The Holiday Feast Recipes Food Cooking International Guide
The Holiday Feast On Christmas Day
By Imogen T Stubbs
Washington Irving was famous for his portrayal of the holiday
feast, which some scholars say started as a myth and became tradition,
while other scholars suggest it was an accurate rendition of the
time period.
"The table was literally loaded with good cheer, and presented
an epitome of country abundance, in this season of overflowing
larders," Irving writes. "A distinguished post was allotted
to ‘ancient sirloin,’ as mine host termed it; being, as he added,
‘the standard of old English hospitality, and a joint of goodly
presence, and full of expectation.’
There were several dishes quaintly decorated, and which had evidently
something traditional in their embellishments; but about which,
as I did not like to appear over-curious, I asked no questions."
He spoke of a pheasant pie, peacock pie, buttered eggs, carp tongue
pies, ambergris, wassail made with ale, roasted crabs, toast and
other delicious items.
Christmas Season Delicacies In America
In modern America, our Christmas season delicacies are a little
different. The Christmas feast of modern Americans may include
biscuits, stuffing, roast pork, ham, beef, turkey, goose, mincemeat
pie, eggnog, roasted chestnuts and apple pie.
In England, there were many similar findings at a Xmas party:
cranberry sauce, turkey, ham, roast beef, stuffing, corn, squash,
green beans, pumpkin pie, marzipan, pfeffernusse, sugar cookies,
fruitcake and mince pie.
Queen Victoria Resumed Christmas Feasting
In England, feasting on Christmas Day has largely fluctuated
between fashionable and offensive. For instance, Henry III had
600 oxen slaughtered for a feast in the mid 1200s, yet he also
made it customary to give food to the poor. Following suit, Richard
II feasted with over 10,000 guests. However, Martin Luther’s Reformation
struck down the season’s decadent ways, replacing the parties
with fasting and private prayer.
It wasn’t until Queen Victoria’s reign that all of the Christmas
feasting resumed. The Queen and her German-born husband, Prince
Albert, dined on goose, turkey, roast beef, mince pie, Yorkshire
pudding, plum pudding, eggnog and wassail.
Feasting In France And Poland
Our global neighbors have their own renditions of the holiday
feast too. For instance, France begins a lavish Christmas Eve
meal following midnight mass, which extends until dawn, serving
up soups, fruits, salads, fish, chicken, cheese, breads, nuts,
candy and wine.
Poland serves up a twelve-course meal (a dish for each one of
the apostles), with beetroot (barszcz) soup and dumplings, herring,
pike or carp, boiled potatoes, dumplings with mushrooms and cabbage,
poppy seed and honey cakes, fruit compote, pierogi, beans, sauerkraut,
babka, assorted pastries, nuts and candies.
Germany And The Scandinavian Countries
In Germany, they once served up boar’s head as a sacrifice for
a good harvest, although this was later replaced by pork, roast
beef, turkey and goose. Boiled chestnuts are popular in Holland,
as are potatoes, red cabbage and pastries. Scandinavia serves
up almond and rice pudding as well. In Wales, taffy is the traditional
Christmas Day candy.
Hot cocoa, eggnog and wassail are some of the beverages popular
during the holiday months. Yet where did this Christmas eggnog
come from? In pre-Elizabethan times, eggnog was a cold recipe
made from cooked custard, brandy, almonds, candied lemon peel
and nutmeg, garnished with a flavored whipped topping.
Feeding Fasting Children
Fasting children would often be treated to a thick tonic of egg
yolk, aqua vitae and fresh milk before bed. Brits with hangovers
would often throw some brandy or Madeira in their nog for a bit
of reprieve.
The earliest American eggnog recipe was found in Sarah Rutledge’s,
The Carolina Housewife cookbook in 1847, calling for eggs, cream,
sugar, nutmeg and rum or brandy.
About the Author:
Imogen T Stubbs has written a number of articles on kitchen, food
and cooking including First
Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving
Feast, Hot
Water, Refrigerator
Water Filter, Water
Filtering System, Whole
House Water.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles on this website.
Did You Know?
Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and wonderful casseroles all
mark an important tradition. It is a time to gather together with
friends and loved ones to celebrate all that everyone is thankful
for. What is this tradition?
It is Thanksgiving and it holds an important part in many people’s
lives. Even though this holiday differs in other countries, it
is still a time of celebration. Eating a filling meal and settling
back to watch a football game is only one piece of its tradition.
If you are hosting a big dinner to celebrate, you are going to
need the right supplies.
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