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As my mom and her sisters got older, they transitioned over from cooking a big dinner on Christmas Eve (in addition to Christmas Day) and it evolved into a family tradition to go out for Chinese. I think my aunt who lived an affluent and fashionable lifestyle in Chicago may have been behind the idea, because at the time it seemed a bit outre' for Cincinnati. At any rate, Chinese restaurants lent themselves to feeling festive for a large group of relatives, with everyone ordering different stuff and passing it around. Good memories.
It is a despondent situation when you are looking at a holiday with no organized activity to do, especially not involving friends or family.
But as I read through this thread, the number of people asking about restaurants, etc. which may be open astounds me, especially those inquiring about Chinese. I happen to be one who can take Chinese food or leave it. My likes are probably those adapted to Chinese/American. Never having actually had food in China, the closest being Chinese food in Japan, I may be warped in what I think Chinese food is.
But back to Christmas. My wife and I have both reached an age where traveling is very labored. So we have basically decided our days of travel are over. Some of our kids are widely dispersed, and traveling to them we have decided is not in our repertoire.
Last Christmas, we went to a highly reported restaurant near Union Center Boulevard, Mitchell's Fish Market. While I can't exactly complain about the food/value, I can state a short time later we felt unsatisfied. I also feel we did not get their best due to the Christmas staffing juggle.
This Thanksgiving we decided to try carryout. We investigated Boston Market and found they stated an extra value Thanksgiving Dinner was available for carryout on a limited time frame for Thanksgiving. We decided on that. After consumption we commented it chased off the hunger demons was nowhere close to the satisfaction of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
I am sitting here right now trying to decide what we will have for Christmas. Hopefully I can find a boxed meal capable of being defrosted, warmed, and served.
Quite honestly, for the past several years when we have wanted to avoid cooking, our best result was the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Restaurant on Fields Ertel Rd. We had a good portion of the family there and deem it to be the best food/value we have received. For a single, probably not so much.
Hopefully you can decide on a source soon. I frankly think carryout needs to be reheated to restore its original flavor. The best foods which agree to reheating are BBQ. They are frequently better after the reheat than when first purchased. I would suggest some BBQ, a dose of good cold slaw, and some salad with a desirable dressing.
I appreciate the thought. Really, it is not as bad as it seems. While I would prefer to go back to Connecticut to spend Christmas with my family, I am taking my first two days off since Thanksgiving. Need a short drive to somewhere that is NOT Indianapolis where I can take it easy. Makes sense to try to do a couple of things at my house in Covington and then find some local food. Won't need to reheat it since I doubt I will have to drive far to find something. I do have a toaster oven if need be. Will spend New Years with my brother though.
There is good Chinese food and bad. Actually the Chinese restaurants in this country offer an Americanized version of Chinese food, at least most of them. Real food from China is a bit different than what they serve in our restaurants. Similar to Italian food in this country. Mostly Americanized dishes and bear little resemblance to what you would find in Italy from what I've been told.
I am confident I can find something decent to eat in the area. To date, I have never had a bad meal from any restaurant or carry out facility in the Cincy area dating back to my first visit there in the late 1980's. Already had three bad meals in Indianapolis in less than a year of eating at local eateries here. Glad I won't be staying in Indy.
My daughter who lives with us got all upset when I said we had no plans to make our family Goetta this Christmas. But Dad it is our tradition. But Karen, we have no plans for people to come and visit, no nothing.
She had almost 2 weeks of unused vacation time at work she would lose at end of year, no carryovers. So she decided to take vacation at home. Combined with the normal holidays, she ends up with almost 3 weeks off. So she decides to make Goetta on Christmas, the outside weather is predicted as lousy anyway.
After querying mom once again on the meat requirements and being told she is unlikely to find them in the typical supermarket, off to the local independent shop she goes to by the name of Butcher Bills. Buys the last bone-in, pork loin roast he had. A whopping 7 lbs, she didn't have the heart to tell him she only wanted 5 lbs. He also had the beef ribs style she was looking for. Once again, she bought him out. This is going to be some of the most expensive Goetta ever made.
While she was going in search of her Goetta ingredients, I had gone to Costco. I have friends who swear by the filet mignons they buy there. I thought, then a whole beef tenderloin should be fine. I did locate a large case of beef tenderloins surrounded by an an army of people. Pricey, yes, but I thought our only significant out of normal expense this Christmas, so WTH. But before I got through the aisles I had picked up a beef eye of round, sliced into two roasts, and a very large pack of sliced pork loin. After I separate that pork loin pack into our size portions, it will provide about at least two weeks of dinners.
After the daughter and I compared notes, we decided we had both forgot things. She had not purchased the beef broth her mother insists the Goetta meat be cooked in. I had forgotten to consider what kind of rub I would cook the beef tenderloin in. So off to Butcher Bill's she goes again this morning, and he sells her a $4.50 package of beef rub he insists all of the best Cincinnati restaurants use. Quite frankly, I have never cooked a whole beef tenderloin, always being too cheap to buy one. So the butcher recommends this one and gives instructions how to apply. Tomorrow will tell, providing I can follow the instructions.
The daughter also found several cans of beef broth. Butcher Bill is rapidly becoming one of her best friends.
This post is becoming lengthy so time to wrap up.
What a combination, cook and prepare Goetta on Christmas. Must start early in cooking the Goetta meat, at least by 6 AM or perhaps this evening. One thing is sure, the Gpetta meat must be done prior to when we need to put the Beef Tenderloiin into the oven.
And don't forget, along the line the Oats must be cooked for the Goetta. I am going to suggest to the daughter we cook the Goetta meat tonight and grind it. At least this just consumes one night.
BTW, our daughter said prior to departing on her current shopping trip she would get some specialty pizzas for tonight's dinner. I don't know what you term for a specialty pizza is, but I am petty sure of hers.
So isn't this a great adventure (you may disagree).
But one thing you can't deny, if we pull this off it will be a gastronomical Christmas. In fact the leftovers may be sufficient for at least 2 weeks.
Hey that was a long one, sorry guys.
Last edited by kjbrill; 12-24-2014 at 01:08 PM..
Reason: Too Long
As far as your beef tenderloin goes, the first thing to do is sharpen your knife. Then carefully remove all, I repeat all, of the silver skin. That includes the part inside the fold.
Then, square it off by removing the end parts that is less than half the diameter of the thickest part. Then, rub it with good olive oil.
There are two approaches:
1. Then liberally sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and sea salt crystals. Stinky rubs will only mess it up.
Then it goes in the oven at 475 for about 15-20 minutes, then turn it down to 325 and cook until done (internal temperature of 130-140 depending on your preference).
2. Preheat a cast iron frying pan to sizzle (450) and sear the meat on all sides. Takes about 5-10 minutes.
Then into the oven as above.
Let stand on the platter for 10 minutes when done.
Make beurre blanc or a more complex sauce of your choice to serve with it.
Last edited by Wilson513; 12-24-2014 at 01:48 PM..
Brill, your christmas sounds like it is shaping up okay.
Tomorrow will begin with the yearly morning ritual of the kids jumping on the bed eager to open presents. This year nearby family are then coming to us on Christmas day. Five adults and two children, it will be a modest brunch affair. I could dream up a menu but with the holiday schedule as it has been, brunch will simply be baked french toast, a sort of poached egg with ham, champaign, and fruit salad. I'm looking forward to it immensely!
Yes I forgot some parts. While discussing the side dishes, I suggested just find some good fruit. Instead of a salad, let's have a fruit plate. Of course I also want a good portion of yogurt (preferably Greek) to pour on the fruit.
The daughter did bring home a couple of store bought, uncooked pizzas. I do like them. After augmentation with a variety of cheese we will chow down for dinner tonight. Now I have to convince the daughter to cook the Goetta meat tonight.
A number of years back when my mother was still living, she was in the hospital over Christmas. We had been to visit our children and traveled to the opposite end of the state to stop in to see her before we went home. At that time there were very few restaurants open on Christmas and when we arrived at the hospital, we had not eaten for most of the day. Fortunately, the cafeteria in the hospital was still open and the food was actually pretty good, turkey/dressing, mashed potatoes, etc. That particular hospital had a policy at the time that family of patients did not have to pay for a meal on Thanksgiving or Christmas. In talking with staff there, we learned that the cafeteria had become a popular place for individuals, couples, and families that had nowhere else to go on those holidays.
Since then we have stopped in at a hospital cafeteria a couple of other times on holidays, especially when traveling before there were more choices for meals.
Will every Chinese restaurant in the area open for Christmas or just a few? I may be down there late in the day and don't intend to cook on Christmas.
I found two more Chinese restaurants that will be open: New Garden in Ft. Thomas (I forget the name) and Szechwan Garden in Park Hills, which has been under new and reportedly vastly improved ownership for a year or so. We're going to give it a try. Although, for future reference, New Garden is delicious and reasonably priced.
Sarah. Found a place just a couple of miles from my home. Peking Restaurant. Good meals. Had two lunch specials. No MSG and both dishes I had were just fine. Still batting a thousand for eating out in the Cincy area. Still have not had a bad meal to date. Eat out far less in Indy but they somehow manage to botch the stuff I order some of the time.
I will keep the other two places in mind for the future. Since I don't really cook Chinese food at home much at all I prefer to get it when I am out and about and looking for a good restaurant. BTW. I may have tried that place in Park Hills back in the Spring. Name and location sounds familiar. Excellent meal I recall.
Sarah. Found a place just a couple of miles from my home. Peking Restaurant. Good meals. Had two lunch specials. No MSG and both dishes I had were just fine. Still batting a thousand for eating out in the Cincy area. Still have not had a bad meal to date. Eat out far less in Indy but they somehow manage to botch the stuff I order some of the time.
I will keep the other two places in mind for the future. Since I don't really cook Chinese food at home much at all I prefer to get it when I am out and about and looking for a good restaurant. BTW. I may have tried that place in Park Hills back in the Spring. Name and location sounds familiar. Excellent meal I recall.
Glad you found food! A few years ago it was tough locating places open on Christmas but it looks like it's getting easier. We had an excellent meal at Szechwan Garden in Park Hills last evening. It is not remotely the same shabby, mediocre establishment it was under its former ownership. Totally recommend.
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