Roast chicken does the honours at lunch

Turkeys are gradually fading out from the menu of Christians

MUMBAI: It is roasted chicken instead of turkey for several Christian families in Mumbai. Of course, red wine is there to wash it down the gullet and pudding to help you smack your lips.

For some like Maria D’Souza from Bandra (west), the shift from turkey to chicken has been deliberate.

“We used to love turkeys. In 2000, we had bought a live turkey and saw it walking around the home. Later, when my husband cut it, I couldn’t get myself to cook a bird that I had fed with my own hands. We gave up eating turkey completely during Christmas,” she said.
 
Daphne Warrapen from Chuim Village in Bandra(west) too does not have turkeys during Christmas. “I fell in love with a turkey that kept chasing my mother. We had pet turkeys at home and we could never get down to killing it. Turkeys are lovable but vengeful,” said Daphne.
 
“Turkey is a rarity and there is no demand because it is not easily available in Mumbai. To get a turkey one needs to place an order at least a week in advance,” said Mary Falcon from Chimbai.

In all this, the spirit of charity during Christmas remains intact. The D’Souzas, Falcons and Warrapens have wrapped Fab India kurtas and new outfits for poor children.