Living in the Southern hemisphere means we celebrate Christmas when it’s summer and often hot!
July is the perfect time to celebrate another “Christmas”, as the weather is cold and you can do justice to cooking up a storm!
I still prefer to do a “Christmas” dinner in the evening though, candlelight always makes a home look magical but if you prefer a lunch, go for it.
Décor for Christmas in July
Keep the table plain, either bare wood or a white cloth, and the décor simple but make sure you do include a little glitz and glam. You don’t need to put up the “big” Christmas tree but something small and festive will work. A plain tall glass vase filled with silver and gold baubles (or whatever colours you like) can make a perfect table decoration, with candle sticks either side. Or use a small piece of tree bark, draped with tiny white lights and maybe a bauble or two or a piece of greenery and you’ll have a beautiful centrepiece. Choose serviettes in keeping with your colour theme.
Table gifts
A tiny, beautifully wrapped gift for each guest at the table, looks inviting and gives a more Christmassy feel. You don’t have to go crazy. For the ladies choose a small hand cream or body wash from The Body Shop (or wherever you can find small items) and for the guys a miniature bottle of their favourite tipple. These are just ideas, you may have your own gift ideas, just be creative. Wrap in tissue paper (colour coordinated to match the décor) and tie with ribbon.
Drinks on arrival
The obvious choice is a glass of sherry, it will definitely warm you up but then again so will gluhwein! Make a big pot which can be slowly simmering with orange and lemon slices as well as a few cinnamon sticks. What a welcoming drink, giving off all those Christmassy aromas, when your guests arrive.
How many guests?
Decide if you are making it a small affair or larger, with family and friends. I often go for eight guests, small but still enough to keep the conversation flowing. If you keep the numbers to around this amount you can do a lovely sit down intimate dinner. More than 12 people and a more informal lunch could work, especially if you have a cosy outdoor entertaining area which is sheltered from cool breezes we can get at this time of the year.
Once you know how many people you are cooking for you can decide on the menu. These are just my suggestions or follow your own menu.
Sit down meal for eight
Starter
Homemade soup with crispy croutons
Main meal
Choose from a roast chicken stuffed with either sausage meat and onions or a fruity option, a leg of roasted lamb or a glazed gammon. All scrumptious!
Either option can be served with roasted sweet potatoes or, if you prefer, “normal” potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower in cheese sauce, roasted carrots with a drizzle of honey and baby peas
Dessert
Tipsy tart with fresh thick cream or creamy custard or Christmas mince pies with vanilla ice cream.
Tipsy Tart recipe – serves eight
Ingredients
250g (slab) of stoned dates, chopped
5ml bicarb
250ml boiling water
250ml sugar (I use brown)
2 eggs
500ml self-raising flour
250ml walnuts, chopped
Syrup
250ml sugar
20ml butter
180ml water
5ml vanilla essence
125ml brandy
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a large square or oblong baking dish.
Add the bicarb to the dates and pour the boiling water over them, stir and leave to cool.
Meanwhile cream the butter and sugar together and add the eggs, beat well.
Sieve the dry ingredients and fold into the mixture.
Stir in the date and bicarb mixture.
Pour into the baking dish and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
Simmer the sugar, butter, water together for five minutes, remove from the heat and add the vanilla and brandy.
Pour over the tart while it’s still warm.
Christmas on the patio
Still, decorate the table a little and add your festive gifts and serviettes. Just forget the candles.
As a welcome drink either of the above drinks will still be great or go for a jug of sangria.
Starter
Festive Pear and Blue Cheese Pastry Puff
Ingredients
One pack of thawed puff pastry.
Fresh pear, (or well drained, canned pear halves, thinly sliced).
Brie or Blue Stilton Cheese.
Grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.
Walnuts.
Cranberries.
Method
Preheat the oven to 220 °C
Unravel the thawed puff pastry onto a greaseproof paper lined baking tin.
Loosely arrange a single layer of very thin slivers of the pear.
Cover with a light sprinkle of cheeses.
Sprinkle with walnuts and Cranberries.
Bake immediately for 12 minutes.
Transfer onto a large wooden board and provide a pizza wheel for guests to cut off squares for themselves. Enjoy freshly baked and warm.
Main
Roasted meats served with a creamy potato salad, couscous with spinach, feta and butternut and a green salad with chunks of avocado. Delish!
Dessert
The same as above or make a pavlova with fresh fruits and whipped cream, sprinkled with nuts.
Enjoy celebrating in July and don’t forget to put on a Christmassy CD, just to add that festive feel!
That’s it for this week. Shop till you drop!
Julie
