Christmas at Margot Henderson’s Place

In a festive story published by The Observer, Wellington-born chef Margot Henderson describes her Christmas, and the meal to celebrate on the day.

“As a child in New Zealand, I found it so exciting to sit at a big table that was beautifully laid with candles, tangerines and walnuts. My mother used to send us out to chop down the Christmas tree, so we’d go off, find a sappy pine, saw it down and carry it home,” Henderson describes.

“We have our big meal at around 3pm – if you leave it much later, you’ll all be asleep, or too drunk. Afterwards, there’s dancing.

“For our OFM Christmas menu, we wanted some jazz. It’s an uplifting menu. Some people may find the traditional Christmas dinner a little bit bland, so this one has more of a swing to it. To keep stress levels down, give yourself plenty of time. It’s about being ahead of the game. Start your stuffing around 8am or 9am, and go about things in a gentle way, with everyone helping out. If you’re having turkey, make sure to brine it. It intensifies the flavour, as well as keeping the meat moist.”

Original article by Killian Fox, The Observer, November 22, 2023.

Photo by Phil Fisk.