudding soaked in brandy and set afire.
My sister makes it every year. Yummy.

Hmm, last year we had turducken (chicken, turkey and duck all cooked one inside the other) which was great but badly named, chickucken would be better.
The year before I had turkey and stuffing sandwiches with my family and went for a long walk and was totally happy about it, no overstuffed feeling.
This year my Mum is hosting the meal since we have new babies and don't rate our chances of eating anything other than cereal if we stay home. My fella is an ex-chef so he's cooking some stuff to take over there, so there will be two meats and all variety of side servings and I think we're having a champagne and salmon breakfast. Dessert will probably be stollen - far superior to Christmas cake.
Drinks over the table and through the day will be champagne, fruit juices, white wine and water but I'm a tea fiend so I'm sure I'll smuggle a cuppa in somewhere too :)
We're making our own crackers for the table and tree with a kit we've got, great fun!

Originally posted by JonJParr
I've ordered an organic free-range Devon bronze turkey for Christmas Day lunch. Will have the usual trimmings: King Edward roasts done in goose fat, mash potato with double cream, pork and sage stuffing, carrots, brussel sprouts, sausages wrapped in bacon etc... Going to cover the turkey in a blanket of streaky bacon to keep it nice and moist.

For starters I think I'm going to do smoked salmon on soda bread with lemon juice and cracked black pepper with a small mini prawn cocktail on the side.

On boxing day it's dressed lobster for starters and then a well hung [no sniggering!] piece of Aberdeen Angus beef for main course.

Don't you just love eating yourselves silly at Christmas??

mmm very nice . whats the address? you forgot to post it

It's all about the little sausages wrapped in bacon MMMMMMMMMMM :clap: