As soon as you start feeling a nip in the air and the winter chills giving you goose bumps, you know it is time for Christmas. Now with just two weeks before the special day, festivities are in full swing. The holiday season brings with it a sense of joy and happiness that is unmatched. Christmas trees have been taken out and the décor and lights are about to be set in that Christmas corner of the house. Back in the day, when I was in school, we celebrated Christmas in Singapore and boy! Was it magnificent? The streets were filled with Christmas trees at every nook and corner with décor hanging out from the roofs of houses and stores.
The festive spirits were a sight to behold. Once D-Day arrived, we headed out for a Christmas dinner to one of the best hotels in town. A lavish eight-course buffet lay in front of us and we were amazed. From turkey to pies and puddings, there wasn’t a thing that was not there on the menu. That was actually the first time I tried turkey and lamb chops and they tasted so good. I recall how it took us about 15 minutes to just explore and take a round of the dessert section because it was so huge. Although the Christmas special pudding and plum cake are intrinsic to these celebrations, it was the chocolate fountain with marshmallows that made me a happy kid.
Well, back to home, if you’re planning a Christmas dinner for your loved ones this year, here are some delicacies that surely need to be your table.
1. Pigs In A Blanket
As quirky as the name sounds, there’s actually not much to the origins of the name as the fact the fried bacon looks like pigs wrapped in dough blankets. While some say the dish was first mentioned in Betty Crocker’s cookbook in 1954, some others argue that the first pigs in blanket were consumed around the 1600s by field workers who wrapped the meat in dough to make it a meal. The chunky meat and the crispy exteriors make this dish a delicacy.
2. Yorkshire Pudding
Airy and light, these Yorkshire puddings are a delightful treat. Made with minimum ingredients, the pudding is a soft and flour-y combination of eggs, flour and milk. The puff-like pudding goes really well with roast beef. Also known as a Dripping Pudding, the dish acquired its name from the cooking process where the meat dripped while it cooked on the spit in the 18th century.
3. Mince Pie
Along with the other tidbits on the table, pies hold a special place at Christmas dinners. You might think of pies to be sweet, but this meaty mince pie is a tradition of Christmas since ages. While the original recipe entails a stuffing of rabbit, pheasant, partridge and more, you can also add dried fruits to the same. Eaten on each of the 12 days of Christmas, you are not allowed to say no to mince pie at anyone’s house.
4. Christmas Turkey
The whole turkey roasting tradition is well-known around the world. It is not only an important part of Thanksgiving feasts but a great addition to Christmas dinners too. The roasted turkey is stuffed with a variety of things like onion, parsley, tomato, bacon and breadcrumbs too. This turkey stuffing is then filled into the hollowed out whole turkey and everyone cuts it out to take a bite.
5. Glazed Christmas Ham
Another meaty treat on the table is ham. Quite similar to turkey, the ham is also stuffed but the filling is what makes it stand out. A sweet and spicy coating of maple syrup and honey give it a glaze and shine along with a fruit mixture which gives the dish an overall balanced taste.
6. Roasted Potatoes
A vegetarian side dish to complement the meat-intensive dinner feast, potatoes are diced into small cubes and roasted in an oven. Once they turn golden brown, they are seasoned with salt, pepper and a host of spices.
