Calling time on turkey leftovers

Published on Saturday 26 December 2009 19:28

CHECK the clock. Is it after four minutes past two in the afternoon? That's the exact moment today when, according to a new survey, festive revellers get fed up of eating leftover turkey.

The culinary centrepiece of Christmas Day traditionally loses its appeal soon after the main feast of the festive season – even though about half of it remains to be consumed. The survey has found that 2:04pm on 27 December is the time when diners can no longer stomach another forkful of the meat.

The survey was carried out by the wine company Nobilo among hundreds of online customers. A spokesman said: "Most of us love a bit of turkey at Christmas, but there's a limit to how much we can eat. It seems that when the turkey leftovers come out of the fridge one more time at 2:04pm on the 27th, we just can't take any more."

But leading chefs have given the findings the bird, saying turkey does not deserve its reputation as "once eaten, best left for next Christmas".

Paul Kitching, the chef at the award-winning 21212 restaurant in Edinburgh, described turkey as a "wonderful, clean, mellow bird which deserves better press. Combine it with something sweet, or relish or even make it into a curry to prevent people shying away."

Ten million turkeys are eaten every Christmas in the UK with three out of four meals on 25 December focusing on the meat despite its bland reputation.

Tony Borthwick, head chef at the Michelin-starred Plumed Horse in Leith, said the secret of prolonging turkey's edibility is not letting it dry out.