Day 23 - Christmas: What will you be cooking?

[Huma0]

Hello all, for those of you who celebrate Christmas, and those of you who are also responsible for the cooking of the traditional Christmas meal, what are your plans for Christmas lunch or dinner?

What is traditional in your country and do you feel it's best to stick to that, or do you go "off piste" and do something different?

I tend to stick to traditional, but that doesn't mean turkey. Here in the UK, most people think of a roast turkey as the required main course for a Christmas meal, but actually, that is an imported American tradition. Goose would be a far more traditional British option, but not many people go for that anymore (expensive!). I don't actually know anyone that loves turkey, so I usually go for a different bird.

What if you are vegetarian or vegan? Last year, due to Christmas kind of being cancelled here in London, I spent it with my one housemate who was officially a pescatarian (although mostly ate vegan food) so I had to get creative. It turns out better than I thought.

Anyway, I am rather late in planning the Christmas meal I am shortly to cook for my family. We are talking about people from different cultures who have very different preferences. Ideas and inspiration would be greatly appreciated.

[Laurelle3]

@Ann72 again I am learning on the community forum I looked up a Estonian Kringle and it was a braided bread like a brioche and sometimes it has addedfruit or cinamon. It reminded me of what our Swedish exchangestudent introduced us to this.

[Ann72]

Thank you @Laurelle3!  That's also interesting because after my friend left Estonia, she lived in Sweden for a time.  I'll take a picture and report back!

[Mark116]

@Huma0  Since we have turkey for Thanksgiving, we usually have a prime rib roast for Christmas.  I stopped eating ham [due to factory farming] years ago and no one in my family likes duck or goose, so that leaves beef.  Someone gave us venison one year and that was a novelty. Sides are mashed or scalloped potatoes, salad, rolls, some kind of green,  maybe broccoli. 

On Christmas Eve we do the 'seven fishes' apps &  dinner even though that is I think an Italian tradition, but its fun.  There will be some mulled red wine both nights.

Since you mentioned it on the other thread I looked up Christmas Pudding and I might try making it, but steaming something in a glass basin seems REALLY difficult, also almost none of the recipes are in 'American' measurements, ha, so even more of a challenge. 

[Huma0]

@Mark116 

I have only ever once tried making Christmas Pudding from scratch. It was a lot of effort and a lot of expense (actually much cheaper to buy a 'luxury' pre-made version here as Xmas pudding is so common). That, combined with the fact that most people I know actually hate it, I have never made it again. At most, I will buy a mini pre-made version of it so that it's an option for the few who want it.

[Huma0]

@Mark116 can you not buy pre-made Christmas puddings in NJ? Those actually just need heating up, which means you can steam them if you can be bothered, but you can also just heat them briefly in the microwave.

A traditional Xmas pudding should, in theory, have enough alcohol in it that you can light it so that it is flaming just before being set on the table. There should also be a gold coin in it, which the lucky recipient of that portion gets to keep (let's hope they didn't break their tooth on it), but to be fair, those traditions aren't very closely followed anymore. Definitely the shop made Xmas puddings do not have gold coins in them 😞

[Laurelle3]

@Huma0 and @Mark116  Christmas pudding it is like oysters some like it and some don't. In my childhood it had threepence and sixpences icooked n it or slipped in prior to serving. When we changed to decimal the 5 cent pieces were made of nickle so for safety they were wrapped in alfoil. The pudding is usually served with custard and cream and sometimes ice cream. Other deserts are fresh fruit salad, triffle and or pavlova usally is served as a smorgasbord or hep yourself.

[Helen427]

@Laurelle3 

Your mention of threepence, sixpence and 5 cent pieces raises serious issues with any talk of changing to Digital only currency worldwide.

We simply can't afford to loose 'Real Money' and cash because Christmas Pudding would not be the same.

@Huma0 @Liv @Nick @Catherine-Powell @Brian0 @Mark116 @Stephanie @Kath9 @Stephanie1933 

@Paul1255 @Fred13 @Branka-and-Silvia0 @Jessica-and-Henry0 @Money0 @Dale711 @Mary996 @M199 

[Mary996]

We defo need real currency in the Xmas pudding @Helen427...! 

[Huma0]

@Laurelle3 

Traditional Christmas deserts here include:

- Christmas pudding

- Christmas cake

- Yule log

- Mince pies

But now, it's quite common to find things like Stollen or for people to do a caramel or chocolate steamed pudding instead of the traditional one.

I am still in a dilemma about what to make for desert as most of my family do not like the traditional ones and half of the adults do not touch alcohol, so boozy deserts are out. One of my favourites is a very boozy chocolate and coffee trifle, which is usually a crowd pleaser, just not suitable for my family 😞

[Mark116]

@Huma0  Cheesecake with a nice fruit topping?  Or a different kind of trifle w/no booze?  Trifle is a wonderful invention because you can use some odds and ends and as long as  your serving dish is pretty, the rest can be haphazard.

[Huma0]

@Mark116 

Cheesecake is out because some of my family absolutely hate it. In fact, custard, cream or anything like that is also out for some (whereas my mum can't eat any desert without extra lashings of cream). Ice cream is okay, but it's too cold right now.

I make an almond and berry frangipane tart that they all love, and can be served with our without cream/ice cream, but they've had it three times this year already 🙂

I am thinking maybe of a lemon polenta cake. Or maybe an orange version, which might be a bit more festive. Anything with pistachios or almonds is also usually a hit, although we have a couple of family members coming for the first time, so I am not even sure if they are allergic to nuts. Better check!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

In Croatia tradition is different in different areas. On the coast it is a codfish, inland is turkey with mlinci. My family's tradition is sarma. It is meat and rice wrapped in sour kraut leaves.

If you ever come to Croatia you should try "purica sa mlincima" and " sarma"  🙂

Purica sa mlincima

sarma

[Helen427]

Recipes please @Branka-and-Silvia0 !!

We have a friend who's a chef originally from Croatia who makes the best baking and treats.

We first meet them at a local Italian Restaurant when they came to New Zealand and without fail once a week had the best Garlic Pizza Bread in an era when the Restaurant business was operated primarily by those of nationality of foods created.

[Ann72]

I’ll be right over @Branka-and-Silvia0 - that looks amazing!

[Huma0]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

What is mlinci?

Sounds intriguing!