In the estimation of many, a South African a meal is not a meal without meat.
For many a certain kind of meat is also required for Christmas lunch. A roast leg of lamb, gammon, and even turkey are typically considered a must-have on December 25.
But people seem increasingly to be moving away from this tradition.
Why subject guests to hot, heavy food in the hottest summer the country has experienced in recorded history?
Lowvelder asked a few well-known Mbombela chefs about their Lowveld Christmas plans.
GT Lundie of Zest @ Kavinga says anything between 15 and 20 of his family members typically spend Christmas together.
He and his wife Lizelle alternate years between their families. Fitting to the usual hot weather this time of the year, a cold lunch is the order of Christmas Day. Gammon or leg of lamb, pre-prepared and served cold is a favourite.
This year, since their holiday destination is Mozambique, paella, prawns and crayfish will be on the menu, along with salads, bread and cheese, trifles and tarts.
“Everybody makes a dish they like. I am usually in charge of the meat,” GT says. Then they spend the entire day eating on the spread.
Of course wine is a crucial element of the meal, he says, in particular rosé this year.
Jason Powell of The Food Fundie says he and his wife also alternate years between his parents and hers and the family loves cooking.
“I generally try not to get near the kitchen, it is my time off work. They just use me as manual labour to chop veggies.”
His in-laws in particular are “foodies”. “My mother-in-law is a fantastic cook. She and her brother travel a lot and are always coming up with new, fun things.”
In general they stick to snacky, lighter food. “When we do the gammon or turkey we serve it cold with sides like cheeses and crispy bread so we eat all day with lots of wine until you feel you can pop.”
The family of Roelof du Plooy of Roelof’s Fresh Fish Co., a sushi restaurant and wholesaler at Sonpark, takes a similar approach.
They often eat seafood, as it is readily available in his store.
“When we make seafood, I usually prepare it,” he explains. For this year’s Christmas they are planning a huge seafood braai with crayfish, prawns and cod.
But, tradition doesn’t go out the door completely: What would Christmas lunch be without his grandmother’s delicious malva pudding?
Lee-Ann Benade of Orange Restaurant says she finds Lowvelders, for the most part, are still traditional. “Lowvelders are old school. They don’t want to go completely off traditional dishes like leg of lamb.”
She will spend Christmas Day with her family at her restaurant for which she has a special three-course à la carte menu planned, inspired by traditional Christmas food.
“It is a nice, traditional, upmarket lunch,” she says.
For starters things will remain light with dishes such as niçoise salad and ostrich carpaccio.
“It is summer, it is hot, people don’t want to start with something heavy.”
Lee-Ann is also excited about the lovely main courses and side dishes she has planned: roasted lamb shank in a prune sauce served with sultana, pistachio and mint couscous with vanilla green beans, anybody?
She agrees that dessert is extremely important.
“I like different desserts. I’m not a trifle person, though my granny made amazing trifle.”
On December 25 her guests would be able to take their pick between four desserts to end off this feast. I believe there must be four, and one of them must be baked, and served with custard. The others can be cold, like tart.”
• Enquiries: The Food Fundie on 013-755-1091, Orange Restaurant on 013-744-9507, Roelof’s Fresh Fish Co, on 082-491-6685 and Zest @ Kavinga on 013-007-0066.
