Christmas feasting

EDIT 27/12/09: Latest food pics added at the end of this post

Roast turkey or seafood?

I love that despite the heat of an Australian summer, so many of us continue to indulge in the traditional English Christmas dinner of roast turkey, gravy, plum pudding and all the trimmings. Our family has always done leg ham and seafood - it's so much easier with minimal preparation, and besides, Mum always hated being hot and would ban use of the oven!

Over the past week, everyone's been talking about what they're doing for Christmas. Most of my questions involve asking about the food.

I love hearing about family traditions - the annual trek to the Fish Market or the alarm set at dawn to start the turkey. Legs of ham are glazed and studded with cloves. I've heard about roast legs of pork cooked on a Weber - guaranteed succulence with an armour of crackling, I'm told. Friends with scattered families overseas get together for an Orphan's Picnic every year, sharing dishes they've made and creating their own family for the day. An English friend pines for brussel sprouts because it's not Christmas dinner without it.

For several years we used to have Vietnamese gui cuon prawn rolls for Christmas lunch - an easy do-it-yourself meal that everyone gets involved in. These days it's a cold buffet of cooked prawns and massive slices of leg ham alongside a potluck of salads and a pavlova to finish.

So what are you doing for Christmas? Leave a comment or, even better, send a photo of your Christmas feast to grabyourfork@yahoo.com.au and I'll upload the pics. It doesn't have to be fancy. A shot on your camera phone will do.

Thanks everyone for reading Grab Your Fork throughout 2009. It always surprises me to find out who reads the site, and your feedback and comments really do make all the effort worth it.

Have a lovely Christmas and happy feasting!
- Helen

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What people ate for Christmas Eve 2009


"Christmas eve dinner at work + pol roger: slow roasted sirloin yeahhh"
- Lex (Vue De Cuisinier) via Twitter


"- oohh babbyy turkey for 2!"
- Richard (Here Comes the Food) via Twitter


"Spatchcock with parmesan crusted polenta, anchovy zucchini,
roast fennel, spinach" - Eating with Jack via Twitter


"Corndogs and spring rolls for staff xmas eve"
- Dan Hong via Twitter


"The Christmas feasting has started! If this isn't a feast I don't know
what is... Don't judge me..."
- Billy (A Table for Two) via Twitter


"Duck within duck w cherry + pistachio"
- frombecca via Twitter


"Roast pork resting, with the best ever crackling!"
- Mrs Pig Flyin via email


"Seafood xmas feast @ golden century.
Hello, abalone shabu shabu and market prices. *burp*"
- Yas (Hungry Digital Elf) via Twitter


"Christmas Eve dinner about to begin. Oysters, prawns,
glazed ham and one 7kg turkey"
- Grab Your Fork (that's me!) via Twitter


What people ate for Christmas Day 2009


"Too drunken to post this yesterday:
our good friend porky enjoying xmas eve at the in-laws..."
- Demis (Sydnerati) via Twitter


"Lunch"
- Reemski (I Am Obsessed With Food) via Twitter


"Christmas lunch. Merry Christmas everyone!"
- Grab Your Fork (that's me!) via Twitter


"Crew lunch: Prosciutto wrapped monk fish. Big feast at dinner!"
- Mrs Pig Flyin via email


"Mince tarts"
- Reemski (I Am Obsessed With Food) via Twitter


"Gravadlax cured w juniper & gin, doused in martini. Skin fried.
Matched with Larks pepperberry martini"
- Ed Charles (Tomatom) via Twitter


"Christmas lunch = yes"
- Lex (Vue De Cuisinier) via Twitter


"Mr. Snowman getting demolished...Om nom nom so good!"
- Stephcookie (Raspberri Cupcakes) via Twitter


"Feast"
- Dan Hong via Twitter


"Merry xmas!! Oink oink!!"
- Dan Hong via Twitter


"Complete and ready to be served. Tortellidizucca with burnt butter, Parmigiano and sage"
- Stefano Manfredi via Twitter


"Christmas pavlova. little "heavy" on the topping though :)"
- Simon (The Heart of Food) via Twitter


"Not bad 4 a bone-out number, works well with watermelon rind pickle + Monteith's cider"
- Juan-Carlo (flavourfirst) via Twitter


"Christmas feasts with a view. Merry Christmas everyone!"
- Trina (Foraging Otaku) via Twitter


"This bird is 4.6kg, so yes. We will be eating off it for the next few weeks!"
- Kelly Siew via email


My first attempt at Red Velvet Cupcakes and I tell you what: They freaking rock!
- Kelly Siew via email


"Xmas dinner at dads..tamarind mud crab, viet dried fish salad, deep fried quail"
- Dan Hong via Twitter


"Christmas glazed ham with Guinness, mustard, marmalaide and pineapple juice"
- Ellie (Almost Bourdain) via Twitter


"Christmas dinner, what to have after a 5 course lunch..."
- Eating with Jack via Twitter


"Momofuku porky, roasted capsicum & pumpkin salad,
prawnies, mash, sashimi, chilli lobster and deep fried mantou"
- Chocolatesuze via Twitter


"He wasn't cheap, but the final results were worth it. Thanks Pinchy!"
- Lachie (Gourmet Husbands via Twitter


"Apricot, peach and mustard-glazed ham;
cranberry, warm walnut and blue cheese salad with orange dresssing;
and Mum's famous sausage rolls"
- Steph Bond via email


"Family Christmas feast"
From top: Couscous, beetroot and labneh salad, chocolate with salt and olive oil,
homemade gravlax, pulpo a la gallega, prawn spring roll, scallop lollipop,
roasted tomato and capsicum on crostini, chicken roulade with pistachio
and cranberry, Southern spicy drumettes
- Pig Flyin via Twitter and flickr