Try These Traditional Christmas Foods from Around the World

While traditions can be more comforting than a mug of hot cocoa on a blustery winter day, re-creating the same meal every Christmas can get a little bland. So why not shake up your yuletide menu with some recipes from across the globe? Although some Christmas standbys like ham and fruitcake transcend international borders, we went searching for dishes that would add unique and festive twists to your holiday feast. Come along for the ride as we take a tour of traditional Christmas foods from around the world (no passport required).

Tamales

Fulatronik on Twenty20

Tamales aren’t exclusively served at Christmastime, but they tend to be reserved for special occasions due to the time and effort required to wrap each one by hand. If you’re feeling ambitious, or if you can get some buddies on board for a tamalada (tamal-making party), try your hand at these staples of the Mexican Noche Buena (Christmas Eve). Get the recipe.

Pan de Jamón

Mommy’s Home Cooking

A variation of tamales known as hallacas can also be found at La Ceña Navideña in Venezuela. As for the porcine portion of the meal, don’t expect to see a HoneyBaked ham. In fact, while you might initially mistake pan de jamón for a plain loaf of bread, inside, you’ll discover a sweet and savory spiral of ham, raisins, and olives. Get the recipe.

Risalamande

Nordic Food Living

The Danish enjoy a dessert of cold rice pudding topped with whipped cream, vanilla almonds, and hot fruit sauce. But there’s more to this tradition than taste alone. Similar to a baby figurine in a Mardi Gras king cake, one peeled almond is hidden somewhere in the pudding bowl. Whoever finds it wins a mandelgave (almond present). Get the recipe.

Torrone

The Vintage Mixer

Everybody knows fruitcake’s Italian cousin panettone. But if you want to introduce party guests to a different Italian dessert, whip up torrone, a nougat candy made with sugar and/or honey, egg whites, and nuts. Get the recipe.

Bacalhau de Consoada

Easy Portuguese Recipes

Cod is a constant on Portuguese menus, and the holidays are no exception. The traditional Christmas preparation is a simple one that involves boiling the fish with potatoes, cabbage, and eggs. The next day, do as the Portuguese do and make roupa velha (“old clothes” or “dirty laundry”) by mixing leftover shredded cod with garlic and olive oil. Get the recipe.

Kapustnica

Bratislava Food Tours

Fish also plays a major role in Slovak celebrations, where tradition calls for families to acquire a live carp a few days before Christmas. There are several explanations as to how this custom began, mostly relating to the cleaning and preservation of the fish. Regardless of the reason behind the ritual, the story ends the same way—with a breaded or fried filet on Christmas Eve. Alongside fish, it’s common to see kapustnica, a sauerkraut soup with mushrooms, meats, onion, garlic, and spices. Many family recipes also mix in apples and plums for some added sweetness. Get the recipe.

Luwombo

What’s Cooking in Your World

If you were to find yourself in Uganda for a Dec. 25 Sekukulu celebration, you might just be treated to luwombo—a dish of seasoned chicken wrapped in banana leaves and steamed with whole bananas. Get the recipe.

Jollof Rice

Ev’s Eats

Like tamales in Mexico, jollof rice makes an appearance at many West African occasions and gatherings, not just Christmas. This blend of rice, tomatoes, peppers, and spices is popular for parties because it’s a crowd pleaser that only requires one pot to prepare. Get the recipe.

Sochivo

Aleksandra

Dreading the post-holiday January blues? Celebrate Christmas again with the Orthodox Christians on Jan. 7! Get things started the night before with a bowl of Russian sochivo (also known as kutya) —a wheat porridge with poppy seeds, walnuts, and honey. Get the recipe.

Bibingka

Zestuous

In the Philippines, Simbang Gabi is a series of nine dawn masses—each one starting as early as 4 a.m.—beginning on Dec. 16. As congregants pour out of churches at breakfast-time, they’re likely to encounter vendors selling two rice and coconut-based treats: puto bumbong and bibingka. Get the recipe.

Pavlova

Recipe Tin Eats

Since Christmas falls during summertime in the Southern Hemisphere, prawns are common figures at yuletide barbies Down Under. As for dessert, Australians love their pavlova. Nicknamed “pav” for short, it consists of meringue cakes smothered in cream and crowned with seasonal fruits like passionfruit, strawberries, and kiwi. Get the recipe.

Cola de Mono

Cola de Mono (Chilean eggnog Christmas drink)

The weather is similarly hot in Chile, where locals enjoy a cool twist on eggnog called cola de mono. Literally translated, the name means “monkey’s tail” and comes with a handful of possible origin stories that you and your guests can entertain. While we can’t say which one is true, we can guarantee that this blend of milk, coffee, cinnamon, and brandy will cool things right down if the family dinner table conversation gets heated! Get the recipe.

With that, we’d like to raise a figurative glass of cola de mono and propose a holiday toast to you and your kin. No matter where you’re from, how you celebrate, or what language you speak, we wish you a happy holiday season full of friends and family and equally full bellies.

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How to Throw a Hanukkah Dreidel Party

When most people think of the holiday season, it’s Christmas trees, wreaths, and a cornucopia of green and red lights that come to mind. But folks shouldn’t forget about the original December festival of lights: the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. An underrated holiday for gathering friends and family, Hanukkah parties are just as much fun—and possibly more interactive—as any other holiday celebration you’ll have this season.

To understand the Hanukkah story and the origins of its traditional celebrations, you have to go all the way back to the second century BC. At that time, the land of Israel, then called Judea, was occupied by Syrian-Greeks who attempted to force the Jews to worship Greek gods. After the Jewish freedom fighters successfully expelled their occupiers from Judea, they focused on rededicating the destroyed holy Second Temple. While rebuilding they found only enough oil to light the menorah, a candelabrum in the temple that was supposed to burn continuously, for only one day. But miracle of miracles, that oil managed to keep the menorah burning for eight days. The miracle of the ever-burning oil is why Hanukkah is called the Festival of Lights and lasts for eight days.

Modern Hanukkah celebrations pay homage to this ancient victory with gifts, feasts of oil-fried food, lighting a special menorah called a Chanukiah, and playing the (possibly) only family-friendly gambling game, dreidel. It’s dreidel that makes a Hanukkah party stand out from your typical holiday festivities: Not just simply finger food and cocktails, dreidel parties keep your guests interacting, laughing, and winning mounds of chocolate money to take home as a prize, or at least boast about in pride.

Here’s how the game works: You play with a four-sided spinning top, called a dreidel. Each side of the dreidel has one of the four hebrew letters nun, gimel, hei and shin, an acronym for the Hebrew phrase nes gadol hayah sham, meaning “a great miracle happened there.” Players sit in a circle and each takes a turn spinning the dreidel in order to win from a central pot. The pot can be anything from nuts to coins to jacks or other trinkets, but it’s most common to play with gelt, gold foil-covered chocolate coins. To start, the pot is split equally between all players so they get about 10 pieces each, then each person puts one item from their pile into the center. Then the first player spins, and whichever letter lands face-up determines how much they get from the pot.

My Jewish Learning

Nun: You get nothing. But you also give up nothing. So it’s sort of a neutral play. This play is easy to remember because nun is pronounced similarly to “noon,” which sounds like “none.”

Gimel: Rhymes with “Jimmy Kimmel.” You get the whole pot! Enjoy your winnings for a few seconds, because you and everyone else now has to put one piece back in the pot to continue the game.

Hei: Pronounced the same as “hey” or “hay.” You get half the pot. Easy.

Shin: Just like the part of your body that hurts when someone kicks it, landing on shin hurts because you alone have to throw a piece back into the central pot.

As soon as someone can’t put a piece back in after rolling a shin or a gimmel, they are out of the game. It continues until there is only one player left.

The great thing about dreidel is that it’s easy for adults and children alike to play, allows you to converse with your guests during and between spins, and gives the gift of chocolate coins—what’s not to love? Add some traditional Hanukkah foods, drinks, and decorations, and you’ve got the makings of a Hanukkah dreidel party to remember. Some tips to make it great:

1. There’s really no minimum or maximum number of people for a round of dreidel. However, depending on the size of your guest list you may need a few dreidel games going or it will take forever for each person to get a spin…and for the game to end. Make sure you have a handful of dreidels, and go for different sizes, colors, and materials to keep it interesting. Having differing dreidels also prevents any confusion when one goes spinning out of control and lands in someone else’s game. Yes, it happens.

2. Make the rules flexible if you have young children playing. It’s not hard to get a handle on spinning a dreidel, but kids might have a tough time. If they try to spin and it just flops over, play it as it lands.

3. Have a little goodie bag for your guests to take home. The best gift is the gift of gelt, because who doesn’t love snack sized chocolate? You can buy them in convenient yellow netted bags or be a little more original and make them from scratch via the recipe below. You can also hand out dreidels, light-themed grab bags, or anything else that fits the festivities.

4. Dreidel can be played sitting at a table or casually on the floor. Just remember you’re hosting a whole holiday party so make sure you have ample space for guests to linger and enjoy themselves when they get eliminated from the game.

5. Lights, lights, lights! As it’s the Festival of Lights, make sure your decor represents the season. It creates wonderful ambiance, too.

But no matter how you host or how competitive your dreidel game gets, in the end any holiday party is all about the food. Traditional Hanukkah foods focus on the miracle of oil, so frying is the name of the cooking game. Set out a buffet of these super-traditional Hanukkah delights:

Potato Latkes

Chowhound

Latkes are probably the most traditional Hanukkah treats anywhere. Fried potato pancakes made from shredded potatoes, onion, matzah meal, salt, and pepper, these little pancakes are easy to whip up and go best with either a little sour cream or applesauce. Or both. You can also get fancy and create a latke bar with different toppings and sides. The trick, though, is to serve them almost immediately out of the pan. If you let them sit too long, they get greasy and mushy. Get our Potato Latkes recipe.

Apple Cider Sufganiyot with Salted Caramel

Chowhound

If a sweet fried treat is more your style, go for a more traditional Israeli Hanukkah dish. Sufganiyot, stuffed and fried donuts, serve as the perfect dessert for your party. All sufganiyot can be customized with different fillings, but this recipe gives an extra original twist with the addition of apple cider vinegar and salted caramel. Yum! Get our Apple Cider Sufganiyot with Salted Caramel recipe.

Applesauce

Chowhound

No, applesauce isn’t a fried food but is pretty much required to be served alongside latkes. You can buy the canned stuff from the supermarket or make this easy and delicious recipe. If your apple of choice is super sweet feel free to cut down on the added sugar. Get our Applesauce recipe.

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Gelt

What Jew Wanna Eat

Many stores will have bags of pre-wrapped gelt, but why not impress your friends and make your own? You can have a little extra fun by picking up multicolored foil to contrast with the traditional gold. This recipe adds savory sea salt and suggests that you use a mold, but nobody’s going to complain about your freeform style as they wolf these down after an intense game of dreidel. Get the recipe.

Spice and Herb Oven-Braised Brisket

Chowhound

Somewhere in that cornucopia of fried treats you need something a little, well, less fried. Brisket is a traditional main course in Jewish celebrations, and this recipe will have the beef melting in your mouth. The best thing about brisket is that you can make it a day before and let it rest in the fridge to allow the flavors to come together. The second best thing is one brisket makes a ton of food, so you’ll have a party of any size covered. Note: If anyone in your party keeps kosher, they’re not going to want to mix this dish with the other dairy-based options listed here. Get our Spice and Herb Oven-Braised Brisket recipe.

Bubbe’s Luchen Kugel

Chowhound

A traditional Jewish noodle casserole, kugel comes in sweet or savory forms. This creamy recipe with the telltale crunch on top errs on the side of sweet, which means it can serve as a great side dish to the brisket or an alternative dessert. Bubbe’s recipe gives you a slightly healthier version than a more typical recipe. Get our Bubbe’s Luchen Kugel recipe.

Coconut Macaroons

Once Upon a Chef

Got guests who aren’t into chocolate coins? Make macaroons instead. Quite different than french macarons, these are made with sweet shredded coconut and have a soft bite like a cookie. Macaroons are a great party food because they can be made up to a week ahead and stored in an air-proof container. Customize with different flavors or ignore that guest’s aversion to chocolate by following the tips to dip them. Get the recipe.

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2017 Holiday Gift Guide

Hello everyone!

We hope you are staying safe and warm and enjoying the holiday spirit wherever you are.

As we gear up for the festive season, we thought we might share with you a few of our favorite ideas for holiday gifts this year.

Happy Holidays!

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What is the Feast of the Seven Fishes?

Christmas is celebrated all over the world, and every country has their traditional foods for the occasion. The Feast of the Seven Fishes is known as an Italian tradition, although it’s more Italian-American, in fact.

In Italy, as is the case elsewhere, a massive meal on Christmas Day is the norm, so on the night before—La Vigilia, or “The Vigil”—something lighter is in order. The specific Italian traditional dishes eaten on Christmas Eve vary by region, but eating fish the night before Christmas is a Roman Catholic custom, so as you can imagine, it’s widespread throughout the country.

There are several religious theories to explain the name of The Feast of the Seven Fishes: there are 7 sacraments in the Roman Catholic church; 7 is the number that appears most frequently in the Bible, or is the most significant (it took 7 days to create the earth, there are 7 deadly sins, the number 7 represents perfection, and so on). Or, it could be named after the 7 hills that surround the city of Rome.

Regardless of the name, not every family serves 7 fishes, or even 7 courses total, on Christmas Eve. Some set out 9 (for the Holy Trinity times three), or 10 (for the 10 stations of the cross). Some prepare 13 fishes (to represent the 12 apostles and Jesus), while others serve 11 (to stand in for everyone except Jesus and Judas). Some don’t keep count at all. There’s no limit to the number of dishes, or fishes, you might find on any given table; it could be laden with nearly two dozen courses, or just a single pot of stew containing multiple varieties of seafood, though that’s far less likely—there’s usually an abbondanza of delicacies, from the sea and otherwise.

Calamari, salt cod, octopus, shrimp, sea snails (or whelks), clams, and smelt or whiting are some of the most universally beloved seafood for serving as part of “Festa dei sette pesci” on Christmas Eve. Eel is another traditional choice that’s fallen somewhat out of favor in the United States, although it’s great grilled with bay leaves. Particular preparations of seafood vary too, but pasta is often incorporated in some form, and fritto misto and fish stew are both commonly enjoyed.

We visited New Jersey’s Halifax restaurant, which focuses on sustainable and locally sourced ingredients for their beautiful dishes, to see how chef Seadon Shouse makes their fritto misto and seafood stew, both of which will be on their Feast of Seven Fishes menu this Christmas Eve.

Their fritto misto includes shrimp, smelt, cod, and squid, as well as delicata squash and lemon wheels, all battered in buttermilk and seasoned flour, then fried to airy, crispy perfection. They’re served over squid ink aioli with fresh parsley to brighten things up. If you make your own, sprinkle a little extra salt over before serving with fresh lemon wedges for spritzing (seeds removed, please).

Chowhound

For something saucier, check out their gorgeous seafood stew, a combination of Rhode Island mussels, local New Jersey littleneck clams, wild Gulf shrimp from Florida, local scallops, and blue cod. Each type of seafood is cooked separately (seared in plenty of butter or steamed in wine with aromatics) so everything is precisely the right texture, but then they mingle in a light tomato broth with some fresno chiles for a little bit of heat. If you want to recreate the dish at home, buy a combination of whatever seafood looks freshest and best—and if it’s local, all the better. Don’t forget the grilled country bread on the side for sopping up all the sauce.

Chowhound

You’ll likely want to wash it all down with good wine, but don’t forget the other great Italian drinks tradition of aperitivo! (Negroni, anyone?)

Whatever your heritage, if you’re a seafood lover, consider serving some on your holiday table this year. We have seven suggestions below (plus a bonus Italian dessert), but feel free to pick and choose—and add as many extra fishes as you please! The holidays are all about joyful abundance and generosity, after all.

As they say in Italy, Buon natale, and mangia, mangia!

Fish Stew

Chowhound

This particular recipe may have a more Gallic accent, but the idea is the same: plenty of fresh seafood in a light tomato broth. Add whatever fish and shellfish looks best at the market, and play around with the seasonings if you want a more Italian profile (more lemon and garlic, and skip the aioli). Get our Fish Stew recipe.

Sautéed Calamari with Parsley and Garlic

Chowhound

Cooking squid quickly is the key to keeping them tender here. If you have your fishmonger clean them for you, this takes almost no time at all, and it makes a great light, bright, lemony dish to balance out heavier courses. Get our Sautéed Calamari with Parsley and Garlic recipe.

Steamed Dungeness Crabs

Chowhound

Winter is the perfect time to eat sweet, meaty West Coast Dungeness crabs, which are best prepared simply, without much in the way of interference. (The East Coast blue crab season ends around November as the smaller crustaceans migrate South to warmer waters, but if you can find fresh ones, try our Steamed Blue Crabs recipe.) Alternatively, serve snow or king crab legs—whatever’s freshest is always best. Get our Steamed Dungeness Crabs recipe.

Basic Garlicky Spaghetti

Chowhound

Because you have to have pasta, right? This is a simple but satisfying spaghetti with plenty of garlic and pepper, perfect for ladling some quickly-cooked shrimp or clams on top, or add anchovies if you’re a fan of the briny fish. Get our Basic Garlicky Spaghetti recipe.

Fritto Misto Amalfitano

Leite’s Culinaria

If you want to scale back a bit (no pun intended), try our Fried Calamari recipe, but if you want to go all-out, batter and fry an assortment of seafood and lemon slices. Actually, try frying lemon slices even if you’re only doing one type of seafood; they’re a great citrusy-crispy accompaniment—but more fresh lemon wedges are also welcome for serving. Get the recipe.

Lobster Risotto

Chowhound

Risotto is luxuriously creamy yet retains a toothsome bite, and this version is especially grand with the addition of tender, sweet-salty lobster. It’s also a great way to add an extra fancy ingredient without breaking the bank, since you only need a couple lobsters for a crowd. (For something a bit less time-consuming and a little less indulgent that’s still stunning, see our Seared Scallops with Lemony Farro and Arugula Salad.) Get our Lobster Risotto recipe.

Fish Baked in Parchment

Chowhound

Baking fish en papillote (or al cartoccio in Italian) is a super easy and delicious method—fast, foolproof, and impressive when you serve each guest their own little steamy parchment packet. This is a great candidate for a regular weeknight dinner, but also a welcome respite in the midst of a multi-course meal of more elaborate preparations. Get our Fish Baked in Parchment recipe.

Pandoro

Chowhound

The more famous sweet Italian Christmas bread may be the fruit-studded panettone, but pandoro is a close second. It’s a labor of love, yes, but the result is definitely stunning, and the flavor is lovely: sweet, yeasty, citrusy, and scented with vanilla. We serve ours with a Tuaca-Mascarpone Cream and a snowy dusting of powdered sugar. Get our Pandoro recipe.

For more tips, hacks, and recipes, check out our Ultimate Guide to Christmas and Holiday Entertaining Headquarters.

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What’s Hot for Menu Trends in 2018

According to the survey, menu trends that will be heating up in 2018 include doughnuts with non-traditional filling, ethnic-inspired kids’ dishes, farm/estate-branded items, and heritage-breed meats.

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10 Best Desserts to Take to a Holiday Party

‘Tis the season for holiday parties and all the sweet indulgences that come along with them. Have you volunteered to bring dessert to your next gathering?

Here are ten of our favorites that travel well and are sure to please everyone at the party.

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Coquito (Puerto Rican Coconut Eggnog)

Every December my husband and I throw our annual Christmas cookie swap. It’s a simple event that we’ve honed to turnkey tradition over the years. I throw on some hipster Christmas music, set out plenty of holiday-appropriate nibbles like a cheese plate or crab dip, and put a little Santa cap on our corgi because ohmygod it’s adorable.

Drink-wise I keep it simple: mulled wine and coquito.

Continue reading "Coquito (Puerto Rican Coconut Eggnog)" »

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First Choice Ingredients Names New Leadership

With over 30 years of international sales and management experience in the food ingredients industry, Brown will be responsible for overseeing all direct international sales activities, including the development and execution of the company's international go-to-market strategy.

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Pacific Foods Organic Duck-Based Bone Broths

Pacific’s Organic Duck and Organic Poultry Broths are made with only humanely raised animal proteins and certified organic ingredients.

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Kraft Heinz Adds Flavors to Cottage Doubles Lines

Doubles feature a dual-compartment container with cottage cheese on one side and a flavor mix-in in another.

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Fi Europe 2017 Innovation Awards: The Winners

Mirroring the market, protein solutions featured high on the winners’ podium this year.

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