CHRISTMAS DINNERS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29699, 18 December 1961, Page 25

CHRISTMAS DINNERS

Hotels Heavily Booked This Christmas more people than ever are taking advantage of the special Christmas dinner menus provided by Christchurch hotels and the majority have been fully booked since early this month. Few people, tourists or businessmen welcome spending Christmas away from home. Hotel bookings at this time are relatively few and hotels can cater for the casual diners. Most menus feature turkey, chicken, duck, beef, pork and ham, all accompanied by their traditional sauces and vegetables. While the meat course follows the English custom of being hot, most hotels have taken the New Zealand climate into account and have provided chilled and iced dishes among the hors d’oeuvres. entrees and sweets courses. No Christmas dinner is complete without plum pudding and brandy sauce and mince pies. These are included on every menu along with New Zealand’s own dessert creation—the pavlova. Depending on the hotel, prices range from £1 to £2 5s a head. The higher the price, the more varied the menu. Several have included musical programmes in their Christmas Day celebrations. However, all chefs and their staffs are determined that not one diner, no matter how expert a cook, can say, "It was nice, but I could have cooked it better myself.”