You have holidays we Americans have barely heard of, like Michaelmas and St. Swithin’s Day. Are NONE of them food-centric? Is there a holiday for whenever you gained independence from–I’m blanking here–the Danes or the Normans?
For many years we had a Super Bowl party for about 30 people. In addition to the usual appetizers/snacks/sweets, we served a buffet dinner.
The party was a lot of work, but the week’s worth of leftover party food made it worthwhile.
Any time I make soup.[ul]
[li]For Pasta e fagioli I’ll add the pasta after thawing.[/li][li]Beef chili with beans[/li][li]Split pea with ham[/li][/ul]
Also enchiladas. Not sure if cookies and quick breads count. Today and tomorrow I will make a few batches of cookies and quick breads, bake them, and then put most of it in the freezer. I guess that goes more in the direction of meal prepping. Cookies are a meal, right?
That’s not strictly true. Those in the UK who have a traditional Sunday roast might often expect leftovers on a weekly basis - maybe cold cuts from the roast for Sunday teatime, left over veg for bubble or some such, and every dad/grandad’s favourite, ‘dripping’ :|.
OB
Um, no. Christmas really is the only time there is a specific ‘named after the holiday’ meal in the UK. As Easter is on a Sunday, the chances are you might have a roast that day (which Christmas dinner is just an extreme example of), maybe even if you wouldn’t go to the trouble most Sundays, and maybe, if you’ve got family round, you might make it a bit more elaborate.
Despite what history might suggest, the British (probably more properly, ‘the English’), don’t generally see themselves as having ever really been invaded in such a way that we have had to achieve independence (unless they read the Daily Mail ;)). All that Danes and Normans stuff was a long time ago and resulted in assimilation rather than wipe out the indigenous population style colonisation.
ETA: Michaelmas and St. Swithins Day are Christian holidays and may or may not be celebrated by Christians anywhere (well, maybe not St Swithins). Most people in the UK would look at you blankly if you mentioned them, maybe recalling something vague about St Swithins and the weather.
ETA2: Ooh, I forgot pancake day (do you have that in the US), officially Shrove Tuesday, the start of lent. That’s a food related holiday, but definitely no leftovers after.
OB
Thursday night wing special at Conny Creek Brewing. It is technically “eat-in only”, but I’ve posted pictures of our bird eating their wings, so they give me a pass. I bring my own Tupperware for my extra wing, so there’s that.
OK, Shrove Tuesday, or other feasts because you’re about to start a fast, are exceptions to the general rule that a party holiday will have leftovers.
But what about Guy Fawkes Day? I know that Brits throw parties for that, and even if the meal isn’t the focus of the party, parties still tend to have a lot of food.
Any meal with leftover homemade soup.
I look forward to that soup for the next few days. I’ll have soup over rice one day, crackers the next and cornbread in my soup on the third.
Hamburger casseroles and meatloaf are really good as leftovers. You can always use them for delicious sandwiches.
Some people will have fireworks parties, but most people go to organised displays these days. Of those that do have their own parties, you might have some nibbles/finger food (although I always remember fireworks night being baked potatoes and toffee (no, not as a potato topping)) but certainly not a celebratory meal with leftovers.
OB
Hold on, what about Boxing Day! Turkey soup and warmed up Christmas Pudding!
You’re right, of course, that Boxing Day is the other day when you might name your lunch after the holiday (ie. ‘Boxing Day lunch/dinner’). I think I neglected to mention it as it’s the day that you’re using (or starting to use:)) the leftovers from Christmas Day. Do leftovers after Boxing Day count as Christmas Day or Boxing Day leftovers though?
OB
What about funeral meals? I have it on good authority that the funeral meats did cold furnish the wedding table.