Christmas is almost everyone’s favourite holiday. During this time, most countries tend to get chilly or cold, which really brings in the Christmas spirit. Apart from the weather, there are also the Christmas lights, the music, and, not to forget, the delicious food! People especially look forward to the food around this time of the year. However, every country is different and usually has its traditions during Christmas, including the food eaten. With this blog, check out the local dishes to try around the world this Christmas for the best time.
10 Christmas Delicacies From Around The World
Make sure you try every one of these delicious treats from around the world to make your Christmas even merrier! Which of these would you like to try first?
1. Christmas Goose
This traditional Christmas food is a part of Germany and dates back to the Middle Ages. It was eaten during St. Martin’s Day but eventually became a dish eaten during Christmas. The goose is stuffed with apples, prunes, chestnuts, and onions. It is served with cabbages, gravy, dumplings, and sauerkraut. The feast is glorious for those foodies who want to have a delicious meal. It is served with Gluhwein, a mulled wine made from cinnamon, cloves, and lemon. Some of the desserts include stollen (a fruit cake made with marzipan and dried fruit and covered with powdered sugar), spritz kuchen (a type of doughnut which is fried and glazed in syrup) and spritzgeback (a German biscuit made during Christmas from butter, flour, sugar, and eggs). There are unique marzipan designs made of animals, fruits and shapes.
Location: Germany
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2. Panettone
If you are looking for the best traditional Christmas food around the world, then be sure to visit Italy because they consume the seven fishes as suggested in the Bible. The seven different kinds of fish are cooked in various ways. Two of the fish include Bacca ( salted cod) and calamari. In a few places in Italy, they eat poultry, duck or chicken, cook it with different sauces, and pair it with wine. In some areas, Lazoia (lamb and potatoes), Apulia (grilled eel) or Sicily (baked pasta) are cooked. Sweets play an important role in Italy during Christmas. There is a famous sweet called Panettone, which is a cake that is filled with candied fruits, raisins, nuts and chocolate. Some other sweets include marzipan, nougat, torrone, panforte, cannoli, and pandoro.
Location: Italy
3. Christmas Pudding
The dish is called figgy pudding plum pudding, or pud and refers to the Christmas pudding eaten throughout the United Kingdom. Most people look forward to their dessert, which is the best part of the meal. The pudding isn’t made of plums but raisins, which were considered plums in the Victorian period. The dried fruits are the primary ingredient in the pudding. Apart from this, there are eggs, spices, and molasses that go into this. The best part about this? Brandy is poured over the pudding before serving it! Apart from the dessert, you can enjoy roast turkey, goose and mince pies.
Location: United Kingdom
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4. Buche de Noel
This is France’s traditional dessert. It is a log-shaped cake that is slathered with buttercream and decorated with unique Christmas figures. The cake is supposed to represent the Yule log, which was brought inside the house; the wine was poured on it, and then burned on Christmas Eve. Eventually, that wasn’t practised anymore, but the cake followed the same tradition. The original dish includes a sponge cake with chocolate cream, but many variations have been introduced since then. You can now find different kinds of tiramisu, caramel cream, raspberry mascarpone, and more. Apart from this, you will also find smoked salmon, foie gras, and stuffed turkey or goose at a French Christmas table.
Location: France
5. Melomakarona
Melomakarona is a sweet cookie baked and soaked in honey or chocolate with lemon zest. It is also served with walnut shavings. These popular treats appear on almost every table in Greece. Since a fast is done just before Christmas, there must be a glorious feast. Apart from the delicious dessert, you will usually find pork roast or grill along with Christopsomo or Christ’s bread, a specialty baked at this time of the year. These delectable buns are generally decorated with a dough cross on the top.
Location: Greece
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6. Nyama Choma
Nyama Choma is roasted meat and is usually goat meat since Kenyans love goat meat. Christmas in Kenya is a little different. It is usually at this time when the grills are turned on, and neighbours are invited for a BBQ. The meat should be eaten hot and right off the warm charcoal. The entire goat is to be finished in one sitting. Some tribes in Kenya offer specific parts of the goats for girls and some particular parts for boys. Apart from this, freshly made flatbread, mashed potatoes and peas, and Kenyan pilau can be consumed, as well as Christmas cake for those from the city. If you want to take part in some holiday food traditions worldwide, then this would be the best place to do it.
Location: Kenya
7. Bacalao
Bacalao or salted cod isn’t uncommon in most places but is part of the Mexican staple diet. In the original tradition, the fish was salted and preserved through unique methods. Since refrigerators are popularly used nowadays, most locals don’t go through those methods, but some who like to keep the tradition intact continue to do that because they say it gives the fish a unique flavour. The fish is rehydrated and cooked to the point where it becomes juicy and tender. In the dish Bacalao, Mexicana tomatoes are used, along with anchovies, potatoes and onions, to create a filling and warming meal.
Location: Mexico
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8. Russian King Cake
This popular dessert is a three-layered cake with poppy seeds and cocoa powder. The newer creation is made with more chocolate and layers and garnished with walnuts. The cake is sinfully delicious with the different layers of chocolate and walnuts. This dessert is commonly eaten on Christmas Day along with Russian tea cakes, sweet little cakes made with flour and butter and covered in powdered sugar. There isn’t any proper meal since many people fast until they see the first star on Christmas Eve. If you are looking for local dishes to try around the world this Christmas, visit Russia.
Location: Russia
9. Saffron Buns
The Christmas feast in Sweden is called julbord and consists of 5 courses. The first course consists of seafood such as pickled herring or shellfish. The next course consists of cold cuts such as Christmas ham followed by turkey or roast beef, which is eaten with a dark bread called vortbrod. The third course consists of meatballs, boiled potatoes, and air-dried cod. All the food is washed down with glogg, a mulled wine. The last course would be dessert; although rice pudding is popular, so are saffron buns. They are yellow, sweet, and baked in the shape of an S with plenty of butter. If you want to enjoy celebration food worldwide, be sure to carry some loose pants when going for a feast in Sweden!
Location: Sweden
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10. Roast Pig
Having a roast pig on Christmas day is a tradition in the Philippines. Cured pork leg, as well as spit-roasted pig, are eaten on this day. The roast is accompanied by queso de bola or a cheese ball, pasta, spring rolls, and salad. Christmas usually starts early in the Philippines and is a very important time. Christmas carols start as early as September and continue till January. The food also starts early, but the traditional feast takes place on the 25th of December. So, remember to add roast pig to the list of local dishes to try around the world this Christmas.
Location: Philippines
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If this list of Christmas food has made you salivate, why wait? Plan your trip to international destinations to these fabulous places and get a taste of these fabulous local dishes to try around the world this Christmas.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Local Dishes To Try Around The World This Christmas
What foods do different countries eat for Christmas?
In the United State, people prefer eating turkey with all the trimmings. Christmas pudding is famous in England. In Italy, there is Christmas Eve tradition of the 'Feast of the Seven Dishes.
What is the special cuisine of Christmas in India?
In India, people celebrate Christmas by savouring many dishes, including Allahabadi cake, Candy canes, and Plum cakes.
What does Japan eat for Christmas dinner?
In Japan, people eat chicken, pizza, and more on Christmas as turkey is not accessible.
What is the most popular Christmas food?
Turkey, cakes, and roast potatoes are some of the popular elements of Christmas cuisine.
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