Host with the Most, Toast to the Roast!

Every festivity brings with it an additional baggage…be it the socio-cultural brouhaha, or the adage of elite or ‘junta’(!) or in the case of the year’s final adieu, HOLIDAY WEIGHT! I know, I know... Christmas is far, far away, but isn’t it time we start planning already?! After all, isn’t the faint nip in the air exhilarating? However, it would truly be an insult to our sensual and sensuous pleasures (we equate food with sex…remember!), if we were to forgo the sumptuous delicacies that are laid out on the jolly holly-laden platters! And frankly no one was born with THAT much resistance to temptation (we’d be called Christ the Redeemer if we ACTUALLY did)! In a season seasoned by the garnishing of sprigs of thyme, rosemary and mouth-watering aromas of the stuffing mixed with the crusty, sharp garlicky infusion of the crisp roasted skin… we experience what Buddha would call Nirvana! So, let me take you on a trip to foodie-land to experience the magic of roasts and meats…to mark the festive cheer of Christmas Cometh. Treadmill companies… are you listening?!

Getting Piggy with It!

Despite the smattering of roast dishes that feature chicken, pork remains an epicurean’s desired ambrosia! And the sales during this time at New Market (that’s my beloved Kolkata for you, sweeties!), pork shops would vouch for that! A traditional spit roasted suckling pig is a little difficult to make, however, is a favourite at big gatherings. Other than tan a pork casserole with a classic white wine sauce symbolises the hearty yuletide cheer! In many a gathering, the suckling pig is a cynosure! Leave aside the taste, which is undoubtedly scrumptious, especially with the apple sauce, the very sight of a spit-roasted suckling pig is a hark back to traditional Christmas!

Chicken seems to be a favourite all over, but personally, I don’t consider having tasted meat unless I taste the robust goodness of beef and pork! With red wine as a perfect accompaniment, I can knock myself out on well-done roasts and steaks! And if you REALLY aren’t a fan, then why don’t you tuck in neatly into a lip-smacking, surefire success of a weight gain recipe for Chicken a La Kiev. Hmmmm... the only time I have experienced a visual bliss greater than the globs of molten butter oozing out of the crisp crumb-fried flesh, soft and warm on the inside, charred and crunchy on the outside, was during an incident I REALLY don’t wish to mention over here!

Bye Bye Birdie!

Duck, Chicken and Turkey…these are three winged delights we cannot do without during Christmas! However, there are power blocs of favouritism that would remind one of erstwhile USSR! While I have a prominent sweet tooth, cheering the Bong bandwagon all the way, I always end up stacking up on chicken hams, turkey loaves and of course, my absolute favourite, duck roast!

The mildly charred aroma of an infusion of herbs that tickles the strength of the buttery magic of a crisp roasted poultry skin is a delight more heavenly than the hallowed visage of the Pearly Gates! Done right, a roast is the best thing about Christmas…done wrong, you’ll forever be tainted as Judas’ Kiss! Crisp on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth on the inside, a subdued taste of the herb and onion infusion throughout and a stronger flavour to foil all of it…that makes the perfect roast! While most people use butter as a baste for the roasts, I also use dollops of mayonnaise! The yolky aftertaste that remains after the roasting, goes extremely well with the skin, very often the best part about the dish! Also, citrus infusions add freshness and zing to the stuffing. I stuff the turkey with an orange or a couple of lemons. The citrus flavour always offsets the heavy aroma of thyme, rosemary and garlic (Juju, all thanks to you!).

Vegan and Lay!

As for the vegetarians, while we know you cannot afford to have that little luxury called ...err...CHOICE, you can knock yourself out on lovely vegan delights! And remember…vegetarian is so passé! Vegan is the ‘in’ word! While it pinches me that I don’t enjoy the bliss of sharing a roast turkey with a few vegan friends, it being one of the heartiest traditions, I make sure they get their share of culinary delight in form of Nut Roast. Made with a variety of nuts bound with starch and baked and roasted to nutty crispiness, my mother’s Nut Roast is an annual ritual that can convert carnivores!

So as a toast to all the meaty, robust delights, and a few vegan delicacies, we raise a toast to one sense Christmas always relishes…that of tastes! So get your knives and forks ready…and your gym memberships after! To a Ho-ho-holly Jolly Xmas!