Christmas preparations.

[StevieR]

Evening all.

I know that some of you will be starting to think about Thanksgiving celebrations, but on this side of the pond it's pretty much a clear run in 'til Christmas. The preparations have started in my household,with a couple of bottles of sloe gin on the go and these beauties made today:



Christmas cake next week!

I'd be interested to know what culinary delights you'll be serving up for Christmas, and from our American chums how this differs from Thanksgiving?

[Grizzly]

By eck! Steve, those look like great puddings. It's a shame that no one bar me likes it in my house. I generally have to have profiteroles as the extended family prefers that to Christmas pud. The things we do for harmony eh?

[sailortats]

My annual Christmas delight is the, despised by some, fruitcake with a "hard sauce" topping. Hard sauce is merely, butter, sugar and a little vanilla extract. For me it would not be Christmas without this.

[kiltedrennie]

I've been looking into trying some of the interesting Christmas items like Clootie pudding. I watched a video of someone demonstrating how to make one. Looks interesting.

[piperdbh]

I plan to make my Thanksgiving fruitcake tomorrow. As for differences between Thanksgiving and Christmas menus, in my family Thanksgiving follows tradition: turkey, dressing, various things made from root vegetables, various things made from apples, pumpkin pie. For Christmas, we don't follow a particular menu. At the two large family parties we attend, everybody brings whatever they want.

[TheOfficialBren]

We do (basivcally) the same for both holidays.

Turkey (deep-pitted), ham (roasted), stuffing, various salads and casseroles, cranberry sauce (always at my insistence), corn on the cob, pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie (yuck), fresh veg.

There are some occasional variations once-in-a-blue-moon but they are intermittent. Mostly, the same menu for each holiday. It's a tradition in our family.

I'd rather enjoy a change of pace just once...Sushi Thanksgiving! Thai-Mexican Fusion Christmas!

[StevieR]

Clootie dumpling and Christmas pudding are both very similar suet and fruit based puddings. Christmas pudding was also traditionally steamed in a cloth but steaming in a bowl or basin is now more popular. Happy to pm you my nan's recipe if you fancy a go! You've still got time but need to be quick as they need to mature for a few weeks.

[Laird_M]

We only do Xmas for the kids as its not a Buddhist celebration.
Will be making a traditinal style cake this weekend, and a clootie dumpling nearer the time.

Only snag is we nomally put our tree at the bottom of the stairs or by our bay window. We've now moved Imi's computer downstairs by the window and she wanted a bearded dragon for Valentines which is at the bottom of the stairs...

Xmas eve we have a goat mutton curry with lots of gravy, pol sambul (grated coconut with toddy vinegar, onions and chilli), tose (rice flour pancakes) and dahl. And I wear my kilt as I ALWAYS eat too much. The wife's cooking is superb, and its one of my favourite meals, so I can let it out...

[kiltedrennie]

Clootie dumpling and Christmas pudding are both very similar suet and fruit based puddings. Christmas pudding was also traditionally steamed in a cloth but steaming in a bowl or basin is now more popular. Happy to pm you my nan's recipe if you fancy a go! You've still got time but need to be quick as they need to mature for a few weeks.

I'd love to give it a go. Thanks!

[StevieR]

My annual Christmas delight is the, despised by some, fruitcake with a "hard sauce" topping. Hard sauce is merely, butter, sugar and a little vanilla extract. For me it would not be Christmas without this.

With a splash of brandy, your hard sauce becomes brandy butter which is one of the traditional toppings for Christmas pudding over here. That's my choice but cream or custard is also on the table as well.