Festive Fare: what are your Christmas "must haves"

[KnittyNorah]

I'll be having salmon en croute with all the veggie trimmings (the potatoes etc will be veggie too).
The rest of the family are having lamb (which I never ate anyhow in my carnivore days)

Quail is hardly vegetarian (or pescatarian ) (ok the quail itself might be a veggie)

No, but as I said I'm an occasional carnivore.
I need to have known the animal/bird itself, and how/who raised and slaughtered it, before I'll eat it.

 

[T4tomo]

The Must Haves?

Pigs in blankets.
I always make turnip surprise, that's more tradition though
Roast parsnips
A sherry whilst cooking dinner

I have to make a turkey and leek pie with leftovers, normally have leftover gammon to throw in.

and NYE means making mini pheasant pies, with redcurrant sauce and pigs in blankets in them!

 

[Grant Fondo]

Christmas Pud! No one else in the family will go near it, so I get loads

Originating in England way back in the 14th century, Christmas pudding began life as a porridge-like meal that was full of fruits, oats, nuts, and suet called “frumenty”. It was traditionally served as a fasting meal that would be made about 5 weeks before Christmas in preparation for Advent. The heavy meal would also be mixed with alcohol then steamed or boiled. It was often considered good luck for all members of the family to stir the mixture, making a wish as they go.

 

[matticus]

The Queens speech

 

[derrick]

The Queens speech

Don't think you will get that this year'

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Bread sauce, don't have it any other time of the year!

Oh and Xmas pud with the brandy set alight.

 

[sevenfourate]

Bread sauce, don't have it any other time of the year!

Lovely !

Friends of ours made some Brown Bread ice cream once. That was to die for too. Surprisingly. Perhaps 🤷‍♂️

 

[Reynard]

I usually get in extra cream cheese and smoked salmon for sandwiches on Christmas day, some lebkuechen and/or pfeffernuesse for a sweet treat and a bottle of Riesling or similar. Being almost vegetarian (I'm lightly pescatarian and an occasional ethical carnivore ...) and in addition detesting dried vine fruits in any shape or form, traditional UK xmas food leaves me with the most horrible meal imaginable - dry boiled sprouts and spuds, followed by a serving of brandy butter!

I don't get that though... There are so many nice festive and seasonal foods that don't involve dripping / goose fat or meat of any kind. That and being accommodating to guests. I was always taught to cook according to my guests' tastes, and not mine...

I mean a nice veggie festive menu could be something like curried parsnip soup with croutons, then brie & cranberry filo parcels*, potato croquettes and a medley of garlic-roasted veggies, finished by apples & pears baked in spiced red wine.

* roast butternut squash, feta and green lentils is also good

 

[KnittyNorah]

I don't get that though... There are so many nice festive and seasonal foods that don't involve dripping / goose fat or meat of any kind. That and being accommodating to guests. I was always taught to cook according to my guests' tastes, and not mine...

I mean a nice veggie festive menu could be something like curried parsnip soup with croutons, then brie & cranberry filo parcels*, potato croquettes and a medley of garlic-roasted veggies, finished by apples & pears baked in spiced red wine.

* roast butternut squash, feta and green lentils is also good

Yes of course there are, and I shall enjoy them - but there seems to be such emphasis round here on, and a desire for, the 'traditional' meal - and such surprise when I very mildly say something on the lines of 'thank you for the invitation but I'm vegetarian ...' (I don't get into the 'ins and outs' of my dietary choices unless people are actually interested, and usually they aren't in the least) that the conversation often stops right there only to be raised again later, without any suggestion of veggie food being provided but just to ask me if I'm sure I don't want to come and enjoy 'everything else'. But what would there be for me to enjoy when the meal is the main focus of the celebrations, and most of it is distasteful to me?

Only if it's a restaurant group booking has the possibility of a vegetarian meal been mentioned - and to tell the truth, I've had some absolute crackers in previous years. I mean really gorgeous, tasty things, in quite mundane, unadventurous-looking restaurants! There is a strong culture round here of Local and Lancashire wrt food, which runs alongside the traditional, and this should - and can, in the right hands - lead to delicious fusion-type dishes.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

ANy votes for mushy peas??

personally I can;t stand them but my wife regards them as an essential part of a roast dinner with any poultry!!

she also doesn't like sprouts

apart from the Turkey and roast potatoes then we end up with different dinners!!

 

[jowwy]

Peace and quiet, the least amount of visiting the better……pringles for TV snacking

 

[Kingfisher101]

When I was a child, i had some xmas pudding I thought it would be like a chocolate pudding. So I took a mouthfull with brandy sauce and gagged. I cant stand dried fruits at all, none of it. I dont know how people can eat dried fruit I think it tastes horrible.

 

[Hebe]

Pigs in blankets Dark chocolate orange. Wotsits for the Mister and Hebe Jr (I never understood the festive connection). Lidl marzipan in dark chocolate. Broken biscuits from the milkman. Raspberry lemonade out of champagne flutes… Turkey curry. Christmas cake. Left over Christmas pudding fried in butter. I love Christmas food.

 

[Jameshow]

Club sandwiches on boxing day!!

 

[The Crofted Crest]

@Jameshow, I deeply respect you, but CLUB SANDWICHES!!!!!!!

An abonimation.