With the holidays rapidly approaching, it is interesting to consider all of the different kinds of ways people celebrate this time of year internationally. It is no secret that food plays a big role in Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever you choose to celebrate, as food tends to play a big role in nearly every holiday, even if we do not realize it. After doing some research about the big holiday dinner that occurs in many countries worldwide, this is what I was able to discover.

One of the French’s favorite meals to celebrate Christmas with is Coquilles Saint-Jacques, a famous baked scallop dish. This delicious meal that translates to “Saint James’s scallops,” consists of a mixture of butter, cream, mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese, mixed and baked in scallop shells. The dish seems simple, but there is plenty of history behind it.

The scallop shell has come to represent Saint James the Greater. His association with the shell is based on a legend in which the valiant man rescued a knight covered in scallops. It has even been said that Medieval Christians making the pilgrimage to his shrine wore some kind of scallop on their clothing to represent their admiration and devotion to him. Why this dish is eaten on Christmas is unclear, but it is likely that it has something to do with its rich taste.

Chiles en nogada, a dish from Mexican cuisine, is also celebrated on Christmas. This is a poblano pepper stuffed with picadillo. This is a stuffing that can be made with ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and other fruits. After the pepper is roasted, it is covered in a creamy walnut sauce and a pomegranate seed garnish. The history behind this dish is rich as well.

A Mexican military commander, Agustin de Iturbide, led his army to the independence of the country in 1821. On his journey to Mexico City from the signing of the Treaty of Cordoba, he stopped in Puebla to celebrate the country’s great accomplishment. The country held a feast which consisted mainly of the Chiles en nogada, created originally by nuns from Puebla. To this day, the dish is associated with the independence of Mexico.

Most Jewish traditions initiate in Israel. So, it is seemingly obvious that a lot of the food consumed on Hanukkah, no matter where one is in the world, has flavors from the Middle East. This includes flavors such as curry, black pepper, and nutmeg, and these will most likely make a huge appearance in any Hanukkah meal. Though they are eaten less commonly on the average day, foods such as falafel, a deep fried patty made from chick peas, and loukoumades, Mediterranean honey puffs, find themselves at home during a Hanukkah meal.

Clearly, there are plenty of ways to have a holiday dinner, and many foods are rich in admirable history. If you find that your classic meal just is not cutting it this year, I recommend trying one of these, or researching your own to sample. I doubt you will be displeased with the results.

Thanksgiving is a obviously a time for, well, giving thanks, but this is certainly not the only reason to look forward to it. Who does not love catching up with family, watching football all day, and possibly the most enjoyable apart, the insane amount of food? In the United States, Thanksgiving is something that is enjoyed on the last Thursday of November every year. This is pretty well-known. What some fail to realize is that though this tradition lives on, other places around the world have their own version of a Thanksgiving feast. Areas such as Canada, Liberia, and the Australian territory of Norfolk Island celebrate Thanksgiving, but feast in quite different ways, and for different reasons.

Canada, arguably the one country in the world who’s culture is most similar to the United States, has a Thanksgiving tradition akin to that of the States. The Canadian Thanksgiving celebrates the 1578 voyage of explorer Arthur Frobisher, who prepared a meal for his crew despite the fact that they barely survived the journey. The Canadian Thanksgiving feast itself is pretty alike what Americans consume on Thanksgiving. The meal consists of consists of turkey, potatoes, and pie. It would seem the sole difference between the two holidays is their origins and their timing – Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday in October.

Liberia is the only other country in the world to celebrate American Thanksgiving. This is due to the United States spending decades in this part of the world, attempting to turn this area into a home for former American slaves. But even after the country became independent in 1847, the Thanksgiving tradition lived on. Today Liberians harvest fresh fruit and vegetables and feast in their own homes, among family, after spending the day at their places of worship. Though their meal tends to be much more scarce, the Liberians work hard to pull a big meal together for the ones that they love.

The Australian territory of Norfolk Island, interestingly enough, celebrates Thanksgiving annually. Locals picked up this tradition from American whalers, who taught them how make foods such as cornbread and pumpkin pie. Norfolk Island celebrated Thanksgiving on the last Wednesday of every month, but instead of the typical feast, the Islanders cook foods that may seem a little unconventional. Their meal consists of an outrageous array of dished made solely from bananas. For example, they make mashed bananas, banana pilaf, bananas baked into bread, green bananas in cream, and dried bananas. I was unable to find much reason behind this atypical, but seemingly delicious, tradition.

As you can see, though the Thanksgivings around the world are pretty similar to the American Thanksgiving, there are some differences that make the traditions clearly stand out. The food presented at each of these holidays means something different to each group, and the time to feast is blatantly an important one. One thing they do share, however, is the fact that food manages to bring these groups of people together to celebrate a fun and meaningful holiday.

As Americans, I feel we tend to be slightly narrow-minded when it comes to the food we consume. I feel that if many were informed about the things other countries are chowing down on- things that we may not actually consider food- these people would go ballistic. After doing research, I was certainly surprised to learn about certain foreign foods, but it is important to remember that we should accept these things. Someone may do something differently than what we are used to, but this does not necessarily mean that this something or someone is wrong. So, brace yourself, because I’m going to list the foreign foods that had the most surprising ingredients.

Escamole is a Mexican dish. It looks similar to what one may think is brown rice sautéed with mixed vegetables. In reality, escamole is not made with rice, and what people are actually consuming is ant larvae harvested from the roots of agave plants. In Mexico, this dish is considered a delicacy. It is considered insect caviar and is eaten mostly by the elite in Mexico City and surrounding areas. Escamole is said to taste buttery and nutty, and the taste is often compared to that of cottage cheese.

Another foreign food that consists of rather surprising ingredients is hákarl. It is eaten in Iceland and comprised of Greenland shark that is normally poisionous, but cured when parts of the shark go through a fermentation process and are hung to dry for four to five months. The taste of hákarl is thought to be an acquired one because of its significant ammonia-like smell and strong, fishy taste. Hákarl is served in cubes on sticks, and sold year-round in Icelandic stores. Those who eat hákarl are often associated with hardiness and strength, as this is a task that many can not accomplish.

In China, Bird’s Nest Soup is served. I think it is safe to say that this one speaks for itself. This soup is made from a specific birds nest called a “saliva nests” that are often found in caves. These nests are dissolved in water and their texture becomes gelatinous. Birds’ nests are considered a delicate ingredient in China and the taste of them should not be corrupted by adding any other ingredient that has an overpowering taste to the soup. Bird’s Nest Soup is said to have a savory and sweet taste, and it can often cost as much as 10,000 United States dollars.

These are the meals that shocked me the most. As someone that leaves meat off of her plate, I do not think that I would be willing to try any of these, but if the circumstances were different I think it is possible that I would give it a shot. I think people should generally be open to trying new dishes, even if they are a little unconventional. My point is that one will never know if they like or dislike something if they never try it. So, who knows? Hárkal may be your new favorite food.

In a previous blog post, I mentioned Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, a well-known Mexican holiday. Now that this holiday is quickly approaching, I wanted to do more research and learn more about this thought-provoking holiday, and the symbolic significance of the food that is involved with it.

Anyone that is vaguely familiar with Mexican culture ordinarily knows that on November 1st, the lives of deceased children are celebrated and remembered, and on November 2nd, the Mexican people remember their adult friends and family members that are no longer with them.What many do not understand is the importance of the food that is made to celebrate the lives of those that have past.

The Mexican people hold beliefs that their late loved ones visit the Earth in spiritual form during this celebration. They create altars for their deceased friends and family members, and on these altars there are ofrendas, or offerings, for the loved one’s spirit when it travels back to the living world.

These offerings mainly consist of items for the spirit to clean up with after its journey, but the most popular food offering is sugar skulls. These are candy skulls that are decorated and left on the altar for the spirit. Sometimes they are eaten, but it is much more common for these sugar skulls to be preserved for the dead. The sugar skulls represent the vitality of life and individual personality.

Pan de Muerto, or the bread of the dead, is a sugary bread that is enjoyed by the living on the Day of the Dead, and often placed on altars. It is baked, glazed, and decorated with colored sugar. The bread symbolizes the souls of the departed, and is sometime baked in the shape of a skull. It is offered as nourishment for the spirits that come to visit the living world and are hungry after their journey.

Atole is a warm drink that is somewhat comparable to American oatmeal. It is made with corn flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Some even prefer to add fruit to their atole. It is favorable drink in many cultures all year-round such as Mexican (of course), Guatemalan, Honduran, and Salvadoran, but on the Day of the Dead, it is used specifically to nourish and warm the spirits when they come to the living world, and return once again to the “other side.”

Candied pumpkin is another delicious treat placed on alters during the Day of the Dead. Pumpkin is cooked in brown sugar cane syrup, and then sweetened with cinnamon sticks and oranges. I wish I could explain a cool symbolic meaning behind this particular food, but unfortunately, they are only used on the Day of the Dead altars because they taste really great.

In conclusion, I personally find this particular holiday and the foods associated with it very compelling. The idea of celebrating the life of a deceased friend or family member rather than mourning him or her puts a positive spin on the idea of death, and the foods that hold symbolic meaning demonstrate the important traditions that define this holiday.

Appetizers are, in my opinion, pretty much the best idea ever. A small amount of food before a larger amount of food? Genius. Appetizers are particularly useful when you want to sample a new kind of dish.  You can avoid the anxiety of committing to an entire meal before you know that you will enjoy it, and at the same time, you have the opportunity to discover a new favorite food. International foods can be especially intimidating, so I feel that if you do want to take a risk with a new foreign dish, it should definitely be in the form of an appetizer.

Though they were originally created in Galicia, Spain, empanadas are also an extremely popular Latin dish. Spanish settlers brought empanadas to the Western world, and they have been prevalent in Latin America ever since.  These are pastries made from flour and baking soda that can be stuffed with a variety of things, including but not limited to meat, spinach, peas, potatoes, pumpkin and beans.  They are particularly adored in Chile and Argentina. These pies are the perfect example of finger foods, and I imagine that they would be even better as an appetizer if you are feeling a little unsure about them.

In India, samosas are referred to as chaat, or a snack food. They certainly could also be made into an appetizer. Similar to empanadas, samosas are pastry pockets made from flour that can be stuffed with anything you desire. The most popular filling, however, is simply spiced potato and peas. In eastern Africa and South Africa, variations of samosas are made, but here they are called samoosas. No matter where they come from, the dish is regarded as delicious and should definitely be considered a suitable appetizer.

The next dish I am going to include originated in Italy. The dish is simple, and incredibly easy to make as a snack or an appetizer. Olives are popular all around the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and when marinated in olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, herbs, and seasonings, they make the perfect pre-meal meal. This dish complements any Spanish, Italian, North African, Greek or Provençal meal, and either green olives or black olives can be used, depending on your preferences. From my experience, olives tend to be regarded by many as not that great, but when they are dipped in marinade, a whole new flavor is created- a flavor that should definitely be considered.

The meals I have mentioned definitely do not complete the list of possible appetizers, but they are very popular dishes that can be sampled if you feel a little bit antsy about diving right in to a brand new meal. It has always been difficult for me to broaden my horizons when it comes to food, as I already feel very passionately about the dishes I already enjoy, but usually when I do choose to try something new, it is for the best. And these appetizers sound great, right?

Though some argue ice cream is solely for scorching hot summer days, I am a firm believer that it can (and should) be eaten at any point in the year. Though it is typically considered an American dessert, ice cream can actually be found all over the world. The form in which it is served in obviously can vary, but if one is like me and believes that everyone should have the right to purchase and eat ice cream at any time they want, I would think that this person should be open to sampling these variations. Ice cream can be offered in Japan, Italy, Israel and a number of other countries in an even larger number of flavors.

If you ever find yourself in Japan and desperate for a frozen delight, you should probably give Mochi ice cream a chance. Mochi is sticky rice that is pounded together, and is normally served as a cake. The Japanese add a twist to the traditional Mochi when they stuff it with ice cream and make it a different kind of sweet treat. Mochi ice cream has become so prominent that today, it is enjoyed in North American, Europe, and Africa as well as Japan. Popular flavors include red bean and green tea.

Italy’s gelato is shares similar characteristics with the ice cream that Americans typically consume. That being said, it is important to keep in mind that the Italians are quite proud of their gelato and are particular about its namesake. Commonly, gelato is denser than ice cream and has a significantly less amount of fat due to the fact that more milk is used during the creation process than cream. More than 5,000 modern gelato parlors exist in Italy, so if you ever visit here, it most certainly should not be hard to acquire some. The most beloved flavors are nocciola (hazlenut), and fragola (strawberry).

In Israel, Halva ice cream is not necessarily a variation of what we typically think of as ice cream, but it is a new kind of flavor that was originally from Tel Aviv, a city in Israel. Halva is sweet and comparable to candy; it is created by mashing sesame seeds into a paste made from sugar and honey. The taste of Halva has, interestingly enough, been compared to many popular American candy bars. Because of this, I like to think that Halva ice cream is definitely something that most of us would enjoy.

So, there you have it. Clearly, many countries around the world put an interesting spin on what most Americans would consider ice cream. Though there is still a ridiculous amount of recipes that I did not get the chance cover, I imagine that every variation of the frozen dessert is delicious to the typical ice cream lover. So, if you do ever find yourself hankering for a cold treat in a foreign nation, I certainly recommend satisfying your craving and experiencing something new in the process.