Our multi-cultural society means that Christmas food is no longer the classic turkey and trimmings. Do you fancy a Balti tasting menu or the Japanese tradition of Kentucky Fried Chicken? Do you eat at home, or have the stress of cooking lifted from your shoulders by eating out?
Vegan food for Christmas
Richard Hall
Making Christmas more vegetarian or vegan friendly shouldn’t be controversial. Who says we have to eat turkey for Christmas dinner? (Well, Charles Dickens, that’s who.)
But just suppose Dickens had been mad on plant-based cuisine. Instead of Bob Cratchit being gifted a turkey at the end of A Christmas Carol, what would the world look like if Scrooge had told the boy to buy the delicious nut roast or lentil rissoles that were on sale in the grocer’s and take it round to the Cratchits’ home?
Don’t like nut roast or lentils? No problem. There are many vegetarian and vegan alternatives that make a welcome change. A vegetable biryani would be great. Try a vegetarian Wellington or a beetroot and squash Wellington with kale pesto. A beetroot and red onion tarte tatin would look stunning, taste wonderful and take 90 minutes to cook.
Trust me – the best thing about not cooking a turkey for Christmas is not cooking a turkey for Christmas.
Gemma Gould
Hosting a vegan or vegetarian-friendly Christmas dinner is easier than ever, thanks to the growing variety of plant-based options. Start with the centrepiece: instead of traditional turkey, consider a plant-based turkey crown. Other meat-free options, such as nut roasts or mushroom Wellington, are hearty and festive additions.
For side dishes, focus on versatility. Roasted vegetables, such as parsnips, carrots and brussels sprouts, can be seasoned with olive oil and herbs to suit all diets. Stuffing can be made with vegetable stock and nuts, while gravy can be prepared using rich mushroom stock.
When it comes to desserts, traditional Christmas puddings or mince pies are often vegetarian, but you can also explore vegan versions using dairy-free creams or plant-based custards.
With a little planning and creativity, you can create a festive feast that delights everyone, ensuring no one misses out on the holiday magic.
Christmas pudding: good idea or avoid at all costs?
Richard Hall
Christmas pudding is another one of those traditions that ought to be abandoned as soon as possible. I mean, who wants to eat something that’s been steamed for 10 hours? It would be more palatable to oven bake a bathmat and eat that. And that’s before you’ve set fire to it or hidden bits of metal in it guaranteed to break a tooth. Tradition or not, Christmas pudding is a bad idea that should be abandoned as soon as possible.
Gemma Gould
Christmas pudding has always been a special part of our festive celebrations. My favourite moment was always the lighting of it ̵- the blue flame casting a warm glow as my father, with great precision, poured almost a full bottle of brandy over the pudding. He timed it so perfectly that the lights in the dining room were dimmed, and the only light came from the flickering flame. The smell of the brandy burning, mixed with the rich scent of the pudding, created an atmosphere of pure Christmas magic.
Although I’m not particularly fond of traditional Christmas pudding, I always made sure to eat a small portion, out of respect for the effort my father put into making it.
If we spend Christmas at my parents’ house, I still eat their Christmas pudding, despite my preferences. However, when we’re at home or elsewhere, we’ve enjoyed switching things up with indulgent alternatives like chocolate orange pudding or satsuma trifle. These non-traditional desserts have become a new part of our Christmas, though the tradition of Christmas pudding remains at the heart of our celebrations.
