Food hits and misses?

[stolenpromises]

How did you get on?

We had a slow cooked turkey joint and a gammon from Marks and Spencer. Both were good, the turkey particularly so although the gravy was a bit watery. We had a mix of party food from Tesco and Marks and Spencer for when friends came overs last night. Mostly good but some disappointments. We had some little beef Yorkshire puddings that were very dry and tasteless. They were from M&S. No complaints over the pigs n blankets and stuffing balls again from M&S but the cauliflower cheese from Tesco wasn’t good at all.

We also have a Yule log to be eaten today. We were just too full yesterday. Looking forward to that would some baileys cream and a coffee.

We got meat from butchers and dh made all the food, so didn't get much ready made tbh.

Interested in this thread though as, although he won't admit it, I think it was quite a lot of work and stress for him. I'd 100% get it all ready made if it was me cooking!

I did get a Tesco finest Christmas cake and everyone enjoyed that. I also had some bog standard hummus from Morrisons and found it surprisingly delicious! I think it probably isn't very authentic hummus but it suited my unsophisticated pallet!

The lobster thermidor crumpets from the Sainsbury's food to order range were absolutely amazing. We had them as a starter and I will be specifically looking out for them next year.

It was our first year having the M&S chocolate pinecone desserts too and everyone really enjoyed them.

I didn't rate the M&S peppermint bark. Pretty tin but it was £10 and I think I'd have genuinely preferred a box of After Eights. At least I know for next time.

The rest of Christmas dinner was homemade. It was our first year spending more on the turkey as we bought a free range one and although it was far more expensive than we'd usually spend I'm glad we did it and will do so again I think.

Bought some brie from Tescos. Didn't smell or look quite right when I opened, and two of us agreed it didn't taste right. Everything else in fridge is fine.

I bought the 3 bird roast from M&S and it was a massive letdown. Wish I’d just stuck to the turkey.

We’ve tried so many Turkeys and I have come to the conclusion that I don’t like any meat that has been previously adulterated in any way!

Bought a free range turkey from an organic butcher and it was delicious. Will buy a smaller one next year.

I was in Waitrose on Christmas Eve and they reduced their Turkeys to 50% but they all looked very watery and translucent. Not appealing at all.

Bought a salmon terrine from M&S because of a thread I read on here whereby the OP was demanding her DH go and get one asap 😂 I saw it and thought I’d try it. It was good. Everyone liked it.

Tesco Finest (supposedly!) stuffing and pigs in blankets not nice. Turkey crown was fab.

The carnivores had roast chicken which they loved, the vegans had a Sainsbury's finest mushroom wellington which we thought was piss poor. I made vegan gravy which everyone tasted and decided they liked way better than the tub of turkey gravy I bought so that was a big hit. And I roasted the carrots which my grandson loved so they were also a hit.

I have just had the baileys cream. It’s awful. I’ll leave it for DH as he may have a bit in his coffee. It it tastes very artificial and overpowering. The chocolate Yule log is lovely though.

M&S broccoli cheese was yummy!

I stopped buying their Xmas party food a few years ago when they simply made it mostly beige food

We got a lot of the food from Waitrose mainly because we could guarantee a delivery slot with them and their entertaining range caters for big groups.

Their turkey was amazing, we also did a beef (had 16 people - got a turkey for 10-11 and a beef for 8 and both were completely finished!).

Dp did all the veg and it was amazing - Brussels, roast pots, carrots, parsnips, creamed leeks all great.

My kids were with their dad yesterday so today we are doing another Xmas with a M and S turkey and a Waitrose goose (DD’s request) so we will see how that goes.

Michel Roux’s apple caramel cake (Waitrose) was such a hit it was gone in about 5 mins (we have another one today) and the M and S Yule log was completely finished (we have a Waitrose one for today). The other big hit was a meringue roulade thing.

You might like this at Waitrose: https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/michel-rouxs-toffee-apple-pudding-with-crme-frache/853899-1-2

link to the v popular pudding

I made a trifle last year that took me ages - I think after the success of the bought desserts this year I won’t be making them again!

we also got the vegan chocolate torte from m and s for the vegans and they said it was v good (got some Booja vegan ice cream to go with it)

I saw some complaints online about the Waitrose beetroot tarts (vegan) but our vegans liked them. We also did a plant living mushroom wellington which I had a slice of and it was good.

probably our most successful Xmas food wise - I’ve never seen people eat as much as they did!

The Lidl thick brandy cream was passable this year. They only had a few trays but it’s the only one I’ve had that I sort of liked!

BTW I thought you were going to say you’ve started on the Baileys at 0930! I was just about to join you but then I read on that it was baileys cream 😂 Roll on noon !!!

I had the turkey crown from Tesco. Wow it was actually juicy!

I tried to do the giant Yorkshire pudding that Jamie Oliver made on channel 4 recently, it didn't work at all but we at the (burnt crust that did rise) and I had no spare flour as we are staying at a remote cottage.

Oh and the broccoli cheese I got from Tesco had a slit in it so it was going off and I didn't realise until yesterday so no green on our plates yesterday 😂
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@Littletinytarzanswingingfromanosehair I used Jamie Oliver’s Yorkshire pudding recipe too this year and mine didn’t work out either. Sticking to my usual one from now on.

Had a glittery tiramisu from Aldi and a raspberry panna cotta from Sainsburys, both were absolutely delicious 👌🏻
The lobster and king prawn shell starter thingy from Sainsburys was crap though!

The Aldi mini Yule logs with caramel and a mousse type thing in them from the fridge section. Amazing!

The Tesco jeweled Christmas cake was rated top by Good Housekeeping. I normally get Waitrose No 1 but as I’m the only one who eats Christmas cake in my house wanted something smaller. It was very disappointing- it has a weird taste to it. I’ll probably bin it.
My DD (20) cooked the meal yesterday and did an amazing job juggling all the elements. Her roasties were the best I’ve ever had! The turkey crown and pigs n blankets came from the butcher. Son (22) is cleaning it all up now as he fell asleep on the sofa after dinner (we ate at 6.30pm).

M&S best ever Yule log - oh my days absolutely beautiful!!!!!!

Lidl yule log was a absolute hit both were eaten, the tesco fresh cream yule log was dry and most of it is left in the fridge.

I Wonder how the £195 beef wellington was, if anyone had one

I don't do Xmas but I do like some of the food. So I got some Sainsbury's mini vol-au-vents and they were terrible, very dry pastry nasty fillings.

The cat liked the salmon filling in one but the rest went in the bin.

I bought a three bird roast from M&S which was just ok. A bit dry tbh and not really worth the £62 I paid. The £15 lamb leg from Sainsbury’s however was gorgeous.

The M&S £15 yule log was our big extravagance this year and it went down very well indeed. Sainsburys TTD nibbles for Christmas Eve were good too. Most of the rest was cooked from scratch, although I used a bread sauce mix from a farm shop that was very tasty, just cooked through with milk.

We also had a turkey breast joint from the farmshop which was very moist and succulent but too salty because of the bacon it was wrapped in, will try something different next year. I always use bacon if I cook a whole turkey or crown but never had this level of saltiness.

@sashh cute that your cat liked the filling ❤️ mine always licks any leftover cheese sauce or baked cheese up.

Oh no, I love Baileys Cream. Haven’t opened mine yet, but I didn’t find it as good last year, as it was previous years. Same with Haagen Dazs, no creaminess to it anymore. Everything is just sugary-shite nowadays… Chocolate especially.

However, I was impressed by Toblerone. It’s come back from the waxy taste, during the half-triangle phase. Meanwhile, M&S Swiss Mountain Bar is $$$ & nor as good as it was. ALDI Seashells were recommended here, better than Guylian.