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Elizabeth Turner

Enough holiday stress. Don't slave away in the kitchen this Christmas. Get the experts to do it for you

Forget slaving in the kitchen while your guests are getting merry on cocktails. If you are hosting a Christmas party but are wondering when, between work and social engagements, you will find the time to don your apron, help is at hand.

Many of the city's catering outlets are offering to take the stress out of the preparations by doing them for you - at a price, of course.

Likewise, if you are expected to show up at a dinner with a dish, take the cheat's way and get someone else to do the work for you.

Turkeys-to-go with or without the trimmings are being cooked up all around town.

Wildfire will prepare a ready-made traditional British meal for five or six people consisting of a  pre-carved turkey complete with chestnut stuffing, roast potatoes, vegetables, gravy and cranberry sauce.

The package costs $1,088 or 16,000 Asia miles, if you have them spare.

It is available on a first-come, first-served basis and eight to 10 days should be allowed for processing orders. Customers need to arrange collection. Call 2540 6630.

Turkeys-to-go from Main St. Deli at Langham Hotel  are available in two combos, naturally with a heavy hint of American tradition.

The first set serves six to 10 people ($950), and includes cream of roast pumpkin soup with pistachios, roast US turkey with apple and sage stuffing, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, baby carrots, and gravy and cranberry-orange sauce.

For dessert, there is the option of either pumpkin pie or maple glazed pecan pie.

The second combination will feed 16  to 20 people ($1,550), with the same dishes as the first but with a bigger bird, larger portions of trimmings, and two desserts.

If you can peel the potatoes but don't want to be up to your elbows in giblets, Main St. Deli will prepare just turkeys with gravy and cranberry sauce.

Two sizes (10-12lbs and 20-22lbs) cost $700 and $1,100 respectively. Call 2375 1133.

The El Grande group will cater to parties for between five and 300 people.

Food and beverages can be ordered from menus at the group's restaurants, which include Grappa's, Belgos East, Inn Side Out and Cochrane's. Or menus can be customised on request.

Sit-down or buffet-style foods can be arranged, and the group also offers crockery, glasses, waiters, music systems and bands for hire.

As long as there is transport the group can reach all locations through the territory.

Catering for parties of 50-plus requires at least a week's notice. Prices are based on individual requirements. Call 2833 2189.

Party platters at The Royal Pacific Hotel and Towers offer numerous options including hot dishes, turkey and desserts.

A roast turkey costs $490 for 10-12lbs, rib-eye beef costs $520 for 3kg, and a 7kg glazed gammon ham bone with pineapple costs $580.

You can also stock up on mince pies ($220 for four), and Christmas pudding ($220 for 500gm). Call 2738 2322.

The Conrad Hong Kong has a pick-and-mix menu featuring all the Christmas regulars including honey-glazed ham ($170/kg), roast turkey ($165/kg), brussels sprouts ($60/kg) and mashed sweet potatoes ($25/kg).

On the sweet side, a 600g stollen costs $120, a chestnut and raspberry log cake $228, and a gingerbread house costs $205.

For those wanting the full works, turkey prepared in the traditional way with trimmings, giblet gravy, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, yams, green beans and carrots, as well as a fruit pie of choice costs $990 and will feed six to eight people.

Call 2521 3838 extension 8182 or 8813.

Homemade stollen by the JW Marriott's executive pastry chef costs $235/300g or $288/750g, including a wood, metal and leather box to carry it.

An extravagant three-tier Christmas cake costs $398/1,5kg, or $280 for a regular 300g size. A Christmas pudding the same size costs the same.

Panettone is priced between $350/1kg and $1,088/2kg. The hotel has a range of sweets available too, from gingerbread men to chocolate Santas and cookies. Call 2841 3836.

Oliver's is offering five varieties of food platters. The antipasto platter includes chorizo, ham, pancetta, salami and olives and costs $380.

Alternatively a vegetarian antipasto order will include feta cheese, hummus, grilled vegetables such as eggplant and zucchini, pita bread and spinach pockets.

For cheese fans, a platter of six choices from gruyere and herbed goat's cheese to gouda and brie comes with Carr's crackers and grapes ($350).

A cold cuts platter ($330), and a dips combo ($350) are also available.

Orders must be placed before  noon on December 21 and there must be at least three days of advance notice for chilled food orders.

Orders can be placed at oliversdeli@dairy-farm.com.hk.

Takeaway dishes from the InterContinental Hong Kong range from smoked Tasmanian salmon ($295/200g), home-smoked chicken ($220/1.2kg) and roast or stuffed turkey ($888/$898 for 5kg) to homemade sweets.

The latter include a chestnut Christmas log ($268), panettone ($108/300g), stollen ($98/250g), and assorted chocolates and cookies. Call 2721 1211 extension 2323 or 2324.

Roast turkey with or without stuffing, beef Wellington, honey-glazed ham, homemade goose liver terrine and a range of sauces, desserts and cookies can be ordered from The Peninsula.

Call  2315 3262 for prices and more details.

Great and Gourmet food halls have a range of baked goods. At the former, the emphasis is on European goodies.

They include a Waitrose Richly Fruited Moist Cake ($22.50/100g, $62.90/454g) and a Christmas cake topped with edible gold dust ($340/2.4kg).

For those with an aversion to alcohol or nuts, a Christmas pudding free of both($59/454g) is available.

The German favourite stollen ($48 and $55) is being specially flown in from Dresden, which according to the food hall, is the region that makes the best version.

Meanwhile the brand's head pastry chef is busy making his own version of the Italian Christmas favourite panettone ($46 and $79).

Made-to-order party menus are also available from both Great and Gourmet, and include free-range turkeys complete with stuffings of choice, and homemade platters of cheese, cold cuts, pastries and assorted sweets.

For more details, call 2186 3333.



Dinner is served