HAPPY HOLIDAYS (Happy Hanukkah; Merry Christmas; Happy Kwanzaa) If your a International foodie, this blog about traditional holiday foods is for you!

Here are some traditional foods for Hanukkah:

Rugalach (RUHG-uh-luhkn) cookies with a filling of fruit, nuts, poppy seed paste, or jam.

Challah (KHAH-lah, HAH-lah) traditional Jewish yeast bread.

Matzah Ball Soup; Brisket; Sufganiyah – a round jelly donut.

Kugel – a baked pudding usually made with potatoes or noodles and can be savory or sweet.

Latkes – potato pancakes and apple sauce; Hanukkah Gelt (chocolate coins).

Christmas traditions around the World:

Austria – Lebkuchen – Christmas cookies made with honey, spices, citron, and almonds.

Germany – Glϋhwein – A hot beverage with red wine, spices, sugar and orange or lemon peel.

France – Bûche de Noël – A sponge cake made to resemble a Yule Log.

Italy – Panettone – A sweet yeast bread with raisins, citron, pine nuts, and anise.

Norway – Rice pudding with a raspberry sauce.

Poland – Pierniczki – Honey, ginger cookies.

Sweden – Julmust – A soft drink –  Jul “Christmas” & Must “not yet fermented juice of fruit”.

United Kingdom – Christmas pudding – boiled pudding with dried fruits, eggs, spices, alcohol, sugar, and suet (hard fat of beef or mutton).

Canada – Eggnog, butter tarts and shortbread cookies.

USA – Eggnog, pumpkin pie, mince pies, and plum pudding.

Mexico – Flan – a brûlé-like custard with caramelized sugar.

Copenhagen – Ris ἁl’ van amande – Christmas rice pudding –  boiled rice with whipped cream and almonds, served cold with a hot cherry sauce. Glögg – heavily spiced warm mulled wine.

Visit Key Culinary Tours for details on our International Culinary Tour to Copenhagen July 13-19, 2019

Spain – Turrón – A type of nougat typically made from almonds. Polvorónes – a buttery cookie dusted with powdered sugar. Roscón de Reyes – a Christmas sweet bread cake with candied fruit usually eaten during the Christmas holidays especially on January 6th the Feast of Epiphany (Three Kings Day).

Visit Key Culinary Tours for details on our International Culinary Tour to Spain September 25-October 3, 2019

Kwanzaa gets its name from the Swahili (East Africa) phrase matunda ya kwanza meaning  “ fruits of the harvest”. The celebration observed December 26th through January 1st is to honor African heritage in African-American Culture.

Specialty foods during the celebration are:  stews; curried dishes; a lot of spices; mac & cheese; fried chicken; couscous; collard greens; corn spoon bread; yams; black-eyed peas; sweet potatoes; sweet potato pie; bread pudding.

Sources:  Wikipedia and Food Network.com

Need a hostess gift or a new gift idea for the holidays? You can purchase food, historic walking and sightseeing trolley tour gift certificates at Key Culinary or Sarasota Suncoast Tours! You choose how much to spend and they get to choose which experience appeals to them!

Looking for something fun to do during the holidays while visiting Sarasota with family and friends? Just click the links above!