Do You Know Where These 10 Christmas Dishes Are From?

The festive season is galloping towards us with the nimble speed of a cheeky
reindeer, a time when we all start to look forward to our own traditions and favorite Christmas dishes. Our cuisine is meshed and embedded in the language and culture of our home country, and is as much a feast of tradition as of tasty treats!

Every country has it’s favorites – the foods that are a classic and a must have for every table.

Here are our 10 favorites so far, in a sleigh ride around the world of Christmas culture.

Gingerbread

The tradition of baking gingerbread into houses and decorating them began in Germany
after the Brothers Grimm published their collection of fairy tales, which included Hansel and Gretel in the early 1800s. If ginger doesn't do it for you, then try the equally yummy Pfeffernüsse Cookies - think little stars and shapes covering in icing sugar, or Stollen (a fruit bread containing dried fruit and often covered with powdered sugar or icing sugar.)Fröhliche Weihnachten!

Yule Log

Yule Log or Bûche de Noel is a French desert that literally translates to ‘Christmas Log’; referring to the traditional Yule log that a family would burn throughout the Christmas period. Joyeux Noël!

Spiced Beef

A true Irish celebration dish! Served cold and thinly sliced, it is a great buffet favorite in many Irish households during the holiday season, traditionally served on St. Stephen's Day (26th December), especially in Country Cork. Nollaig Shona!

Pavlova

Pavlova is a fruit and meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. It is a popular dish for celebratory meals in Australia and New Zealand. Not what you would think of a traditional winter food, but remember that down under, Christmas comes in one of the hottest months of the year, where outdoor eating and barbecues rule the roost. Happy Christmas!

Akoho sy Voanio

Christmas in Madagascar is also celebrated in the summer months; thus the Christmas classic is a fresh summer chicken dish prepared with rice and fresh coconut. Merry Krismasy!

Mince Pies

 This fruit based mincemeat sweet pie of British origin, has ingredients traceable to the 13th century, when returning European crusaders brought with them the Middle Eastern recipes containing meats, fruits and spices. However, in the 17th century, the filling contained real meat, with minced cooked mutton, along with the usual pastry, currants and raisins with ginger, mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange rind, salt and a tiny quantity of sugar that we know so well today. Happy Christmas!

Janssons Frestelse

Also known as Janssons Temptation, this is a Swedish Christmas classic. It is a creamy potato and anchovy casserole, said to be named after Pelle Janzon, a food loving Swedish opera singer in the early 1900s. Along with Janssons Frestelse, the ever-popular Swedish meatballs, risgrynsgröt (rice pudding) and Lussekatter (sticky buns), it is served on St. Lucia's Day on the 13th of December, their key festive day. God Jul!

Bigos

Bigos or Hunter’s Stew is a traditional Polish dish of finely chopped meat of various kinds stewed with sauerkraut and shredded fresh cabbage; supposedly served by the Grand Duke of Poland in 1385 to his hunting party guests. Another festive favorite is makowiek, a sticky cake with a poppy seed filling. Wesołych Świąt!

Roast Turkey

This centerpiece of a sit-down American holiday meal, began with a fresh, affordable and “large enough to feed a crowd” idea, back in the 17th century. Although Goose used to be the traditional centerpiece in the U.K., the turkey is getting its trot on to takeover. Merry Christmas!

Pannetone

A festive favorite of Italy, this is a type of sweet bread loaf originally from Milan. The word 'panettone' is derived from the Italian word 'panetto', meaning small loaf cake. Along with the almond Amaretti biscuits and hazelnut struffoli dough ball, these Italian treats are a sugar lover's dream during the festive season. Buon Natale!

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