What's for the festive lunch 2017

[Flo]

So what have you all planned? And how much of it is home grown or home brewed? Even if you have raided stores or bought in how much is home made?

[Green Aura]

Last Christmas was awful - our gal had bad tonsillitis and was really quite ill. My time was spent nursing her. I can't remember when we had our Christmas dinner but it wasn't on Christmas day for sure. So this year she's being dosed up with Vit C and zinc and we're going to push the boat out for a bigger do than we'd normally have.

We're having roast leg of goat - raised by a friend a few miles away. (The gal will be having her usual tofu and seitan turkey with yuba "skin" - she's had that pretty much every Christmas since she became vegan). All fruit and veg will be bought unfortunately, but will just be our usual organic veg box ingredients, with the addition of some spuds and parsnips. They source their produce as locally as possible though.

I've just bought some Scottish grown heritage flour, which promises to be higher in nutrients and lower in the things, like gluten, which may cause digestive issues. All our bread, mince pies and cake etc will be made from that. I'm really excited at the prospect (we haven't eaten "proper" bread etc in a year)! The pastry will be made from home rendered lard (from same goat) and the mincemeat will be a little different this year.

We recently infused vodka with various dried fruits and berries and then froze them when it was finished. Mincemeat this year then, will be made from white mulberries, goji berries, prunes and dried apricots, rather than sultanas etc. I'll let you know how it turns out when I've sobered up - they retained a healthy amount of vodka after draining. We also made a fresh peach liqueur with some reduced peaches I found in T*sco but I think these would be better turned into ice cream. I'm thinking there may be some alcohol supped - we have all these vodkas to get through, after all.

We're currently having a go at making our own tonic water and cola, out of various botanicals and water kefir. While I'm not sure we'll put any big soft drinks firms out of business, if we can have a reasonably palatable whisky and "coke", or G+T I'll be very happy - and with probiotics to boot. Oh and if I have time I'm going to have a go at making my own advocaat - although I've said I'm going to do that for years - it always seems to be at the bottom of the to do list.

What about you Flo?

[Odsox]

Christmas dinner is the one meal in the year that is probably totally bought in. Our daughter (next door) does most of the dinner while we roast the turkey. So all veg will be bought, and the pudding, although homemade, will be made with shop bought ingredients.
Christmas tea on the other hand will feature my normal bread, sausage rolls, pickled onions, pickled eggs, paté, jam and tomatoes, all home produced, followed by mince pies with the mincemeat made from our own dried raisins, sultanas and apricots.
Other things like cheese and ham are beyond my ability.

[Flo]

Heck there are people here who really go to town - Maggie has been brewing for months from the sounds of it. The allotment with brassicas on has club root - didn't know when planting out so that's winter veg out from home supplies. Have potatoes and cooking apples in store.

Assuming I'm not snowed in I'm invited round to local family so no real idea what the main meal will be except we'll be vegan. I've bought in a large veg box as a present (well there will be six of us apparently). There will no doubt be roast spuds, carrots, brussels, possibly parsnips, something green (usually frozen peas for wimpy grandson aged 26). I've yet to make the chocolate torte (vegan recipe using tofu, vegan chocolate, hazel nuts). The Christmas cake is made from stores out of the cupboard.

So not a lot of home produced. If snowed in I can do me a meal out of the cupboard and be perfectly acceptable. At the moment I'm living out of the store cupboard, freezer full of veg and the last few swedes, parsnips, leeks off the plots.

[Green Aura]

I've just remembered I've bought a small vegan "cheese" hamper from a small Edinburgh company called Nutcrafter Creamery. Might be worth a look Flo.

I've made cheeses for her in the past but it's a huge faff and they don't keep very well so I thought I'd give these a go. Not cheap but they seem to be winning awards etc quite often so I'm hopefully it'll be worth the expense.

[Weedo]

Don't really know yet - we oldies have been adandoned by the younger gen this year so it will only be the two of us sad and lonely geriatirics. Actually, it is only coincidental that the kids and grandies all have their turn at the alternate parents (the outlaws) this year - apart from #1 son in the far North who has his turn at the nightwatch over Christmas. We will all be together next week for an early traditional dinner - roast lamb and everything else.

On the day we two are slinging hammocks on the river bank within easy reach of the esky and having cold seafood and salads.

[Green Aura]

....and those of us currently at risk of being snowed in won't even be remotely jealous.

[Weedo]

GA - We all suffer for our lifestyles; everything has a cost. While you will be snowed in we will be having temps of 36-40 C, my patch is already scorched brown. So, forgive us our little Christnas luxury - I thought somewhere about here would be bearable.

[Flo]

We'll spare you a little British winter if you want Weedo

[Green Aura]

That looks fab, Weedo, but I can see how parched it is even near the water. Enjoy your leisure.