Finest hams for your Christmas
AS the countdown to Christmas rolls on, residents are buying up big for family feasts.
Lamberts in Aitkenvale is stocking their shelves with the finest produce and cooking hams for the festive rush.
Owners Michael and Christine Burge said the team started preparing five weeks ago.
“It’s a big deal for us,” Mr Burge said.
“We’re cooking now, we’re smoking 24/7, we’ll be going right up until Christmas week.
“We’re aiming to cook 15 to 20 tonnes of ham; we can do roughly 72 to 80 hams per cook and it takes 14 hours to do one process.”
Mr Burge said families still wanted local seasonal spreads for the big day.
“I think people are simplifying it a bit more now,” Mrs Burge said.
“Christmas for me is about enjoying family and other people’s company.
“A glazed ham is simple and will be ready in an hour; it’s about putting good quality food out there that’s simple to prepare.”
Mr Burge said people could buy their Christmas hams well in advance and simply store them in the fridge.
“You get about 75 days useby for ham,” he said.
Mr Burge said seasonal fruits were also an important item on the holiday shopping list for Townsville.
“We have our stone fruit ripe for Christmas; if you buy three days out, it’ll be ripe and ready,” he said.
‘We’re aiming to cook 15 to 20 tonnes of ham; we can do roughly 72 to 80 hams per cook and it takes 14 hours to do one process.’ MICHAEL BURGE
VISIT LAMBERTS FRESH PRODUCE ON FACEBOOK OR DROP IN AND SEE THEM AT 22 FLEMING STREET, AITKENVALE.