Christmas Delicacies

GRHC - December 19th, 2012

Many holiday foods have early origins from England, Ireland, Scandinavia, and Germany to name just a few. Hot rum punch and eggnog, as well as apple pie are American additions.

Transcript

For centuries Christmas has been the most celebrated holiday of the year, and many traditional holiday foods have early origins.

The traditional English Christmas dessert descends from frumenty, probably a Saxon delicacy. A mixture of boiled wheat was combined with broth or milk and egg yolks. Later inventive cooks added raisins, prunes, and mace. Eventually someone added suet and plum pudding was born.

Scandinavian’s festive smorgasbord, which literally translates to “sandwich table”, a meager description of the many varieties of delicacies that adorn the Christmas table of the Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish people, and their descendants in this country.

Ireland’s traditional Christmas drink, “lambs-wool”, is considered indispensable on Christmas Eve. Made with the juice from roasted apples mixed with ale or milk, it is served with apples and nuts.

Anyone who has German ancestors, or German friends, knows the typical Christmas cookies, Lebkuchen. It takes two days to make this wonderful treat, but it’s the general consensus that they are worth the time and effort. Stollen, sweet dough filled with raisins, citron, candied cherries, and nuts, is another German holiday tradition.

As a nation we have borrowed Christmas delicacies from many countries, and we’ve added some of our own. Turkey is not traditionally served at the holiday table in any other country. Hot rum punch is ours alone, and eggnog is as American as the proverbial apple pie that often completes the Christmas feast.