Christmas food, help!

[CWater]

(note, there's a little bit of ranting first, the actual question can be found in the end of the post)

So, my family has a tradition of eating a traditional christmas dinner (a traditional Finnish christmas dinner, I might ad) on Christmas Eve. (On the following days, we eat what's left of it:smallamused:) This includes for example ham, peas, potatoes, something...that don't have a proper translation...well they're called lanttulaatikko, perunalaatikko and porkkanalaatikko and are basicly made of swedes(or rutabagas?), potatoes and carrots respectively (pic (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tXRSvsId10c/TPJ5O7_UnZI/AAAAAAAADR4/URsFlJC84uE/s1600/IMG_9942laatikot.jpg)); rosolli salad, something my dad calls "Christmas cake" and a few other things.

Now, the point here is, that I dislike most of them:smallsigh: and my dad, a surprisingly strong traditionalist concerning this matter, refuses to change the menu. I don't think there's any particular fault in the food, (since most people I know like it) it's just not for my taste. Ham is fine, but dull, rosolli is plain yuk:smallyuk:, and don't even get me started on the laatikkos:smallannoyed:... In the end I basically end up eating: potatoes, peas and chicken. For the whole Christmas. And this has been going on for years now. (The chicken wasn't even originally part of the package, but dad agreed to include it when I alway looked so hungry later.)

But now, I'm finally decided to do something about this. Father likes it traditional, okay. So how about something that is traditional somewhere else? I believe that with the right kind of talk and if I make the dish myself, I could manage to get it on the table.:smallsmile:

So, playgrounders, care to help a fellow member out? What do you eat in your country at Christmas? Know where I could find some recipes?:smalltongue:

[Hazkali]

Christmas dinner in our house is a traditional British roast dinner (modified slightly given that my brother and I are vegetarian...).

Roast vegetables (potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc) are cooked by parboiling first, then being put into a tray of hot fat (put it in the oven whilst the vegetables are precooking) and then roasted in the oven for ~20 minutes.

Brussel sprouts are a must. Not to everybody's taste, but I like them. Microwave or boil.

Even before my brother and I became vegetarian, we usually have the 'stuffing' for the meat separate, as stuffing balls. I particularly like chestnut stuffing, although sausagemeat stuffing is nice too.

Oh, I almost forgot Yorkshire puddings! Make up a batter (flour, eggs, milk), and put a little into the wells of the sort of tray you would make little cupcakes in, that has been preheated with oil in like the tray for the roast vegetables. The oven needs to be quite hot for them to rise and not be soggy.

[RebelRogue]

Here in Denmark, not too far away, the traditional christmas dinner is pork roast with crisp skin, potatoes (both normal, boiled ones and caramelized ones), gravy and pickled red cabbage. Roast duck is popular too (with the same side dishes).

Edit: Here's a picture of an (un)healthy serving of the above:
http://www.maduniverset.dk/images/P1130006.JPG

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

In Quebec, a tradition my family has co-opted, they eat a meat pie called a tortiere.

Basically, make a pie, the crust as fat with lard as you can, and fill it with various ground meats, onions, spices, etc, put a crust over it, and decorate with bits of holly and ivy cut out of pieces of crust.

Deeeelicious.

Here's a picture of our Tourtiere, from '07.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2259/2138977864_4e4a6439f6.jpg?v=0


Also, totally unrelated, but I was looking at our old christmas photos and
well
Post-Modernist Gingerbread Men (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lu_/2138203263/in/photostream/)
My family is amazingly odd.

[CynicalAvocado]

either ham, turducken, or both

[THAC0]

Growing up, it was ham.

Now it is some sort of seafood feast (halibut and salmon, usually with some king crab), possibly with some prime rib thrown in.

[Strawberries]

It's fish in the south of Italy (or in my region, at least). Spaghetti with clams, fried eels (the large ones), a mixture of fried seafood (squid, prawns, shrimps etc.), codfish.
Oh, and usually a large sea bass cooked in the oven. As sidedishes we have broccoli, cauiflower and pickles.

Not to mention all the desserts, but I think you were looking for the main dishes :smallsmile:

[factotum]

Even before my brother and I became vegetarian, we usually have the 'stuffing' for the meat separate, as stuffing balls. I particularly like chestnut stuffing, although sausagemeat stuffing is nice too.


Vegetarian and sausagemeat does not compute... :smallconfused:

And if you weren't vegetarian I would have asked why no "pigs in blankets" (small sausages wrapped in bacon and pinned to the outside of the turkey while it's roasting--all kinds of gorgeous, they are!).

[RebelRogue]

It's fish in the south of Italy (or in my region, at least). Spaghetti with clams, fried eels (the large ones), a mixture of fried seafood (squid, prawns, shrimps etc.), codfish.
Oh, and usually a large sea bass cooked in the oven. As sidedishes we have broccoli, cauiflower and pickles.

Not to mention all the desserts, but I think you were looking for the main dishes :smallsmile:
That sounds really good - I love that kind of stuff.

On a side note, it's a pity eels are getting endangered, though - we really ought not to eat them atm :smallfrown:

[Hazkali]

Vegetarian and sausagemeat does not compute... :smallconfused:

:smalltongue: I've not been a vegetarian all my life. I would have mentioned Pigs in Blankets too but I forgot about them.

[rakkoon]

Near the capital of Europe the traditional dinner is

Stuffed turkey
Potato croquets (that's the English word? Really?)
Mashed Airelles (whortleberry apparently :smallsmile: )
Apple sauce


We tried lobsters for one year but that wasn't a big hit.

[LCR]

Near the capitol of Europe the traditional dinner is

Stuffed turkey
Potato croquets (that's the English word? Really?)
Mashed Airelles (whortleberry apparently :smallsmile: )
Apple sauce


We tried lobsters for one year but that wasn't a big hit.

Europe doesn't have a capital, the Capitoline Hill would be in Rome.



Here in Denmark, not too far away, the traditional christmas dinner is pork roast with crisp skin, potatoes (both normal, boiled ones and caramelized ones), gravy and pickled red cabbage. Roast duck is popular too (with the same side dishes).


We pretty much eat the same in northern Germany. Well, used to be part of Denmark anyway.

[rakkoon]

Hmm,
apparently we are the capital of the European Union (http://www.trabel.com/brussel/brussels-europeanunion.htm), not Europe itself. My apologies.
Food stays the same though :smallwink:

[zeratul]

Well the tradition in my family has always been to do a traditional thanksgiing dinner again one month later, which basically comes down to the folowing for my family


Stuffed Turkey
Cranberry Relish
Mashed Potatoes
Rolls of some kind
candied sweet potatoes
some kind of vegetable (generally broccoli)

Then just follow that up with ludicrous amounts of pie (particularly pumpkin pie and apple pie) and then call it a day.

[Asta Kask]

Lutfisk is traditional in Sweden, but we never have it for Christmas in my family.

Janssonin kiusaus? (http://receptbok.com/janssons-frestelse/)
The comments teach you how to say "purchase Viagra" in 16 different languages, but the recipe seems ok.

[Syka]

We have:


Ham
Maybe Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Green beans (maybe as a cassorle)
Deviled eggs
Rolls


I know my dad's family used to do Prime Rib. You can also toss in a number of random things- a weird salad type deal, maybe coleslaw, more potatoes of some sort, and I can't think of anything else but I know my boyfriends family does a TON more food. It's basically whatever they feel like making. The above was pretty common in my family.

My favorite part is stuffing. You will NOT get me away from that. Cornbread stuffing....mmmm...Oz's mom made that this year for Thanksgiving and it was soooo good.


As for deserts, as follows: pumpkin, pecan, cookies (potentially), pound cake (potentially), Bob Andy Pie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Andy_pie) (which is ridiculously yummy). And, once again, whatever else they feel like, lol. Sometimes apple, some times, cheesecake. Whatever. But ALWAYS pumpkin. Always.

[LCR]

Hmm,
apparently we are the capital of the European Union (http://www.trabel.com/brussel/brussels-europeanunion.htm), not Europe itself. My apologies.
Food stays the same though :smallwink:

Well, that claim is also made by Strasbourg. To my knowledge, the European Union doesn't have a capital city in the traditional sense, but both Brussels and Strasbourg merely claim the title because of the high concentration of Union institutions and because it looks good on paper.

[Kobold-Bard]

:smalltongue: I've not been a vegetarian all my life. I would have mentioned Pigs in Blankets too but I forgot about them.

This is all I need a Christmas. I could happily chow down on a McDonalds Christmas day as long as I get them little piggies.

My family's traditional food:
- Turkey
- Pork
- Small Haggis because my stepdad is Scottish, and while he hates most things Scottish he does like to be a pain in the backside when people are busy by pretending he'll be racially offended if we don't have one :smalltongue:
- Roast Potatoes
- Mashed Carrot & Parsnip
- Sprouts (mum and uncle Peter ONLY)
- Pigs in Blankets
- Gravy/apple sauce/stuffing
- Bigass Christmas pudding that my mum adores setting on fire every year, making the same crap "careful you don't lose your eyebrows" gag every time she does.
- Whisky for all (even the kids) to wash everything down. Though since my granddad has died this year we might not be doing that again.

[thorgrim29]

Traditionally we have, as mentioned, meat pies (or tourtière, not to be confused with tourtière du Lac St-Jean, another thing entirely), along with turkey with cranberries, some kind of pork, and mashed potatoes, oh and gravy, lots of gravy. In recent years in my family we've been doing salmon in cheese crust (layers of salmon fillet and rice based stuffing with a cheese based crust and an aniseed dipping sauce), and it is awesome.

[Strawberries]

On a side note, it's a pity eels are getting endangered, though - we really ought not to eat them atm :smallfrown:

I didn't know that. :smallfrown:
Good thing that it has been years since we last ate one. My grandfather liked it
a lot, the rest of the family thinks it's too greasy.

[RebelRogue]

I didn't know that. :smallfrown:
Good thing that it has been years since we last ate one. My grandfather liked it
a lot, the rest of the family thinks it's too greasy.
It's something you only want to eat once in a while, for sure. My godfather was served eels several times a week when he was a young man, out working (back then they were apparently dirt cheap). As a result, he couldn't stomach them later in life. Still, a nice fat, piece of smoked eel with scrambled eggs on bread is fantastic - that's one of the traditional ways to eat it around here.

[Asta Kask]

I forgot homemade meatballs.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

We actually have sooo much food on Christmas.

We have Tourtiere and salad on Christmas Eve,

Christmas Day Breakfast is... eggs, bacon, sausage, various rolls (cinnamon buns, Chelsea buns, and/or Swedish tea-rings, and orange bow-knots), grapefruit with candied cherry on top, hot chocolate and orange juice.

And Christmas Day Dinner is a delicious roast dinner, followed by a Christmas pudding, liberally doused in Brandy and set fire too.

And then we eat cookies and candies on top of that, and that's all we eat for the next week.

[Shas aia Toriia]

ed, but I was looking at our old christmas photos and
well
Post-Modernist Gingerbread Men (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lu_/2138203263/in/photostream/)
My family is amazingly odd.

SO awesome!

[Katana_Geldar]

Despite the fact that Christmas is usually a scorcher down under, we usually have the English spread, though we have cold salads as well as the baked dinner and maybe some seafood (prawns usually) for an entree.

I also like peach halves with cranberry sauce in the middle, yum yum! And stuffed mushrooms, veyr, veyr easy to make too.

For desert, my Mum makes the ice cream Christmas pudding...which is basically a christmas pudding she breaks up in softened ice cream (done in the fridge) and then mixes through and re-freezes.

If you want to make a Christmas cake though, I suggest you make it several days ahead as the fruit needs to soak in grog overnight. Made properly though, Christmas cake keeps for ever.

I also make White Christmas, rice bubbles, copha, white chocolate, powdered milk and dried frui (I put in cherry ripes) but you need copha to make it right. Copha is hydronated coconut fat, sounds gross but it's more like candlewax and is essential.

[Hazkali]

I almost forgot one of the best bits of our Christmas food. Whilst not strictly Christmas day-food, it's traditional in our family to have sweetcorn fritters on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas). Served cold, they're bizzarely tasty.

[AshDesert]

Smoked prime rib and hot pork sausage, along with shrimp, corn, and red potatoes boiled in water spiced with Zatarain's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zatarain's) shrimp boil liquid flavoring.

For dessert, several choices of either: pumpkin pie (always), eggnog pie, blueberry cobbler, blackberry cobbler, or pear crisp. All the fruit desserts are made with fresh fruit picked on my uncle's property and topped with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream.

We have very delicious Christmases in my family.

In the US (as far as I know) the tradition is to have a Thanksgiving dinner with ham instead of turkey. This entails green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, rolls, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and, of course, gravy.

[snoopy13a]

In the U.S., I've heard of ham, turkey or roast beef as the main dish. I prefer roast beef as one still has the turkey hangover from Thanksgiving and I'm not a huge fan of ham.

Side dishes are usually standard American fare: mashed potatoes, bean cassaroles, squash, cranberries, stuffing, etc.

[loopy]

Christmas at my grandparents house was always rather varied. Things you would always see:

-Potato bake
-Roast beef/lamb with gravy
-Prawns
-Various salads, though recently a watermelon, feta, and red onion one is becoming a favorite.
-Beef rissoles

Other things you might see
-Home made fried rice
-Spring rolls
-Pork buns
-Chicken nuggets
-Various fish dishes which I ignore as I am not a seafood person.
-And random other things that I can't think of that aren't based around meat and potatos.

Desserts:
-Apple Pie
-Lemon Meringue Pie
-Muffins
-Chocolates
-Ice Cream
-Custard
-Eton Mess

[Nibleswick]

We usually rotate between Turkey, Ham, Beef, and Pork roast, with the occasional Crown Roast.

We always have cranberry sauce (I'm quite insistent about that). Gingered carrots (they're really easy: boil carrots, drain carrots add butter sugar and ginger). Mashed Potatoes and gravy. If we do beef then we'll have Yorkshire pudding as well. Then various pies to end. Oh, and Pfeffernusse.

That's Christmas eating at the Nibleswick house.

[CWater]

Wow, many of the things listed sound really delicious:smalltongue: Thank you everyone!:smallsmile: Now to go on a recipe hunt...(I think google will be my friend:smallwink:)

[Kobold-Bard]

Wow, many of the things listed sound really delicious:smalltongue: Thank you everyone!:smallsmile: Now to go on a recipe hunt...(I think google will be my friend:smallwink:)

http://s-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/terminal01/2010/2/26/18/life-before-google-7222-1267228026-21.jpg
:wink:

Definitely get the pigs in blankets. They rule.

[Asta Kask]

Wow, many of the things listed sound really delicious:smalltongue: Thank you everyone!:smallsmile: Now to go on a recipe hunt...(I think google will be my friend:smallwink:)

I talked to Mom, and she said you should probably skip the Jansson's unless you've eaten it before and liked it. It has a very special taste, and I'm not sure it would please you.

[CWater]

I talked to Mom, and she said you should probably skip the Jansson's unless you've eaten it before and liked it. It has a very special taste, and I'm not sure it would please you.

I...have tasted it before... They tried to force feed the stuff to us several times when I was in school:smallsigh::smallwink:

[Asta Kask]

So go for Grandma's Meatballs (http://www.tasteline.com/Recept/Mormors_julkottbullar) instead!

P.S. My mom is Finno-Swede and grandma made laatikkos every year. Mom warned us to stay away from them... :smalltongue: (although she ate them, so perhaps she just wanted more for herself)

[Strawberries]

Wow, many of the things listed sound really delicious:smalltongue: Thank you everyone!:smallsmile: Now to go on a recipe hunt...(I think google will be my friend:smallwink:)

Should you like the Italian dishes, feel free to PM me for the receipes :smallbiggrin: