Christmas is finally here and what better way to celebrate this festive occasion than with some good food? While we eagerly wait for Santa to fill our lives with happiness on 25th December, the same happiness comes from the traditional food prepared and served by us. Of course, holiday time means no diets to follow and no restrictions – just pure indulgence. Here are the best traditional Christmas dishes from around the world that will put you in the right mood, giving you tips on exactly what you should be eating and preparing for to make the most of this festive season. Consider this your guide to the A to Z of Christmas. From apple cider to mulled wine, here’s an A-Z guide to Christmas!
A-Apple Cider
The drink is popular in the United States and parts of Canada as an unfiltered, unsweetened, non-alcohol beverage made from apples. It is slightly tarter than filtered apple juice and is usually pressed in local mills.
(Also Read: Can Apple Cider Vinegar Help You Lose Weight?)
Apple cider is a non-alcoholic beverage. Photo Credit: iStock
B- Bread Pudding
It is a bread-based dessert, originally from England but popular in many other countries as well. Traditionally, it is made from stale bread, milk and eggs along with several other ingredients. The bread is soaked in milk along with other ingredients and then baked golden.
Bread pudding is a bread based dessert. Photo Credit: iStockC- Cranberry Sauce
It is a chutney or relish made from fresh cranberries. It is served with roast turkey during Christmas dinner in the United Kingdom. Many people like its sweet and sour taste.
It is a chutney or snack made from fresh cranberries.d- diples
Dipples or theples is a Greek dessert, made from a thin sheet of dough. The dough is rolled out and folded and then fried in hot oil. Finally, it is dipped in sugar or honey syrup and then served. The dough can be shaped into various forms – the most popular is the bow tie.
E-Eggnog
It is a rich and creamy drink traditionally made from milk, sugar, cream and eggs and served chilled. It is most popular in the United States during Christmas but people enjoy it throughout the holiday season.
It is made of milk, sugar, cream and eggs. Photo Credit: iStockF-Fruitcake:
It is a moist cake made with candied or dried fruits, nuts and spices. Making fruit cake is a popular Christmas tradition celebrated around the world. The nuts are usually already soaked in rum which gives a nice flavor to the cake.
It is a moist cake made with candied or dried fruits, nuts and spices. Photo Credit: iStockG-Gingerbread
As the name suggests, gingerbread is flavored with ginger and various other spices like cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. It is sweetened with honey, sugar and jaggery. You can use the batter to make a beautiful gingerbread cake or turn it into a batch of gingerbread cookies.
H- Hot Chocolate
Also known as hot cocoa, this amazing drink needs no introduction. There’s nothing better than curling up with hot chocolate and enjoying the cool weather.
Hot chocolate is also known as hot cocoa. Photo Credit: iStock I- Irish Stew
This nutritious main dish is made with meat and seasonal root vegetables. Hot stew is often served as part of Christmas dinner. It originated in Ireland and its recipe may vary from region to region but it is usually made with lamb meat.
This nutritious dish is made from meat and seasonal root vegetables. Photo Credit: iStockJ-Julebras
It is a Norwegian soft drink, made from strawberries and raspberries. Since it is alcohol-free, many children and teens enjoy this drink at Christmas. As for adults, you’ll often find them drinking traditional Julol (Christmas Ale).
k-cranseck
It is a traditional Danish and Norwegian dessert. It is made as concentric rings of cake, each layered on top of the other trying to form a cone shape. Traditionally, it is an 18-layer cake with snowy white frosting.
L-Lebkuchen
It is similar to ginger bread and its taste varies from spicy to sweet. It originated in Germany and uses a lot of honey, spices and nuts.
It is similar to ginger bread. Photo Credit: iStockM- mulled wine
It is a hot alcoholic beverage made from red wine, spices and also some herbs. It is believed that it was built by the Romans to protect themselves from the cold winter at Christmas time and this tradition has continued over the years.
Mulled wine is made from red wine, spices and some herbs. Photo Credit: iStockn-nut roasting
It is eaten during a British-style roast dinner and is a rich vegetarian dish consisting of nuts, grains, vegetable oil, broth and butter.
Nut roast is eaten during a British-style roast dinner.
o- oyster stew
It is a stew made from oysters and is popular in the United States. It is prepared on Christmas Eve to celebrate the festival.
Oyster stew is popular in the United StatesP- Pigs in a Blanket
Pigs in blankets are made in different ways in different countries. In the United Kingdom, it is eaten as an appetizer before Christmas dinner. It consists of small sausages wrapped in bacon and hence the name.
Pigs in blankets are eaten as an appetizer.Q-Qurbia
It is a small bread type biscuit that is believed to have originated in Iran. It is made of sugar, almond flour, egg whites and vanilla.
R-Rum Balls
It is a truffle-like confectionery flavored with chocolate and rum. These are extremely popular during the holiday season in the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, Bulgaria and New Zealand.
Rum balls are truffle-like confectioneryS- Chinese plum
It is a piece of hard candy made from chocolate and rum. The name Plum does not mean that it contains plums, but rather that this candy is shaped like a plum. It is small and round.
It is a piece of hard candy made from chocolate and rum.T-Tortel
It is of Spanish origin and has two hidden surprises inside – a dried fava bean and a small statue of one of the Three Kings. Whoever gets the statue in the cut has to wear a paper crown and whoever gets the drained fava bean has to pay for the tortel – according to tradition.
The tortilla is of Spanish origin and has two surprises hidden inside itA- Uszka
They are small dumplings usually filled with wild forest mushrooms and minced meat. A vegetarian version with butter and herbs is also made and served as a Christmas Eve tradition in Poland.
Uszka are small dumplings.V-Vanillaciferal
It originated in Austria. It is a small crescent-shaped biscuit originally made of walnuts but sometimes also containing almonds or hazelnuts and heavily dusted with sugar or powdered sugar around it.
Vanillekifarle is a crescent-shaped biscuit.W-Wassel
It is a hot mulled punch made with spices like cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg and ginger. It is a medieval Christmas drinking ritual intended to ensure a good harvest of apple cider the following year.
Wassail is a hot-headed puncher.Y-yule log
It is a traditional dessert served at Christmas and is believed to have originated in France. It is made from génoise, typically cooked in a large shallow sauté pan, covered in ice, rolled and then baked again in ice on the outside. A bark type structure is created by dragging a fork through the ice and sprinkled with ice-like sugar.
Yule log made of genoisez- zeppole
It is believed to have originated in Italy and is made of anchovies and fried potatoes. The word zeppole or zeppulli literally means fried dough or doughnuts. They are traditionally enjoyed in southern Italy and Rome.
Zeppole made with anchovies and fried potatoes.
Hope you enjoy Christmas with lots of good food. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas 2019!
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