Introduction: Reflecting the shared Austro-Hungarian culinary heritage of Central Europe, jablkový závin is the Czech take on apple strudel: thin pastry rolled around spiced apples, raisins and breadcrumbs, baked until golden and flaky. Cultural Background: Reflecting the shared Austro-Hungarian culinary heritage of Central Europe, jablkový závin is the Czech take on apple strudel: thin pastry […]
Introduction: Kompot, a lightly sweetened drink made by simmering fresh or dried fruit in water, is one of the oldest and most common beverages in Russian and Ukrainian homes. In its dried-fruit form it is particularly associated with winter and the fasting periods before Christmas, and a version of it, uzvar, is one of the […]
Introduction: Legend credits this upside-down caramelised apple tart to the Tatin sisters, who ran a hotel in the Loire Valley in the 1880s and reputedly created it by accident after forgetting to add pastry before baking the apples, then flipping the dish to save the dessert. Cultural Background: Legend credits this upside-down caramelised apple tart […]
Introduction: Rosolli is a colourful root vegetable salad that appears at nearly every Finnish festive table, most famously at Christmas alongside the ham. Cultural Background: Rosolli is a colourful root vegetable salad that appears at nearly every Finnish festive table, most famously at Christmas alongside the ham. Its diced beetroot, carrot, potato and apple mixture […]
Introduction: A simple braised sauerkraut side dish, lightly sweetened and simmered until tender, hapukapsas accompanies roasted and cured meats throughout the year, and is especially prominent at Christmas tables alongside blood sausage. Cultural Background: A simple braised sauerkraut side dish, lightly sweetened and simmered until tender, hapukapsas accompanies roasted and cured meats throughout the year, […]
Introduction: Rosolje is Estonia's classic beetroot salad, combining boiled potatoes, beetroot, pickles, herring and egg bound with sour cream. Cultural Background: Rosolje is Estonia's classic beetroot salad, combining boiled potatoes, beetroot, pickles, herring and egg bound with sour cream. It is a fixture at festive tables, its pink hue and layered ingredients reflecting influences from […]
Introduction: Žemlovka is a beloved Czech way of using up day-old bread rolls, layered with apples, cinnamon and custard, then baked until golden. Cultural Background: Žemlovka is a beloved Czech way of using up day-old bread rolls, layered with apples, cinnamon and custard, then baked until golden. Popular for weekend breakfasts or as a light […]
Introduction: The ploughman’s lunch, a cold plate of cheese, bread, pickle, ham and salad, draws on the tradition of farm labourers carrying simple cold rations to eat in the fields, and was popularised as a pub menu staple in England from the mid-20th century onward. Cultural Background: The ploughman’s lunch, a cold plate of cheese, […]
Introduction: A dense, dark steamed pudding packed with dried fruit, suet and spices, and traditionally soaked in brandy and set alight at the table, Christmas pudding has been the customary end to the English Christmas dinner since Victorian times, often made weeks or months in advance to mature. Cultural Background: A dense, dark steamed pudding […]
Introduction: A hearty, celebratory stew in which rooster or chicken is slow-braised in chicha, a mildly fermented corn and pineapple drink, alongside dulce de tapa (unrefined cane sugar). Cultural Background: A hearty, celebratory stew in which rooster or chicken is slow-braised in chicha, a mildly fermented corn and pineapple drink, alongside dulce de tapa (unrefined […]