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For expats, the holiday season can be a time of mixed emotions. The distance from home can intensify our feelings of nostalgia (and cravings for Mom’s apple pie). On the other hand, we are liberated from the customs that bind us to familiar feasts, and we have the freedom to form new holiday rituals with friends.

In Shanghai, traditional cooking is largely wok-based, leaving most locals and expats without an oven to create familiar Western holiday dishes. We often improvise with countertop toaster ovens, but full-sized turkeys and hams stand little chance, especially when side dishes are tossed in the mix.

Luckily, the options for delivery and takeout feasts grow each year along with the expat population. In a country where it is economically feasible to deliver McDonald’s and KFC, it comes as no surprise that many of our favorite hotels, restaurants and dessert companies all get in on the holiday action by bringing treats directly to your door. And since it’s Shanghai, we’ve got alcohol delivery deals that make shopping trips entirely obsolete.

Fields China

Fields, Shanghai’s premier online grocer, has made its name as the standard in reliably safe, fresh goods. Specializing in sourcing organic or sustainable products whenever possible, they’ve extended their offerings around the holidays to include set meals that appeal to groups of varying sizes. Their set for eight to ten people includes a deep-fried turkey and a variety of side dishes, like stuffing, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes, as well as pie and ice cream. They’re even making their deliverymen dress up as Santa Claus until December 26 so your little ones can get even more confused about holiday traditions. Sets for eight to ten people start at 2,300 RMB and sets for 20 to 30 people at 3,400 RMB. Ham and turkey are also sold individually. Order 48 hours in advance.

The Block

The Kerry Hotel is known for its innovative dining concepts, from the on-site microbrewery to the extensive cheese vault. The Century Park location is ideal for Pudong residents looking for a quality option without having to cross the river. The in-house butcher shop, The Block, an extension of their popular steakhouse (The Meat), is offering fire-roasted turkeys to go or for delivery this December. Choose from an à la carte option from 880 RMB, or add sides for a “holiday hamper,” including roasted sweet and baby potatoes, cookies, mincemeat pies and more. Order three days in advance. Prices do not include optional delivery.

Bubba’s

Shanghai’s original Texas-style saloon, Bubba’s has long since earned its “Shanghai institution” status thanks to reliably delicious meats smoked in-house. Their holiday meats include house-brined smoked ham and smoked deep-fried turkeys. A range of sides is also available, sized to feed about four people and priced around 80 RMB. Hams start at 650 RMB for 5 kg, while turkeys cost 750 RMB for 6 kg. Order five days in advance for hams and turkeys.

Madison

Since Thanksgiving is Chef Austin Hu’s favorite holiday of the year, he’s extending that holiday menu through December. His turkeys are brined for two days in citrus and herbs, then air-dried for 24 hours and roasted to order. For 1,000 RMB you get the bird, gravy and cranberry sauce, while a full package with seven sides and a pumpkin pie with whipped cream runs 1,688 RMB.

Dutch pie, photo courtesy of Dutch PiesDutch Pies

A relative newcomer to Shanghai’s sweet-tooth scene, Dutch Pies is winning over fans with their home-style Dutch pastries, which taste even more delicious than they look. The rich, spiced speculaas pie had us rethinking our devotion to pecan and pumpkin, bringing into question all of our American pie proselytizing. With an amazing mix of pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom and nutmeg, the pie has roughly the same texture as pumpkin but is traditionally eaten around the St. Nicholas feast in the Netherlands in early December. They’re baked using the owner’s grandmother’s recipes dating to the 1950s, but that hasn’t stopped him from adding innovations like Hawthorn pie for the Chinese market. Prices range from about 150-200 RMB. Be sure to order the speculaas pie two days in advance. Shipping costs up to 28 RMB, depending on the location.

M1nt Cellars

With free delivery for orders over 200 RMB and a cash-on-delivery payment option, it’s never been easier to buy alcohol in large quantities without hassle or shame. M1nt Cellars, an offshoot of M1nt, one of Shanghai’s most prestigious nightlife spots, allegedly buys large quantities of alcohol at bargain food-service prices and then funnels them to its new retail website. If that’s true, then that’s some bootlegging we can get behind, as the selection is the most extensive around and the prices are low. Christmas gift baskets start at 395 RMB, with many other items up to 60 percent off.

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Published on December 06, 2013

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