Traditional Maine Christmas Dinner (to buy, groceries, safe)

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

I've never heard of apple cider in gravy! Do you use all cider? Or how much cider to broth or ?? This sounds great!

Ummmm, I usually just use however much I need to make up the volume I want. Despite having a bit of OCD for exactness in other things, this is one area where I just make it up as I go. Generally speaking, I aim for 50/50 drippings/cider but it could be more or less depending on how much I need and my mood at the time. When it comes to cooking, I often find myself being experimental and just throwing things together to see how they'll turn out when inspiration strikes.

I got the idea for cider when I was doing pork one night- C likes to have applesause with pork chops or tenderloin roast and I had decided that I wanted a gravy with it instead, there was no applesauce but there was some hard cider, so I used that to make the gravy. It turned out pretty good. For this past Thanksgiving I had a similar thought- traditionally we have cider to drink with the turkey and trimmings so I thought I'd use regular cider to get a little more of the apple flavor when I made the gravy. It turned out quite good.

I had some stock/broth on-hand that I'd picked up at the store in case there wasn't enough drippings, but water in the bottom of the roasting pan to help keep the bird moist provided enough volume that I didn't need to add any extra broth or water. Next time, I'm going to use cider in the roasting pan instead of water and see how that turns out.

I don't think I've ever done a gravy using just water/broth/stock- I always use wine or a nice ale or cider to deglaze the pot after browning. Why use water if I can get an extra bit of flavor with something else?

I've never actually used prepared stock/broth, if the brownings/drippings aren't enough (or I don't have any) I use a "Better Than Boullion" base with whatever liquid I'm using. (For anyone who doesn't know, "Better Than Boullion" is a thick paste in a jar that makes a concentrated flavor base. It turns out much better than the dried cubes one might use instead, and the intensity of the flavor is easily varied to suit one's preferences.)


Sorry, I meant to get this reply out *before* Xmas but I just didn't have enough time.

[BoxCar Willie]

Originally Posted by Maineguy04654

Depends on where in Maine you are. I know folks who do lobster for Xmas and others who do wild turkey. Others who do game from the freezer. A couple years ago my brother came up for xmas and while it was winter I did a lamb on the spit.

Damn foreigners

[Three Wolves In Snow]

Originally Posted by retiredtinbender

We always had turkey, mashed potato, squash, real cranberry sauce, and lots of gravy with mince meat pie after. I have done ham for my SIL seeing as that is what he likes. My in laws do lamb. I HATE lamb. And they know it.

With you on the lamb. When we would visit our grandparents in CA, they had lamb for that meal. Doesn't matter HOW much mint jelly, (or whatever that green jelly was), you put on the side of the plate to use on the lamb, it never got rid of that horrid taste. I have never eaten lamb since and have zero desire to do so.

As for traditional Christmas dinner: I think it's up to the family what their traditions are. I think my tradition is, "whatever I take to work" because I always have to work on Christmas. This was the first time in....so long I can't even remember, that I didn't have to work on Christmas in some capacity.

I had Top Ramen and studied all day but that is definitely NOT going to be my new tradition! Next year, now that I have a real job, I will start something. I'm pretty fond of Thanksgiving dinner on Christmas, as well. Might stick to that.

[retiredtinbender]

Originally Posted by Three Wolves In Snow

With you on the lamb. When we would visit our grandparents in CA, they had lamb for that meal. Doesn't matter HOW much mint jelly, (or whatever that green jelly was), you put on the side of the plate to use on the lamb, it never got rid of that horrid taste. I have never eaten lamb since and have zero desire to do so.

As for traditional Christmas dinner: I think it's up to the family what their traditions are. I think my tradition is, "whatever I take to work" because I always have to work on Christmas. This was the first time in....so long I can't even remember, that I didn't have to work on Christmas in some capacity.

I had Top Ramen and studied all day but that is definitely NOT going to be my new tradition! Next year, now that I have a real job, I will start something. I'm pretty fond of Thanksgiving dinner on Christmas, as well. Might stick to that.

Well, we had it again this year. I tried eating it with potato, squash, salsa verde; nothing. I'm finding that if you cover it with enough chocolate sauce it tends to cover most of the flavor.

[Zymer]

My wife's family likes to have lamb for some holidays, but they are also considerate of the fact that I dislike it intensely and there is usually at least one other option when they have it.

[maureenb]

The Christmas meal tradition I tagged along for this year was breakfast! Eggs B., pancakes, french toast, ham, bacon, strawberries, whipped cream, sticky buns. Potatoes were absent. It was truly awesome! And left the afternoon clear for naps or whatever else. The evening was spent with acquaintance who had a nine foot table spread with incredible grazing material - everything from snow pea pods to Swedish meatballs; garlicky home made hummus to these little guys, who are contemplating a very uncertain future (not climate change, either):


It wasn't the food that made the day...it was the people I was fortunate to spend it with.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by maureenb

The Christmas meal tradition I tagged along for this year was breakfast! Eggs B., pancakes, french toast, ham, bacon, strawberries, whipped cream, sticky buns. Potatoes were absent. It was truly awesome! And left the afternoon clear for naps or whatever else. The evening was spent with acquaintance who had a nine foot table spread with incredible grazing material - everything from snow pea pods to Swedish meatballs; garlicky home made hummus to these little guys, who are contemplating a very uncertain future (not climate change, either):


It wasn't the food that made the day...it was the people I was fortunate to spend it with.

Holy cow! Someone obviously has too much time on his/her hands...or did Martha Stewart come too?

[maureenb]

nope, Zymer, the Polar foreigners aren't even Martha inspired; they are inspired by a couple of nurses with a day off.

[Three Wolves In Snow]

Originally Posted by maureenb

The Christmas meal tradition I tagged along for this year was breakfast! Eggs B., pancakes, french toast, ham, bacon, strawberries, whipped cream, sticky buns. Potatoes were absent. It was truly awesome! And left the afternoon clear for naps or whatever else. The evening was spent with acquaintance who had a nine foot table spread with incredible grazing material - everything from snow pea pods to Swedish meatballs; garlicky home made hummus to these little guys, who are contemplating a very uncertain future (not climate change, either):


It wasn't the food that made the day...it was the people I was fortunate to spend it with.

Those are cute!

And because they are vegetables, I could easily get around eating them by stating something about not wanting to destroy the artwork. "No, no, really, I couldn't! Who could eat something that was obviously so time consuming...time filled with love! LOVE! Clearly there was love put in to every last one of these penguins! No! I just couldn't...it wouldn't be right to eat someone's love."

[221B]

Originally Posted by maureenb

The Christmas meal tradition I tagged along for this year was breakfast! Eggs B., pancakes, french toast, ham, bacon, strawberries, whipped cream, sticky buns. Potatoes were absent. It was truly awesome! And left the afternoon clear for naps or whatever else. The evening was spent with acquaintance who had a nine foot table spread with incredible grazing material - everything from snow pea pods to Swedish meatballs; garlicky home made hummus to these little guys, who are contemplating a very uncertain future (not climate change, either):


It wasn't the food that made the day...it was the people I was fortunate to spend it with.

What a deluxe day! Thanks for the photo; but we NEED to know some specifics about the little penguins, as we would like to attempt to clone them for New Years.

What is the white substance stuffed in the "bellys".
What is the "scarf" made of?
What are they waddling on?