Seasonal: Daniel Chirico takes more than 24 hours to make each batch of his prized panettone.
HAM
Butcher Andrew Vourvahakis, from Andrew's Choice in Yarraville, estimates he will prepare 50-60 tonnes of Christmas ham this year, all sourced from Victoria.
"We use only female pigs, which tend to have a thicker, sweeter fat" Andrew says. "So when you cook it over a low temperature for a long period, the fat absorbs into the meat and gives it all the flavour."
While ham on the bone is the most popular for the Christmas table, Andrew's range also includes smaller hams such as the German-style Metzger ham.
Premium butcher Peter G. Bouchier also offers smaller hams to complement its on-the-bone offering.
Bouchier's manager Troy Wheeler estimates the store will prepare more than 2000 hams this festive season and recommends hosts allow about 200g of meat per guest.
"We use free-range Otway Pork and smoke it over German beechwood, which gives it a mellow, smoky flavour," he says.
Donati's Fine Meats, 402 Lygon St, Carlton; ph 9347 4948. $17.90/kg. Orders taken until December 20.Andrew's Choice, 24 Anderson St, Yarraville; ph 9687 2419. $19.95/kg. Orders taken until December 13.Jonathan's of Collingwood, 122 Smith St, Collingwood; ph 9419 4339. $21/kg. Orders taken until December 13.Peter G. Bouchier, 551 Malvern Rd, Hawksburn (also at David Jones Food Hall, city and Chadstone); ph 9827 3629. $19.90/kg. Orders taken until December 15.Lamont's Gourmet Meats, 335 Hampton St, Hampton; ph 9598 6269. $17.95/kg. Orders taken until December 18.Wisla Continental, 30 Langhorne St, Dandenong; ph 9793 1876. $15.50/kg. Orders taken until December 13.TURKEY
Fresh birds are best for Christmas and they can be found at specialist retailers such as the Chicken Pantry at the Queen Victoria Market, which sources its birds from Deutscher's free-range farm near Stawell, or at John Cester's Poultry and Game at the Prahran Market, which sources its free-range birds from Numurkah.
While nothing surpasses a whole turkey (a 4-5kg bird will feed the masses while still fitting in your oven), other cuts such as a breast fillet roll are increasing in popularity thanks to their ease of both cooking and carving and their different flavoured stuffings.
Ingham's spokeswoman Natalie Cameron says fresh turkeys can be bought about five days before Christmas, while frozen turkeys should be defrosted in the fridge three or four days before cooking.
- with Elizabeth Meryment.
The Chicken Pantry, Dairy Produce Hall, Queen Victoria Market; ph 9329 6417. $12.95/kg. Orders taken until "a few days before Christmas".John Cester's Poultry&Game, shop 506, Prahran Market; ph 9827 6111. $12/kg. Orders taken until December 17.Geo Tennent&Sons, 6 Gold St, Collingwood; ph 9417 4893. $11.50/kg. Orders taken until Christmas Eve.MINCE PIES
They may not be the best for your waistline but Christmas wouldn't be the same without a mince pie or two to nibble on as lunch digests. Some of Melbourne's best mince pies are handmade by Fitzroy North's Dench bakery, which expects to sell more than 6000 this festive season. With handmixed, Australian fruit, a secret blend of Peter Watson spices and a generous pour of both brandy and rum, there's a taste of Christmas in every bite.
Phillippa Grogan from Phillippa's is another of our favourite mince pie specialists. Phillippa's also makes medieval tarts with ground minced beef and suet.
Dench, 109 Scotchmer St, Fitzroy North; ph 9486 3554. $3.50 each.Browns Bakers of Distinction, various locations; http://www.brownsbakery.com.au/ $3.70 each.La Tropezienne, 780 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn; ph 9818 1895. $3 each.Phillippa's, 1030 High St, Armadale (also at Brighton); ph 9576 2020. $14.50 for 6.SOMETHING SPECIAL
For panettone:
Few Christmas treats rival a panettone ($48) from Melbourne's best baker, Daniel D. Chirico.
He bakes his panettone only about a week before Christmas to ensure optimum freshness and will only make 300 -250 traditional fruit and organic forest honey and 50 with dark couverture chocolate.
"We like people to buy as close as possible to Christmas and then serve it with an Italian liqueur," he says.
Baker D. Chirico, shop 3-4, 149 Fitzroy St, St Kilda; ph 9534 3777.For Christmas pudding ice cream:
If you're one to buck convention and embrace our warm Christmas weather, ditch the traditional pudding and serve a plum pudding ice cream from Jock's Ice Cream.
Jock soaks fruit in brandy for "a few weeks" before mixing it with spices and stirring through a chocolate and coffee ice cream base.
The 900ml pud is $28 and best served with a drizzle of raspberry coulis.
Jock's Ice Cream, 83 Victoria Ave, Albert Park; ph 9686 3838.For cherries:
At Cherryhill at Wandin you can pick your own cherries for the Christmas feast ($7 for adults, $4 for children), or have them delivered direct overnight.
GARY MEHIGAN'S SEAFOOD TIPS
The secret to a great seafood platter is finding a great fishmonger. Always pick one that's busy, which tells you the product is good, and they are turning over their stock.
Shellfish or fish should always look bright, smell fresh and feel heavy for their size. As prawns get older their heads turn black, which means they are deteriorating. Any slight smell of ammonia is a bad sign.
Order your seafood early. Go to your fishmonger a few weeks before Christmas and place your order and pick up on December 24. Keep it super cold, preferably chilled over ice, and change the ice each day.
Buy your seafood ready to eat. If you are squeamish, buy your lobster, prawns and crab already cooked.
Treat your seafood delicately. Crustaceans generally are expensive so I always recommend to treat them simply, so as not to destroy any of their delicate, natural flavours.
Buy oysters in their shell. Never buy oysters open because once they have been opened, they die and lose flavour.
Taste.com.au - Herald Sun - December 2010, Page 6
Zoe Skewes
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