I'm going to my mom's with my son and daughter in law.
We'll get there in the afternoon, have coffee with something nice to go with it.
For dinner we do the raclette grill thing. Many, if not most, Dutch people do that for Christmas dinner. If not, it's usually beef, steak, venison, things like that. I never heard of anyone getting an entire turkey, wouldn't even know where you could get one, lol. I've only ever seen them in the UK.

My American son in law had never seen a raclette grill.



I take it most -if not all- of you go for mass turkey killing again?
Do any of you (ever) eat anything else for the holidays / celebrations? And do you Aussies and Kiwis join in this turkey madness?
Doesn't it get old to only ever eat turkey?

Just curious...
.
.

wow that is like a double layer grill very nice!
no we do not have those here

here is a typical traditional christmas dinner



except for that lobster

Have never seen one of those grills.
Is that for just one person or 20?

I bought a turkey and they said I could keep it in the freezer for 3 months.
When I looked the next day it was dead

I can't imagine Christmas without Turkey, stuffing, spuds and veg and gravy.

My friend and I will be having fried shrimp and Asian salad, but you are right, I am feeling guilty for not having turkey. After all turkey is just a big chicken. Very interested in that grill. Ytube has a video about it and I plan to watch it. They are supposed to be sold at Walmart and I plan to check that out as well. Thank you for broadening my horizons.

See, you are not supposed to look.
Bad voodoo.

LOL

It pretty much depends how many coming for the holiday.

And who.

And where I am living.

And what the finances are like.

When we were young it was pretty much what we could hunt; pheasant, deer roast, and we had it a home smoked ham. Home grown veggies, canned pickels and fresh baked pies three deep on the best china we borrowed from Grandma.

When the family grew; and I had some no count in laws who come in with a passel of their brats with empty hands the biggest cheapest turkeys we could find, lots of potatoes and veggies, and we put the candy and cookies away until they left. And locked up the booze.

When I started moving around as a military wife the holidays took on an international flavor. We tried to have as many of the traditional treats as possible and people lined the stairs with paper plates and sometimes their own mess kits to have enough silverware and nelmac. lol Because the house was often really crowded was not unusual to have the grill going too with the steaks and whole salmon the younger soldiers brought. And there were piles of every kind of cookie and candy imaginable. And huge coffee urns of hot cider and cocoa. And usually a pot of water simmering on the stove to warm the multitude of baby bottles. A family affair it was booze free and the real treat was Santa coming and passing out gifts and food baskets
that were bought up months ahead.

Later it was runs to, or from, the Carolinas and lots of traditional southern favorites. Monster size hams, sweet potatoe, and pecan pies, and because and uncle was a world class baker sweet rolls to die for. The crowd getting older even a few sugar free treats started creeping into the menu and some seafood from Myrtle Beach.

Here in California the citrus and international farmers markets have added some serious Latino and Asian favorites with trays of hand made tortilla's and sushi and steamed Vietnamese vegetables and a variety of rice. Paper plates have replaced china and the good linens are passed down to the children for throw away plastic. On various medications coffee and tea have taken over and desserts are fading in popularity.

Turkey is boring after Thanksgiving. Christmas and New Years is about ...

BEEF




Pork




Goat



And Goodies!!!!

Not for 20, it depends, there's larger and smaller ones. Mine is for 8, but I believe there's also that serve 4 or 6.
At the bottom you got little frying pans. You can stick anything in there, for instance all kinds of cut up greens with grated cheese on top and a bit of white wine, thicker pieces of meat that take a bit longer, fry an egg with bacon in it etc. Things in the pans get grilled/cooked by the hot red wire that also heats the grill plates on the top.

On top you stick thin, small slaps of meat, some have fish as well. We also put slices of baguette on it with garlic/herb butter to get it crunchy.
The idea is that everyone can make/take/bake/fry what he likes (chicken, beef, pork, and so on).
My ex sometimes flambéed in the little frying pan, haha.

You're very welcome :)
And shrimp and Asian salad sounds great!
I myself am not keen on turkey, so as far as I'm concerned you're not missing out on anything, lol.

You sure that is beef? Looks like lambs rack to me? I lambs rack! If there's anything in this world you can wake me up for, apart from sex, lol, it's lambs rack. Dang, I'm hungry now!

That does look good!

Yeah, I know, you English are nutters too, lol. THing is, how the heck did you get into this turkey tradition? I don't believe turkeys are indigenous to Europe, are they? We sure have none over here, so I doubt there are any in the UK, except on Christmas turkey farms?

a raclette oven... good for 8 max

mmm slice of raclette cheese on the bottom grill... better than any fondue I say!

Well, you sure have done and eaten a lot of different things!

So, the above is for 8 people?

Ha! Pucker!
I knew someone from Wisconsin that fried their cheese,
if it got overdone and crisped up, all the better.

Soufie look out for a Greek cheese called Halloumi.
Grill it with maybe some nice tomato's, to die for.

It's better than errr, you know.

I will look for the Greek Halloumi, one store here
has racks of foreign cheeses.

In return, here is some turkey etiquette so
your day is less stressful:

1) Hollow out a nice spot in the freezer.
2) Say goodbyes and place the turkey in the
hollow spot in the freezer.
3) SLAM, er, close the lid.
4) Lock it.
5) Check the lock.

After 3 months, remove turkey from freezer.
Thaw until it unclenches.

Ignore look of 'you SOB' when twisting off
the neck and head.

Enjoy :-)

Cheese Saganaki!!!!

graviera, kefalograviera, halloumi, kasseri, kefalotyri,


Pan Fry any one of these Greek cheeses in Olive oil... Fougetaboutit!