Christmas Dinner

[wardy]

Robert is the mutton for your Christmas "do" at home or the A4a one? Well me and Lorna have our priorities.  I'm doing drinks and she's already supplied all the brandy for the pudding and brandy and lemonades.  So, Lorna we're ok  :)

[wardy]

[lorna]

Wardy. I have mentioned before (please don't tell anyone) I am useless at cooking but I can pour a "mean" brandy and lemonade.. Oh yes my other party trick I could do some nice fruit boxes for presents. Did 100's of the bl**dy things when we had greengrocer shops. ::)

[wardy]

Right then Lorna, you and I are in charge of drinks.  Everyone has to bring a bottle though.  Only got Lorna's brandy at the mo.  Please, no home made banana skin wine vintage 1972, and deffo no Schloer.  Yuk  ;D 

[daveandtara]

this xmas is a bit special, my dad's last, so we'll be having scallops in vermouth to start,
then ham boiled in coke (nigella recipe, absolutely lovely!) and goose with all the trimmings
and a special family recipe, a pudding made of cream, tinned mandarin oranges and cadbury flakes, mmmmmmm can't wait.

the best thing though will be watching the kids! sophie is just turned three and sooooooooo excited!  ;D

Tara xxx

[wardy]

Sounds great - ham and goose!  :P   Sorry it's to be your father's last so make sure he has a darn good time  :)

[spacehopper]

Anyone rear their own turkey? I remember having two as a kid. Huge they were, like ostriches! Might get a couple next year.

We'll be going up to my folks in scotland. It's my mums 50th on christmas eve and we are planning a surprise party, should be good.

Tara, cameron is nearly two and is still not sure about christmas. He definitely does not like santa! Quite right when you think about it, some stranger breaking into the house in the middle of the night! He loves having the family together though and especially enjoys sprouts and roast tatties.

For the virtual dinner, we will bring choux pastry buns filled with home made drambuie ice cream and covered with toffee sauce. Cameron will make some mince pies (with help from mummy of course! )

[Svea]

Christmas eve - Definitely German. Bratwurst*, mashed potato, mushroom* and onion gravy and sauerkraut*.

hmmm! just exactly what we are having. what is your german influence, moonbells? :)
made my own sauerkraut this year. delish, lots of dill on it - and best of all, non-wind inducing! :o i have no idea what they put into the preserved stuff then.....
you can buy sauerkraut at any good polish food shop :)
we get our sausages from a farmshop/local producer. i often chose something like a cumberland ring or similar, just to make it slightly different from our regular sausage eating :D

and of course, dont forget gluehwein and opening presents in front of crackling fire (we will enjoy that!)

christmas day - it's got to be a dead bird of some kind :)
red cabbage with apple a must, as are potato dumplings (rohe kloesze for those in the know) that's the german dinner.
OH does the english dinner the day after which is usually a roast joint, sprouts etc veg, roast potatoes etc. works very well for us :)

we make sure the dead birds/meat joints are a suitable size for the amount of people we cook for - i do NOT enjoy eating leftovers for weeks afterwards  ::)

this year it's just the two of us - so a duckling for CD, and a small ham or similar for BD

[undercarriage plan]

I'll do the pizza....... ;D ;D ;D

[wardy]

I think our virtual party will be great.  Crackers anyone?  Nuts?  ;D

[lorna]

Wardy. Yep me crackers and nuts. OOPS sorry I thought you meant my state of mind. ;D As I am a real rubbish cook I will see to them :) Has a date been sorted?

[Multiveg]

perhaps we should have a virtual xmas dinner chat room to swing in and out of throughout December. I have a dinner to go to on the 7th.

[Doris_Pinks]

We are going to be overseas to OH's family this year, I am beside myself as I love Christmas! No tree to put up, cookies to bake, dinner to cook or fondue on Christmas eve  :'(   :'(  :'(  :'(  And we fly on Christmas Eve , so jetlagged Christmas Day:o  Might see Santa en route though ;)
Oh and I HATE flying too!

[TULIP-23]

So very Envious:

Cant get: Sausages :'(
                Mince Pies :'(
                Pickle Onions :'(
                Red Cabbage :'(

Anyone out ther like to Swop for some Ole Flower Seeds
Or should I Go to SwopS haaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaa

[lorna]

Dave and Tara You MUST make it a very special one for all the family especially Grandad.
           
       
DP. Never mind think of all the Christmas's you have had in your lovely part of the world. Will be lovely for your OH to see his family. Hope you haven't got a too long flight. Have a WOW of a time.    Lorna.

[lorna]

Tulip-23  How sad :'( Shall I send you some??

[Derekthefox]

I agree Lorna, that is sad for Tulip, to me those foodstuffs ARE Christmas ...

Derekthefox :D

[Mrs Ava]

Ooo, red cabbage with apple......good idea!  I am going to pickle a couple of my redcabbage at the weekend for Christmas, we like our pickles only a month old, and shallots the same.

C&B, yor choux buns sound devine!  Recipe please!!

Ooo, went shopping today and there are so many lovely things in the shops now.  Emmas getting excited!  ;D ;D ;D

[lorna]

Caz and Baz Years ago when we had land and buildings we reared 12 turkeys for family members. Our friend over the road always reared 50 capons (not allowed now to inject ) for regular customers . He had an arrangement with a local butcher to pluck them Anyhow the butcher was unable to do them so with a couple of friends we said bring them to our building and we will help pluck them. Charlie, always the thinking one bought a plucking machine. Have you ever seen one? It was so funny. I was in my kitchen with another friend doing all the "gutting". Where there is a  will there is a way ;D

[undercarriage plan]

Used to love watching mum do the gutting, happy days.....erm...anyway! Cheese board, need a cheese board with cheese on it!!!  ;D
Lottie

[Multiveg]

Thinking of mince pies, a school friend of OH tried for the guinness book of records - eating 3 mince pies, but he failed to do it in 1 minute 27 seconds - he was just 10 seconds too slow. He said that he will try again after Christmas.