Holiday Foods

[ilovebender.com 134]

'tis the season!

 

The holidays are celebrated the world over and it's one of the things we have in common, but we also have our own unique ways of celebrating the holidays that are unique to our own cultures.

 

Growing up in London, I've grown up enjoying mince pies.

IDK if other countries have these or not, but in the United Kingdom, we have these.

For the uninitiated; they're fruit and spice pies (I guess), no meat in these sweet cup sized mini pies that the stores only bring out for the season; so like, for 6 or 7 weeks of the year; from mid November to December 25th, you can find these pies (and other festive foods) on the shelves.

I however; aren't waiting until Christmas and have lost count of the boxes of mince pies (boxes of 12 or boxes of 6) I've bought and consumed thus far.

I live within walking distance of a Tesco and an Iceland, these are UK supermarket chains who, like the rest of them, produce these and other festive foods.

 

 

 

 

Come January 1st to Easter Sunday, Cadbury produce their sugar bomb Cadbury Creme Eggs.

I had never noticed until I saw on TV recently that this was a seasonal food too; I thought these were available year round but they're not.

 

 

So what foods do you like that the stores only bring out for the holidays?

 

 

Edited December 1, 2019 by ilovebender.com

[ilovebender.com 134]

Even though Tesco say mince pies are pies full of spiced mincemeat, the back of the box says they're suitable for vegetarians; I guess it's Britain having gross misleading names for some of the foodstuffs here.

...

They taste like if a sugar cookie had a baby with a jelly donut and their jelly donut sugar cookie baby's jelly tasted all tart, fruity and cinnamon like.

Edited December 1, 2019 by ilovebender.com

[Rhoda 6,681]

These aren't a holiday food per se, but they're certainly more popular around Christmas.

 

 

Pigs in blankets. For those unaware, it's essentially a small sausage wrapped in bacon and heavily seasoned. It's barbaric and perverse, as is always the case when it comes to wrapping an animal in the same animal, but I love them. I could hoover up an entire bowl and think nothing of it. I would happily trade all other foodstuffs associated with the time if it meant eating a plate of these with a cup of sage and onion stuffing.

[sivispacem 21,077]

I'm sat around my parents-in-law kitchen table discussing exactly this (well, Christmas dinner) right now. Pigs in blankets are always a good decision. And will definitely be on the table.

 

We've usually got 6 or 8 of us around for Christmas dinner including a couple of veggies, so we end up doing a couple of meats and a veggie thing. Things year I'll be doing a smallish duck with Port and cherries, plus either an ibirico pork lomo/ballota (rolled loin) or a beef short rib. Might do some kind of veggie pie this year.

 

We'll do red cabbage, sprouts, duck fat potatoes, parsnips, pigs in blankets, peas and a few other bits probably.

 

 

 

Pepparkakor, Lebkuchen, Florentines and decent homemade mince pies are all pretty popular. I've made a cake I've been feeding since mid October, it's had nearly half a bottle of brandy. 

[DOUGL4S1 5,767]

Lombo á Califórnia:

 

It's a recipe with pork tenderloins (Wikipedia gave me that name, not sure if it's correct) mixed with pineapples and mangoes (it sounds weird, but trust me it's delicious). Usually served with Farofa (a powdery mix with spices) and rice.

Spoiler

And, like good Brazilians, we have a pizza version of this as well (Brazilian pizzas are weird, look them up)

 

Edited December 1, 2019 by DOUGL4S1

[Chase2002 36]

Does this topic include Hanukkah foods such as latkes and jelly doughnuts? (even though I'm not Jewish)

[Mister Pink 11,579]

My mother always makes a nice sausage and walnut turkey stuffing (see below). It's delicious.  

 

There's also homemade mince pies but there's the odd pack of Tesco ones too, which have a deliciously buttery crust. So nice washed down with milk or coffee. I'm also partial to a bit of homemade Christmas pudding, with cream or custard. 

 

I'm trying to eat healthy in the lead up to Christmas so I can without fear of guilt, or shame, pig out. I'm normally not too bad on Christmas anyway. I rarely eat til I get sleepy. I hate going in to a food coma, especially if there's wine on the table, it just makes it worse. 

 

 

[The Time Ranger 2,689]

Trifle is a mainstay at The Time Ranger Manor. Shop bought or homemade I don't care, it all tastes good. My neighbour makes us homemade mince pies every year and they are delicious. For savoury it's the standard turkey and ham, a tried and true classic, don't go adding any of that gelatonus mess called cranberry sauce though or i'l cut you with my butter knife.

 

Also any excuse to post this.

Eating minge pies, sounds like an Urban Dictionary entry.

Edited December 10, 2019 by The Time Ranger
Spelling

[Mister Pink 11,579]

57 minutes ago, The Time Ranger said:

Eating minge pies

Sausage and nut stuffing with minge pies. 

 

Oooooh...so dirrrty.

[The Time Ranger 2,689]

28 minutes ago, Mister Pink said:

Sausage and nut stuffing with minge pies. 

 

Oooooh...so dirrrty.

I remember a few years back I was looking for a new show to watch and enjoy with my parents, you know some family fun. Stuck on some Partridge, they thought it was funny, happy days I thought, then this happened.

I had completely forgotten about Alan's exotic dancing.I quickly made my exit under the guise of going to the toilet.

[Mister Pink 11,579]

51 minutes ago, The Time Ranger said:

I remember a few years back I was looking for a new show to watch and enjoy with my parents, you know some family fun. Stuck on some Partridge, they thought it was funny, happy days I thought, then this happened.

Haha, awkward, all right.  I love his daydreams. Such a bizzare complex he has with Tony Hayers. 

 

"Give him a second series, you swine!"  

 

Sorry for going off topic! Had to be done. 

 

Food.. yes.. other food we might have this Christmas is the obligatory mulled wine. Usually at a Christmas market or somewhere. Last winter I was in Prague and it got pretty cold at night and freezing most nights. Mulled wine on a beautiful Prague night, admiring the architecture and the cobbled streets is a nice experience. 

 

Prague is busy all year round but this is just crazy. Everywhere sold mulled wine. It was so handy. 

 

Edited December 10, 2019 by Mister Pink

[Rhoda 6,681]

Only somewhat related, but I went to a Christmas market with my wife this evening and ate a hotdog from a stall, and now my guts feel like they're teaching elderly women how to do the hokey-cokey in a nursing home. It was delicious, and only semi-related to the season but these small shacks always sell the best food. I wish they were around all year.

[paperbagdude 4,490]

Just hit me up with some roasted pork, sweetened potatoes, red cabbage and a sh*t load of gravy.

 

Top it off with a couple of beers and my Christmas spirit has awaken.

 

Edited December 15, 2019 by paperbagdude

[-7- 3,937]

Buñuelos: It is a tradition for many spanish families to prepare buñuelos and different types of how to make them.

 

Buñuelos Mexicanos (Mexican Fritters):

 

[sivispacem 21,077]

I'm going to be somewhat controversial to my fellow Brits here.

 

By and large, readily available Scottish smoked salmon- even the expensive stuff- isn't very good. It's almost all farmed, and I'm sorry, but farmed fish tastes nowhere near as good as wild caught fish. You can get proper wild caught Scottish salmon from specialist places, but it's hideously expensive.

This year, like every year, I'll be picking up a couple of packs of Canadian wild sockeye smoked salmon. No colourants, no hormones, no artificial feeds, no antibiotics...

 

 

Just look at that colour- you can't tell me that a natural dark red-pink isn't more appealing than the pale, pasty stuff you normally find in the supermarkets.

[Standard Deluxe 59 14,685]

I'm smoking a brisket for Christmas. I'll slow cook it for about 8 hours over pecan wood chips. Its come out alright for the last few years so hopefully this one comes out fine too. 

[Iggy Pop 98]

Bacon and White Cheese French Fries