At Christmas, the family with the living grandparents seems to win out on the “main” meal get-together. This side of the family is by far the largest, and the most problematic as far as dietary requirements go. We have gluten free, vegetarians, dairy free, diabetic and vegan to cater for. Complicated, this year, by the decision to make the meal a “brunch”. In Geelong. Given that, as North Melbourne-ites, we live the furthest “west”, G-town is not the most convenient choice for any of us. Still, we tend to take turns and it is that family’s “turn”.
So, Christmas brunch. When it was first mooted, I thought it was a fab idea. I imagined blinis, creme fraiche, smoked salmon, some frittatas and savoury tarts; perhaps some pikelets or waffles, danishes, croissants. I’d add bellinis, but… did I mention that this family is Methodist? Fruit punches, then.
Not so, as I discovered when I was told that my contribution was to be two chickens. Other people are bringing salads, breadsticks, potatoes… you get the drift. Not so much “brunch” as an inconveniently located and timed lunch.
Now to the equal division of labour question. We are a couple, and have been told to bring two chickens1. Sure, I could have gone to the chicken shop and picked up a couple of cheap barbecued birds, but we take Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s exhortations to source ethically-raised fowl seriously, so only buy free-range. This means that our contribution to the day’s meal is a pretty hefty one. More hefty than, say, the family of five who will rock up with a plate of iceberg lettuce, sliced cucumber and tomato wedges. Or the family of six who will drop into Brumby’s at some stage today and get a couple of breadsticks.
Churlish? Sure, but ’tis the season, and all that.
Roll on Sunday – I have my Avatar tickets. For Imax.
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1. And because we’re going for a longish drive, they’ll have to be cold chickens. I don’t much care for cold chicken, but I care less for salmonella, which is why we are cooking this afternoon. To try to liven things up, we are doing one classic Stephanie Alexander roast chicken (lemon, garlic, rosemary inside and butter under the skin) and Madhur Jaffrey’s Durban-style curry chicken. At least if we have to eat cold chook, it might as well be given the best chance to be edible.
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You’re a much better person than I am. I would have simply had a big and delicious homemade breakfast and then picked up two Red Rooster chickens on the way to Geelong.
Not so much with the “better person” assessment! I’ve just been on the phone to mum where I reverted to my 15 year old self – all “well, we’re going but we’re not happy about it, and I’m not eating sushi rolls on Christmas day”.
The injustice of being a couple during christmas time food allocations is hard to swallow, particularly during brunch. Presumably it is too hard for people with children to organise anything other than bread sticks? One memorable year I was allocated the task of purchasing and preparing smoked salmon finger food for 30 while my cousin’s family of 6 came with a large tin of peaches. I hope that the chickens were fantastic.