Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010 - December 2 - Holiday Foods

Christmas Pudding - 1984

Why do we do it to ourselves?  TRADITION!

Preparing the Christmas poultry - 2003

 A Sydney Christmas is typically hot and humid  but we continue to cook a traditional English hot Christmas lunch each December 25th. Slaving over a stove in a steamy kitchen is not my idea of a perfect Christmas morning but I still do it.  My 87 year old mother, although she eats like a bird, would be saddened if I served up something other than roast turkey with all the trimmings followed by plum pudding and brandy custard.


Other  traditional goodies that grace our table over the Christmas break include dark fruit cake, shortbread made to an old family recipe, rum balls and fruit trifle. Locally grown strawberries and homegrown stone fruits togehter with cherries and mangoes provide a healthy element to our menu. We usually reserve glazed ham to have with yummy salads for Boxing Day lunch.

Now that our home is air-conditioned the discomfort has been somewhat alleviated. Cooking the meat outside in the Webber and BBQ has also relieved the strain on our domestic oven.

Roast Christmas Lunch - 1995

Will we change our menu when my mother is no longer with us? As I think my children really enjoy it I feel that this crazy tradition will survive.

Pass the  gravy and cranberry sauce - 2007

This post was written for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories