Showrooms
Contact
My Account
Track Your Order
An Australian Christmas with Neale Whitaker
I think I’m pretty Australian these days. Some of you may beg to differ, but I say ‘par-sta’ instead of ‘pas-ta’, ‘truck’ instead of ‘lorry’ (that’s a weird one, right?) and ‘arvo’ – the one word I vowed I would never utter – slips out very easily. My English relatives – sorry, rellies - recoil at being called ‘mate’, especially the female ones. But there’s one thing that always tests my theories of cultural assimilation – and that’s Christmas.
I’m convinced our Christmas DNA is formed by wherever in the world we grow up, and while it can be modified and adapted, there will always be a part of us that yearns for the ghosts of Christmas past, and childhood memories in particular. Aussies who live in the UK must look at snowmen and red-breasted robins (or more accurately, grey skies and central heating) with dismay when what they really crave are mangoes, mosquito coils and family-size sunscreen.
But I digress. What I’m saying is that I grew up with over-stuffed, over-heated Christmases in front of an English TV (lunch always timed to the Queen’s 3pm speech) and now I have long, lazy Christmas lunches in this sunburnt country, prepared by my partner who just happens to be an ex-chef, classically trained in France. Yes, life is tough, but I just put one foot bravely in front of the other.
As David creates a delicious Christmas feast, Neale crafts a welcoming atmosphere for treasured guests. Featuring Quay Outdoor Extension Dining Table in Pumice and Salt, Luna Outdoor Dining Chair in Salt.
The art of the blended Christmas
Exactly one year ago I wrote that after the year we’d had, we all deserved the best Christmas ever. Well, let’s double down on that, shall we? 2021 has arguably been tougher than 2020 and will forever be remembered as the year that wasn’t. But whether we believe it or not, Christmas is here again, and while many of us are looking to travel, either interstate or even overseas, David and I are looking forward to celebrating at our home on the magical NSW south coast.
I think over the years, we’ve successfully mastered the art of the blended Christmas. By that, I mean a blend of Australian (him) and British (me) that’s all about compromise. We keep our colour palette simple – always red, green, gold and silver for the decorations on our tree. White lights only. White candles only. And our Christmas table follows the same rules. It feels equal parts fresh, summery, traditional and festive but, above all, it allows the food to star. Flowers? It may have been holly and mistletoe where I grew up, but now it’s frangipani and hydrangeas from our garden and maybe some white peonies.
Prepared by Neale’s partner, David, Christmas lunch will be a mouthwatering spread of glazed ham, fresh prawns, coulibiac, and steamed asparagus. Featuring the Quay Outdoor Extension Dining Table in Pumice and Salt and Luna Outdoor Dining Chairs in Salt.
A feast for the senses
Did I mention David was a great chef? I believe I did. Well, that creates an interesting polarity. On the one hand, he takes Christmas lunch (and all the holiday lunches that follow) in his stride and tackles menus that would make Melissa, Andy and Jock tremble. That’s the upside. The downside is that our kitchen often looks like we just fed the Five Thousand. The mess is Biblical in scale. No pan or appliance untouched, but oh my goodness, the food.
There will be fresh prawns with a zesty green dipping sauce that tastes of summer; there will be a glazed and decorated ham, steamed asparagus, roasted vine tomatoes and crisp roast potatoes. Don’t even get me started on the desserts. Some years there will be turkey (with British trimmings like snags in bacon and bread sauce) but more often than not we celebrate with coulibiac, a truly majestic dish of salmon, hard-boiled eggs, onions, mushrooms and spices wrapped in golden puff pastry that is sliced and served hot or cold. Neither Australian nor British in origin (actually a Russian dish, recreated by the French), it’s that delicious Christmas compromise I mentioned earlier.
Fully embracing the relaxed Australian lifestyle, Neale will be enjoying Christmas at his picturesque home on the NSW south coast. Featuring Luna Outdoor Chairs in Rock.
And while David’s in the kitchen, please don’t think I’m idle. I may not be able to match his culinary skills, but I’m good at creating a welcome for our guests that looks relaxed and effortless but actually takes a little planning. There’s an art to knowing exactly how many bottles to chill, how many candles to light - and at what time - and when to switch the music from ‘White Christmas’ to something a little less kitsch. And yes, I get to set the table.
This year I’m excited about welcoming everyone to our KING Quay Outdoor Dining Table with deep, comfortable Luna Dining Chairs. They sit so beautifully on the verandah, as if they were always there. And when the evening shadows fall, we’ll retire to the Zaza Outdoor Sofa and Luna Outdoor Chairs on the rear deck. What we love about these KING designs is that while contemporary, they blend seamlessly with our country aesthetic. Another example of that blended Christmas I guess. Have a happy, safe and healthy holiday everyone and here’s to a bright New Year.
Neale's Christmas favourites
