Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Finally! It’s snowing in London!
Time for some hot chocolate, a big jumber and telling stories by the fireplace.. or the heater.
Christmas has officially started.
We love it.

~ By Steffi Posthumus

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Australian Christmas in July

While Australians celebrate their Christmas in the famous Aussie heat eating refreshing barbeque food, and playing in the pool, there are some that long for a white Christmas. Many Australians feel robbed of a wintery Christmas, where they eat a warming roast and sing songs around a lovely fire. Christmas movies feed Australian childhoods with nothing but images of snow, reindeer and all that goes with the heart- warming Christmas that doesn’t exist in Australia. With temperatures in the 30s, no matter how desperate you may be, there is no way to enjoy what those in the Northern Hemisphere get to.

It is this idea that sparked the concept of ‘Christmas in July’.  In the cool temperatures of winter in July, many Australians have taken to putting up a tree, and decorations that fit with a cold Christmas. Christmas in July gives Australians a chance to cook the warm and tantalizing food of a real Christmas.

For Deborah Salvay, an American, Christmas in July is a chance to reconnect with her past. “I can almost smell the turkey my mum used to cook for our Christmas dinner when I cook my pretend Christmas feast” she says.

Throughout Australia there are events running that inject Christmas cheer into the middle of the year.

Christmas in July began in the 80s, at the boutique hotel Mountain Heritage in the New South Wales Blue Mountains . A group of Irish visitors, visiting in the Australian winter, saw snowflakes dancing in the wind, and felt celebrating Christmas in the summer didn’t quite feel the same. The idea quickly spread across the country, as Australians realized they could celebrate the Christmas they had always wanted.

Deborah says: “Snowmen just don’t work in the summer, in fact Santa doesn’t even really work”. Celebrating in the Australian winter sees as much effort go into Christmas decorations as the real date gets. This just goes to show that the joy of Christmas is not locked to the 25^th of December, it is locked within people and can be celebrated at any time!

Below is a list of Christmas in July events around Australia that are spreading the love of Christmas not matter what the month!

Blue Mountains, NSW

The Blue Mountains in NSW celebrate Yulefest 2009. Australians can enjoy a white Christmas in the Blue Mountains.. Celebrations include a Winter Ball, roast dinners with all the trimmings, carols and mulled wine. Many of the hotels, motels, restaurants and guesthouses get into the winter Christmas spirit too.

Cradle Mountain, Tasmania

From 1 July to 31 July 2009 at the Cradle Mountain Lodge you can enjoy a warming winter meal with all the trimmings of Christmas including festive carols, decorated trees and pudding with brandy sauce.

Docklands, Victoria

Docklands restaurants Bopha Devi, James Squire Brewhouse and Restaurant, Liquid Restaurant and Bar, Vic Harbour Restaurant and Bar and Yum Cha Dragon are all donate a percentage of their proceeds to Vision Australia Services when you enjoy their Christmas in July menu. Most are available for lunch and dinner

 By Rachel Sandler

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Prawn recipe for an Australian Christmas

Unlike the cold wintery Christmas celebrations of the UK, an Australian Christmas is a sunny day filled with swimming, sunscreen and most importantly a good Aussie barbeque.  Nowhere at an Aussie Christmas will you find a roast or a turkey. They would be hard to choke down under the searing sun that accompanies Christmas day.

On an Aussie Christmas table, that is usually outside, you will find fresh salads, sausages, chicken skewers and other refreshing deities. There is no heart warming fire like you might find at your wintery Christmas, the activities you can hope to observe are all outdoor. There are balls flying around, water splashing around and the unmistakable smell of grass in the summer.

It is however, the main attraction that will set the tone for the whole day.  That is the perfectly marinated, perfectly cooked prawns! That is why it is so important to follow a good recipe to ensure nobody is disappointed with the “shrimps on the barbie” (a much loved Australian saying).

Here are a couple recipes that will make your family and friends have a true sunny Christmas to remember!

Sweet Chilli Prawns:

Serves 6

Ingredients:

12 wooden or bamboo skewers

36 large raw king prawns

1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce

2 limes, juiced

4 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Method:

1. Soak the skewers in cold water for at least an hour to prevent them burning and disintergrating.

2. Thread 3 prawns on to each skewer making sure you pierce the body of each in two places to firmly secure.

3. In a small bowl whisk together the sweet chilli sauce, lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil.

4. Brush the mixture over all the skewers on both sides evenly. Don’t let them sit too long after applying the marinade or the lime juice will start to ‘cook’ the prawns.

5. BBQ or grill briefly, turning once. As soon as the prawns go from green to pink on both sides, remove them from the heat. Take care not to overcook or they will be dry and rubbery. Serve immediately with leftover marinade for dipping.

Mango Chutney Prawns:

Serves Four

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mango chutney

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup sweet and tangy barbecue sauce

pineapple chunks, each about 1-inch square

12 large prawns, peeled and de-veined

8 cherry tomatoes

8 pearl onions, blanched and peeled

Method:

1.In a food processor or blender purée chutney, orange juice, and barbecue sauce until smooth.

2.Thread four 12-inch skewers in the following order: pineapple, prawn, tomato, onion, prawn, tomato, onion, prawn, pineapple.

3.Brush skewers liberally with sauce and place in centre of cooking grate. Grill 6 to 8 minutes or until prawns are pink,turning and brushing liberally with sauce again halfway through grilling time. Serve with remaining sauce for dipping.

By: Rachel Sandler

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