We have had a few laughs in this particular family in the lead up to and planning of the  foodie side of Christmas celebrations.
Fine tuning several menus according to seasonal produce, weather and meal and presentation style and number of guests has been a lot of fun and two family celebration menus have been pretty much nailed.

Then to watch the Christmas cooking shows or read the sumptuous recent issue foodie magazines and discover many of the menu items offered are what I have chosen!
Cries of “oh, we are doing that mum” or  “They have stolen my idea” 😉 or “You are just ahead of the times” ring out as we indulge in foodie media.
So, for what it is worth, I am sharing with you my two Christmas Feasts:

Feast One:
I love providing nice food for people, and a family Christmas gathering is such a wonderful opportunity to show my love by  providing generous flavours and delicious morsels with something a bit different.

Last Saturday, 17 gorgeous family members gathered around the white cloth draped table for scintillating conversation, uninhibited laughter and delight in being in each others presence (and the delight of some presents too).
I tossed around the idea of an entree, but decided that it was not actually needed, so buffet style we chose from:
*cold smoked chicken
*double smoked leg ham
*Warm side of salmon poached in white wine, celery, bay leaf, dill and peppercorns.
*roasted, peeled and wedged beetroot and watercress salad with a horse radish sour cream dressing (served separately)
*My mum’s requested potato salad
*A green salad, comprising of lettuce, shaved fennel, blanched green beans with a caper dressing, made by my brother.
*Several loaves of my aunt’s fresh home made bread.
It was a wonderful, tasty and texture and  flavour balanced meal.
I did regret, however, that I left too much stalk on the watercress. Some was quite tough. Next time I will get over my disdain for wasting food, and just pick the leaves. Apart from that, the beetroot, watercress and horse radish went superbly with the salmon. And much to my relief, the salmon was not over cooked and got Quality Controllers stamp of approval.

For dessert, I had made individual delicately orange infused pannacottas served with a zingy orange and fruit mince sauce and cinnamon puff pastry palmier.
Or a lime Splice ice cream.

And coffee and chocolates.

A feast in many peoples view, not only to celebrate good relationships, but especially to celebrate the Lord of the eternal feast–Jesus.

Feast Two:

Christmas Day.
You are lucky–you are getting a sneak preview and posting this will test who in my family reads this!! I am relinquishing it to you, just in the hope it may inspire someone else out there! Feel free to comment if it does!
The foodie side of the day is intended to go like this:
Breakfast–French toast style panettone, with Greek yoghurt, fresh figs and honey drizzled over. Or maybe croissants….
Second Breakfast–Joke, even though I get called Hobbit.
Morning tea at church–I will provide Christmas fruit mince Eccles cakes–lighter than shortcrust tarts.
For lunch I have a slightly retro theme going on–
Entree–
*Prawn cocktail with my requested mango mayo
Main-Buffet style
*”Hot Smoked” salmon,
*Turkey Breast rolls with a choice of stuffings cooked separately (still fine tuning this one–probably lemon and sage or pistachio and rosemary??)
*Homemade cranberry relish, gravy,
*Lime and ginger glazed leg of ham,
*Green beans with lemon and garlic,
*Roast rosemary baby potatoes,
*M-I-L’s traditional carrot and pineapple salad,
*Gourmet green summer salad.
Still thinking.
Dessert-
*Individual home made plum puddings, spiced whipped brandy butter,
*Individual Pink Mascato and berry jellies,
*Hazelnut and cranberry meringue tortes,
*Nan’s vanilla custard,
*Orange scented whipped cream.
Afternoon tea-
Home made Chai tea and Christmas fruit cake, laced with Port. Or nothing.
Dinner-
I am not a Hobbit, so don’t really need dinner at this stage, although notoriously people pick at the ham. Or the turkey. Or the nuts and cherries in bowls scattered around the place.
Supper-
Interchangeable with Afternoon tea.

I believe it will all go well, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

I hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends and caring for the lonely and less fortunate, and a Christmas celebration which is just that: “Christ’s mass”–the celebration of Jesus.