Festive Food Postcards
The days between Christmas and New Year can be a period of over indulgence, a delicious prelude to the New Year resolutions that follow which are often hastily broken in January. In recent years, we have resolved to enjoy the festive period, guilt-free, and partake in whatever indulgences come our way.
Festive Cocktails
The best Christmas card I have received this year came from friends who have addressed it ‘To the Gourmantics’. On December 26, Boxing Day, Gourmantic turned 6 months old. The milestone was celebrated with Vodka Martinis, with a Sicilian olive for me and a lemon twist for Mr Gourmantic.
The rainy days and the intermittent sunshine didn’t deter us from licking the salt off the Margaritas or sipping cool Mojitos after the beach.
Christmas Turkey
After the first of the family Christmas lunches that was a seafood extravaganza, it was time to partake in the traditional Christmas fare and cook the turkey.
The bird was lovingly prepared with a combination of butter, chopped sage, lemon zest and thyme carefully placed under the skin so that the aroma permeates through the succulent meat.
Carving the turkey is a task always delegated to Mr Gourmantic, using implements passed down from family as the doyennes of turkey cooking.
The ‘stuffing’ is a speciality that is always cooked separately and never enters the turkey. The dish is turned upside down on a serving platter and adorned with roasted pine nuts, almonds and chestnuts.
Left-overs are often enjoyed best the day after, or shared more intimately with one or two family members over a good bottle of red.
Seafood
The enjoyment of fresh seafood is ubiquitous with Christmas and the warmer temperatures of Sydney.
Plump Sydney rock oysters are best enjoyed au naturel, with a squeeze of lemon juice and a shot of Vodka that has been resting in the freezer.
The side of Norwegian smoked salmon did not last long on the serving platter.
Freshly-cooked prawns were dipped in a seafood or aioli sauce.
Cheese
Friends drop in for a cocktail or two, and when you think you couldn’t possibly eat any more, a Camembert is always welcomed,
as is a creamy cheddar and Gorgonzola Picante.
Desserts and Sweets
These home-made Christmas puddings tasted as good as they looked.
My speciality Christmas pudding ice-cream had enough liquor in it that is was an adults-only version.
Rum balls always tempt late in the evening, in case one didn’t partake in enough rum at Christmas.
And just like the Santa bear on this festive Christmas biscuit whose pants have come undone, our waistlines have slightly displaced.
Bon appétit!
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Sounds like you had very happy holidays! I love the stuffing with the chestnuts in it. And congratulations on your six-month anniversary!
Akila: Thank you! :) It’s hard to believe 6 months have already passed. The stuffing is my mum’s speciality. It wouldn’t be Christmas without it!
I think I gained a whole 10 pounds looking at your delicious photos! Time to reach in for my TUMS antacid. Of course, being pregnant, I can only wish to taste those oysters, blue cheese, smoked salmon, margaritas and mojitos…sigh…
Jen: That would be difficult to give up all those but at least it’s for a short period of time :) I feel a week of diet and exercise coming up…
everytime i go to your blog and to “roadforks” i get really really hungry…
everything looks really delicious… hehehe especially the “Norwegian smoked salmon ”
-flip
Flip: I wish I could you offer a virtual tasting! :)