The Royal Family’s Christmas Dinner Looks Amazing: Roast Turkey, Jam Pennies, Other Yummies Fill Royal Tummies
The royal family’s Christmas dinner looks delicious! Well, if you like traditional British food such as roast turkey, vegetables, and sweets that are on fire.
As Us Food reports, the Windsors, who are — for the most part — a family of classic tastes when it comes to food (Queen Elizabeth loves Corn Flakes for breakfast, for example), carry that tradition of enjoying traditional fare when it comes to their Christmas dinner.
A Traditional English Breakfast
In the U.S., Christmas morning is all about the kids rushing to open up the presents Santa left under the tree. Breakfast is an afterthought. Not so for the royal family: they’ll open up their presents later that day. First, they’ll have a traditional English breakfast (bacon, sausages, eggs, beans, tomatoes) and then head to church.
Appetizer: Jam Pennies
The traditional Windsor Christmas day snack is a cookie called a “jam penny,” and you may have seen one in your grandmother’s pantry at some point in your life. The butter cookies have a center of jam, which was traditionally about the size of the English penny coin.
Jam pennies are traditionally enjoyed with wine, but at least one pregnant woman will be at the table that day. Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will likely be enjoying tea with hers.
#HMQ90TeaParty #year5 We are having our own party treats. Jam pennies and Royal biscuits. pic.twitter.com/ITQplWeMJB
— All Saints Church in Wales Primary School (@allsaintsps) June 10, 2016
The Main Course: Roast Turkey
One might presume that eating turkey on Christmas is a strictly American thing. You’d be wrong: the British have been eating turkey on Christmas for nearly 500 years now, ever since Henry VIII made it a thing, according to British Turkey. However, it wasn’t until the 1950s when the advent of refrigeration — and an increase in the British standard of living — made turkey accessible to the average British citizen.
There is a long-standing urban legend suggesting that the queen — or whoever is the reigning monarch — eats swan at Christmas. That’s because, according to the Express, centuries-old laws say that all of the swans in England are the property of the Crown. However, there is no evidence to indicate that Elizabeth II has ever eaten one — for Christmas dinner or otherwise.
Side Dishes: Simple Roasted Veggies
We said that the Windsors were a family of tradition, and their choice of side dishes reflects that. The family can look forward to sides of roasted potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
Dessert: Doesn’t Really Matter, As Long As It’s On Fire
For dessert, the chefs in the Sandringham Palace kitchen will have to up their game just a little bit, as the queen’s family is known to enjoy a dessert that requires a little prep work.
Specifically, they’ll enjoy one of several recipes of flaming Christmas pudding, which is just what it sounds like — a dessert that’s on fire. Former royal chef Darren McGrady says that the typical preparation involves dark beer, rum, and brandy, and takes three months to “mature.” When it’s finally served, it will be lit on fire before being placed before the diner.
