The popularity of Yuletide customs, such as exchanging greeting cards and getting together to watch TV, has been declining in recent years, but seasonal delicacies are still growing in popularity. When it comes to the food on the plate, everyone has their favourites and least favourites. Social media is rife with claims and opinions regarding your festive feast. We got renowned culinary expert Varuni Perera to give some tips on how to plan and craft a festive feast which will have everyone talking.
“December 1 is a special day for everyone because it marks the beginning of the festive season. Cities don Christmas colours and decorations, Christmas trees are set up in households and you get the sweet and spicy aromas of baking everywhere. This is not a time which is reserved for purely Christians and Catholics. Everyone wishes to celebrate the season in their own special way,” she said.
Varuni said that thoughts of holiday feasts take centre place during this season as this is the time for loving and giving. Everyone is eager to treat their loved ones in the best manner possible, despite the expenses.
“Many ingredients are quite costly today and a housewife thinks twice about spending lavishly on everyday items. However, I believe that this is not the time to focus solely on cross-cutting. The fact that most of us get to eat foods that we wouldn’t typically eat at any other time of the year is one of the best things about this season. These delicious treats are unique because they only appear once a year. So save up a bit throughout the year and put your savings to good use to create delicious memories for your family and friends,” Varuni said. She notes that much like oil cakes, kokis and mung kavum are part of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, there are traditional food items which have been closely associated with the yuletide throughout the years. Such foods include breudher, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, yule log, mince pies and egg nogs. Homemade seasonal goodies may sound enticing but preparing them while juggling household chores is no piece of cake. A housewife is normally burdened with stress unless she gets the help of other family members.
“Unlike in the past, family members are so engaged in their own worlds. Therefore, they mostly spend even their free time towards the holidays with their own work. It is up to the housewife to use her skills and get the others engaged in the baking process. Make some cupcakes and butter icing in various shades and give them to some tiny tots to decorate. Not only will they have fun engaging in the chore but it will add memories to their childhood as they can display their handiwork proudly to their relatives and friends,” she added.
“A special item like patties or rolls would be eye-catching among goodies like marshmallows and cakes found at almost every house. People tend to pick a savoury after indulging in so many sweet treats during these times. The best part of this is that you can make them early and keep them refrigerated. That way you can bake or deep fry them immediately just before your guests are expected,” Varuni said.
Her message to our readers is to stay true to the essence of Christmas, give and share as much as possible. Not only would it make you feel good at heart but you would bring a moment of joy to someone and make him or her feel appreciated.
“There are certain people in the society who do great service to us but their services have escaped our eyes. For example, there are those who take away the trash in every household even during the festive season. Think how much joy they would derive if you simply offered a slice of your homemade Christmas cake. Such simple gestures speak a lot of words,” she said.
