MCI this week is delving into the world of Holiday sweets and treats. In the UK we traditionally enjoy figgy pudding or clootie dumpling in Scotland. These fruit rich puddings include spices that have many people thinking of the Holiday season. UK also enjoys mince pies – originally made with heavily spiced and fruited meat, this little pie from medieval times has evolved with the times. These days, the fruit and spice mix only has vegetable suet in. Traditionally eaten with brandy butter or cream, this hand sized delicacy has a long history indeed.
Many people here also indulge in gingerbread from Germany – rich in candied fruit, ginger and spice. Although everyone thinks of gingerbread men, different regions of Germany have different types of gingerbread – we have been trying to sample them all!
In Italy, they have panettone, a large, light fruit loaf with a rich buttery taste. We can hardly resist it’s delicious smell and incredibly light texture. Angel cake has a Holiday cousin after all. Panettone has made its way into the UK Holidays and is loved by many.
France has a richly decadent Yule Log cake during the Holidays. A chocolate Swiss roll with a rich chocolate cream running through it. The ‘log’ is then coated with chocolate icing or ganache to imitate a wooden log. There is nothing thing as beautifully chocolatey, and it is a chocoholics dessert of choice over the holiday period.
Although originally a British invention, eggnog has been firmly adopted by the United States and has added Holiday cookies and peppermint canes to the Holiday traditions. Our friends across ‘the Pond’ have made the peppermint cane a true international symbol of the Holidays.
In Eastern Europe, the Chimney cake rules supreme. Like a cinnamon roll cake, baked around a large metal tube, over coals, it’s an impressive looking delicacy. Who could resist the cinnamon aroma at many Holiday markets.
It is amazing how the different countries around the world have adopted other countrys’ Holiday goodies. Long may it continue!
MCI is looking forward to enjoying the Holiday and wishes you a weekend full of Holiday cheer.