Merry Christmas! Turkey?Goose?Duck?

Well its that time of year again! I confess I adore Turkey! Usually Im the one at friends/family saying Yes Id love a turkey sandwich/Baguette! Yes some people hate it for me a Turkey Crown sozzled in Sherry/Lemon/Butter gorgeous! I do each year thou say shall we have a Duck? Always a no!Boxing Day tradition is large late breakfast & then Hot Pork & stuffing baguettes for supper & a cheese platter!
What's everyone having this year? We have a few vegatarian options as well love home made spicey bubble & squeak fritters! & a mushroom/ricotta wellington!
I wish all a happy,peaceful,loving Christmas & hoping to pinch a few recipe's too!

Ah thanks Sax! And a very merry one indeed to you too! I confess I love goose. I almost rue the day I ever tasted it because it has condemned me to a lifetime of expensive Christmas meat dishes! I sometimes do beef to ring the changes but it's never long before i'm back to the goose. It's such a nice meat and Christmas is really the only time we get to eat it. So goose it is this year and although my purse is not looking forward to paying for it, I am very much looking forward to eating it!

Anyway, hope everyone has a fabulous time, whatever their main dish of choice!

Ive never tried Goose! Id love to thou.I use Goose Fat for roast potato's that's as far as Ive tried Goose.Is it a gamey taste? I love Pheasant & Venison so if its a gamey flavour Id like it.Im sure we used to eat Goose before Turkey became fashionable! My friend cooks Duck fir Christmas & Salmon for Boxing Day! Can you get Goose fillets?

I'd say it's a mildly-gamey flavour. You'd probably love it. I have never seen goose fillets but it'd be worth looking. You can sometimes find goose eggs in spring (they're enormous, and similar to a duck egg in flavour). Agree that goose fat potatoes are the best! And yes, you're right. Goose was the traditional bird. It was the victorians that popularized turkey. A Christmas Carol was written just at the point where both were equally popular I believe, just before turkey had more or less completely taken over.

I have to admit, sometimes it's a bit boring being a vegetarian. We'll be having the usual nut-roast (made from pistachios,cashews, breadcrumbs and cheese)and I'll be going to our allotment on xmas eve to harvest sprouts, parsnips and broccolli to go with it. 

Envious of your goose-fat roast potatoes, they always look so yummy.

In honour of Christmas, and the Strictly Final, I have updated my avatar with my newest Tango Shoes (they're a better fit than the other ones so I really needed them, honestly I did.)

ETA - it's not a brilliant pic, as it was taken by my 6 yr old daughter, but it will have to do.

Gorgeous shoes LB! Are they comfy? Jingle fresh veg from your allotment yummy.I often have the vegartarian choices out & add recipes for future use. Never tried a nutroast thou sounds delicious.Do you eat Honey Jingle? A little dribbbled on roast potatoes make them crunchy too

Coconut oil also makes crunchy/fluffy roasties. If you don't want the flavour, you can buy the refined stuff which is neutral flavored - it still has the same cooking benefits and health benefits as the non-refined stuff.

Great shoes Littlebear (seems only yesterday you were getting the first pair!)

I'll experiment with the roast potatoes,  thanks for the tips  

Oh and forgot to say - yes they are comfy. Much more so than the old ones which were far too wide/long. These are like a glove and very nice to dance in. Though they are (even) higher than the previous ones, and I am not generally a heels girl, they feel lower because they are such a good fit/design. They are just really natural for tangoing in. The right shoes matter so much! Mind you, I can't walk in them! I can dance in them, but not walk!

That's strange to hear you can dance in them but not wal! I wonder if that's because your always either onthe base of your heel or on your toes? They are a stunning colour.
Great tip re coconut oil re roasting! My friend swears by orange marmalade a light dip on her parsnips!

It's because they are designed to get you leaning in towards the leader, so you achieve that balance where you are both sharing an axis, which creates the intimate A Frame and enables the automatic lead/follow. The extreme heels really are ideal for this. But even my teacher doesn't look elegant when she walks off to go to the loo. She dances amazingly in her shoes, but wouldn't wear them for anything else. They're really not designed for walking in. My teachers were both part of the Midnight Tango cast - it's mad to think that she wouldn't be able to walk in her heels!

We always say shall we try goose but always end up with turkey which I don't particularly like!  Any other tips for adding some flavour?
I love goose fat roasties too and roast parsnips in a light dusting of Parmesan. I think it's a Delia recipe. Parboil, shake in a mixture of 1/3 flour 2/3 Parmesan then roast. Delicious!

Love the shoes LB-I can't walk or dance in heels these days!


Whatever you are having, I wish you all a peaceful and happy Christmas xx

Ooh Parmesan makes almost anything nicer! I am going to have to try parmesan roasties! Thanks for that tip!

Our lot insist on turkey. I had duck on boxing day last year but I've never tried goose.  If I see any geese in the January sales, I'll give it a try.

I'm on the lookout for some venison. My brother lives near Her Madge in Norfolk, so the road kill down there's a bit posher and venison is easier to access.  On the run up to Christmas, I often have the veggie option and I've tried hard to increase my vegetarian meal intake this year. Me and lentils are now like that (crosses fingers).

I made a fennel and pear (white) soup the other week that went down well, and might do some more over Christmas with home made oat or soda bread. I've made a few novel loaves this year and every time I make bread I think of The Hairy Bikers or Ronnie Corbett who makes his own.  On a cold day, I also like a sweet potato, chickpea soup with quartered tomatoes and any available veg thrown in. Sometimes after a heavy Christmas meal, I just want some simple comfort food.

I'm not keen on the traditional stuffings and found a recipe the other year using rice and watercress which looks the real McCoy when it's baked. It's light and slightly peppery.

I like fish and will be on the lookout for a nice big beast that I can have with all the salad stuff either Christmas evening or Boxing day.

jingle wrote:I have to admit, sometimes it's a bit boring being a vegetarian. We'll be having the usual nut-roast (made from pistachios,cashews, breadcrumbs and cheese)and I'll be going to our allotment on xmas eve to harvest sprouts, parsnips and broccolli to go with it. 

Envious of your goose-fat roast potatoes, they always look so yummy.

It's just as boring being a meat eater at our house jingle. It's the usual turkey or nothing on Christmas day.  
Daughter does Boxing day and cooks goose. Now I know it may sound barmy being a bird but there is something about it that reminds me of lamb. Not so much the taste more the texture.

I've cooked roast potatoes in every fat and oil going and I can't really tell the difference when they are on the plate with everything else, especially if I put gravy on them. If you want to make them a bit different sprinkle into the oil a few dried herbs that will complement your main dish.

Haven't tried parmesan! Ill try that thou! I adore venison mmm delicious with port & blackberries.I do like a nice salmon thou as a change for New Years day! My gift to myself! I did cook a small turkey (yes I brought one after Christmas one year) & used indian spices Madha Jeffries recipe totally succulent a good change!
I indulge in trifle this tims of year no one else likes it but my mom in law makes a small one for us both! My those sponges pack a punch of rhum!

sax - all this talk of food, your appetite must be coming back which means you must be feeling better, yay

I'm afraid we're very boring at Xmas in that the only bird we like to eat really is chicken so we roast one of those lol Any other fans of brussel sprouts? I love them! In fact, I like my veggies full stop so wouldn't find a nut roast dull at all. Love my hearty soups with fresh bread too B4

Fab shoes Lilbear! Were the ones in your previous pic you as well?

Have a wonderful Xmas everybody!   

Yes Sid a plain omelette today for me! & I felt hungry today.Still hacking cough & tired but better thank you Sid. My brother in law has beef each Christmas! I recall as a child I used to love turkey egg & chips! I think thou the days of buying a huge bird & eating it for like forever! have gone. We try new starters each year thou & puddings.We have gone posh & have a different wine with our courses! then its a free for all for the port!
Now the cheeseboard mmmmmm so many different cheeses to enjoy.
Its quite decadent to have a glass of champers pre lunch! I would like to do more non alcoholic drinks rather than the standard Elderflower cordial! Any ideas welcome

sax - do you prefer sweet or savoury?

Non Alcoholic cocktails

Clam Digger
tabasco sauce
Worcestershire sauce
quarter teaspoon horseradish sauce
4 measures of tomato juice
4 measures of clam juice
cracked ice
celery salt
black pepper
celery stick
lime wedges


Banana Coffee Break
300 mls milk
4 tablespoons instant coffee powder
150g vanilla ice cream
2 bananas sliced and frozen
brown sugar to taste

Savoury every time love the recipe Thank You x

Sangria Seca

475 ml tomato juice
250 ml orange juice
3 measures of lime juice
half measure tabasco sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 jalapeño chilli finely chopped
celery salt
white pepper
cracked ice

Now thats a keeper! Thank You

Not a big cocktails person but wow B4P you have inspired me - those savoury ones both sound scrummy! Thanks for the recipes!

Got a cocktail book in front of me so just let me know sweet/sour or alcohol or not and I'll track a recipe down for you