Munchers of Bernard Matheww turkey crown and imbibers of Country Manor and Lambrini; this thread is not for the likes of you so clear orf. I want to know what the hard core foodies are having for all/any of the following; Christmas Eve,Christmas Day ...

[moondog]

As for self, think one of my slowly diminishing but precious staff of tins of caviar from Mr Moondog's recent extended period in former USSR, followed by gresh Lleyn crab on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day, will risk a goose reared by friend. Trifle to follw.

New Year's Eve will be with friends.My contribution will be Margeritas. Delicious but lethal. Hazy on other detail and booze as yet.

Your meals sound lovely.

For the Absinthe, here are some suggestions. The Czech Ritual sounds rather nice, though haven't tried it myself.

A properly made trifle (no crap custard or jelly or sprinkles please) is a thing of wonder. Utter perfection.

I'll try the absinthe spoon ritual as i do have the spoon and sugar melting paraphernalia.

Thanks Sal.

Yorkie you are a hard-core foodie!

I forgot, DS's christmas day menu also includes copious quantities of pistachio nuts.

I am hoping to smuggle in some pumpernickel to eat with my smoked salmon.

tell me more about your triffle moony

My grandmother's recipe (who was not a food ponce)
Sponge in base soaked in sherry, covered by raspberries in raspberry jelly. Mixture also has walnuts in. Custard, billowing cream and toasted almonds.

It will move you to tears.

Pumpernickel and smoke salmon the bizz.I could live on smoked salmon and a glass of something sparkly.Heaven.

Christmas Day: Smoked salmon blinis followed by roast wild boar.

Haven't decided on the other meals yet.

I don't understand the fascination with a ham for Christmas.

Boar!!!!!

Ooooh, get her!
More details asap.

Takes that as a subtle hint that retro 70's trifle kit is not the way to go.

LGJ, I thought I was being v diplomatic 9for once.)

I know, it sounds truly poncetastic doesn't it?

Apparently it's just pretty much like a loin of roast pork, only a bit stronger. Ordered it from the farmers market last week.

No idea what to do with it yet!

Don't worry, I was only baiting you.

My Mum makes a wonderful trifle and would ask to be taken back to LGW, before she would allow me to serve that crap.

Pleasure, Moondog. Possibly best prepared a safe distance away from the Christmas tree... (However, will make for a very memorable Christmas should it all go up in smoke )

Trifle sounds lovely.

Hmm, your thread is making me panic slightly and drool a lot. Arriving in Normandy on 23rd, so will have to go with what's available in markets / delis. Sh*t.

CHristmas we are at IL's so not entirely sure - Christmas lunch SIL and BIL are cooking so it will be fab (excellent cooks)

NYE we are with friends - 3 couples, each doing a couple of courses:

cocktails with canapes
Delia's bloody mary tomatoes
prawns on creme fraiche on oatcakes
goat's cheese and red onion on crostini
smoked salmon bites
and anything else I think of on the day!

starter ?

fish course - baked lemon sole and salmon mousse with hollandaise

main - venison with juniper berries

pudding ?

cheese board

served with large quantities of wine, bubbly and port. Good job we are all staying over!

NYD I am doing lamb tagine and girdlebuster pie from Nigella I think.

feel hungry now!

We eat wild boar all the time. One of the farmers at our local market has it a lot - basically whenever one invades his farm he shoots it and then sells its lovely pieces at the market. When he hasn't had any for a while, I am always asking him if he can lure them onto his property !

It is like pork, but much stronger flavour. We really love it!

Ilana, do you roast it? I'm still looking for a recipe. would like to do stuffing too.

What cut are you getting? If it is like a loin, then yes you can roast it as you would pork. We love the wild boar chops, steaks, sausages, burgers - yummmmmmm!

Christmas Eve - organic dry cured gammon joint (from Waitrose, so not really posh)
Christmas Day - Free Range chicken from farm shop (no one likes turkey, DS2 wanted chicken), home made Christmas pudding and Chocolate roulade.
Add in some good wine with Tokay for dessert plus Neals Yard cheese and home made walnut bread.
Good quality smoked salmon on Irish soda bread for supper.
Very traditional but satisfies both Granddad and picky teenager.
Sometime between Christmas and New Year - a really good piece of beef, again from the farm shop.

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we are planning to spend some of christmas day on the beach in lanzarote, will take a picnic which will of course include trifle.

OJ

You do realise you and Steve are singlehandedly responsible for the resurgence of trifle.

russian balsam brings back distant and decidedly nauseous memories of a work trip to russia. dont you drink it as shots in coffee? im sure we did. like an irish coffee but a) much more alcoholic and b) a lot less pleasant?
oh and back to the thread - xmas taken care of by by my mum (saint delia start to finish i should think, while ds disgraces self by eating too many chocolate coins). ny's eve i'm on. i'm thinking duck and pomegranate salad to use up the last of the pomegranate molasses, then something involving beef fillet poached in red wine (if i can find blardy recipe) and maybe nigel slater's lemon icecream tart?then lots of cheese and port. very rich but eaten very slowly with lots of dawdling/drinking/poking the fire between courses.