The Mock Turtle

I know we covered this a bit on the Ordering thread but I thought we could do with being a bit more specific.

What are you planning to cook and/or eat for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day?

We will be out at a seafood restaurant on Christmas Eve for MIL’s traditional fish dinner. I might try and squeeze in some cheese and biscuits late doors though.

Christmas Day is going to be different to our normal set up because I’m copying Brambs’ staggering approach to the food. I haven’t decided what we will eat yet.

Boxing Day will be leftovers in front of the telly.

I’m veering towards beef on the day itself but worry that I will miss turkey too much.

I'm not cooking on CD or BD . My mum is cooking on CD. MIL is talking about doing a roast on BD which is quite distressing. Undeterred, I'm buying a turkey anyway which we'll cook on the 27th and have hot in rolls with pickles and crisps, slumped in front of the telly.

I am now hosting some friends on 14th though, so I need to start thinking about what to cook for that. I'm excited I do have *something* to cook for.

I've always fancied doing beef for christmas too, but get the fear about not having turkey.

I may get myself a dipping cheese for Christmas eve.

I'm spending Christmas Day with a friend - breakfast at his (which should be interesting - he's Indian and a fantastic cook), meeting other friends for a walk on the beach and then a late afternoon dinner at mine. No starter, shin of beef and all of the trimmings, then a hidden clementine Christmas pudding with brandy cream for afters. We need to discuss cheese for later. I've never cooked turkey and don't intend to start now!

Boxing Day, probably a pub lunch somewhere.

*also neighbour, who handily lives across the hall. I am assuming that dressing gowns are acceptable breakfast attire

We are going out for curry to the same place we have for years, on Christmas Day. I usually stick to veggie food as there is always so much food. There is a turkey option but I don't think any of us will have that. I do like going out, as when we have it at home it inevitably means someone is in the kitchen and ends up missing all the kids opening presents etc.

We'll most likely have a full Christmas dinner on Boxing Day, for the turkey lovers (not me )

We have nothing in particular planned for Christmas eve, I quite like the idea of a curry.

Christmas day will just be normal toast for breakfast, turkey and trimmings for lunch and then snacky food/leftovers in the evening.

Boxing day we will go over to my mums.

I can't really plan until I have some certainty on where we'll be living christmas. But while I was awake worrying the other night I made a list of all the recipes I want to make at some point over the festive period and all my favourite festive treats to buy that I don't want to miss out on.

Your day sounds perfect Derek! I love those mini hidden clementine pudding so much - they are on my list.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently and just this morning looked up the Nigella Christmas muffins recipe.

We’re having Chinese takeaway food at ours on Christmas Eve, as per.

Christmas Day morning I’ve decided to make the muffins but will substitute choc chips for the dried cranberries. And I’m going to slather mine in clementine curd. While drinking Bucks Fizz made with clementine juice. I fucking love clementines.

We’re going to do “lunch” around 4, I’ve bought dressed crabs to have as a starter, then it’s venison + trimmings for the main about 5:30 ish, and there’s an amazing looking chocolate pudding, though I also have some well matured Christmas puddings in the garage.

We’ll be having a sharing platter of cheese, cold meat etc on Christmas Eve to eat in the lounge as a carpet picnic while we watch whatever Christmas movie the elves leave us.

Christmas will be a breakfast of eggs Benedict and mimosas or bloody Marys around 10 after presents. I’ll serve up our starter around 1pm, then we’ll do Christmas dinner (turkey, ham, veggies etc and Yorkshire puddings) around 4pm.

We’ve got a Christmas pudding for dessert but I might make a baileys trifle too. I’ll be making a white sauce as it’s not sold here.

I’m not sure what to make for starter yet. I need to have a look about.

Staggering it is definitely the way forward.

Actually I am doing nibbles/starter at my mums. My sister has appealed for Devils on horseback and Croquettas again, so I'll do those, and then something fish based. Crab tartlets maybe?

I'm spending it with my mum and dad and to save only any hassle we are just doing picky things all day. I'm going to make traditional lentil soup which means we'll also have a ham for slicing and making sandwiches. Then a cheese board from the local cheesemonger and the rest is just going to be all the nibbly bits we fancy from the Christmas section. No main course to speak of. I am excited!

I'm a creature of habit, and as always will do a cheese fondue on Christmas Eve, and the boys usually pop by to join us.

Christmas Day breakfast will be smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, maybe with some chipolatas on the side. Then a stuffed turkey crown for our (late) lunch with all the usual trimmings. No starter or pudding (although Christmas pud will be available). There'll be plenty of cheese and nibbles for later in the day.

On Boxing Day we'll have leftovers, with my favourite bit being bubble & squeak made from the surplus potatoes and sprouts.

The 27th is T's birthday, and we usually go to Dishoom but he's muttering about doing something different this year .

Christmas eve will be raclette, I think, which is what we've done for a couple of years now. With meat, prawns, cheese and potatoes.

I like having Christmas Dinner at proper lunch time. Those of you that have it at 4/5, don't you get starving by then? Or do you have a normal lunch first?

You have your starter at lunchtime! :brambleconvert:

We will have tapasy bits on Xmas eve while we mooch around and prepare. Christmas day kicks off about 1pm with substantial canapes/cocktails and then we'll have a main course about 4ish and then a walk around the park with a glass of wine, and then pudding about 6:30. Cheese for those who have room about 8ish.

We do staggered courses on Christmas Day too. It works well for us. I haven't thought hard about any of this so I need to fill in a lot of blanks.

Christmas Eve we will be doing baked brie and other nibbly things, for with our christmas movie. Usual thing.

Christmas Day I'm not sure yet. I usually insist on pate, but now that I've gone back to vegetarianism that's not likely. We will do a fairly traditional dinner as everyone else wants roast turkey. I need to figure out what to do for me that will go with all the trimmings and I'll need a veggie stuffing recipe too. Trifle is definitely happening.

Boxing Day leftover trifle for breakfast!

What about a mushroom pate, LM? Or is that akin to roasted peppers for non meat-eaters?

I do a stuffing which is just breadcrumbs, sauteed onions, sage, salt and pepper and water which could work.

I need to start thinking about this even though I don't want to. My mum has invited herself here so I need to come up with plans for 23/24/25 December. 25th will just be a roast chicken but I need to really think about the other stuff. I'm thinking just platters of cheese, tapas style stuff, etc. like a lot of you have mentioned.

emma_p wrote: ↑Thu Nov 21, 2019 1:13 pm You have your starter at lunchtime! :brambleconvert:

I feel like this would render everyone hungry and frustrated. I guess it depends on how substantial the starter is though. I can't imagine going to a restaurant for lunch and being happy with them bringing out my starter and then telling me I needed to wait four hours for the rest. ;)

You'd be in the comfort of home though, unwrapping gifts or whatever festivities you might be embracing.
We don't have a 4hr gap but we would get appetisers (instead of a formal starter) and have them an hr or so before the main meal, we wouldn't sit at the table for it which maybe helps make it feel less like someone just forgot your main course

Everyone just gets so overwhelmed otherwise.

The reason we do it isn't so we don't end up feeling too full and not able to eat more! It's basically eating all day just not all in one sitting.

I need to think on a starter that's suitable for two fussier eaters.

Mains will be turkey and everything and there'll be Christmas pud, trifle and cheese for later.

Cheesemus will happen on Christmas Eve which will be a board with umpteen cheeses, charcuterie, olives pickles and chutneys.

D is definitely with us, we've talked about mum coming so I'll invite her and I'm waiting to hear from M and if either of Gannet's boys are coming

I am not in charge of any Christmas food this year (sadly) as I’ll be back too late. But someone please make these dauphinoise pies?