A guide to festive eating in the UK
No matter what your holiday plans look like this year, one thing is for sure – there will be food involved! Here in the UK, we love to celebrate with a feast, and the Christmas and New Year period is no exception. From lengthy traditional roast dinners to mince pies and Christmas puddings, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to festive eating. In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of the most popular dishes enjoyed by Brits during the holidays, as well as give you some suggestions on what to try this year. So without further ado, let's get started!
The Christmas Roast Dinner
No British Christmas would be complete without a roast dinner! This dish typically consists of roasted meats such as turkey or beef, accompanied by potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, and gravy. It's not uncommon for families to spend hours preparing this feast, but it's definitely worth it – there's nothing quite like digging into a pile of roast potatoes smothered in gravy after a long day of gift opening and family catch-ups!
If you're feeling adventurous this holiday season, why not try something different and opt for a veggie or vegan roast? There are plenty of recipes out there that are just as delicious as the traditional meat-based dish, but without the environmental impact. Trust us – even the most ardent carnivores will be impressed!
Mince Pies & Christmas Pudding
These two desserts are synonymous with Christmas in the UK. Mince pies are small pies traditionally filled with a mixture of dried fruits and spices known as "mincemeat". Christmas pudding is a steamed or boiled dessert made with dried fruits, suet (a type of animal fat), breadcrumbs and spices. It's often served with custard or brandy butter. Yum!
If you're looking for something a little lighter after all that rich food, why not try a trifle? This dessert consists of layers of fruit, jelly, custard and whipped cream – it's the perfect way to round off a big meal!
Mulled wine - This warming drink is made by combining red wine with cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, and oranges. It's the perfect way to take the chill off on a cold winter's night!
Shepherd's pie - This hearty dish is made with minced lamb (or beef), peas, carrots, onions, and a creamy mashed potato topping. Shepherd's pie is traditionally baked in a deep dish and served hot out of the oven.
Mince pies - These small pies are made with a filling of raisins, currants, candied fruit peel, sugar, spices, and beef or mutton suet pastry. They're usually served warm with a dollop of brandy butter or whipped cream on top
Black bun - A Scottish specialty, black bun is a rich fruitcake that is wrapped in pastry dough and then baked. It's traditionally served on Twelfth Night (the last night of Christmas)
Welsh rarebit - This savory dish consists of toast topped with a cheesy sauce made from eggs, milk or cream, cheddar cheese, and ale or beer. Welsh rarebit is usually seasoned with mustard сnd Worcestershire sauce and served hot
Figgy pudding - Figgy pudding is a steamed or boiled pudding that is made with dried figs, breadcrumbs (or suet), brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, ginger ,and cinnamon . It's often served at Christmas with hard sauce or whipped cream on top
Kedgeree - Kedgeree is an Indian-inspired dish that consists of smoked haddock ,eggs ,rice ,onions ,curry powder ,and butter . It's typically served for breakfast or brunch but can also be enjoyed as a light lunch or dinner
Skye spoons - These Scottish sweet treats are made by layering thin slices of sponge cake with jam сnd custard . They're then rolled into cylinders , coated in chocolate ,and refrigerated until firm . Skye spoons are typically enjoyed at teatime but can also be enjoyed as a dessert
We hope you've enjoyed reading about some of the most popular festive foods in the UK! This time of year is all about indulging in good food and spending time with loved ones, so make sure you take some time out to enjoy both. From all of us here at MyFooDen, we wish you a very merry Christmas and happy holidays!