Do you like Christmas? In this post we are going to talk about Christmas food and vocabulary.
Vocabulary
Do you have Spanish friends or family, and wish to congratulate them in Christmas time? Here we have for you Christmas vocabulary you need to learn: ¡Feliz Navidad! (Merry Christmas!), ¡Feliz Año nuevo! (Happy New Year!), ¡Te deseo un Feliz año nuevo! (Wishing you a prosperous New Year!). You can write them on a card. Even if it’s not as common as in the US, it is still a nice gesture.
During the entire Christmas period in Spain, from the main Spanish Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve (24th December), to celebrating the arrival of the Reyes Magos (Three Kings) on 6th January, families come together and enjoy traditional Spanish meals. Full of meat, seafood and, of course, sweets.
In Spain, the vast majority of people celebrate the annual Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, that is to say, Christmas. Christmas Day is on 25 December, and families gather around the table to eat (many times, leftovers from the 24th 😊).
The previous day, the 24th, people get together at night. Some with friends, other with families.
Christmas food
The usual meal includes copious dishes with several steps. A starter, a main course (usually hot), several alternative cold dishes and dessert. Alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer and cider are not missing. As well as coffee and chocolate or pastries for the after-dinner snack. On the night of the 24th there is no rush to eat, so food takes center stage, and Spain is no different.
A gathering can start with “entremeses”: Spaniards love any sort of cured meat or charcuterie such as ham, chorizo or morcilla (black pudding). Entremeses, which are at the heart of Christmas food in Spain, are basically plates of cured meat that are served at the start of a Christmas dinner. Think of it like an appetizer that, as well as containing the best Spanish "jamón", will also likely include a selection of local cheese.
Christmas food: suckling pig and seafood
In Spain's Castile and Leon region, “Cochinillo” (suckling pig) is a very typical Christmas dish. Although there are places where lamb is the preferred meat or even turkey in some cases. People from other parts of Spain often order their suckling pig from Segovia or Valladolid months in advance. And this juicy meat is cooked until the skin is crispy and dark brown. It is often served with potatoes and caramelized onions.
It is also very common to see large spreads of seafood at the Christmas Eve dinner, especially in coastal regions such as Galicia: prawn cocktail, lobster.
There is a warming winter soup called Galet. Is prepared with a meaty broth and contains large pasta shells, called galets, which are sometimes filled with meat.
Marzipan, nougat...
Although in Toledo it is consumed all year round, marzipan is typically eaten across Spain in December. This sugary treat carries different forms. Is made from ground almonds, egg yolk, and sugar. If you go to a supermarket from early November, sometimes even October. You can find “polvorones” and “mantecados”, sweet treats that are colourfully wrapped. They get their name because when the flour that decorates this typical Spanish sweet treat is added, it looks like dust (polvo). The first have a crumbly consistency, and the second are buttery. Made from lard, toasted wheat flour, ground almonds and sugar. They are slightly less crumbly compared to polvorones and can be found in many flavours, but the most typical are cinnamon and aniseed.
Another of the typical Spanish sweet treats that cannot be missed after a meal during this festive season are "roscos de vino" which literally translates as "wine rolls". They are doughnut-shaped biscuits. Contain a small amount of sweet wine and nuts, covered with icing sugar.
Finally, we have “turron”, which is basically the Spanish version of nougat, and comes in dozens of versions. The two most popular ones are the hard and soft varieties.
Roscón de Reyes, key to Christmas food
This sweet, bread-like cake. Is shaped like a large doughnut and topped with candied fruit slices. It is usually eaten for breakfast or an afternoon snack on 6th January to celebrate what is known in Spain as the Three Kings’ Day
To drink during these festivities: a glass of Cava, the Spanish equivalent of French champagne. You eat 12 grapes on the stroke of midnight at the end of the year, and you toast with everyone wishing nice things to them!
