October is almost over, which indicates that Christmas is right around the corner. For many people (myself included), Christmas dinner is the best part of the entire holiday, so you have to make sure that it’s done right. While Christmas is the same day in England, America, and Australia, Australia’s weather is completely different, which means that the food on the Christmas dinner table differs too. Here are some of the best foods that you find on a traditional Christmas dinner table in Australia.
Christmas Ham
While turkey is the traditional Christmas meat in England, in Australia, ham runs the show. Different families will have different rules and recipes for their ham glaze, but typically apricot, maple, or honey is used to create the perfect blend of sweet and smoky within the meat. Your ham, like the legendary ones from Smithfield Food, will take a few hours to cook, but this is usually much quicker than a turkey, and in this time, your house will be filled with the delicious aroma. Once finished, be sure to serve your ham with cranberry or applesauce, as they compliment the meat and crackling perfectly.
Prawns
While some families in England and The USA like to serve a side dish of salmon with their Christmas dinner, in Australia, we’re all about our prawns, from a simple, yet delicious prawn cocktail, to entire platters of king and tiger prawns. Although prawns are great as a starter or a side dish, some families forget about the ham altogether and have prawns as their main dish. However, if prawns aren’t really your things, you could always go for lobster or a fish, such as salmon. Just be sure that your seafood is the last thing that you buy for your Christmas dinner, and buy a couple of days before Christmas at the very earliest, to ensure that it’s still fresh on Christmas day.
Christmas Pudding
Whether you love it or hate it, you can’t escape Christmas pudding on Christmas day. It was brought to Australia from England during early British colonisation and is rich in flavour. Typically served with custard, the Christmas pudding contains cinnamon, ginger, and a range of other mixed spices as well as several different fruits, such as dates, figs, and sultanas. Brandy or rum was typically mixed into the batter, to give it a kick, and keep the pudding moist, although sherry and port have since been recommended instead.
Gingerbread
What is Christmas without gingerbread? Ginger is a scent typically associated with Christmas, along with cinnamon, and is found in all Christmas scented candles, air fresheners, and anything else Christmas scented. During the Christmas period, you can find gingerbread men and houses absolutely everywhere, so why not make some of your own? Gingerbread houses aren't the easiest thing to construct, but there are kits in most supermarkets, so you have no excuses for not giving it a go.
There you have it, the foods typical of an Australian Christmas dinner. If you’re not from down under, why not incorporate some of these into your own Christmas dinner, for a change during the festive period.
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