The holiday season brings a mixture of feelings for everyone around the world. Some people choose to stand on the side of the Grinch or Ebenezer Scrooge when it comes to Christmas time. However, the majority of people — even the bah humbugs — have at least one fond memory to look back on. For a good portion of these people its good food and fun times with loved ones. Here are a few traditional Christmas dishes enjoyed around the world.
Brazil: Farofa
Brazil’s festive dinner starts on Christmas Eve and continues until the morning. The dinner includes bacalhau (cod), roast chicken or turkey, and side dishes. Normally, the side dishes are garlic kale and potato salad.
Although a recipe that stands out for this Brazilian Christma is farofa. Farofa is a breadcrumb mix similar to toasted cassava flour with butter and garlic. To finish this recipe you can use smoked bacon, raisins, and walnuts.
Venezuela: Pan de jamón
Venezuela’s pan de jamón is a sweet bread made in a bakery in 1905 Caracas. Bread served on Christmas Eve. Although served on a specific day, the bread is available in bakeries throughout December. Bread like a Swiss roll, which can also be created with filo pastry.
Filo pastry filled with roast ham, green olives, and raisins. This pastry usually goes along with dishes like hallacas and dulce de lechoza. A boiled corn dough filled with meat. Dulce de lechoza is a papaya dessert. If you want to add something extra to venezuelan pan de jamón add cheese to it.
South Africa: Malva pudding
Malva pudding is a sweet pudding from South Africa. This pudding is one of South Africa’s most decadent desserts. The pudding is a sponge cake that has apricot jam within it.
Additionally, it is not just made for special events, people enjoy this dessert all around the year. However, at Christmas it sees variations that include brandy or Amarula. The latter of the two is a South African cream liqueur made from marula fruit. Then while it is still hot, the Malva pudding is drizzled with a sweet butter cream sauce. This gives the cake a caramelized consistency that is like toffee pudding.
Ham
Yule Ham or Christmas ham is served at dinner. Ham has become a well known Christmas food since the 20th century. Often, served for Christmas dinner or during Yule in Northern Europe and the Anglosphere.
In Australia, ham is a traditional dish. Served in many different ways in different areas of Australia. And the Filipinos also like ham. Ham soaked in lime juice and kumquat to have a unique flavor. Cured ham is boiled or baked in Sweden. Coated with a mixture of breadcrumbs, eggs and mustard.
Italy: Buccellato
Italians know a few things about desserts. In fact, we should thank them for the cannoli and gelato al pistacchio we have. Most of Italy celebrate their Christmas day with chocolate or raisin-filled panettone (Italian type sweetbread).
Additionally, Italy celebrates Christmas with a cake laced with fried figs and pine nuts called Buccellato. Most of its flavor comes from marsala. A fortified wine that is added to the pastry dough before it is baked in the oven.
Israel: Levivot (Latkes)
In Israel, levivot (latkes) are an important food on the festive table in Hanukkah. They are type of pancake or fritter made from grated potatoes. These Hanukkah treats are fried until they have a golden crust in a large amount of oil.
Commonly, levivot’s are eaten with sour cream or applesauce. Cooked for a reminder of a miracle. The temple Lights were burned for eight days instead of one day is the miracle. First kind of this dish was made in the Middle ages. And it made of cheese.
Denmark: Flaeskesteg (Danish Roasted Pork)
Flaeskesteg is a roasted pork that is usually served with red cabbage stewed in duck fat. The stew contains sugar, apples and red wine spices and a few other things. Traditionally, rice porridge finishes off the Christmas meal when it is served at midnight.
Furthermore, one almond is hidden in the rice porridge. Tradition says that whoever finds it in their portion will be blessed with good fortune. Moreover, it was believed that getting the almond means: happiness and success for the next year; for unmarried, it would mean a wedding next year.
Enjoying food during the holiday, whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, Bohdi Day, Kwanzaa, Pancha Ganapati, or Yule, is a tradition around the world.
Written By Markita Thomas
Sources :
National Geographic: 15 Christmas dishes from around the world
Planet of Hotels: Traditional Christmas food from around the world
Esseplore: The Top 3 most Loved traditional Christmas dishes
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First Inset Image Courtesy of Jon Mountjoy‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
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