How to throw a succesful vegan Christmas dinner
Every year, there is one big celebration where food is connecting millions of families worldwide: the Christmas dinner. More and more people choose to let the turkey live and opt for a plant-based dinner. An excellent choice, because often the CO2 emissions are exceptionally high as everyone is flying across the globe to meet their families. As a bonus, the animals get to live their life and the world is a bit less cruel. But how can we make our loved ones appreciate plant-based food on Christmas? OR: How to throw a succesful vegan Christmas dinner? 🎄
Set the mood with finger food
You know the feeling: big anticipation to meet your family, gifts are stacked under the tree, and there is that ‘Christmassy‘ 🎄 vibe in the air. “And what is that smell from the kitchen?” The vegan finger food is going around, the first bites are taken, and the feedback follows quickly: “Not too bad! Actually, it’s delicious! Is this really vegan?” Sometimes: “Wow, it’s better then the real thing!” Smiles are going around, everyone is happy. (maybe also due to the alcohol 😉 “Where did you buy this? Well, it’s Vegan Butcher finger food.“
Vegan charcuterie on another level
There is something industrial products from the supermarket don’t have: the passion and attention given to the products by individual workers. You can taste the difference: artisanal vegan products just taste better then run-off-the-mill supermarket stuff, just in the same way that a loaf of bread from an artisanal bakery tastes better then the industrial stuff. Why? Better ingredients, slower production, more attention for the flavour. Obvious, no?
That’s why the Vegan Butcher Christmas charcuterie is a good choice for your Christmas table. Your guests will appreciate the texture and flavours of the truffle salami, pepper salami, no-turkey ham, two cheeseballs with different flavours, and the vegan Camembert, which has aged over three weeks to develop the tasty mold crust. TIP: Provide some quality crackers and a good glass of wine for the optimal taste combinations. You can add things like dried fruits, fig marmelade (delicious with the Camembert), home-made vegan butter, some rocket (for the no-turkey ham), fresh sprouts, or whatever vegetable and dressing you want. Get creative!
The star of your evening: the Vegan Butcher Christmas roast
If you really want to impress your guests with an awesome centerpiece on your Christmas dinner table, then choose the Vegan Butcher Christmas roast. It’s perfect for a family of 5 – 6 people, as the roast is over one kilogram, so plenty to go around and stuff those bellies. The roast has a delicious filling of seasonal vegetables and walnuts. To top it all off, we made a killer mouthwatering Porto gravy to pour over all of it and enjoy with all your senses. The roast has a deep, rich, umami flavour and is pre-steamed. All you have to do is place it in the oven for a while so it’s nice and warm to serve. Easy!
A perfect combo to go with the roast is our roasted seasonal vegetables and new potatoes. Yes, we really think of everything!
Gourmet, a Belgian tradition.
In many Belgian households there is a specific tradition to place gourmet sets on the Christmas table. A gourmet set is a tiny installation with alcohol as fuel, and a tiny pan in which you can bake your tiny meat of choice. It’s typically accompanied by a cold buffet with vegetables and sauces. The idea is that you gather as a family and you bake your meat sitting around the table. It’s a lot of fun, and you can try a lot of different things, as they are tiny.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN GOURMET
It’s very easy to make your own vegan Christmas gourmet: all you have to do is buy Vegan Butcher meats, and cut them smaller so they fit in the gourmet set. So create your own mini sausages, mini ribz, mini steak, or get creative with vegan chicken bites.
Say cheese
Or better: say “vegan cheese”!
Some people ADORE cheese, and rightfully so. But we prefer without animal suffering, so let’s go for vegan cheese. For the holidays, we go the extra mile and make a delicious white wine cheese fondue. Perfect to dip vegan sausages and bread.
Or what about vegan cheese croquettes? We must warn you: people go crazy for them. They are best fried so the crust can develop and the inside becomes nice and creamy.
Some final advice
So you see, Christmas doesn’t have to be a stressful time for vegans (and non-vegans alike) There is plenty to choose from, and we can absolutely guarantee everyone will be stuffed!
Our advice: set up a nice table with a lot of variety. Delicious appetizers, vegan meats, plenty of colourful veggies, good quality bread, maybe a gorgeous vegan roast, if you are keen to impress. And…. don’t forget the BUBBLES!
