Culinary customs: Latino meals for Christmas
All the Latino foods for Christmas they are the protagonists of the December celebrations in our countries. Family and friends gather around dinner in which there are usually several dishes. Read more about culinary customs for these dates in Hispanic Entrepreneurs.
Shared tradition
Christmas recipes in Latin America are a mixture of flavors that includes European, indigenous and African heritage. Each country took some of these customs to shape its own Christmas gastronomy, with flavors and ingredients typical of each region.
There are similar dishes that are repeated from north to south, such as cakes, pork or turkey. But always with the seasoning of each country. From the starters, the main course, dessert and even the drinks, everything is always planned for those days.
All the Culinary customs of Latinos they are accompanied by family reunions. And, generally everyone contributes something for Christmas or New Year dinners; whether they all get together to prepare it or bring it ready to the celebration.
We are going to take a tour of the traditional foods of Latinos during Christmas to learn about some of these dishes so popular in our culture.
Latino meals for Christmas
Let's start with North and Central America. Mexicans have a deeply rooted culture, especially when it comes to gastronomy, in which indigenous heritage plays an important role. Even so, when Christmas arrives, the Spanish legacy also comes out. And the last few years have also seen the American influence in their Christmas dinners.
If you are Mexican, Christmas will surely make you think of tamales, cod, stuffed turkey and moles with romerito. To accompany the apple and pineapple salad and the punch with chop for the drink. The churros and the rosca arrive for dessert.
Si you have a mexican restaurant You must include one of these dishes in the Christmas menu.
Several Central American countries share tamales with Mexico, but with different preparations. In Nicaragua, for example, they are stuffed with pork; Guatemala prepares it with beef, chicken, suckling pig or turkey; in Honduras it is made from pork or chicken, and in El Salvador it is made from chicken.
The tamale dough in Costa Rica contains potatoes as well as corn, as well as other condiments, and is boiled wrapped in a banana leaf. It is among the Latin foods for Christmas that cannot be missed on the table.
Panama differs in part from this gastronomy since in this country the tradition is seafood and fish.
Christmas dishes in the Caribbean
Strolling through the Caribbean we will also find some of the best Latin American Christmas recipes.
In Cuba, the star of the dinner is the roast suckling pig, which is cooked whole for several hours. To accompany it, they eat yuca with mojo, congrí, rice and black beans.
The suckling pig is the main dish in Puerto Rico, which differs from the Cuban one by the seasoning and is accompanied by rice with gandules. Chicken stew and banana cake are other dishes on the Puerto Rican table. After dinner, the dessert includes rice pudding.
The Dominican Republic also celebrates with its version of the stick pig and sheet cakes. The dishes are similar to those of Puerto Rico, but with different preparations.
Christmas food in South America
For the Colombian dinner they prepare Tolima suckling pig that is stuffed with rice, peas and pork, there are regions where turkey is also prepared. During the entire time that the Christmas celebrations last, you will find donuts and custard in the homes of Colombians.
In Venezuela the main dish is the Hallaca, a cornmeal cake filled with a stew with chicken, beef and pork. It is boiled wrapped in a banana leaf. Is among the best latin christmas dishes and its preparation varies in different regions of the country. It is accompanied with leg, chicken salad and ham bread.
The typical Venezuelan desserts for this time are the dulce de milchosa (papaya) and the black cake. Panettone and nougat are also served. For the date, cream punch is also prepared, a drink similar to the North American eggnog.
In Ecuador the main dish can be pork, turkey or chicken stuffed or baked with sour; Bolivians usually eat picana, a spicy soup, and then roast pork loin; in Peru they prepare suckling pig and the panettone is also placed on the table.
Chileans celebrate Christmas dinner with roasted red or white meat. In addition, they prepare a variety of salads, among which the Russian one with potato and mayonnaise stands out. The Chilean Easter bread is also eaten, which is a classic on the table along with the monkey tail, a sweet drink.
Finally, in Argentina and Uruguay there is a broad European influence. As they are in summer they prefer fresh dishes, such as cold salads.
These are the Latin foods for Christmas that are consumed in some of our countries. Which of these is your favorite dish?