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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2016)
,MKMUJMZ-);<-:67:-/768):-6< Sample some holiday foods from around the world By VIRGINIA JUSTICE The holidays are celebrated in diff erent ways around the world. Not all cultures celebrate Christ- mas or Hanukah, and even climate some mes dictates what food items are available during the holiday season. In the northern hemisphere, December is winter, in the southern hemisphere it is summer, so while we in Oregon are dealing with the cold and possibly snow, people in Australia and other countries south of the equator are dealing with the heat. Many coun- tries share tradi onal holiday foods or have meals similar to neighbor- ing countries. For Israelis, latkes are a popular Hanukah food. This pancake-type dish is made with shredded or mashed potatoes, diced onions and eggs, then fried in oil un l crisp on both sides. This fried potato dish is typically served with applesauce or sour cream. In Greenland, where Christmas trees are imported because pine trees do not grow there, the Christ- mas celebra on includes ma ak, whale skin with blubber inside, and kiviak, which is auk (a small bird) inside a seal skin that is buried for several months to decompose. Greenlanders also enjoy fi sh, cooked or raw, barbecued caribou with a desserts of berries, apple crisp and Danish pastries. For Peruvians, spiced hot choco- late is a holiday tradi on even though Christmas is summer me. This hot chocolate with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves is made in large quan es and served to the less fortunate along with pane one, an Italian sweet bread made with currants and orange zest. For Christmas dinner, Peru- vians will dine on turkey, tamales, salads, applesauce and pane one. Polish families dine on 12 foods that represent the 12 apostles. Borscht, a beet soup served hot or cold, is o en the fi rst course of the Christmas Eve dinner. The Polish typically do not consume meat dur- ing this me so dishes contain fi sh, vegetables and legumes. Pierogi (a polish dumpling) and cabbage rolls, which normally contain meat, are made without it during the holi- days. On the island of Jamaica, fruit- cake, curry goat, stewed oxtail and rum are a part of the tradi onal Christmas feast. Dried fruit for the fruitcake is soaked in rum for months before the cakes are made to ensure moist, fl avorful cake. Lutefi sk is a tradi onal holiday dish in many Nordic countries. Lute- fi sk is dried white fi sh, which has been soaked in a lye solu on, then rinsed and cooked. The prepara- on of lutefi sk is a lengthy process star ng with soaking the dry fi sh in water for fi ve to six days, chang- ing the water daily. The fi sh is then soaked in a water and lye solu on for two days followed by again soaking the fi sh in clear water for six days (water changed daily). Af- ter comple ng the soaking the fi sh is cooked by parboiling or baking in a low heat oven. The result is a fi sh with a jelly-like texture and strong fi sh smell. Australians are likely to have a barbecue for Christmas dinner due to the summer heat. Their celebra- ons include shrimp and fi sh or the more tradi onal roast turkey with stuffi ng. In Japan, Kentucky Fried Chicken is a holiday tradi on; peo- ple call in orders months in advance and line up around the block to ensure they get this holiday food. One thing that appears to be common in holiday celebra ons around the world is sweets: pas- tries, sweetbread, pudding, candy and cookies with na onal and re- gional twists are a huge part of the holiday season. In many countries special cakes, pastries and breads are made to honor Christ and the Apostles; some of these treats include a hidden prize said to bring happiness, health or prosperity dur- ing the coming year to the person who fi nds it. ________ Home economist Virginia JusƟ ce holds an educaƟ on degree. The Pendleton resident and her husband have two college-aged daughters.
