It’s no secret that food plays a big role during the Christmas season. “Traditional” Christmas foods may look different between households and countries; however, the following are popular foods served in different countries.
England
Since the Middle Ages, mincemeat pies or mince pies have been served. The pies primarily contained a mixture of minced game meat, lamb, or beef with dried fruits and spices. Today, meat is typically left out of the mix, but some recipes contain suet (a type of animal fat).
Ethiopia
Christmas is celebrated on January 7 in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Followers participate in a 40-day vegan fast leading up to Christmas Day. A popular food to break this fasting period is called doro wat (a type of stew made with a rich red sauce and served with a spongy flatbread called injera). Doro wat oftentimes contains rooster.
France
Seafood, specifically oysters, is either grilled or served on the half shell during Christmas Eve. The yule log, also called Bûche de Noël, is a sponge cake baked into one thin layer. It is spread with a filling such as frosting or whipped cream before being rolled into a log and decorated with meringue mushrooms or fresh herbs. Fresh and dried fruits as well as fougassee (an olive oil flatbread) are also commonly served foods.
India
Two popular foods served in the western state of Goa during Christmastime are bebinca and sorpotel. Bebinca is a type of layer cake made with coconut milk pancakes. Sorpotel, served on Christmas Eve, is a popular pork curry made with cumin, chiles, and cinnamon.
Italy
The southern region of Italy focuses on dishes with fish. For example, baccalà is a pan-fried salt cod. There is also a tradition called Festa Dei Sette Pesci, also called the Feast of the Seven Fishes, which is celebrated on Christmas Eve. Popular sweets eaten during the Christmas season include panettone and pandoro. Panettone is a dome-shaped cake similar to brioche in texture and is filled with candied fruit and raisins. Pandoro, said to be modeled after the mountains in Verona, is baked in an eight-point star-shaped pan, can have fillings like lemon or chocolate cream, and is dusted with powdered sugar.
Mexico
While celebrating Christmas in Mexico and several other countries in Central and South America, tamales are commonly eaten. Family members often work together to assemble the tamales. Turkey in mole sauce and pozole (a type of broth-based soup which can be topped with lime, radish, and lettuce garnishes and served in either tomato sauce or as a sandwich) are also common dishes during Christmastime.
The Philippines
Noche Buena, or the “good night” feast, is traditionally eaten after midnight mass or before Christmas Day. The amount of food and specific foods served vary; however, two popular foods are called lechon (roasted pig) and queso de bola (a ball of Edam cheese). Bibingka (a rice-flour cake made with coconut milk) is a popular breakfast option, and it may be served with toppings such as grated coconut, melted cheese, or a duck egg.
No comments:
Post a Comment