Christmas Food around the Globe (Part 2)

This second part of my blogpost on Christmas Food from Around the Globe covers more countries. Friends elbowed their way through the family crowds or requested others to send pictures worthy of a Christmas blog! Featuring Ireland, Canada, UK and Phillipines, I had a hard time compiling this blog post and not experiencing hunger pangs every half hour! 🙂

 

Canada:

Toronto’s Santa Claus Parade; Quebec celebrating end of Xmas season with La Fete des Rois

A lot of immigrant communities reside in Canada and I know absolutely no locals but just a whole bunch of friends that went there to study or work 😀 So naturally, I got sent pictures from at least 3 sources for Christmas Food from Around the World and here are their magnificent images!

 

Alhan has remained one of the most charged women I have ever known. boisterous and a total go getter, this amazing lady works at the Ontario Waste Management Association of the University of Waterloo, while slaving away at the stove to wash away the gnawing existential crises (or so she says!) she is apparently suffering from. Alhan made this spectacular spread, inspired by Youtube videos.

 

 

 

The Beef pot roast is the recipe from Bong Eats; Tortillini salad is from Laura in the kitchen and the Sheppard’s pie is from Jamie Oliver veggie series.

 

Christmas fruit cake minus the rum! (a halal fruit cake  Nutella cheese cake (all inspired from Joy of Cooking channel) and a friend brought in Caramel Pudding.

 

Ireland

Candle in the window; Ring of holly on front door; Christmas decor or till 6th January

My friend Nazmul living in Canada was sent these images for Christmas Food from Around the World, by his friend Niall Johnston from Ireland.

 

I was completely unaware of some some delightful Irish traditions like leaving a candle in the window or leaving some milk and bread, a symbolic gesture of invitation to the wandering pair of Mary and Joseph.

The Gaelic greeting for ‘Merry Christmas’ is: “Nollaig Shona Duit” pronounced as ‘null-ig hun-a dit’.

 

Table 13Wild Irish salmon turf-smoked

 

Table 14Turkey soup for the bitingly cold Irish Christmas

 

 

Philippines:

Early Christmas prep; Bibingka; Christmas lanterns or Parols

The Pinoys start waiting for Christmas in anticipation from as early on as September! But from the 16th of Dec till Christmas Eve, they observe a morning mass of Simbang Gabi, which is celebrated by eating the two famous dishes mentioned below.  My trusted friend Rafael once again sent me these images for Christmas Food from Around the World, just before he jettisoned off on his annual travels. Apparently, December or Christmas, is incomplete without these desserts. Bibingka is a rice cake sold only during cooler months but usually in December. The other dish is Putobumbong

 

Table 15Shredded coconut, slice of salted egg and simple cheese, from the streets of Manila.

 

UK:

Yorkshire puddings; Pantomimes; the Queen’s Xmas address

Elle and I share the unique experience of studying Heritage Management in Greece and experiencing the Greek way of living for 2 years of our lives 🙂 An Art History major, Elle is a perfectionist to the point of being exasperatingly annoying! 😀 She keeps finding excuses to return to our beloved Greece, but sent me pictures from her totally British Christmas dinner table, for this Christmas Food from Around the World segment. Featuring the stellar Pigs in Blankets among others ( small sausages – mostly chipolatas, wrapped in bacon and often accompany the roast turkey on Christmas). The other intriguing dish was Devils on Horseback, which have pitted dates inside, as opposed to Angels on Horseback (not in this picture) which have apricots. I just learned all this so I am just as bemused as you are (assuming you read it or the first time too!)

 

Table 16Red cabbage, bread sauce, roast parsnips, potato and carrots, brussells sprouts, roast turkey, Pigs in Blankets and Devils on Horseback

 

AND here lie the famous pigs in blankets (log like on the sides…) and Devils on Horseback.

 

 

As always, I would like to shout out a HUGE thank you to all my friends who made space amidst the craziness of family dinners, especially for an event like Christmas, so whiny lil moi could do this blog post…! I sure hope you enjoyed this mini world tour of Christmas Food and please join me in thanking Elle from the UK, Rafael from Phillipines, Nazmul for Canada and his friend Niall from Ireland and Alhan, also from Canada. You people made this blogpost so colorful with all the images but mostly, the warmth they emanated; of families and friends like family, enjoying a meal and celebrating, above all – togetherness. 🙂 best wishes and here’s wishing you a wonderful 2020!!