Australian Christmas is already a bit different than American Christmas, and the calendar (December 25th is in the middle of the Southern Hemisphere summer) makes it all the more unique. Spotted: Santa Claus with surfboard, in red shorts and flip-flops!
For diners, Christmas happens at one of the most delicious times of the year, when seasonal fruits and veggies are hitting their peak, and fresh seafood is at its most riveting. Still, many diners refuse to let the heat get in their way of their enjoyment of traditional Christmas foods. Typically served as a late afternoon lunch, it’s not uncommon for the big holiday feast to have favorites like roast lamb and beef, mince pie and plum pudding, along with warm-weather fare, like the Balmain bug (butterfly fan lobster), on the menu. Desserts like custard and whipped cream, or Australian Christmas pudding, made with currants, raisins, sultanas, citron peel (and often with a small silver coin baked inside, for good luck) are a natural follow-up.