Christmas is upon us and countries around the world are getting ready to serve their favourite holiday dishes. Every country has their own way of celebrating this festive season and I will be giving you a tour to 6 different countries in Europe to show you their speciality Christmas dishes! If you’re traveling to one of these countries this Christmas season, be sure to try them out.

1. Poland

Christmas is the biggest holiday celebrated in Poland with most of the dishes only being served on this day. While this day is reserved for their closest family members, they still set an extra plate at the dinner table for a guest. Poles serve 12 different traditional dishes, representing the twelve apostles and the twelve months in a year, and none of them contain any meat. All guests present are expected to eat a bit of everything throughout the meal.

2. Spain

In Spain, Christmas is a family centred holiday and celebrated for hours. The dishes eaten during the Christmas meal are all traditional dishes that have been passed down from generations. Their Christmas meal usually starts with appetizers or tapas, then first course which usually includes soup, the second course where the main dish is eaten, and finally the dessert. The recipes can vary throughout families and different regions located around Spain, but these are the most popular dishes that are served during Christmas.

 For tapas, they often serve a plate of charcuterie such as ham, chorizo, pate spread, tuna tartare and various types of cheese to be eaten with crackers. Boiled shrimp is a Christmas staple and is served in different ways such as mixed in salads, sandwiches, or chopped and placed in tartlets. Ham croquettes are another must have at the Christmas dinner table which are deep-fried potato rolls stuffed with ham and transforms into a crispy while creamy appetizer.

The meal usually starts off with a special beetroot soup which is known as red borscht and differs from their regular beetroot soup as the sour base and beets need to be prepared a few days in advanced. They are then combined with a light broth served with tiny dumplings.

Mushroom soup and mushroom stuffed pierogis are also served where the dried forest mushrooms play a big role in the Polish culinary heritage. Carp is also a big part of their culinary tradition and has become an essential dish for the Christmas meal.

The first course is usually a light salad or soup that contain seafood. Their soups and salads can include ingredients such as shrimp, clams, mussels, and fish.  

During the second course, any type of roasted meat is served; however, fish is the most common main course if they are having the Christmas meal at night. Roasted lamb is also a widely popular main course to have and is often eaten more over roasted pig or beef.

Finally, Spanish dessert is served in three parts. The first part is when the common Spanish desserts are served, such as flan, pudding and cakes. The second part is reserved for traditional Christmas treats like nougat and almond bars, fig bars, and candied fruits. To end it off, the last part is the liqueurs such as brandy.  

 Get ready to free your day for this meal that last hours and go in with an empty stomach to make sure you can eat everything during this delicious feast!

3. England

Christmas is highly anticipated in the UK and Brits can’t wait to celebrate it. The dishes they serve during the Christmas meal are not too different from what can be found in USA and Canada. They often have a main protein served with several side dishes. All dishes are usually served at once rather than having it split into different courses.

Often times, turkey is served for the main course; however, even though turkey is the most popular choice, others may prefer to use ham or roast beef. Inside the turkey they usually have a herb stuffing that includes sage and onion. Along with the stuffing, side dishes that are served are roasted potatoes, pigs in a blanket, Yorkshire pudding, gravy and cranberry sauce, and brussel sprouts.

French cuisine really shines during their Christmas meal as it encompasses many delicate and flavourful dishes. Much like the other European cultures, they have different stages during their Christmas meal; first starting with aperitif, followed by appetizers, then the main dish, next the cheese and salads, and finally ending off with the dessert. Also, throughout their meal, they tend to pair different types of wines and champagnes with each dish.  

Aperitifs is how each dinner or lunch is traditionally started, and the Christmas meal is no different. During this stage of the meal, bite sized dishes are served and paired with champagne or any type of sparkling wine. The dishes are usually puff pastries filled with ham, cheese, or even snails.

4. France

For dessert, Christmas pudding is eaten which is a type of cake that is made from dried fruits served in brandy butter. Additionally, they have mince pies which are small pastries that include raisins, cranberries, chopped nuts, and spices. They are often topped off with a sprinkle of icing sugar after they come out of the oven.  

Be ready for this delicious English Christmas meal that will be sure to fill you up!

During the appetizers, they will most likely serve the most renowned French dish which is foie gras. This dish is served with toast and a fig or onion confit. As mentioned before, the wine that is consumed with the appetizer must match; therefore, the foie gras is usually paired with a sweeter wine.  

  For the main dish, a roasted meat is served and is stuffed with chestnut and served with mushrooms and vegetables on the side. The meat can be capon, turkey, guinea fowl, or peasant. A French red wine is said to be the perfect match during the main course.

5. Romania

The Christmas celebrations in Romania have remained traditional over the generations and have close ties to religious beliefs. Throughout the year, Romanians practice fasting and abstain from consuming animal products on Mondays and Fridays. Additionally, they have a Nativity Fast that lasts from November 14 to December 24 in which eating meat, eggs, or milk is not permitted; however, fish is allowed under some expectations. On December 20, families in Romania that reside in the countryside sacrifice their pigs to have a rich meal for Christmas. It is a complex ceremony that takes a long time in which the meat is carefully prepared for the Christmas meal.

For the Christmas meal, the pig is turned into ham, bacon, sausages, liver sausage, and more. Romanians do their absolute best to use every part of the pig so that none of it goes to waste. Along with the various pork dishes, a dish called sarmale is served as a side dish. Sarmales are meat and rice rolls that are wrapped in cabbage and is often served with polenta and cream. It is a must have on the table during the Christmas meal. To add to the pork dishes and sarmale, they often have a pork stew or steaks that are served with sour cheeses on the side. Pickles are paired with these dishes and are usually homemade with recipes including pickled cucumber, carrots, cabbage, and peppers.

To complete the meal, a sweet bread called Cozonac is served and considered a mandatory dessert to have on Christmas. It is a pastry roll that is filled with either a walnut or poppy seed paste. It is a culinary symbol that reunites families and brings back the memories of celebrating Christmas at any age.  

When travelling in Romania during Christmastime, enjoy the deep history and traditions that comes along with their celebrations. It will give a much richer experience to your festive season!

6. Iceland

The celebrations for Christmas are deeply rooted in Icelandic traditions. It is a day that is focused around their family and celebrating the festive time with their loved ones. For the Christmas meal, they serve hors d’oeuvre, a main dish with sides, Christmas desserts, and even special Christmas drinks with items only served especially for the Christmas meal.

Icelanders like to eat hors d’oeuvre before a heavy meal, so they choose to serve light dishes such as dill-cured gravlax and pickled herring along with rye bread.  

 For the main dish, they serve smoked lamb which is typically reserved for the Christmas meal and is one of the most traditional Icelandic Christmastime foods. Additionally, this dish can either be served hot or cold depending on the preference of the person preparing it. The side dishes that are served with the main are canned peas, pickled cabbage, and most importantly caramel potatoes which is an essential dish for all Icelanders during Christmastime.

Desserts can vary across families, but the more traditional dishes are homemade ice cream or classic Danish dessert called fromage which has the consistency of a creamy pudding.  

  Finally, over the Christmas holiday, families enjoy making leaf bread as it is seen a family activity. They tend to spend the day cutting patterns in the delicate cakes and then deep fry it to get a crispy flatbread.  

  Enjoy a family filled holiday when you are celebrating in Iceland this Christmas!

Your travels to Europe this time of year will be rich in culture and in flavour! If you know any other unique European dishes served in the Christmastime that you would like me to share, be sure to contact me!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!