Wednesday 21 December 2011

Classy food!

Nothing shows up class differences more  than Christmas...Each family has its own rituals...often fiercely protected and up held in the face of all the odds. Nothing is so class orientated as food.
When we were young to have a chicken for Christmas dinner was the treat of the year. Now we have to scratch our heads to come up with something different from what we have all the year round.
My husband's family are always  generous  and their parcels are already in situ under the tree. We shall not get round to opening  them till after the Christmas morning service...by which time it will be too late, many things will have been duplicated!
This morning I have been giving the fridge a thorough clear out. I am ashamed to say that at the top and back there lurked ancient Stilton still in jars, remnants of pate, scraps at the bottom of jars which mean absolutely nothing to me....so they've all gone now.
The worrying thing is that we really had no idea what to have for Christmas this year....we have a roast dinner every week...and in any case we go out for Christmas lunch to one of the local hotels.....cooking after preaching is not a good idea!
We analysed carefully what we enjoy most and came up with sea food...lobster, crab,  prawns...Last year I made the mistake of ordering a whole lobster and spent most of Christmas trying to work out how to get into it!  A platter of sea food is now on its way for our Christmas day which is everyone else's Boxing day!
I quell all the guilt that tries to take over when I remember all those who are really suffering this year...but I don't entirely succeed....especially when in my fridge is an abomination!
My husband's son has given his Pa a large jar of Foie Gras. There it sits,  reproaching me every time I shove it to the back...
Class divisions are very obvious on these occasions  but I try to be tolerant at Christmas...its just a pity that the people stuffing the poor geese can't do the same!

2 comments:

Ray Barnes said...

Oh dear Jean.
Foie gras, the food that made me a vegetarian at the age of 20 something when I first heard how it was produced.
My only reason for not eating meat is the animal ethic involved. I have to say I had never considered it to be a class issue before, but of course you're absolutely right.
You'll have to look away when your husband eats his present and provide something you really love for yourself.

Anniversary Flowers said...

I have never tried foie gras and the thought of how it is produced does leave me feeling a little green. I also completely agree that there is definitely a class issue when it comes to food.
Merry christmas!