Traditional Christmas
Wiki tells us that the Christmas roast used to be boar or peacock before goose supplanted it in the 17th century. It was only the advent of battery farming and cheap turkey that gave that bird its 20th century popularity. Goose is more expensive – indeed, ‘goose clubs’ were a common way for poorer people to save up for their Christmas treat. I prefer goose, regarding turkey as rather dry and bland, but tastes differ, of course.
Mine was perfectly cooked in 2 and a half hours. There was no preparation other than tying it up and pricking the skin with a fork, and no stuffing. I generally prefer the leg meat, which is moister, but with a goose there is not all that much difference, as the plateful shows. I served mine, as always, with sea salt scattered on top and with apple sauce instead of gravy. This year I roasted sweet potato instead of parsnips with the regular potatoes. My vegetables were onions, mushrooms, red peppers, sugarsnap peas and courgettes. I drank a vintage cava with it, and was so full that I had to leave the Christmas pudding I had planned to eat until later in the day…