So, some of you may have already started thinking about Christmas dinner. Here at Arbutus, we most certainly are well on our way on planning our Boxing Day and New Years Day menu.
This got us thinking. We have decided to share some tips with all of you out there, who will be preparing Christmas dinner this year.
1. Start the day with a good bacon sandwich. You’ll be knocking back the champagne, so it’s sensible to get something in your stomach to get you through the day.
2. Make sure your bird will fit in the oven and you have a roasting dish large enough. Seriously, this is not a joke and happens more often than you think.
3. Be prepared and don't under estimate how long preparing the vegetables will take. This task usually takes longer than you imagine. Pass this task on to someone who likes talking so they can be productive while working.
4. Less is more if you’re hosting Christmas for the first time. You don’t have to do it all.
5. Don’t try to cram everything into the same oven. The turkey should rest for an hour, loosely covered in tin foil and tea towels, giving you an empty oven in which to roast potatoes and other trimmings.
6. Make your stuffing in advance and refrigerate it. Sweat onions and celery for 15 minutes, add breadcrumbs that have had an hour to soak up full-fat milk, stick in an egg or two, and use butcher’s sausage meat.
7. Don’t skimp on the gravy. If you are really pushed for time, there are some brilliant brands of gravy that you can pick up in any supermarket.
So there we go. Happy cooking and Happy Christmas.
Team Arbutus