What’s cooking for Christmas: countdown to the festive season

If the centrepiece of your Christmas lunch or dinner is an impressive joint of meat, it might be wise to track down a supplier now. Turkey can be found in all major supermarkets (consider a boned and stuffed bird for easier roasting and carving), but buying a goose requires a little forethought. A poultry specialist should be able to help and can also provide you with alternative birds such as capon, pigeon and duck. Maison Lienard in Rue Washington is one example. Says the Bulletin website poster Brusselsrower, “For many years, before we downsized our Christmas meal, we bought our bird from the poulterers Lienard, close to Bailli/Louise.  Super quality, super friendly, order in advance and pick up farm-fresh on Christmas Eve. I remember Madame proudly telling me as I picked up my turkey ‘it was running around at 4 this morning’.  I didn’t need to know that.”

Expat favourite Jack O’Shea in Rue Franklin also has an online shop. This butcher may be pricey but quality is guaranteed. If it’s too late now to order a turkey, traditional hams are apparently still up for grabs. Other upmarket alternatives are Rob's Gourmet Market in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre and Le Marché des Chefs in Rue Lens, Ixelles. They also offer a tempting range of other produce, including vegetables, fruit, cheeses and in the case of Rob’s, a feast of dried goods.

If you prefer not to blow the budget, low-cost supermarket chain Aldi rolls out its Excellence line at the end of the year. Fresh and frozen goods, from canapes to smoked salmon and foie gras come highly recommended. For vegetarians, consider local markets or organic suppliers to make the meal more of a special occasion. Seasonal produce can be enlivened by fresh herbs and exotic spices.

If you missed stir-up Sunday and are unlikely to pick up the rolling pin before the end of the year, mince pies, Christmas cake, pudding and other goodies can all be found at Stonemanor (branches in Everberg and Waterloo). The emporium stocks Waitrose products among others. Deep-filled Mr Kipling mince pies have also been spotted at Carrefour, Kraainem, according to one Q&A poster. For readers in the north of the country, there is Little Britain, a British food shop in Antwerp and Ghent. And for southerners,  Bob Cavanagh and Marie-Rose Therer run the online company Deliciously Different  in Walloon Brabant, selling spice, chillis, beer from the Ramsgate brewery and vegetarian cheese from the UK. According to Cavanagh , “in addition to our usual range of goodies, we have plum puddings from the Ultimate Plum Pudding Company who supply Fortnum and Mason.  They're a bit good.”

Here’s to happy feasting!