Holiday Foods from Around the World
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of Holiday foods. Around the world, people are celebrating with friends and loved ones with amazing foods centered around their culture and heritage.
Some holiday treats from around the world include:
1. Israel: Latkes
Jewish families celebrate Hanukah, a Jewish holiday that celebrates a miracle in the Old Testament, one night’s worth of oil lasted for eight nights. Many of the foods eaten during this holiday and season are fried in oil. The ever so popular potato latkes are a flaky potato cake that are fried until brown and crispy. Sometimes they are even served with applesauce! During the holiday season, sweet treats including sufganiyot, a fried jelly donut that is deep fried in oil. (deep fried anything and I will try it).
2. England: Minced Pies
According to BBC America, 13th century crusade fighters brought back exotic spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. British cooks began to use them in their deserts, and created a pie that had mincemeat and dried fruits. It has changed shape and size a few times throughout the centuries, but the gist is still the same. Minced Pies are still a fan-favorite at English Christmas celebrations! Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have some at their wedding? We shall soon find out!
3. Italy and Sicily: Seven Fishes
We all know that Italians can cook. Christmas is the time to prove it. A traditional Italian Christmas has enough food to serve everyone six times, and still take some leftovers home. I have been to my share of Italian Christmas Eve dinners, and they do not disappoint (shout out to my Nanny). It is tradition that on Christmas Eve, many Italian families fast so a feast at the end of the day is only fitting. The seven-fish’s dinner does not seem to ever end and halfway through the meal you usually need to pause to take a breath and reflect on all the fish you just consumed. Nonetheless, you continue to indulge because that is what baby Jesus would want you to do. Many of the seafood dishes are fried or cooked in oil because many families give up dairy or meat during the holidays. Some popular choices for the seven-fishes include Baccala, or salted cod fish, fried smelt, and calamari. Clams casino makes its way into my top seven fishes, linguini with fish sauce, octopus salad and oysters are some popular fishes to add to the seven.
4. Greece: Melomakarona
Like Italy, Christmas is no joke in Greece. In many Greek traditions, families fast during the holiday as a form of preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ. When it is time to feast, the Greeks enjoy melomakarona, a super sweet cookie. This is a honey-soaked cookie top with walnut shavings that is eaten Christmas Day to break fast.
5. Ukraine: Kutya (Kutia)
The Ukraine Orthodox Church has some very strict rules for fasting during the holiday season. This list excludes many items including fat, sugar, and meat. Holiday dinners must adhere to these restrictions, and although it may seem impossible to create foods around these restrictions, Ukrainians developed kutya. Kutya is a type of cereal dish with sweetened honey, that includes wheat, poppy seeds and nuts. When the fifth star of Christmas lights up the night sky, Ukrainians can eat and enjoy this meal with friends and family!
6. Philippines: Roasted Pig
The Philippines do Christmas like no other. Their holiday is centered around a roasted pig! After Christmas Eve mass, families gather together for this super crispy on the outside, nice and tender on the inside pig that has been cooking for over 6 hours! Aside from the focal point of the pig, Filipinos enjoy oxtail stew, queso de bolo, a type of cheese and flan. Sweet ham is also on the menu. If you are into lots and lots of pig, Christmas in the Philippines might be your next Christmas getaway!
7. Korea: Kimchi and Dduk Gook (Rice Cake Soup)
While Kimchi is popular all year around, it is especially popular during the New Years in Korea. Traditionally it is made with cabbage, but a more modern take has become popular, using cucumbers or turnips. Dduk Gook is a rice cake soup that is served with kimchi along with an array of vegetables as well.
8. Vietnam: Bahn Chung
New Years is a very important holiday in Vietman. With an important holiday comes important foods, bahn chung is a large layered rice cake stuffed with pork, mung beans, and other ingredients creased with a soft and sticky layer of rice. These are then wrapped in a large bamboo type leaf called la dong. Banana leaves are also popular as well. It is a square shape to represent the earth, while another popular treat Bahan Day is round to represent the sky. Bahan Day is a similar type of rice cake. The earth and the sky are paired with assorted vegetables and rise cakes!
9. Eritrea: Zighni
Located in East Africa, Eritera is mostly vegan during the year as a form of fasting. During the holiday season is when they can feast. Zighni is a popualr chicken dish with hard boiled eggs, with different pieces of chicken within the sauce. It is served in a woven basket. Many of the hot dishes, are served in handmade clay dishes After Christmas mass, families will go to the bakery and pick out their favorite pastries for breakfast. Shout out to my friend Liz who is from Eritrea and could explain and tell me about their holiday traditions!
10. Venezuela: Hallacas
Hallacas are like a Mexican tamale. Families gather together to make huge batches of savory meat stews and stuff cornmeal dough and steamed in plantain leaves! Nothing like spending time together making treats and eating and indulging in them together!
11. Ireland: Spiced Beef
Spiced Beef is very popular in the southern regions of Ireland, especially in Cork. Like pastrami, spiced beef is made by marinating beef with a mixture of spices, juniper berries and sugar for about two weeks. It is then slow roasted and cut very slim and served usually cold with some soda bread, an Irish classic. Christmas Pudding is also a popular Christmas treat. Also known as “plum pudding,” it oddly enough does not contain plum. It is a rich fruit pudding that contains lemons, oranges, apples, raisins, and cherries.
As always, after writing this I become hungry. These foods and treats from around the world give some insight on how holidays around the world are spent, and give me something to practice over Christmas break!
