Traditional fayre makes a comeback

Mondo butcher Vince Garreffa with a turkey and Kelli Willcock with a ham in the Simon Johnson shop in Subiaco. Picture: Sharon Smith/The West Australian

West Australians are going traditional this Christmas with a big shift in eating and cooking habits emerging in the run-up to Christmas Day.

Retailers believe people are returning to traditional dishes and will spend more time in the kitchen producing this year's Christmas meal.

"Sales of whole turkeys have doubled for us this year," Mondo Butchers' Vince Garreffa said yesterday. "A decade ago turkey rolls were the big thing, mainly because of their convenience, but people want the whole turkey on the table this year and they want all the trimmings.

"Tradition is back with a vengeance this Christmas."

Mr Garreffa said sales of 'raw' or gammon hams had also increased greatly as more people want to bake or boil their ham for themselves.

"In previous years, people were happy to buy a ready-to-eat ham and simply slice it at the table or glaze it in the oven," Mr Garreffa said.

"This year, many of our customers want to cook it themselves."

Simon Johnson stores report a similar trend. Simon Johnson WA manager Kellie Wilcock said "there are a lot more people keen to buy whole turkeys this year and more than ever, they want to get into the kitchen and make a real effort".

And they don't mind paying for it. Simon Johnson is selling Leadoux free range turkeys from a small producer in Victoria at $21 a kilogram - that's more than $100 for a modestly sized 5kg bird.

"It is a specialised product and importantly it's not frozen," Ms Willcock said. "They will be delivered to customers chilled and fresh."

Ms Willcock says orders for whole turkeys are up 30 per cent on last year.

Supermarket giant Woolworths says its customers seem to be taking more time and care this year. A Galaxy research poll commissioned by the retailer last month shows that two out of three Australians are planning their Christmas meal at least one month in advance of the big day.

"That tells us people are spending more time celebrating Christmas with family this year and they're reverting to tradition," Woolworths head of fresh meat Andrew Goudie said. "People are finding inspiration in the cooking shows and going back to 'from scratch' cooking. "Our volume of whole ham on the bone - the one that people buy to bake and glaze - is up 200 per cent on last year.

"We'll sell well in excess of 100,000 fresh turkeys this year of which 60 per cent will be free range. Sales of frozen turkeys are declining as customers opt for fresh."

Source: West Australian, 9 December 2012