Christmas menu planning

One of my most favourite meal times is Christmas. I love everything about the preparation; the reading of blogs, magazines and recipe books to find something that suits my fancy for the day and the dedication of a day or two to preparation and shopping. I like cooking anyway but it always feels much more special, probably due to the more extraordinary ingredients or volume involved.

My family have never done the roast and veg at Christmas lunch. My mum was a vegetarian when I was growing up  and so we had our own version of the roast; her marvelous Nut Loaf with Pimiento Sauce. Its stuffed with sage and onion and has a fantastic texture. To be found in the womens weekly vego cookbook.  It's now an institution as we all love it. So Christmas is always a nut loaf or two (coz we all like leftovers) and a bonanza of seafood, fish and fresh salads.

But this year I'm thinking of contributing a gingerbread spice glazed local happy ham with fresh cherry relish (coz we had a stupendous one at our wedding and I haven't had any since!), a baked ricotta with a sticky tomato balsamic glaze, spinach, persian feta and roast almond salad with a mango chutney dressing and mince tart ice-cream with brandy snap and a load of fresh raspberries. And bubbles.
Christmas Eve, I plan on eating macarons.

What are you all planning for Christmas lunch?

before shots

Just a few cachoux missing at this stage. A few empty welts in the icing testament to the prior presence of small, shiny edible balls; just  a little surreptitious crunching through the day kinda gave him away.

At some stage today, the Bean began getting a bit more adventurous with his help yourself.
Tonight , this is how they're going...

Just a few points missing...

and a whole mouthful.

Who can blame him? Temptation in a decoration! Don't know what his older sister was thinking when she thought making these would be a good idea!

Elevated Christmas

Last years Christmas 'tree' is even more useful this year with the Bean tearing around the place. He was mooching last year, but this year its essential. The only dilemma is where to put the presents? This weekend we will hoist the old steel wagonwheel into place and wind it with foilage. Its a great alternative to a tree. Last year I used hawthorne and holly from the garden. That was a little painful.
This year i think eucalyptus leaves and its big gum nuts, but maybe thats a fire hazard?...and definitely still use the glass fruit and veg baubles which I love. I mean really, how can you not be happy with a bauble shaped like a bunch of asparagus, a dill pickle or a giant strawberry?

I find my love of Christmas quite contradictory.