An English Christmas pudding ready to be doused in brandy and set aflame
Photo: Chronica Domus
Ask most Brits to describe what they'll be feasting upon as part of their Christmas day celebratory dinner and the answer will likely involve the following: a plump roasted turkey, sage and onion stuffing, little Chipolata sausages wrapped in bacon, cranberry sauce, roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots or parsnips, gravy, Christmas (plum) pudding with hard sauce or cream, and a good Stilton cheese with crackers, all washed down with port wine. Oh, and lest we forget, delicious little mince pies.
English mince pies and German Stollen are excellent sweet treats on Christmas day
Photo: Chronica Domus
Please help me unravel the mysteries of a traditional Christmas day meal in your country of residence by letting me know what it is that you enjoy eating on Christmas day, and whether or not your menu is dictated by either national or family traditions.
My dear CD,
ReplyDeleteI think those mince pies and Christmas pudding could soften up Ebeneezer better than those ghosts and Tiny Tim.
Is there another sis you haven't told me about CD?!?!
So, I take it you are one of the few Americans who enjoy mince meat and Christmas pud? It took my husband many years to come over to my way of thinking on the matter of these quintessential British Christmas foods (oh, and Christmas cake too for that matter). All that shriveled up fruit just doesn't seem appealing to the uninitiated.
DeleteWe eat exactly the same as you (bar the sausages)! We usually start with smoked salmon on blinis and champagne, then sit down to a dinner of roast turkey with all the trimmings and a sage and onion stuffing, roast potatoes, carrots, peas, brussel sprouts, cranberry sauce and then the pudding aflame with custard and hard sauce. Yes to the mince pies too!
ReplyDeleteA lot of Australians now do something that suits our climate a little better at this time of year and eat a lot of seafood - platters of prawns, crayfish, oysters and there's a fashion for ice cream puddings (plum pudding chunks mixed into vanilla ice cream and frozen in the shape of a traditional pud), but my family (both sides) still keeps to the traditional meal.
Hello Heidi,
DeleteI think I would be quite at home at your table on Christmas day as the menu is so familiar to me. I had no idea Australians would have followed so closely to a traditional English meal.
I am intrigued to learn of the ice cream pudding and now want to sample it for myself (not on Christmas day though as I can't give up my love of Christmas pud!). The last Christmas I spent in England (two years ago), I noticed a variation on Christmas pudding being sold and wanted to try it. It was basically the same fruity mixture with an orange (more like marmalade) baked in the middle of it. Alas, they had sold out so I was unable to taste it for myself.
My father being Anglo Australian we followed the same menu as you mentioned as it was very traditional. but I will be honest and say I never ever understood mince pies and xmas pudding even with lashings of custard or cream. My father would always ask for those two things to be brought back from the UK or Australia depending where i was at the time. Years ago I walked into the office canteen and people were saying that there desert island food was mince pies and i said me too, i hate them and they said - no its the one item you can bring... we both looked at each other like the other were nuts.
ReplyDeleteNaomi, this has made me laugh so much! I think pudding and mince pies are an acquired taste… I used to hate the taste of the pudding as a child, but would eat it as there were always coins hidden in the slices. So being greedy for pocket money would usually have two slices. At some point I started to like the taste (probably when I started drinking alcohol as an adult, as it's always so heavy on the brandy flavour).
DeleteCoulda shoulda woulda, your comment made me chuckle so much, thank you for that! I think that Heidi might be onto something and that these sweets are an acquired taste once one is old enough to have discovered the joys of a good tipple.
DeleteI too discovered something at a Christmas work lunch long ago, when I worked in London. Sitting at the table with my manager, I noticed he sprinkled salt on his mince pie. When I quizzed him about it, he said "go ahead, try it and see, it will be the best mince pie you will have ever tasted". I did, and what do you know, the sweet mince mixture with a touch of salt was an all together different yet pleasant experience. I suggest you try one that way and see if they are more to your liking.
Sounds like our Christmas dinner, except for the sausages in bacon. How did I not know about this until a few weeks ago, when we had them at Thanksgiving dinner in London! WOW! My dad always made the Christmas cake, and also made the plum pudding - five years worth at a time. Great memories.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that your father made your annual Christmas cake. My mother does much the same, but she doesn't plan that much into the future and always makes on year's cake at a time. My husband doesn't touch the stuff so I get more to myself!
DeleteI'm from Virginia, so no stuffing for the turkey but cornbread dressing instead. Also no sausages before. Instead things that go well with champagne: seasoned, buttered pecans; bene wafers, etc. The rest is pretty much the same save we may use different names for things.
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving is more uniform because it's a relatively recent national holiday. Christmas traditions stretch far, far back to the countries from which your people originated.
Hello Janet, and welcome!
DeleteI'm so glad you've added to the commentary with what a Virginian's Christmas meal involves. I've never heard of these wafers and just looked them up. They appear to be a southern tradition and now I'd like to try them for myself.
We have savory bene wafers before the meal. There's also a cookie.
DeleteI would caution that you only use White Lily flour with a southern receipt/recipe, but Smucker's bought the company and that was the end of that. You can still find mills in Virginia and elsewhere in the south that offer flour made from soft winter wheat.
I forgot to mention ambrosia, but that's a Christmas Eve offering in my family. It's all fresh and has nothing gloomy added.
Janet, you sound like an expert baker and I bet your wafers and baked goods are just divine. The right flour always makes a difference, that's for sure.
DeleteI'm in Kansas, originally from Oklahoma. As a child Christmas was a redo of Thanksgiving except when we had duck...which turned out to be my cousin's aging pet. Who thought that was a good idea? All of us kids went outside and threw up! As I recall our parents were very nonchalant about it (my dad and aunt grew up on a farm).
ReplyDeleteYears ago, I started cooking prime rib, now I often do a beef tenderloin. Other items: spinach salad, potatoes gratin, green beans stir fried with bacon, onion and red peppers, mushroom ragout. Dessert is a coconut cake. And enough red wine to keep the spirit bright.
Hello home before dark, and welcome!
DeleteMy mother-in-law's family came from Oklahoma. Up until she passed away, she used to host Christmas day dinner at her house, which, like your family, based their menu around a redo of Thanksgiving.
It is nice to hear that you've developed your own menu since moving to Kansas.
The story of the dear pet duck would have had me outside too. One of my father's relatives in London used to keep the most adorable rabbits in his garden. I thought they were pets until I learned of their true purpose.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI am French and my husband is American. We are living in Sonoma now for about a year after being living in the St-Albans Hertfordshire UK and my husband worked in Central London for about 2 years.(We lived in SF before that for over a 17 years but Sonoma offer a nice French-American charter school for our children to go.) Must said I tired the Christmas pudding in the UK but I much prefer a sticky toffee pudding:). However I do love the mince pies and will incorporate them to our Holidays menu this year. I cook no longer turkey for Christmas since we do enjoy it at Thanksgiving just feel not enough elasped time between the 2 holidays to appreciate it again. We now have more a elegant cocktail party fill with fancy appetizers like filet mignon Skewers with balsamic reduction Ricotta stuffed cherry tomatoes etc and follow by a nice seafood dinner usually involving lobster and crabs.
Happy Holidays!
L-
Just tiny mistake ...we move back to SF a year ago and just recently relocated to Sonoma 3 months ago :).
ReplyDeleteSorry I am a mum of 3 kiddos that keep wanting a piece of me every time I type something!lol and with have being rather busy moving around the past 2 years its hard to get my dates and facts together!lol
But I forgot something ...I do tried to get a Buche de Noel or make one at Christmas time its a must have for me at Christmas as a family/culture tradition!
Hello Laetitia,
DeleteThank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment. How marvelous that you've lived in both St. Albans (I know exactly where it is as I've visited there several times), and also Sonoma, which is within an hour's drive from my house. I think you'll be very happy living there with Sonoma's laid-back European feel and culture.
Your Christmas day menu sounds quite scrumptious, and I can relate to why you wouldn't want to repeat the turkey so close to Thanksgiving.
Of course, a Bûche de Noël is an essential French treat for Christmas, so can understand why you go out of your way to make or buy one. In England, we call them Yule Logs and I remember my mother buying one at Christmastime.
Are there any other French traditional foods that you like to incorporate into your menu on Christmas day?
I would love "Foie Gras" but cant find any I was been busy with the move and I should have ask my brother to bring me some when he came over for Thanksgiving! And I did found online a farm here in Sonoma that do make their own ( cage free ducks etc...like my grandmother used to make her own back home) but they are out of stock! Anyway this year we are inviting to my husband family on Protero hills on Christmas day so I am just entertaining on x-mas eve and new year eve this year. We do love Sonoma! like you I moved in the bay area in 1995 and lived in SF until we went to the UK .Moving back in the city and finding the houses prices sky rocket here even more I am happy to find a beautiful home here and have the kids attending next year a great school. (Our oldest is entering Kindergarden in September ).
DeleteWe for sure will have some good French wines and California ones during the holidays !(we are about 25 minutes from the Francis Coppola winery)
PS: You should think of adding to your blog the feature " Disqus " easy to add and its a bit more easy to participate in a discussion on a blog :) have you heard of it ?
L-
I believe the sale of foie gras is now prohibited in California so that is why you were not able to find it. As for wines, I think you've struck gold with the abundance available in your area.
DeleteI shall look into your suggestion re: Disqus, thank you.
yes it is prohibited for it to be re sale but any family member can bring some as long as it is not re sale or if you find a farm like the one in Sonoma that make their own and the animals are not force feed so to speak....
DeleteYes look into disqus...with that a person that follow and have a conversation back and forth on a particular post can be notified by email rather having to scroll down to find a particular post they were having a " discussion " on.
Originally from Virginia, my beloved mother always made a rib roast with Yorkshire pudding for Christmas Eve dinner. Now having lived in coastal California for many years, I make cioppino with scallops, prawns, salmon, mussels and crab over linguini with homemade garlic bread and a beautiful green salad with tomatoes, avocado, walnuts, red onion and goat cheese with an oil and vinegar dressing, Much easier than my mother's menu and much appreciated by our family.
ReplyDeleteHello Ann,
DeleteInteresting to read about your mother's Christmas eve dinner, which sounds like something I used to eat for Sunday lunch when I lived in England (I adore Yorkshire pudding!).
Your present day menu sounds to be right up my husband's alley so he may well be knocking at your door soon.
Thank you for stopping by and adding to the discussion, and I do hope you'll come back again.
CD,
ReplyDeleteGrowing up with an Ohio born father and a Oklahoma born mother, we usually had ham, with sweet potatoes, mashed russett potatoes, green beans, and the trimmings for Christmas. As an adult with a family, we now eat beef, sometimes a tenderloin, and lately a burgandy infused tri tip from a favorite butcher. I used to prepare a delicious scalloped potato dish, but now that we have a lactose intolerant daughter in law, I prepare roasted potatoes and asparagus to go with the beef. This year, dessert will be sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce. I love almost any food so I could get along with whatever menu our host prepared. :-)
Happy Christmas, my friend.
Karen
Hello Karen,
DeleteI'm struck by how many Americans, once they've flown the coop, adopt their own Christmas food traditions that differ from what they ate growing up. I don't think this happens in England. Mind you, if you served sticky toffee pudding to a Brit any day of the year, it will be gone in a jiffy!
Happy Christmas to you too Karen, and thank you for your comment.
The "Brit" menu is familiar from dim and distant days, (when my my mother was around and when we spent it with her). But nowadays my appetite is so small, I would struggle beyond a small serving of one course alone, and no sugar related foods; if there's a bird, and quite often there isn't because I make no special nod to Christmas fare, it would be chicken rather than turkey, (basically because I prefer it, and they come in small sizes, so that you're not eating it till Easter). I miss Brussels sprouts - they are available here, but price wise are almost on a par with white truffles.
ReplyDeleteHello columnist,
DeleteI think Brussels sprouts are my favorite vegetable during the autumn and winter months and I'd have a hard time living without them if they cost a princely sum (I could be in deep financial ruin if that were the case!).
Hello CD, There are many traditions in Taiwan involved with holiday food. Your post reminds me that if I want to do something special for the Chinese New Year coming up, I had better start experimenting soon.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim,
DeleteI must say you do plan well ahead! Don't you have a few months still remaining? San Francisco has the biggest Chinese New Year celebrations outside of China it is claimed, with a large parade winding through the center of town that is televised, and banquets being served at all of the Chinese restaurants in the China Town district of the city.
Hello CD,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post - I've enjoyed reading about others' traditions.
As your other Aussie commenters have said, the menu is a mixed bag here. Ours typically varies according to the weather, which can range from cool (we had hail one year) to blazing hot.
It's our turn to host Christmas lunch this year and we'll be having cold seafood for starters, then roast lamb and roast chicken with lots of vegie sides (yours truly is vegetarian/borderline vegan).
Dessert is typically trifle, tiramisu or pavlova (or variations thereof). This year my husband has suggested Eton mess but there may be tears if there's no icecream pudding so I guess we'll have that on offer too.
You may be interested to know that going out for Christmas lunch is very popular here, with some restaurants reportedly being booked out a year in advance. Years ago it used to be the big hotels but now many restaurants offer traditional (English) and modern menus.
Spud.
Hello Spud,
DeleteThank you for the memories of Eton Mess, which is divine served during the summer months. However, since learning of the ice cream pudding that Heidi informed us of, that seems very fitting for the holiday (and I am intrigued to try it for myself one of these days).
Why does it not surprise me that eating out has become so popular? One Christmas long ago, when I did not have the use of my kitchen on Christmas day, and the thought of not having a celebratory special meal was beginning to sink in, we made a wonderful discovery The historic Palace Hotel in San Francisco put on a marvelous spread with practically every food under the sun to select from, all washed down with champagne, while a jazz trio serenaded the smart and festively dressed diners in the elegant surrounds of The Garden Court. It was all rather lovely. That was the only time in my life I had ever eaten out on Christmas day.
Hello CD,
ReplyDeleteWe are undergoing a major kitchen renovation so there are no holiday celebrations chez Gaylin this year. However, favorite Christmas meals in the past have included rack of lamb, a standing rib roast and a stuffed pork crown roast. We enjoy turkey but it's too soon after Thanksgiving. Supporting players such as Brussels sprouts, creamed spinach, Colcannon, roasted root vegetables and potato pancakes (since my husband is Jewish) often make an appearance. Desserts tend to be crowd sourced affair. We are all fond of cookies, fruit crumbles with cream, layer cakes and a homey sticky toffee pudding. And I'll admit there have been times when the holidays were just too much and we went to a favorite Chinese restaurant.
Wishing you peace, joy and health at your holiday table and in the new year.
KL Gaylin
Oh, gosh, I absolutely love Colcannon and last had a really tasty one when I dined at The Wolseley for lunch with my husband a few years ago. I must dig out a recipe and make it for myself now that you've stirred up the juices deep within me, thank you.
DeleteWe have friends who celebrate Hanukkah and they make terrific potato latkes, which may daughter adores and once asked that we become Jewish so we too could eat them all the time.