Happy Holidays!
I apologise for the hiatus during the recent holiday season. I hope that you had a merry Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaaa, New Year… and any other celebration during the holiday season that I missed!
This Christmas, my family celebrated our annual Christmas Eve dinner at my aunt’s house, where she almost single-handedly cooked a delicious feast for us to enjoy. As usual, she cooked her famous ham dish which was a real delight as the apricot glaze, cloves, and sliced oranges gave it a delicious, rich flavour.
My other favourite dish was a colourful mango salsa she whipped up, which featured mangoes, cucumber, red/spanish onions, with a squeeze of lime. What I loved about this dish was that it was a bit spicy from the onion, yet really cool and refreshing with the mix of cucumber and mangoes.
There was also a turkey roll and a chicken roll with roast potatoes, an amazing fresh prawn dish, meatballs, and her famous trifle on show.
Reminiscing about the Christmas eve dinner makes me want to drool. I hope your holiday was as tasty and as fun as mine!
On another note, during the holiday break, I also ventured out to different places – some which were really awesome, and one which was bitterly disappointing. These reviews will be posted soon. Once again, sorry to all our readers for the hiatus – we are now back in business! 
Mango salsa…yum
I’ve always had weaknesses for mangoes :-p
Mangoes are fantastic. I wish they were more of a year round fruit.
Do you feel that the celebration of Christmas simply wouldnt be the same without the tradition behind the food. Within our family there are many members who are assigned to bring their ‘signature dish’. I think it brings us together.
As you said the addition of mangoes assist with the flavouring of the food, Australia is lucky that there are many fruits that come in and out of season, it gives the food a more distinctive taste and it also something to be proud of. I think if they were a year round fruit they would not be as much of a delicacy (albeit they may be cheaper though!)
Ham looks and sounds fantastic. Never seen it done with orange slices before, mainly cloves. But I suppose, oranges are a Christmassy spice
Anya – Yes, I do feel that the Christmas celebrations wouldn’t be the same without the traditions behind the food… or the holiday either. Right now it seems like more of a commercial holiday, for companies to flog off their products as much as they can. If only we can all cherish the real Christmas – the true meaning of the season, without commercialisation, and enjoying everyone’s company and contributions.
I would love it if mangoes were produced year-round so we could have it on a more regular basis… and it would be cheaper as well. I’m not sure how other people would react to it though if they managed to create a year-round fruit producing mango tree through genetic modification though. What do you think?
Chu – I guess it’s my Aunt’s twist to the traditional ham.
I wish I was in your family during Christmas! That food looks absolutely amazing!!!