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We don't cook turkey for Christmas or Thxgiving. He and I each come from non-turkey families for both holidays. Both of our mothers were never keen to prepare turkey. When I grew up, we tended to have chicken for Christmas dinner.
We usually choose to make a seafood dish for our Christmas meal. (actually we usually have it on Christmas Eve.)
We don't have a Christmas meal, unless you count bagels and lox while opening presents on Christmas morning a Christmas meal.
we usually go for dim sum on Christmas day.
We never did turkey, either, so sometimes it was chicken, sometimes ham, and once my dad made carp. That was first and last time carp ever made its way into our household...
Usually there's a homegrown squash involved. Last year it was semolina-delicata gnocchi alla Romana. The year before it was kabocha stuffed with a mixed nut dressing. Not sure what it'll be this year, but we've got tons of butternut (although Thanksgiving was all butternut, with ravioli and pie...)
Honest, I've never done dim sum as a Christmas meal in Chinatown /wherever. Usually 1-2 items if someone brings them for potluck dinner, they are side dishes, not centrepiece dishes. Though mind you, real homemade dim sum, takes time and abit of care, especially for several different types. Like making a ton of different cookies. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by badger
Tulip, what is the centrepiece dish that you would have for Hannakuh? Or have I got it wrong?
I make a huge pot of gumbo on Christmas Eve and my mother-in-law always makes a platter of sushi for both Christmas and Thanksgiving....yummy;)
We're doing a bbq on Christmas day w friends.
Mmmmm...Bbq followed by a dip in the pool :) Very nice when it's forecasted to be 36C
Growing up we would usually have a few favorite items...lasagne, steak, and boiled shrimp in the shell. I don't recall ever having anything more labor-intensive than that, since it was typically just mom, dad, and the 3 of us kids (grandparents usually were in Florida...snowbirds).
We don't do a formal Christmas dinner, either. I make a big crockpot of my All-day Chili and people help themselves as they arrive. There's a banquet of homemade cookies, cakes and pies, too. There are never leftovers, thank goodness.
Roxy
I have to cook for twelve this Friday and on Thursday for 6. But no turkey either.
I perceived turkey as more of North American tendency, that is for those who choose to observe Christmas or choose to eat meat.Quote:
Originally Posted by papaver
In his family, his mother had goose or duck. Which sounds elegant to turkey eaters here but not unusual if one thinks about the types of farmed birds common in some European countries.
Turkey is just alien to traditional Asian cuisine. Seriously, take a look at any traditional (not fusion) Asian cuisine recipe book.
I've never seen it on a traditional menu in restaurants.
So really, my parents encountered turkey for the lst time when they came Canada.
Yep lot's of goose and duck here too...
Dungeness crab and steamer clams. We do the Christmas dinner for my husband's family here, and that's what we do every year. Big hit.
There is no Hanukkah dinner that I have ever heard of, unless individuals have started their own unique tradition. It's actually a pretty minor holiday. The main Jewish holiday is Passover, and that does have a dinner with a variety of dishes that have symbolic importance.
I'm not Jewish. We just don't have a Christmas dinner is all. I guess once or twice we have, when I was a child, but with Thanksgiving just over, we rarely do a big Christmas dinner.Quote:
Originally Posted by shootingstar
The bagels and lox are just a special treat for breakfast, while opening presents.
My family is not religious at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by tulip
But parents jumped on the bandwagon when they came to Canada ..you know anything involving home-cooked nice meal, decorations, songs and presents sounded like a good thing to my parents. You have to see the parallels of just the celebratory stuff to Chinese New Years' except the foods traditionally eaten then have different meaning, but the bright colours found for Chistmas and Chinese New Year's, ie. red for berries, Santa Claus suit, etc. parallels with red in Chinese New Year.
It's not tough to "sell" Christmas to certain non-Christian based cultures.
My family views Christmas a great reason for yet another mega-family get together with multi-course, special foods, etc. and celebrate family bonding.
I must sound awfully simplistic. But as the years march along, memories of this become more precious and I confess, nostalgia grows especially when people are still healthy and alive.
You sound like someone who loves her family and is worried about her dad's health...seems pretty reasonable to me. I hope you guys have a wonderful day no matter what you eat! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by shootingstar
A traditional Jewish dinner might include roast chicken or a brisket, tsimms; challah, but for Hanukkah, laktes. Lots of latkes. (potato pankcakes)
we have dim sum for brunch, I doubt any restaurant will serve it as an evening meal. If you're ever tempted, the best restaurants serving dim sum are not in Chinatown but in Richmond or East Vancouver/Burnaby.Quote:
Originally Posted by shootingstar
I think most Asian cuisine rarely have a "centerpiece" dish (for any meal), they're usually a bunch of dishes that compliment and not eclipse each other and meant to be shared. My brother and my Taiwanese sister in law usually host Christmas dinner, and it's usually a collection of this that and the other. One year we had Indian curry take out along with cheeses and cold cuts...
Quote:
Originally Posted by salsabike
correct. The traditional food for Hannukah is laktes. It's a very minor Jewish holiday, but has to compete with Christmas.
We always had a big-ish Christmas dinner growing up, but nothing specific was served every year. We opted for something special that we wouldn't have on a regular day though. Rarely turkey (turkey was reserved for Thanksgiving in our household), but we often did Prime Rib or some other such expensive cut of beef. Kringle and eggs for Christmas breakfast (always) and there is the random assortment of fancy cheeses and a Honeybaked Ham out to munch on all day....
My mom is the ultimate collector of random guests (we have a small family), so Christmas was always about meeting new people and laughing with others (often strangers) while we all stuffed our faces full of good food. ;)
This year, it'll be just myself and my husband...so I have no idea what we'll do (except we will have Kringle and eggs for breakfast). It might be time to start creating our own traditions.
What is Kringle?
Kind of like danish (it's also a Danish pastry)...flaky, sweet, goopy with icing and fruit topping. Man, I miss it. I grew up in WI and am of mostly Scandinavian descent (my kid is even named Dane).Quote:
Originally Posted by tulip
If we have a gathering for Christmas, we usually have some kind of barbeque, and I'll brine and roast a turkey. Didn't do it last year though, coz I was here in the US, but now I'll be home for christmas, but I doubt it, since i only arrive christmas eve 10pm and there won't be time. Hopefully next year. :D
People miss my turkey more than they miss me :p
I had about ten for Chanukah last Sunday. Besides the latkes, I did make a turkey, but it was mostly because it's easy; pop it in the oven and let it cook. My DH carves it and does most of the cooking when turkey is involved. I also had a kugel (noodle pudding) and others brought fruit salad and regular salad.
A lot of the time, we just make the latkes and have sort of a dairy dinner, with tuna salad, kugel, and fruit.
Latkes can hold their own against any holiday food!
I'd love to do a goose--but when we looked at them at the store it was $70 for about a normal sized one. Duck about the same size is under $20.
Brewer loves cooking duck anyway. The meat is incidental (but very tasty!), but he uses the fat and the stock for weeks afterward.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoom-zoom
We spent a few years in the Milwaukee area when I was growing up and that's where we discovered Kringle and added it to our traditions. Every year, Kringles from O&H bakery (in Racine) go out to all the members of our family all over the country so that we all are 'sharing' Christmas breakfast even if we can't be in the same place. :)
http://www.ohdanishbakery.com/eric/o...M_220_LPIC.JPG
http://www.ohdanishbakery.com/
Most of the time, it is prime rib for Christmas with twice baked potatoes. Occasionally, a duck or a goose. with twice baked potatoes and weird jello dessert.
My husband's family favors ham and scalloped potatoes, etc.
I am not a fan of Christmas dinner - these meals are just too heavy for me!
Well, call me lazy, but I want to take Christmas day off too. So, I usually do a breakfast casserole that I can make the night before. I also cut up fresh fruit and serve mimosas.