By: Lindsey Locke
When we hear “happy holidays” from the cashier or a close friend a lot of us immediately think about Christmas and the traditional meals that are meant to be eaten on that day. However, many people celebrate other holidays and practice different traditions, meaning that their meals can look a lot different from those eaten on Christmas day. Here are a couple traditional meals that are eaten across the world.
One of these celebrations is the Jewish holiday Hanukkah which has dates that differ each year but in take from December 10th to the 18th of this year. This holiday takes place as a celebration of the victory of the Maccabees along with the miracle that occurred during this time which allowed one day supply of oil to keep the menorah lit for 8 days. To celebrate, oil-based foods are eaten such as the staple Latkes which are fried potato pancakes made of potato starch, egg, matzo, salt, pepper, potatoes, and onions. Many families serve them with either apple sauce or sour cream to top them off with. Another food that can be commonly found on Hanukkah is Kugel which is a traditional Jewish egg noodle casserole that can be either sweet or savory, This is made because in some interpretations it is credited with mystical and spiritual qualities. This recipe can be made with the simple ingredients of wide egg noodles, 5 large eggs, melted butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, sugar, and cinnamon. After cooking the noodles for about 5 minutes the rest of the ingredients will be mixed and baked at 350 degrees for an hour. After that, the dish should be cooled and ready to eat!
Another commonly celebrated holiday is Kwanzaa, which is observed to be an African American celebration of life that takes place between the 26th of December and the 1st of January every year. This holiday is not only to celebrate life but to also celebrate African heritage, unity, and culture. On these days any and all types of dishes are made with no set meals or recipes. But one common dish that is native to the holiday is jerk chicken. This dish has recipes that can differ from family to family but most of the ingredients stay the same throughout. A common way to prepare the includes the ingredients bone in chicken, green onions, garlic, ginger, habanero peppers, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, thyme, allspice cinnamon and nutmeg, and some black pepper. To make this meal, the chicken is placed in a gallon size plastic bag while the marinade is being made. With the marinade made it is then poured in the bag and left to marinate in the refrigerator for 3-24 hours. After the chicken marinates, it is baked at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes. After the chicken is cooked thoroughly in the oven, it is ready to be served and enjoyed.
The Watchdog 