3 Festive Crowd Pleasers to Feed Your Family This Christmas
Most people surely agree that food is the best part of any Christmas. There’s the classic roast turkey with all the trimmings, pies, cookies, chocolate, eggnog, Christmas cakes, and the vast quantities of strange and delicious beverages that flow freely in households all over the country.
But catering for large gatherings at Christmas is always a challenge. You have to make sure all dietary requirements and preferences are taken into account and ensure no one is left feeling hungry at the end of the day. All people are different, with varying tastes and predispositions, but there are some universal crowd-pleasers guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face.
If you are looking for some new dishes to feed the masses this Christmas, look no further than these festive favorites.
Baked cheese
Who in their right mind doesn’t love cheese? Most Christmas menus tend to feature a cheese board, which is undoubtedly a universal favorite. But simply laying out various delicious cheeses on a platter is not the most inventive or exciting thing you can do with it. Get your relatives talking about your culinary expertise for Christmases to come with a delicious baked cheese. A Brie or Camembert makes the ideal cheese to stick in the oven and heat until it forms a warm, gooey center. Place it on a platter with plenty of warm bread around the edges for people to dip in at leisure. Undeniably a guilty pleasure, but one of the most comforting dishes to warm you up on a winter’s night. Try out this baked brie recipe here.
British mince pies
The British know what they’re doing when it comes to Christmas food. And one English festive favorite that has somehow failed to make it big this side of the Atlantic is the traditional mince pie. Although its name suggests meat, the mince pie is actually a sweet pie filled with a mixture of fruits and spices known as “mincemeat.” The second you bite into the crumbly crust and experience the mouth-watering mix of boozy fruit and nuts beneath, you’ll understand why it’s such a seasonal favorite. The good news is, they’re surprisingly easy to make. Take a look at this classic mince pie recipe for inspiration.
A punch bowl
Christmas is a time of year for letting your hair down and enjoying yourself, so there’s no shame in enjoying a good drink in moderation. Everyone has various preferences when it comes to alcohol, and usually, every family member is different. There’s Dad watching the football game with a beer in hand, Mum making the dinner with a glass of red, Grandma sipping brandy in her favorite armchair, and Uncle Dave enjoying one too many Jack Daniels. But one drink that will unite everyone while providing an aesthetically pleasing centerpiece is the Christmas punch bowl. A punch bowl is highly versatile in that you can use any alcohol or mixers you like and fill it with fruit and other delicious extras. It can be modified to fit everyone’s personal tastes, and the act of ladling your punch from the bowl into a glass is a real experience. It takes you back to high school dances and hits you with a feeling of nostalgia. And for those who don’t drink, you can always provide a non-alcoholic version.
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