Last week The Guardian ran a piece discussing the rights and wrongs of IKEA's decision to stock reindeer salami. If you're all caught up in the Christmas cartoon myth of Rudolph and the rest of the reindeer herd pulling big fat Santa round the world once a year to deliver presents then eating said reindeer in salami form is in pretty bad taste, ethics aside, but even those who don't mind the idea of it are unlikely to make it the centrepiece of a festive lunch.
Still, it got me thinking about alternative Christmas dinners. Is the credit crunch going to affect what people put on the table this year? Will the new trend in sourcing ethical meat and fish make a difference to what's on offer in the shops? What are you planning to eat on December 25th? Read on after the ads:
UK Energy Saving have some tips for a kinder Christmas, pointing out that:
In terms of the environment, meat production is much more carbon intensive than producing vegetables, so the most eco-friendly option would be to have a vegetarian Christmas meal. If this doesn't appeal from either a taste or tradition point of view, then it is important to make sure that any meat you buy is organic and locally reared.
Easy enough - just visit your local butcher, ask some questions, and if their answers don't satisfy you companies like Able & Cole, Rhug Estate Organic Farm and Swaddles will let you order over the net, though you'll have to get organised within the next week to get what you need in time for the big day.
Vegetarians and vegans can avoid the nut roast cliche (if they want to) with some tasty recipes from the BBC, though a quick Google search throws up hundreds of great ideas for a meatless feast. Imagine my excitement recently when I stumbled across a vegan Yorkshire pudding recipe. What joy - I'm definitely trying that!
What are you having for Christmas dinner?
Image courtesy of Mot's Flickr stream.
