CHRISTMAS PUB FAYRE

[JennyWrenn]

Has anyone had the misfortune of booking a Christmas Lunch and been served "catering pack food"

This is food that has been prepared goodness knows where, the turkey has never set foot in the particular restaurant/pub but been shipped over in a plastic bag, frozen and then microwaved

All the slices are uniform, have a taste of tin and a green glaze

The roast potatoes are all the same size and seem to be made from Smash

The sprouts, carrots and other veggies are all served in a steaming dish (just out of the microwave) and have all absorbed each others flavours

The Christmas pudding is so gooey it wont leave the dish unless you lever it out with a spoon and a fork and the custard is a strange bright yellow colour

But then some people will eat anything as I have seen it happen

[netherfield]

Isn't 90% of pub food like that,everything is either frozen or vacuum packed boil in the bag rubbish.

My daughter is wheat and dairy intolerant,try going out and finding something to eat is a nightmare, I think the so called 'chefs' should be done over the trade descriptions act.

[Plocket]

OMG Jenny that sounds absolutely disgusting!

Whilst we have a family dinner together at Christmas I know that some people like to go out to have their meal, and I used to work in a pub that did exactly that. It was a chain of pubs with carverys and I can honestly say that whilst the Christmas dinner wasn't as good as we had at home, it was still good food. Everything was prepared freshly - the turkeys were slowly cooked in steam ovens overnight and all the vegetables, sauces and gravy were freshly prepared on the day they were needed. We would carve the meat (not just turkey) while the customers watched, and they then helped themselves to the selection of vegetables and/or salad. And any unused vegetables or meat went into casseroles and soups for bar snacks. I will concede that we bought the puddings and the custard was made from powder, but it wasn't as ghastly as you describe!!!

I'm horrified that in this day and age restaurants and pubs still serve such food as you mention, particularly when licensing laws have made food so much more important when attracting customers.

I just hope Jennywrenn that no one I know (including everyone here) doesn't get subject to such tummy-torture.

[Deleted]

I think it really depends on the pub, there are those that you just know will be gross, but there are still some fantastic pubs that serve fantastic home made food. Personally I refuse to go out for Christmas dinner as its so damn expensive.

[JennyWrenn]

Carverys are always good as you can see the food has been cooked on the premises

I have had two experiences of Christmas Lunch out and both in very reputable places. One a 4* Hotel and the other a well known Pub

My Aunt and I watched other people wolf their food down and leave nothing on the plate

We on the other hand had to leave most of it - forget to mention the gravy - resembles pale grey water

We didnt get a refund or an apology or even a visit from the "Chef" - wonder what they would say if we had asked to speak to him/her

[Plocket]

jennywrenn said:

We didnt get a refund or an apology or even a visit from the "Chef" - wonder what they would say if we had asked to speak to him/her

I had to laugh at your comment about seeing the chef Jenny: do you watch Hell's Kitchen? OH and I watched the final last night and were amazed when at least one customer returned their plate of food because they didn't like it, and then chose another dish. We just couldn't imagine the British doing that!!!

[JennyWrenn]

Is Hell's Kitchen with the "F" word Chef?

If so then I wont watch it - cant stand hearing the "F" word in every sentence

Me thinks the gentleman is lacking something somewhere

I just had a look in the Radio Times and it wasnt on in our area - think you are Midlands TV Plocket

[Plocket]

Yes - Gordon Ramsay. I ignore his foul mouth because I think he's a great chef. Anyway it was on ITV2 (Freeview) last night. It was a competition to whittle out the weaker chefs and find a chef to run a top new Las Vegas restaurant.

[Susie Snowdrop]

Talking of chefs makes me feel nervous

[JennyWrenn]

Oh I didnt look at the programmes in the digi freeview column <doh>

but then I cant stand him - what must his wife and Mum think of him swearing his bloomin' head off all the time

Doesnt it wear thin after a while

Yes Susie I know why Chef's make you nervous read a Thread you started a while ago -

[Plocket]

susiesnowdrop said:

Talking of chefs makes me feel nervous

Sorry Susie! You know you were the better of the two of you though

[Plocket]

I still think Gary Rhodes is the best TV chef - he seems like a gent and has a laugh. Plus he promotes British food. Besides he used to live fairly close to me and I used to see him when I went shopping!!! ;D

[Cheerypeabrain]

I like Gary Rhodes' cooking too...Plockett...his food actually tastes wonderful and his recipes are easy to follow.
A colleague went to Gordon Ramsey's restaurant a few weeks ago for a special dinner with her OH...said the food was exquisite.

I wouldn't want to go out for Yuletide Dinner....I've worked 4 out of 5 December 25ths so I love being at home on the day itself..and enjoy churning out 'the works' for my OH and my Daddy....lots of alcohol and a choice of puddings.... we tend to steer clear of Turkeys nowadays and just go for a nice free range capon.

YUMMY

[Deleted]

cheerypeabrain said:

nowadays and just go for a nice free range capon.

You do your cooking with a capon ? No doubt goes well with the rest of the Wonder Woman outfit.............. ;D

I know some people like it but I wouldn't want to go out to a pub for Christmas dinner. I much prefer being at home just with the family, not eating my Christmas lunch in a room with 30 people I don't know !!

Mrs FA is cooking our first "family" Christmas dinner this year. We usually go to one set of parents or other but this year we're going to have the whole day at home, just the 4 of us. We're visiting my M&D on Christmas Eve and Mrs FA's M&D on Boxing Day (my FIL's birthday too) so they won't miss out on seeing their Grandchildren though !

FA x

[isabella]

I wouldn't enjoy going out for Christmas lunch!

Hopefully there will be 14 of us around the table on Christmas Day and I love it!!

The house will be in utter chaos but I will have a glass of Sherry while I cook the lunch and everything will be fine!!!

OH is a great helper so everything will be prepared early in the morning.

I always make my own cranberry sauce,stuffing and bread sauce and the christmas pudding and brandy butter - gosh I am so good!!!

[JennyWrenn]

Need to explain that I didnt want to go out for Christmas lunch but circumstances in my life changed and it was the only option at the time

One year I had all the food ready to take to my parents who lived some distance away and I couldnt get my car out of my road - totally iced up - I skidded from my drive, across the road and my car stopped just yards from my neighbour's front door flattening all the shrubs in their front garden - what a mess

Dreadful shock to me and my neighbours

So my parents had no Christmas Lunch and neither did I

The next day, Boxing Day, it had eased up a bit but was still very scary driving on the road but at least we got to eat our Christmas lunch even if a day late

The Council dont grit any of the side roads in my area - we can get snowed and iced in many times during the bad weather

[Plocket]

Yikes that sounds really scary Jenny.

We always have a family Christmas but over the years of course the family has decreased - all my grandparents have died and my brother and sister have moved to the other side of the world (not my fault, honest ). So this year, like the last, will be very quiet in comparison: M&D, OH, LP and myself, and hopefully MIL depending on what BIL's plans are.

Mum and I do the dinner (at lunchtime) - a Shugborough turkey, homemade stuffings, homemade cranberry jelly, homemade bread sauce, I do the gravy (it's always been my job for some reason!). LP and dad peel and stab the sprouts and OH peels the spuds. Mum and I made two cakes and puddings last year so we don't have to do them this year ;D It's great fun, particularly as M&D have a nice big kitchen, and we are plied with GnTs It's my all time fave meal - not just because of the food but because it's with my family.