What is enjoyed at Christmas dinners around the world?

The Christmas dinner It is the perfect space to enjoy those special delicacies, prepared with great care and created to share with the family. We all know the classic menu: baked turkey, rice dishes – Arab and olive, for example – a salad like Russian or Waldorf and its inevitable apple or sweet potato puree. Over the years, this dinner has been transformed and we have ventured to prepare other meats -or not even include them- and also to try new accompaniments. From that, from Advantage We will tell you what is included in the Christmas menu in other countries, as an inspiration for the celebration that is coming.

Thanks to the Internet and social networks, we can discover more and more foods that are enjoyed in different countries of the world. And in this note we aim to show the gastronomic diversity that we can find. It should be noted that what is presented here may not represent the most traditional of each region or province, since it is a general look.

France

After attending the Misa de Gallo, the “awakening” dinner is held, a rich menu and some luxurious foods. Some of the ingredients that we can find the foie grass, cheeses, oysters, caviar, seafood, among others. One of the most outstanding gastronomic traditions is the Big Supper and the thirteen desserts. It is about dinner accompanied by thirteen desserts representing the Last Supper with the twelve apostles. Although the types of desserts may vary, there are some essential components such as the Pump Oil -a type of sweet bread-, nougat, dried fruits and local fresh fruits.

Italy

In Italy, traditions are divided into two areas: the north and the south of the country. At dinner, a soup prepared with stuffed pasta (such as tortellini) and with meat is usually served. In addition, we find the Cotechino, a plate of cold cuts served with lentils. In the north it is usually eat stuffed poultry, roasted or boiled, while in the south, the eel capitone frito it is part of the table. The Panettone It is one of the most typical sweets, but it is also enjoyed Pandoro and the Panforte, in Verona and Tuscany, respectively.

Spain

As we already mentioned, gastronomic traditions vary between regions. For example, in Andalusia you enjoy the jabugo ham, seasoned olives or stuffed eggs. In Aragon we can find the Christmas soup, the garlicarriero cod or thistle with béchamel sauce. In Cantabria you can enjoy mountain snails, prepared with a tasty stew that is accompanied with bread. If it is about dinner in Galicia, seafood must be present on the menu. In the dessert category we can find the classics nougat, mantecados and polvorones.

Japan

As is known, in this country Christmas is not celebrated as in western countries, but Japan is steeped in cultural diversity and various elements of this holiday were introduced. One of the most curious traditions is to enjoy a feast of Kentucky Fried Chicken as a family on Christmas Eve. Yes, as you read it, many people choose to eat fried chicken, salads, French fries and other accompaniments from the well-known chain. Apparently, this tradition began in the 1970s when foreigners who visited the country only found something similar to its gastronomy in this chain. Today it is widely enjoyed and even the franchise prepares special menus for these dates.

Venezuela

In this country it is customary to prepare hallacas, a tamale prepared with cornmeal that is filled with beef, pork, chicken or chicken stew. In addition, they enjoy Ham bread, turkey or pork leg, chicken salad -a type of Russian salad with shredded chicken breast-, cream punch, nougats, cookies and other goodies.

Dominican Republic

Traditional dinner includes baked chicken and pig in puja -pork impaled and roasted-. You can also enjoy the well-known Russian salad, sheet cakes and the pigeon peas with coconut, which is a preparation based on Moorish rice and a type of pea called pigeon peas. The cassava empanadas They are prepared with different fillings for all tastes: meat, chicken or cheese. You cannot miss the wines, Christmas sweets and the punch.

Guatemala

One of the most enjoyed dishes in Guatemalan celebrations is the Tamale. One of the versions that we can find is the sweet one, in which the corn dough is used and it is filled with a mixture of chocolate, almonds, plum and seeds. In addition, you can taste a delicious pork leg or a baked turkey, smoked ham o Lomo Tres Pimientos, a meat prepared with black, white and red pepper.

Argentina

Definitely in this country the roast It is what brings everyone together at the Christmas table. Various cuts of meat are prepared on the traditional grill, which vary according to the region. For example, in the south they eat lamb, in Mendoza the famous “chivito” and in Buenos Aires beef or suckling pig. Another of the unavoidable dishes is the toned calf consisting of beef served with a cold sauce made from tuna, anchovies, oil, egg yolks and mustard. The Russian salad, the Filled tomatoes and tongue vinaigrette are also on the menu. The clerical It is the drink of choice and it is prepared with wine, assorted fruits and ginger ale or lemon soda.