Christmas Food & Drink

MrsDangermouse said:
I think probably around 90% of the turkeys sold over here are the same :thumbsdown: But there are a (growing) number of places online that will supply good quality birds, and even some of the supermarkets now stock better quality ones (though probably not as good as the artisan suppliers). We're very lucky that we can buy one from a local smallholding - you have to reserve one in September and you're never quite sure what size it'll be, but they are absolutely delicious.


We're always told that everything is bigger in the US ;-) obviously that's true for turkeys: TastyReuben mentioned about 20+ lb turkeys, and medtran49 mentioned that they get smaller turkeys weighing 11-13lbs ......I think the largest readily available in the UK are around 7kg (15lbs), I'm sure you can get bigger ones but they're not very common. We find a 4kg bird is plenty big enough to feed 6 of us, with plenty of leftovers.
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Yep, the turkey in our freezer (locally raised, but purchased through the gourmet grocer we like) is 13-lbs and was the smallest whole turkey I could get. Anything smaller was breast only.

Those Butterballs at the Kroger are like Frankenbirds. They're huge! The first year I made a turkey in the UK, I got my bird from the American commissary, so it was a Butterball or a Honeysuckle White, one of the national brands. I don't remember the size, but I brought it home, thawed it, got it all ready to go...and it wouldn't fit in my standard British cooker. Wasn't even close.

I should have cut it up and roasted it that way, but I ended up doing it on a charcoal grill. It took forever and was not very good. Actually, it was the worst turkey I've ever had. :laugh:
 
caseydog said:
I much prefer turkey dark meat. More flavor, and more moisture -- both because the dark meat has more fat content.

Christmas dinner with my family is always a honey-baked ham. Same basic sides as Thanksgiving.

I make sure to ALWAYS claim the ham bone and residual meat to make ham and bean soup. Last year's batch...

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CD
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I do a ham on the bone basted for New Year's Eve, there's never enough left over for soup!!

Russ
 
We usually have a ham on Boxing Day - normally accompanied by potato dauphinoise or cauliflower cheese. My favourite way of cooking it is to wrap it in foil with black treacle and bake in a low oven (around 100 C) for 18-24 hours. Dead easy to do: the prep takes all of 5 minutes and then you can just forget about it until dinnertime the next day. :okay:
 
As long as it doesn't include sprouts, then I'm happy.
 
Unless we have snow or ice on the roads, I'm driving down to my friend's place back in Connecticut, and will spend the night.

Every year, she has a tradition of roast beef, carrots, brussels sprouts (and a small dessert). Her husband is now diabetic so that's probably the only thing in her tradition that has changed over the years.

I will bring an as-yet-undetermined appetizer or salad.

My parents never had a traditional meal. They varied it up each year. If I develop a tradition up here, I'll do it that way here, too.

There are usually 4-6 of us. Her brother in law, me, and her sister and the sister's husband - although now that the latter two have moved to New Hampshire, they may not come.

Like Russ, I hated Brussels as a kid - but those back then came from a can and were boiled. One of the very few things my parents did wrong in the kitchen.
 
One Christmas tradition for the last 20-or-so years is we make breakfast Christmas morning. I make the scrambled eggs. I have to smuggle real butter into the house, and make sure my mom doesn't see me use it. She's 85, and uses a walker to get around (slowly), so I can get away with it. I do them kind of French style, in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. They come out moist and fluffy, with no browning.

Dad cooks the bacon... in the microwave oven (DOH!). I don't argue. I just focus on the eggs.

CD
 
morning glory said:
What is her issue with butter?
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She only uses margarine -- and very little. She thinks it is healthier, even though it is not. For eggs, she uses PAM spray oil, which is just vegetable oil in a spray can. It is embarrassing at fine dining restaurants when she tells the waiter, grill my fish dry, no butter, and no olive oil. Same for the veggies on the side... dry, no fats. She would do that at a 3-Michelin Star restaurant.

Don't get me started on seasoning. No salt. No pepper.

She likes my cooking, but I can't let her see what I'm doing.

CD
 
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caseydog said:
She only uses margarine -- and very little. She thinks it is healthier, even though it is not. For eggs, she uses PAM spray oil, which is just vegetable oil in a spray can. It is embarrassing at fine dining restaurants when she tells the waiter, grill my fish dry, no butter, and no olive oil. Same for the veggies on the side... dry, not fats. She would do that at a 3-Michelin Star restaurant.

Don't get me started on seasoning. No salt. No pepper.

She likes my cooking, but I can't let her see what I'm doing.

CD
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My grandmother used to tell waitresses, "A cup of coffee, honey, and not the brewed coffee. Sinka <meaning Sanka instant coffee>. If you don't have any, I have some in my purse, dear..."

That's why I can't wait to reach 70. Once you hit 70, you can do stuff like that and people will just roll with it. :)
 
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