Customary Cuisines for Christmas Celebrations
In the spirit of the holiday season, let's take a culinary tour across the globe to explore how different countries celebrate Christmas dinner.
Starting in South Asia, Bangladesh and India serve a delightful array of chicken and vegetable curries, accompanied by rice, vegetables, and regional desserts such as pitha (sweet rice cakes) and payesh (rice pudding).
Moving westwards, we find ourselves in Argentina, where Christmas dinner is celebrated barbecue style, often at 11pm.
As we venture towards South America, Puerto Rico offers a mouth-watering spread that includes Lechon Asado (pork roast cooked on a spit), plantains, pasteles, and a rice dish made with pigeon peas and pork.
In Brazil, Christmas meats like pork, turkey, and ham are the stars of the show, served with salads, rice cooked with raisins, and farofa, a bread-like dish. Tropical fruit and ice cream are common desserts.
European countries have their own unique traditions. In Germany and Switzerland, the Lord's Supper (Eucharist) is celebrated specifically on December 24th evening. Meanwhile, in Italy, a light seafood meal is served before Midnight mass on Christmas Eve, followed by Panettone and a hot cup of cocoa or drinking chocolate.
Panettone, a traditional sweet bread loaf, is a specialty from Italy, where it is a customary festive cake at Christmas and New Year's celebrations.
France presents a lavish Christmas meal consisting of delicacies such as roast goose with chestnuts, oysters, foie gras, lobster, venison, and aged cheeses. A Buche de Noel is typically served for dessert.
Belgium's Christmas dinner includes multiple starter courses with drinks and seafood, followed by a main meal of a stuffed turkey. Desserts include a chocolate Christmas Log, a rolled sponge cake with a layer of cream.
Australia celebrates Christmas with lunchtime backyard cookouts and barbecues, serving seafood like lobster and shrimp on both Christmas Eve and day.
In Armenia, the dinner on Christmas Eve is lighter due to fasting, but becomes more substantial on Christmas Day. Both meals include fish, chickpeas, chard, and a yogurt/wheat soup called tanabour. Desserts range from simple dried fruits and nuts to extravagant desserts made from corn starch, flour, and grape jelly.
As we journey eastwards, we find ourselves in Austria, Denmark, and Slovakia, where fried carp is the main course on Christmas Eve, after a day of fasting which includes no meat. Desserts include chocolate, apricot cake, and Austrian Christmas cookies.
In Lithuania, the Christmas meal includes herring, small sweet pastries, dried fruit soup, beet soup, vegetable salad, mushrooms, potatoes, sauerkraut, porridge, and bread. Water, homemade cider, or a cranberry drink is usually served.
Lastly, in Sweden, cold fish and meats, cheese, liver pate, salads, pickles, bread and butter are common Christmas dishes. Warm foods may include sausages, stuffed cabbage rolls, jellied pig feet, dried cod, and pork ribs. Janssons Frestelse, a rich casserole of layered matchstick potatoes, onion, and cream, is a typical side dish.
Each country's unique Christmas dinner reflects its cultural heritage, creating a beautiful tapestry of global culinary traditions. Happy holidays, and may your festive season be filled with delicious meals and cherished memories!
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