Ok I am resurrecting Christmas menu for uber food ponces discussion. Purchasers of Tesco mince pies and Bacardi Breezers need not apply.

[moondog]

I need details of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and NYE food and drink.

I am another who prefers the Boxing Day ham and trifle to the Xmas Day roast. I also do poncy sausages n mash with Hummingbird brownies for afters on Xmas Eve.

I think it often the size of the meal - ie. numbers being catered for - rather than anything else that is the problem tbh.

One year we had Christmas at my mum's brother's. He is a typical 'I earn the money' type bloke and so his then wife was cooking. She had never done a turkey before and the sheer size of it flummoxed her, because there was no room for the potatoes etc and she hadn't planned. She ended up chopping the breasts off the turkey and boiling them so that they were cooked. That was not a good meal. My Mum was sat on her hands trying not to just barge in and take over, having offered help and had it refused

I'm sure that's true. The oven tesselation is definitely a challenge without two ovens, even with a smallish number.

BTW, I did turkey last year using Gordon Ramsay's method (ie about half a ton of butter, with garlic, lemon and parsley under the skin, iirc). It was the first time the turkey wasn't all dry - really recommend it.

Ali yes I think it did . I'm crying here at the thought of boiled turkey breast though...

SG, jelly essential in trifle.
Why the shame, woman!?

Getorf, Christmas in France is shite. I've spent quite a few there as half the family is French but not impressed.
Huge meal on Christmas Eve in t' middle of the night then er... that's it.
No thanks.

I'd go for a supermarket turkey and Blossom Hill over that.
At least it's cheery.

This thread is GREAT. Especially this year, because we are going to my parents' not PIL so I am going to do all of the cooking.

Christmas Eve dinner will be an Indian feast - not my choice, but on request from my dad and DP. I am going to do bhajis (I have spent the last two weekends perfecting the formula), samosas and fish masala to start with homemade lime pickle and mango chutney. To follow will be a hot lamb saag, a mild chana punjabi, a whole roasted tandoori chicken, chapatis and royal pilau. To follow will be pistachio kulfi and I might make some cardamom tuiles to go with it.

Christmas day breakfast - family tradition dictates that breakfast is pork pie and potato salad. DP makes a wicked pork pie with tons of jelly and my dad will be all over the potato salad with loads of shallots, smoked fatty lardons, apple cider vinegar (don't ask me - I was told the mental breakfast was because we are German but every other German family I've asked about this says it's nonsense)

Lunch - I've been making a lot of chicken liver pâté lately, did a gorgeous one with porcini and brandy so think we will start with this on crostini. To follow will be chestnut soup with homemade walnut bread. After that am debating a fig and prosciutto crudo salad with some caramelised nuts but am not sure. Then the main even - I am going for goose and rib of beef. Roast potatoes, Robuchon-style 50% butter mashed potatoes, sprouts with chestnuts, buttered julienne carrots, roast parsnips, creamed leeks and braised red cabbage. Then cheese - I'm off to France with work for a couple of days so will bring back whatever I fancy. Then dessert - am doing chocolate and ginger mousse, self-saucing lemon puddings and pavlova.

For snacks/nibbles I'm going to do a Tunis cake (buttery madeira cake topped with ganache and marzipan fruits), mince pies, Cointreau cupcakes, cheese straws and sesame crackers.

Persephoney - your house for Christmas Eve I think - the Indian Feast sounds amazing...we are self confessed chilli addicts - we'll have to have Bloody Marys for brunch on Christmas day just to get our fix.

Moondog I was sure the foodie world was a bit sniffy about jelly in a proper trifle - mind you I never put sherry in a trifle - I either go with an alcohol hit or a sugar hit - I never mix the two.

That sounds amazing Persephoney! Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

See, you even made me forget my apostrophe, it's that good.

I am loving this poncetasticfood porn thread

I agree moondog, Christmas Day in France is shite - you spend it with a hangover and indigestion from the huge meal the night before, with no presents to open because you opened them the night before.....

I too LOVE trifle, and will deffo be making one, but I think it might be for New Year's Day as we are having Open House on Boxing Day and trifle is no good for that And it has to have lots of sherry and jelly in it (to be just like my favourite auntie used to make) and not at all poncetastic!

We have Nigella's Cristmas morning breakfast muffins, cooked fresh of course, for breakfast on Christmas Day.

I am considering a trip to Borough Market on the day before Christmas Eve as we will be meeting friends on the Southbank - any recommendations for poncetastic treats to buy?

May I recommend Nigella's cherry trifle at this juncture. No jelly though, I'm afraid, which is surprising, given her retro kitsch proclivities. Though buying (or should I say 'sourcing') fresh cherries at this time of year would probably cost more than a guinea fowl in a poussin in a chicken in a goose in a swan.

Ali Hi (waves) I'm not sure if you can get the cremant in England the name of one we've got is Fines Bulles de Touraine petillant but we've got another which is low sulphite which is even more delicious!!!!

The problem with normal champagne and it is all ,and has to be, legally French BTW, is that the producers (apart from the organic ones which are 100% betterIMO) have got sloppy they use a mix of white grapes and I saw a programme on telly with the presenter walking around a champagne vineyard that was covered in rubbish (including plastic bags) because the rubbish bins of Paris are emptied on them !!

I agree about the French and their Xmas traditions. We have an English Xmas here apart from the fantastic poncey french ingredients of course!! They also don't have Boxing day off!! You can get amazing stuff here including the best turkeys we've ever eaten!!!

Yes I love trifle too but it has to have raspberries and homemade custard and good sweet sherry IMO jelly is NOT necessary.

Tilly - we go to Borough Market on Christmas Eve. Lovely things to eat whilst there - Paella, Cheese toastie (from the Raclette boy) Scallops with bacon from shellseekers. British Cheese from Neal's Yard Dairy. Coffee from Monmouth. Boston Brownies from Konditor and cook, think they are doing a ginger one now too which is also v good. Beers - can't remember the name of the stall. Booths for mushrooms. Turkish delight is in all sorts of flavours - wasn't convinced by the mint too much like toothe paste but the others were lovely. Manchego & Membrillo from Brindisa.

Also the french have no or very little knowledge of Xmas crackers My DD tried to bring some when she flew over one year and the english security took them off her (explosives!!!).

I have this plan of hiring a artic. lorry and taking french mistletoe over to England (They have loads of it and don't seem to use it) and bringing back a load of christmas crackers.

OH yes we LOVE Borough market Seasons Talking about coffee the best in london or france is the Bolivian organic from the Algerian Coffee Stores in Soho now there is a shop to make your mouth water.

Another one here who balks at the idea of roast beef and yorkies and turkey with all the trimmings. Never the twain shall meet in this house, but that is partially down to only having one solitary oven.

Am crying inside a little bit at thought of boiled turkey breasts.

Persephoney have you got a link to the recipe of your chicken liver pate? Sounds divine and would be perfect to go with my meaty spready Christmas day lunch buffet, I'm sure there is a better poncey descriptive term, to go with potted pork and potted venison (wot I am making right now).

Midnight I am amazed given it is a Nigella trifle that it cherry and not ruddy pomegranates. Jeez that woman is hung up on pomegranates.
If I'm doing a trifle it is sherry and fruit and custard and jelly all the way and I make no apologies for that. Attempted advanced trifle a few years back, pissing about with pannetone and marsala. No. It just did not work.
If saying that gets me kicked off this thread then so be it. [folds arms]

seasons, my mouth is watering/tummy rumbling despite haveing just scoffed lunch The last time I went, I gorged on all the freebies, but I think I could stretch to treating any of my family who fancies going up with me (it's only half an hour from our house!) I might have to pass on the Turkish Delight though!

The Algerian Coffee shop is looking good!

Pops into thread - Theatre of Wine in London do a fantastic cremant, if anyone is looking for it. in London
We have had so many bereavements this year we are not doing christmas - a full on cheery feast feels wrong, but I'm now thinking it would be nice to have good, easy food we can pick at throughout the season. any ideas?

My friend's best friend is Mr Konditor of that Ilk.

I am also trying to imagine the 'raclette boy' at Borough market and conjuring up a small fella in lederhosen with a feather in his cap, merrily dishing up cheese toasties for the good burghers of Olde London Town.

This thread is making me want to live in London again. ,sigh>

I must have lived a sheltered life - I'd never heard of jelly in trifle until this thread!! Mine has always been sponge, sherry, fruit, custard cream - from the bottom up.

It actually is SOO unnecessary but jelly's been around in trifles for yonks Where've you been? Agent Living in a poncetastic food tower? Of course yr. right Delia's trad recipe doesn't mention it (hoists bosom and adjusts glasses).

Perseph your menu sounds amazing one thing though can anyone walk after it? Do you have a maid to do the washing up? .

oranges thanks for that tip about the cremant sorry you have had a sad year. How about a lovely homemade soup. lots of nice canapes and good bread(there are some good recipes in Delia's Xmas Book) and dips and salads.