A VERY BRITISH CHRISTMAS FEAST

Last year was our first christmas in London and we were very excited about it. We were familiar with christmas traditions in our country and many other countries but, except the one of the best christmas movies Love is Eveywhere, we didn’t have so much idea about British christmas.

We decided to experience it in a fancy place with a nice christmas dinner.  (Then, we were thinking that the christmas feast and the turkey time was Christmas Eve like in a lot of countries but we were wrong. Brits eat Christmas feast on 25 of December, Christmas Day and not dinner, lunch). All restaurants were taking reservations for christmas dinner (which was totaly different thing, this was for the christmas parties which people make with their friends in restaurants instead of home and during all december but no in Christmas Eve or Day.) So we didn’t make christmas dinner shopping and until last day kept our hope for finding somewhere but we were wrong again. At the end, christmas eve and day were not very “feast”ive days for us. After some light snack at home, we went to one of our favorite pubs (luckyly was open) and enjoyed the live music and warm British beer.

This year, after watching since two years all kind of Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey, ...etc  “christmas special” food programs, we decided having our “Very British Christmas Feast” at home. Days before we made our grocery shopping and ta taaa!

British turkey stuffed with meat, chestnut and onion  and oven roasted potatos with goose fat: done!

Brussel sprouts and carrot cooked in our style: done!

Christmas pudding with brandy cream and mince pies: done!

Christmas crackers (of course purry ones): done!

Instead of eating on Christmas Day, we had our christmas dinner yesterday evening, on Christmas Night. After the dinner, we realised why Brits eat christmas feast at lunch instead of dinner when we were drinking cups of tea and trying to digest all those goose fat, brandy cream, etc. After the dinner we were planning to go to the pub for the live music, having more booze and dancing. But we were knock-out and drinking tea, lying at the couch and looking to our christmas lights.

POP-UP TRINIDAD FEAST: TRINI CHRISTMAS

Nine days ago we have been in a pop-up christmas restaurant in Maltby Street Market. We tasted a big variety of Trinidad kitchen and it was a lovely experience.

We went little bit earlier then dinner time to have a drink and warming up with rhytme of music. Actually we were waiting more energy and party spirit but it was a quite serious ambience. So it was more “Taste of Trinidad” then “Trini Christmas Party”. 

We met  our lovely hosts Franka and Chef Hassan. We really enjoyed the food and then moved to the next destination for keep drinking.

This was our feast menu in Trini Christmas: 

AMUSE BOUCHE

Callaloo shots – a mildly spiced vegetable soup infused with coconut milk.

STARTERS

Trinidadian pastelles – the Trinidadian take on the Spanish empanada, but made with polenta and suffed with well-seasoned meat or vegetables.

Trini style ham with hops bread – smoked ham served with crusty rolls and chow chow (picallili).

MAIN COURSE

Caribbean herb and honey turkey with ackee and sage stuffing

Tobago style pigeon peas – saucy stewed Gungo peas.

Stuffed sweet potatoes with creole sauce

Trini Festive rice

Ground Provision au gratin

DESSERT

Chef Hasan’s Ponche a Creme chantilly creme – a boozy rum creme spiced with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

A trio of Caribbean cakes including the rich and fruity rum cake.