Dec 26th Boxing Day-- overweight and bloated !!

Well ---all over for another year with 23 adults and teenagers wined and dined in a modicum of comfort and some excess .Between my sister and I we managed to cater for about 7 football teams ,a gaggle of fans and an army of interlopers  ,or so you would think looking at the groaning table .
Thanks to inspiration from J we went back to a traditional Big Bird turkey ,cooked to perfection by wrapping in a buttered muslin cover .Stuffed with a variety of macerated dried fruits ,it was slightly middle european in influence .We did a large ham simmered in a cidery stock then roasted and basted with plum sauce and quince paste ,delicious .Also a rolled shoulder of home-grown lamb stuffed with spinach ,fetta and pine nuts .Not enough ?? We bought a 4 kg salmon and poached it  ,then decorated it traditionally with an aspic glaze and cucumber slices .
A warm pumpkin,rocket and prosciutto salad ,J's roasted spud  ,beans with garlic and almonds ,tomato,fetta and basil salad ,--everything straight from my vege garden too .It's summer here in Oz so all our gardens are booming !
Then my dear departed Mum's plum pudding cooked by an aunt 6 weeks ago  ,been hanging in the pantry since then ,and served with brandy butter or a whisky sauce.My wife made her famous tiramisu with marsala all'ouvo just in case someone wasn't completely stuffed. Add a dozen good bottles of Aussie red and some sparklers  ,even a sparkling shiraz or two ,lots of cold lager ,and bit of fortified spirit to cleanse the palate and confuse the mind .I left the luncheon table at 7pm  ,a trifle the worse for wear  ,but the battle was won .The Big Bird beaten ,the lamb totally sacrificed ,the salmon will never swim again but the ham lives on ,consuming space the fridge ,readying itself for another battle today .---Ah ham and eggs for brekky ,ham sandwiches for lunch ,hot ham and buble and squeak for supper   --will it ever end!!