The Winter Solstice! (...yeah I know it's May.)

The Sweeper

Right chaps, I know it's May and you're all heading off into your summer, but down here we're plunging into Winter and it's cold (relatively) and dark and so on.

However, for us Irish migrants, there's one plus - we get a chance to have a Christmas-style party at a Christmas-style time of year. I'm over having turkey and stuffing and all the effort on a day when it's in the high twenties and the christmas tree lights don't show up against the glare of the sun. This coming Christmas for us will be all about whole barbecued fish and salads, whereas Saturday June 21st, the winter solstice, will be all about YULE FOOD!

So yeah, we're throwing a massive hooley on 21st June and I'm interested in some ideas. This party is already going to involve red tablecloths, candles, we've decided to have a bit of a mish-mash of themes and include some hallowe'en-type games like apple bobbing. There shall be a yule log for burning, because we have a wood-burning stove (though I'm not sure if we'll go with the theme that the festivities are only over when the log burns down to nothiing).

I'm looking for food ideas. I need to have a chat to our local butcher to see what he can get me, but basically assume I can get my hands on anything. Also assume this isn't going to be a seated dinner, it's going to be banquet-come-buffet style, so I need foods that people can help themselves to when they feel like it - stews, roast meats, breads - I was also considering having platters of cut fruit and chargrilled vegetables kicking about as opposed to trying to do specific hot dishes, but I'm open to argument.

Bring forth your best roast and bread ideas particularly, but any suggestions?

The Sweeper

Oh - and if anyone has a good, tried and tested, from scratch, not involving buying branded packets because I might not be able to get them down here in Oz, recipe for mulled wine, I'm all ears!

TequilaMockingBird

I know your looking for cold buffet type things, but a big pot of buttery colcannon would be nice for you Irish. Its surprisingly tasty with salads.

Edit: This recipe for mulled wine looks good but I haven't tried it I'm afraid. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/mulledwine_8156.shtml

The Sweeper

Oh nice idea - they don't have to be cold ideas, but something that can survive while kept warm would be good. In otherwords, nothing that needs to be served and eaten quickly.

TequilaMockingBird

I'm reading a book at the moment - Those Faraday Girls (rubbish, wouldn't recommend it at all) but its based in Tasmania, with a family who are originally from Ireland, and have a summer Christmas as well. So if I manage to get a few more chapters in, I will post any ideas (there is a food slant to the plot).

tSubh Dearg

Right, my recipe for mulled wine is very haphazard as I just throw stuff in and taste it as I go along.

You need:
Bottles of plonk
A can of cider
Cinnamon sticks
Whole nutmeg (grated)
Cloves
Oranges
Sugar to taste

Heat wine and cider in big pot. Add sugar till it suits your sweet tooth. Throw in your spices. Cut the orange into slices and stud with cloves. Leave over low heat.

Taste copiously until you feel you've hit THE flavour. Drink more.

The Sweeper

That sounds like a recipe I could come to love.

tSubh Dearg

Just a note, I would probably use about 3 bottles of plonk to 1-2 cans of the cider (which can be the cheapest available, it's purely to lighten the flavour a little).

I really can't be more precise than that, for while I start off sober making mulled wine, I never end up that way.

Minder

For a festive celebration I would steer away from roasts on the bone - opt instead for boned and rolled joints. For example a ballotine of goose - you know exactly how many servings you will get from it and you don't have to fiddle with carving and picking meat off the carcass. Also, you don't have to deal with the debris for days after.

See if you can get your butcher to order rolled stuffed joints for you. If not, then it's roll your sleeves up and get stuck in. I have a variety of recipes for rolls, ballotines etc if you need them.

Swampy

Suckling Pig or as many whole roasted animal as you can manage.

yumm

catho_monster

Hmmm...

Mulled wine recipe here, tried trusted and loved.... http://www.nigella.com/recipes/recipe.asp?article=205

Non-acoholic mulled wine, actually went down last year better than the real stuff (!!)
http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/597375

neuro-praxis

tSubh Dearg wrote: »

Mulled wine recipe

I make it almost exactly the same way, but I add a good lashing of brandy at the end for an alco kick.

The Sweeper

Excellent ideas all.

Anyone got any ideas for desserts? Apart from a chocolate sponge cake decorated to look like a yule log? I know there was a pastry strudel thing recipe on here ages ago, might have been bonkeys...