So what's everyone eating for Christmas dinner?

[Borris]

As it's now Christmas, why not disclose what you and yours are having for your main feast tomorrow. (Full details are required to get us all salivating).

For many the Christmas meal is the focal point of their Christmas day, the event that should bring loved ones and possibly not so loved ones all together in peace and harmony? Is it to be a huge "bird" (Oops, can't say that any more as woke turkeys might be offended) or perhaps a glorious side of beef with Yorkshires etc. We will have our usual big gathering on New years day when there will be nineteen of us eating what I think, is the King of meats, British Roast Lamb with all the trimmings.

Any unusual Christmas diners? Anyone having their Christmas dinner in their Cali? We did that a few years back. We started with drinks and hors d'ouvres in the van mid morning on a fog bound hill top, main course back at home at around 3pm, Christmas pud etc etc early evening, followed by cheese and biscuits later on. All accompanied by "lashings of ginger beer".

This year we will be having what has become our usual Christmas repast with our eldest and his family. I'm picking it up from the "Ancient Raj" today and it will be heated up for dinner tomorrow. Yes, it's a take away curry and a whopper. It never disappoints and it doesn't take 10 hours to cook at gas mark nine in a hot galley. Being a take away there is little washing up and no stress involved. We even used paper plates one year and stuck them in the woodburner afterwards, although that was probably a step too far as there's nothing like proper plates.

Discuss.

In starting this thread I am very mindful that there are many that are having a hard time putting Christmas together for their families this year. My heart goes out to them.

 

[chockswahay]

We’re having Chicken Balmoral Just the two of us this year as family all seeing their in-laws etc. Love haggis, love chicken, what’s not to like? Hehe

And without the need to entertain or provide for others we can drink and eat what we want, when we want and as much as we want

Merry Christmas

 

[chockswahay]

I’ve just spent a few minutes watching a big plump pheasant strutting around our garden……… had to resist blowing the cobwebs of my old BSA 22 air rifle………………….

 

[Borris]

We’re having Chicken Balmoral Just the two of us this year as family all seeing their in-laws etc. Love haggis, love chicken, what’s not to like? Hehe

And without the need to entertain or provide for others we can drink and eat what we want, when we want and as much as we want

Merry Christmas

Sounds like utter bliss.

 

[GrannyJen]

Probably roast beef or turkey,.

Whatever's left over at the homeless shelter I will be at,

But....

27th is my Christmas dinner, with my son and grandsons.... "Granny's roast beef"

 

[sidepod]

We’ve gone porchetta this year. Pork joint stuffed with pork mince, chicken liver, pine nuts etc.
Slowly cooked whilst we’re in the rubadubdub.

Tonight’s tradition is Bbq. Sirloin.

Enjoy all.

 

[Borris]

I’ve just spent a few minutes watching a big plump pheasant strutting around our garden……… had to resist blowing the cobwebs of my old BSA 22 air rifle………………….

We have one of those cocky chaps that regularly struts up and down our village. Our late cat wouldn't have held back as he had previous, in the pheasant murdering department. Fortunately, I've never been that keen on anythìng that previously sported feathers. Horns yes, although whilst there's a field of bovine beasties just opposite, the cat never tried it on with them.

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Well, we’re at Castleton campsite and my wife and daughter have ganged up on me and told me I’m making it. Pasta anyone ?

 

[Borris]

We’ve gone porchetta this year. Pork joint stuffed with pork mince, chicken liver, pine nuts etc.
Slowly cooked whilst we’re in the rubadubdub.

Tonight’s tradition is Bbq. Sirloin.

Enjoy all.

Never heard of porchetta. Sounds delicious.

Bbq Sirlion. Oh yum. Now I am jealous!

About two months ago we purchased a big "Bastard". It's one of those large nuclear grade cast iron egg shaped bbq things on wheels, made in the Netherlands. I did consider firing it up to burn something meaty for Christmas but the head chef said no. The weather turned before I had time to get properly acquainted with it!

 

[scottk]

There will be 9 or 10 of us. Just finished getting it ready! Prawns, smoked salmon and chicken liver pate for starters. On platters so you can choose what you like. Broth maybe then roast turkey with trimmings. Only takes a couple of hours to cook as I bone the legs and stuff them.
Dessert is sticky toffee pudding, chocolate mousse or raspberry pavlova. Then cheese later on. Always too much food!
It’s all ready so just the turkey and roast pots to cook tomorrow.
My sister is doing cocktails beforehand so it could all go pear shaped.

 

[Borris]

Well, we’re at Castleton campsite and my wife and daughter have ganged up on me and told me I’m making it. Pasta anyone ?

That sounds like a real challenge. We sometimes meet up with Cali chums and cook meals for each other. Some have been quite elaborate.

Image0004

The California Candelabra Club at Dorset

vwcaliforniaclub.com

This was one of our candle lit soirées in our party tent. Everyone contributes and much fun is had by all.

If the weather is good it's a lot of fun but a bit more of a challenge if not. I don't like cooking in the van but we do have one of those tailgate tents to enable the whole cooking thing to be easier if weather is bad. I see you have an Ocean so you should be ok.

Have you decided on a menu yet?

 

[Borris]

There will be 9 or 10 of us. Just finished getting it ready! Prawns, smoked salmon and chicken liver pate for starters. On platters so you can choose what you like. Broth maybe then roast turkey with trimmings. Only takes a couple of hours to cook as I bone the legs and stuff them.
Dessert is sticky toffee pudding, chocolate mousse or raspberry pavlova. Then cheese later on. Always too much food!
It’s all ready so just the turkey and roast pots to cook tomorrow.
My sister is doing cocktails beforehand so it could all go pear shaped.

What time shall we all come round?

 

[willwander]

Trad, roast Turkey and all the trimmings for our guests. Just all the trimmings for us, since we gone a bit veggie these days.

 

[larrylamb]

Sirloin, Yorkshire pud and Pol Roger.
We kept it simple last year, curry.

 

[Borris]

Sirloin, Yorkshire pud and Pol Roger.
We kept it simple last year, curry.

Now that sounds superb and Pol Roger as well!

I heard a story once that they made Pol Roger in pint bottles specially for Winston Churchill.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Stuffed pork loin. What it's been stuffed with I haven't a scooby, our youngest has done that but I saw it in the fridge when I was extracting a beer just now.

Tomorrow, Louis Roederer fizz and a decent tube of whatever I can dig out that will go with the pork (task for this evening).

 

[Borris]

Stuffed pork loin. What it's been stuffed with I haven't a scooby, our youngest has done that but I saw it in the fridge when I was extracting a beer just now.

Tomorrow, Louis Roederer fizz and a decent tube of whatever I can dig out that will go with the pork (task for this evening).

Cider?

 

[Velma's Dad]

Cider?

Nice idea, I have some somewhere I think. And I've just dug out a nice Alsatian dry Riesling, bin-end from a Cali trip down that way several years back and which has been yelling Drink Me. Sorted.

 

[Amarillo]

My favourite is roasted sirloin which I buy in Makro at a very reasonable price. But this year it’s roast chicken with all the trimmings ++.

Mother in law and step father in law are joining us, and a Ukrainian mother and son. The son is in Ben’s class at school.

Their story is fairly typical. Dad is a pharmacist in Kyiv, so a reserved profession, but cannot leave Ukraine. After fleeing to their Dacha outside Kyiv at the beginning of the war, mother and son then moved to their in-laws in the west of the country, and later to Italy. They arrived in the UK June last year.

Ilona soon got a job in the bakery department of the local Sainsbury’s, and is about to start work in the logistics department of Lewisham Council, much closer to the sort of work she is used to in Ukraine.

They share a 2 bedroom bungalow with another Ukrainian mother and son, for which their landlord gets £350 per month. His wife was a post war refugee from Prague.

From speaking no English in June, the 9 year old boy is nearly fluent. And he is a rising star at rugby which he does every Sunday.

 

[66tim99]

Hopefully tomorrow’s Christmas pud is will turn out better than tonight’s apple pie

 

[soulstyledevon]

Hopefully tomorrow’s Christmas pud is will turn out better than tonight’s apple pie View attachment 103386

Looks like the one out the movie…

 

[willwander]

Hopefully tomorrow’s Christmas pud is will turn out better than tonight’s apple pie View attachment 103386

That will tidy up with a nice bit of custard.

 

[TheDoc]

Starting the day at 6am (the kids will be up opening Santa's stocking) with some thick cut dry cured bacon in a tiger loaf (stokes brown sauce on top). Turkey out of the fridge around then to acclimatise and in the oven about 8am to enable a couple of hours rest. 10am I’ll be on the bucks fizz with some smoked salmon. Open some more presents. 11am veg prep - usual roast spuds in goose fat, sprouts with pancetta, roast parsnips in maple syrup, home made pork and sage stuffing, carrots, broccoli, etc. and some home made bread sauce. Lunch around 1pm. I made the gravy yesterday, which is a meal in itself. Today I roasted the ham to go alongside the Turkey, and also did an 8 hour pulled pork which I’ll have with some apple sauce early evening. Naturally I’ll be squeezing in some Christmas pudding between the two. Late evening I’ll be settling into some cheese and trying out my chilli chutney that I made when I cropped my last batch of tomatoes late summer. Thereafter il be getting stuck into some Christmas cake, which I iced last weekend having been feeding it brandy for the last 2 months. Mulled wine, gnt, Rioja and baileys will be consumed in copious quantities throughout the day. Boxing Day will be a lighter affair until I’ve concluded the Boxing Day charity swim at the beach in Tenby. Then off to some of the rellies to feast on their hard work. Happy Christmas all

 

[chockswahay]

Well

Starting the day at 6am (the kids will be up opening Santa's stocking) with some thick cut dry cured bacon in a tiger loaf (stokes brown sauce on top). Turkey out of the fridge around then to acclimatise and in the oven about 8am to enable a couple of hours rest. 10am I’ll be on the bucks fizz with some smoked salmon. Open some more presents. 11am veg prep - usual roast spuds in goose fat, sprouts with pancetta, roast parsnips in maple syrup, home made pork and sage stuffing, carrots, broccoli, etc. and some home made bread sauce. Lunch around 1pm. I made the gravy yesterday, which is a meal in itself. Today I roasted the ham to go alongside the Turkey, and also did an 8 hour pulled pork which I’ll have with some apple sauce early evening. Naturally I’ll be squeezing in some Christmas pudding between the two. Late evening I’ll be settling into some cheese and trying out my chilli chutney that I made when I cropped my last batch of tomatoes late summer. Thereafter il be getting stuck into some Christmas cake, which I iced last weekend having been feeding it brandy for the last 2 months. Mulled wine, gnt, Rioja and baileys will be consumed in copious quantities throughout the day. Boxing Day will be a lighter affair until I’ve concluded the Boxing Day charity swim at the beach in Tenby. Then off to some of the rellies to feast on their hard work. Happy Christmas all

Blimey, I feel like I’ve just put on 10 kgs reading all that

 

[chockswahay]

Well my missus has knocked the Chicken Balmoral into a cocked hat….. she was in Waitrose when they slashed the price of a Beef Wellington to a price that she couldn’t refuse

Looks like I’ll have to crack open that 2006 Rioja Reserva we bought on our last trip to Spain 4 years ago……….

Ah well……..