Holiday Food Traditions

There is no other time of the year where our cultural traditions are more entwined with food.  You just say the word “holidays” and you’ll get strong responses from people, a far off glance and twinkle in their eye thinking of cookies and egg nog, a groan and a belt loosening from last night’s Christmas party, or mouthwatering and talk of roasts, stuffing or pumpkin pie.

Christmas Cookies (from Wikipedia)

The holiday season is the one season where we all still hold strong to our food traditions, the baked goods your grandmother prepared, the eggnog and tree decorating tradition in your family, or hosting of a great feast (or series of feasts!) throughout the season.  I can bet that right now you are all thinking of homemade cookies and not frozen, boxed or canned dinners. It seems that this is the one season that our busy schedules, love of fast and easy food, and lack of cooking desire or skill just can’t penetrate.  In this holiday season, cooking, baking and eating survive as a celebration and as a gesture of love and friendship.  I bet that at the very least, most of you will break out an apron and make cookies this month.

This year, we hosted a Thanksgiving-themed dinner party.  I say “Thanksgiving-themed dinner party” because it was on Friday night and we were the only Americans in attendance.  Our guests – Canadians, Chileans. Germans and French – were gracious enough to indulge my need to make a turkey (even the vegetarians and vegans!).  I was asked at some point to explain what Thanksgiving means to us and in the US in general.  My response was that it is a holiday that is entirely focused on food, family, friends, and wine. Pretty easy sell.



Pecan Strudel (from Wikipedia)

Mmm food.  In my family, my grandmother’s homemade pierogies kicked off the season.  She labored once a year to make dozens and dozens of pierogies.  Cabbage or potato and cheese.  Everyone in the family got their own portion (in a bag with their name) carefully counted with the perfect ration of cabbage to potato to each person’s preference.  That started a month of sweets - strudel, cookies, chocolates, and family famous chocolate covered peanut butter balls.

 



My homemade cabbage pierogies.

Holiday food traditions reflect recipes passed down for generations and in many cases reflect what was seasonally available this time of year.  My family is German and Polish and our holiday foods certainly reflect what would have been available in December in cold weather climates.  Nut breads, fruit cakes, pumpkin pie, or beet soup.  Southerners may have always had things like cornbread stuffing and oyster stew….I don’t know of too many baby spinach salads or strawberry pies that would make a Christmas food list because those things never used to be available in December. 

This year just think about what would be missing if we didn’t have these traditions anymore.  If nobody else in your family knew how to make strudel or chocolate covered peanut butter balls.  If nobody in your family was willing and able to set aside two full days to make pierogies.  The sad truth is that if you don’t know how to cook or teach your daughters and sons, who will carry on these traditions or create new ones? 

Holiday spirit and the desire to recreate your family’s favorite holiday recipes are great inspirations to try cooking or baking this season.  Then maybe you can carry some of that new found skill and desire to cook for your friends and family into the rest of your year too.