We see the usual Best Mince Pies and Turkey articles year after year so here at Moregeous, I thought I’d highlight some of the more interesting and make-life-easy Christmas 2015 foodie offerings. How do you best impress the in-laws without too much hard work? Look no further.
It’s no longer acceptable to simply throw down some fishy slices for Christmas Day brunch, not unless you’re smoking your own salmon of course. Your nearest and dearest might be suitably wowed however by the dishing up of silver lustre smoked salmon pearls & samphire, or if you really must insist on being trad then c’mon, at least make it Scottish festively smoked.
Pate is always a popular starter but chicken liver? Again? How about Venison & Pistachio darling, or Patchwork Pate’s limited edition Festive Duck. If you want to know how to make a duck festive, check their web-site 🙂
Turkey is SO last year, sweetie. What about plumping for a succulent goose (that’s what we’re doing this year with the Drunken Butcher) or consider the environment and go seafoodtastic with super luxurious lobster, both available at bank account friendly Aldi.
As an accompaniment for foodies who can’t cook or won’t cook, try, um, Cook. Not just plain potatoes, boiled carrots and parsnips here but goose fat roasted potatoes, honey thyme carrots and parmesan parsnips, all prepared ready for dinner. No peeling, no fuss – marvellous.
Er, surely you’re not just having green sprouts again this year, are you? Never mind the mutant giants you saw on the news last week, it’s red or flowered sprouts only according to Waitrose, much prettier on the plate….. and who knows, maybe to the nose 😉
If you’re super traditional and opt for the usual Xmas pudding or mince pies – and every newspaper talks about them in foodie articles at this time of year so you won’t find them here – the only way to serve them is with a butter seriously tasting of alcohol. My sources tell me that this years winner is Morrisons Indulgent Brandy Butter, rich, creamy and packing a punch. Personally I’ll just be eating it straight from the tub.
Contenders in my 2015 bought-in pud race include an on trend salted caramel cheesecake, Heston’s ultimate chocolate bar and a rather gorgeous mini-sweet charms tray which looks to me like just enough for one. I know, mostly chocolate. Sue me.
How cute is this Penguin Cake? We all watch Bake Off and fully intend to make all our own cakes but when you’re a bit frazzled by festivities and you’re not *that* woman mixing up raisins and dried fruits in October, this snowy showstopper is wonderfully aimed at the big kid in all of us.
So…..you’re too full to eat another meal whilst watching the last ever Downton but still fancy a little something? I’m utterly positive that Lady Mary would have been partial to fizz on her nibbles had they been around in 1925. What could be more Christmassy than glittery Prosecco crisps, a thoroughly modern snack.
Boxing Day is when all the leftovers are just waiting to be jazzed up with something fresh. Nothing says ‘clean food’ 2015 more than a black quinoa, edamame bean or kale, broccoli & sesame salad eh. Pretty much cancels out ALL of Christmas Day’s excesses in my book. We all have carte blanche to eat exactly what we want on the 25th as long as we eat one of these on the 26th.
Sweet nibbles after the big day’s showstoppers need not be boring either. NOTHS is amazing for funky festive gifts, how about some chocolate sprouts or a cheese board with a difference, not quite as cheesy as you might think, click the link….
And so to drinks and putting some 2015 festive oomph in your chosen tipple. Waitrose Toffee Apple Mulled Cider sounds right up my street as I’m not a beer drinker but if hops are your things, you can’t go wrong with this Surrey brewed Winter Warmer. My nan used to let us have a snifter of advocate at New Year so maybe it’s time to bring that back and recreate Starbuck’s Eggnog Latte at home for a festive perk you up the morning after.
Finally, there’s always one isn’t there? One bah humbug Scrooge in the family who blathers on about how Christmas is too commercial and we over-indulge blah blah blah. Present them with a Meal in a Matchbox when you all sit down for the big feast, that’ll shut them up 😉
Have a happy foodie Christmas! x
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