Catholic Christmas is just around the corner. So let's talk about what is served at the holiday table in the UK. Although English cuisine It's hardly sophisticated or overly popular, but on a holiday like Christmas, the British love to treat themselves various goodies. In addition, the dishes that they prefer will also suit our tastes - there will be something here that only true gourmets will understand. So let's start with the main thing.
Christmas Turkey (Roast Christmas Turkey)
What's on the side? Baked Potatoes, Carrots, Parsnips and Brussels Sprouts)
(Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, Parsnips and Brussels Sprouts
)
Most often, you will be served just such a richly varied side dish with the Christmas turkey. In addition, if someone in your family is a vegetarian, this dish can be an excellent alternative to turkey, because it is quite filling in itself. You can learn how to properly prepare this side dish by following this link. You will find both a list of ingredients and a step-by-step video.
Beef Wellington (Beef Wellington)
In many English families the Christmas turkey is different years alternates with other equally festive dishes. One of them is beef Wellington. This dish is from beef tenderloin, baked in puff pastry. Real jam! đ you can also check out the detailed classic recipe.
And what about without dessert? English Christmas pudding with cognac butter (Christmas Pudding lit on fire with Brandy Butter )
We've all heard about English Christmas pudding, but many still don't have the slightest idea what it's actually made from? Christmas pudding is rightfully considered the most important dessert in the Anglican world. You need to start preparing it in advance so that it has time to brew and âripenâ properly. And for you we have chosen not just the usual recipe, but one that will appeal to everyone and, especially, fans of the series âDownton Abbeyâ.
The history of Christmas in the British Isles dates back to the distant past, but modern Christmas traditions were finally formed only in the 19th century during the Victorian era. At the same time, the genre of the Christmas story or Christmas story arose, the founder of which is considered to be the classic of English literature, Charles Dickens.
Dickens' Christmas stories were published for five years (1843 - 1848) in the December issues of the magazines he published, Home Reading and All the Year Round. Their popularity was so great that the very name of the novelist became synonymous with the winter holiday.
Gilbert K. Chesterton called the Yuletide tales âDickensâs great crusade for Christmas.â
In fighting for Christmas, he was fighting for an ancient European holiday, pagan and Christian, for the trinity of eating, drinking and praying.â ( essay âDickens and Christmas,â 1906).
On the pages of his stories the true traditions of good old England appear.
He saw his own living room, but significantly changed. The walls and ceiling were woven with a net of greenery and adorned with scarlet berries, as if in the living room a whole grove had risen in the evening...
The light reflected and played in the leaves of holly, mistletoe and ivy, as if in a myriad of small mirrors. The fire was crackling and burning in the fireplace, and such that the skinny, cold fire of âScrooge and Marleyâ had never even suspected such a fire, not even in one winter. On the floor lay in a high heap, something like a throne: turkeys, geese, all kinds of game and living creatures, all kinds of meat - pigs, hams, sausages, sausages, mince pies, plum puddings, barrels of oysters, baked chestnuts, rosy apples, juicy oranges and pears, huge âEpiphanyâ pies - and, behind all this, punch bowls full of aroma... The cheerful giant - âfor showâ sat, stretching, on the sofa; in his hand he had something like a torch, similar to a âhorn of plenty,â and he raised it when Scrooge looked into the half-open door.â
âThe Miser Scrooge, A Christmas Carolâ (1843)
The custom of decorating the house with holly, mistletoe and ivy has been preserved since the pre-Christian holiday of the Winter Solstice. The ancient Druids attributed mystical properties to mistletoe to bring good luck to the house, drive out evil spirits and cure all diseases. The tradition of kissing under a sprig of mistletoe came from England. Such a kiss was considered a harbinger of eternal love and inevitable marriage. 
The holly, which remains green even in bitter cold, has served as a winter emblem of hope and joy since ancient times. According to the beliefs of early Christians, Christ's crown was made of holly and after the blood of Jesus was shed, the berries of the bush turned red.
Ivy was associated with immortality and the need for protection. In the Christian tradition, it is a symbol of human support from higher powers.
Custom to decorate christmas tree appeared in England in the middle of the 19th century and its spread is associated with the name of Prince Albert, Victoriaâs husband. It was he who began to actively introduce the Christmas customs of his German homeland among his wifeâs subjects. On December 12, 1848, the London Illustrated News published an engraving of âThe Christmas Tree at Windsor Castle,â depicting the royal family near the Christmas tree. The new custom quickly took root in all levels of society.
Another ritual of English Christmas is burning in the fireplace. Yule log(yule log). The name comes from Yule, the pagan holiday of the winter solstice. The log was decorated with garlands, sprinkled with cider or ale and sprinkled with flour. The ceremonial Yule log burned all night and then smoldered for the next 12 days.
But the most anticipated event of the holiday was the gala dinner. Traditional food There was also roast goose or turkey.
The custom of serving goose on the Christmas table appeared during the reign of Elizabeth I. There is a legend that on Christmas Day 1588, Elizabeth received the long-awaited news of the defeat of the Invincible Armada of Philip II of Spain. The Queen was just refreshing herself with roast goose and considered this a favorable sign. By special decree, roast goose was proclaimed the main Christmas dish. It is interesting that the plot of the story âThe Blue Carbuncleâ about the next case revolves around the Christmas goose.
But the table is set. Read the prayer. There is a painful pause. Everyone held their breath, and Mrs. Cratchit, looking searchingly at the blade of the roast knife, prepared to plunge it into the bird's chest. When the knife pierced, and the juice splashed, and the long-awaited mince was revealed to the eye, a unanimous sigh of delight swept over the table, and even Tiny Tim, incited by the younger Cratchits, tapped the table with the handle of the knife and faintly squeaked: âHurray!â
No, there has never been such a goose in the world! Bob emphatically declared that he would never believe that another such wonderful stuffed goose could be found anywhere! Everyone vied with each other to admire its juiciness and aroma, as well as its size and cheapness. With the addition of applesauce and mashed potatoes, it was enough for dinner for the whole family.â
Charles Dickens, âA Christmas Carolâ â
Christmas goose recipe
Ingredients :
4-5 kilogram goose
4 lemons
3 limes
1 tsp Chinese 5 spice mixture
Small bunches of parsley, thyme and sage
3 tbsp. honey
Salt pepper
Grate the zest from lemons and limes, mix with two teaspoons of fine sea ââsalt, add Chinese 5-spice mixture and pepper (to taste). Rub the mixture thoroughly inside and outside of the goose.
Stuff with cut citrus fruits and herbs. Sew up the goose's belly with thread or secure with skewers. Place the goose in the refrigerator for several hours (overnight). The older the goose, the longer the time - up to 48 hours.
Preheat oven to 220C. Place the goose on a baking sheet and let it brown. Reduce the temperature to 170C, place the bird in a stewpan (goose pan), drizzle with honey, sprinkle with thyme and bake until done, periodically basting with the juices. If the goose starts to burn, cover it with foil. There is an approximate calculation of the cooking time for goose - 15 minutes for every 450 g, plus another 15 minutes on top of that.
Before serving, let the goose rest for at least 30 minutes, covered with foil. Use the fat released during frying to cook potatoes and vegetables.
And yet the main favorite of the festive table was and remains the famous English plum pudding or plum pudding(plum pudding). Crowned heads played an important role in its popularization. Plum pudding was first mentioned during the reign of Elizabeth I (1533â1603) as holiday dish, not related to Christmas. But already in 1640, after the victory of the Protestants, pudding was banned along with all holidays, as a Catholic tradition. After the restoration of the monarchy, Charles II rehabilitated all holidays by lifting the ban. There is a legend that plum pudding became a Christmas dish during the time of George I, who received the nickname Pudding King. In 1714, during Christmas celebrations, plum pudding was served at royal table and has since become an integral attribute of the royal Christmas meals. The pudding's finest hour came in the middle of the 19th century thanks to Queen Victoria, becoming a mandatory item for Christmas dinner in all levels of society.
There are several traditions associated with the preparation of plum pudding.
The pudding should be prepared on the 25th Sunday after Trinity from 13 ingredients, which symbolized Christ and His disciples.
All family members had to have a hand in kneading the dough. While stirring, be sure to make a wish. A silver coin was placed in the pudding mixture to attract wealth, sometimes a silver thimble (for frugality) or a tiny anchor to symbolize safe harbor. Before serving, the pudding was generously poured with brandy or rum and set on fire. Since puddings could be stored for a very long time, many families saved them until Easter.
IN Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" the atmosphere of enthusiastic anticipation that preceded the appearance of plum pudding is conveyed:
How come the pudding didnât arrive! Oh, how it will fall apart when they take it out of the mold! Well, how they stole it while they were having fun and devouring the goose! Some intruder could climb over the fence, get into the yard and steal the pudding from the back door! Such assumptions made the younger Cratchits freeze with fear. In a word, what horrors came to mind here!
Attention! Steam started pouring into the room! This pudding has been taken out of the cauldron. It smelled like laundry! This is from a wet napkin. Now it smells like being near a tavern, when there is a pastry shop nearby, and a laundress lives in the next house! Well, of course, they bring pudding!
And then Mrs. Cratchit appears - flushed, out of breath, but with a proud smile on her face and with a pudding on a dish - so unusually hard and strong that it most closely resembles a pockmarked cannonball. The pudding is engulfed in flames from burning rum on all sides and decorated with a Christmas sprig of holly stuck into the very top.
Oh wonderful pudding!â
Christmas plum pudding recipe
Ingredients :
150 g currants
150 g raisins
150 g chopped prunes
175 ml cognac or brandy
100 g wheat flour
125 g fresh bread crumbs ( white loaf)
150 g butter
150 g sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Πteaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
zest of 1 lemon
3 large eggs
1 medium apple (peeled and grated)
2 tablespoons honey
Mix currants, raisins and prunes with cognac, cover with film and leave overnight.
In a large bowl, combine all pudding ingredients.
Thoroughly grease the pan in which the pudding will be prepared. Transfer the pudding mixture into the mold, pressing firmly with a spoon. Place the form on water bath into a larger saucepan filled with water. Cover the pudding tightly parchment paper, and wrap the top tightly with foil and tie this âlidâ with a thick thread - so that water does not accidentally get inside the mold during the boiling process. When the water boils, reduce the heat and cook the pudding over low heat for 5 hours. Be sure to keep an eye on the water level in the large saucepan by constantly adding water.
Cover the finished pudding with a plate and carefully turn it over. Wrap the cooled pudding in parchment and leave it in a cool, dry place for a couple of weeks to ripen (preferably a month). Once every 5-7 days, âfeedâ the pudding with a spoon of cognac (brandy), after making several punctures.
Before serving, heat the pudding, pour in cognac or rum and set it on fire.
In "A Christmas Carol" Dickens mentions traditional drink Christmas holidays, which received the name as a result of translation âChristmas mulled wineâ. The original source indicates the exact name - Smoking Bishop, which translates asâsmoking bishop" This drink, made from port, red wine, Seville oranges and cloves, was extremely popular in Victorian England. The strange name is associated with a bowl shaped like a bishop's myrtle. The drink was served in such bowls at banquets of guilds and universities back in the Middle Ages. There were also numerous variants of mulled wine under the general name âchurchâ - âsmoking archbishopâ, where port was replaced with claret, âsmoking cardinalâ with champagne, âsmoking daddyâ with Burgundy, and finally, âsmoking beadleâ - made from ginger wine with the addition of raisins .
Bitter-sour Seville oranges (oranginas) give the drink spicy taste, but in modern recipes they are often replaced by more affordable oranges and lemons.
Mulled wine âSmoking Bishopâ
Ingredients:
5 oranges
1 lemon
œ cup sugar
1 bottle of semi-dry red wine
1 bottle of port
30 cloves
Cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks (to taste)
Preheat the oven to 160C. Wash the oranges and âstudâ them with cloves. Place them on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 1 hour.
Transfer to a large glass or ceramic bowl. Pour red wine over the oranges and add sugar. Cover the bowl and leave to infuse in a warm place for 12 hours.
Remove the oranges, cut them in half and squeeze the juice into the wine. Add lemon juice. Strain the wine mixture into a saucepan.
Add port wine, spices (can be sweetened to taste) and place the drink on slow fire. Do not bring to a boil! Serve mulled wine hot, garnished orange zest, cut with ribbon.
These are joyful days - days of mercy, kindness, forgiveness. These are the only days in the entire calendar when people, as if by tacit agreement, freely open their hearts to each other and see in their neighbors, even the poor and disadvantaged, the same people as themselves, wandering the same road to the grave with them, and not some beings of a different breed who should take a different path.<âŠ>I believe that Christmas brings me good and will continue to bring good, and long live Christmas!â
âA Christmas Carolâ, Charles Dickens
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Culture
Christmas is one of the most beloved and long-awaited Christian holidays, celebrated all over the world, although on different dates. For many, this holiday is associated with happiness, fun and a great mood, and this at a time when the weather outside the window may leave much to be desired. At Christmas it is customary to gather with family, friends and relatives and cook delicious dishes, which will be discussed. Find out what dishes Christians from the region prefer to treat themselves to at Christmas. different countries peace.
1) Eastern Europe
In Eastern European countries, on Christmas Eve it is customary to cook Lenten dishes without meat, since before this it is customary to keep the Christmas fast. The next day you can cook meat dishes. Among the Slavic peoples, on Christmas it is customary to remember deceased relatives and loved ones and even leave a place at the table with food for them.
Traditional Christmas dishes in the Czech Republic are fried carp And potato salad. This tradition appeared when the country began to large quantities raise fish in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is also customary to prepare various Christmas cookies that are given to guests. Preparations for Christmas begin long before the holiday itself.
2) Peru
On Christmas Eve, the whole family usually gets together for a big turkey dinner. stuffed with minced meat and nuts and topped with fresh pineapple slices and cherries, roasted potatoes and applesauce. For dessert, marzipan, raisins, almonds and panettone cake are served with a cup of hot chocolate. At midnight, someone says toasts, people exchange wishes, hug. Then they take their seats in the living room and begin to sing Christmas songs.
3) Finland
The Christmas table in Finland is rich in various dishes, most of which, however, are associated with the season. The main dish is usually Christmas ham, which is eaten with mustard or bread, not forgetting about other dishes. Fish may be served - lutefisk (fish soaked in lye) or gravlax (salted salmon), as well as liver casserole with raisins, potatoes, rice and carrots. Drinks include mulled wine (warmed wine with spices).
4) Canada
In the English part of Canada, Christmas dinners are not much different from English or American ones. Traditionally, they serve a stuffed turkey with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, vegetables, and raisin pudding for dessert. Gogol-mogol - milk punch with beaten eggs and alcohol - is a very popular drink during the winter holidays. They also serve cakes with butter cream, shortbread, which is traditionally baked on the eve of Christmas.
Immigrants brought with them many of their own dishes and traditions. In the French part of Canada, as you might guess, French customs are most followed.
5) Denmark
In Denmark, the traditional Christmas table is set on December 24th. They serve either baked pork or goose. The meat dish is served with potatoes, red cabbage or sauce. For dessert - rice pudding, often with almonds inside. Anyone who gets a nut will have good luck next year. Traditional Christmas drinks are mulled wine and beer, which is specially made for Christmas. These drinks have high content alcohol.
6) Holland
Christmas dinner in Holland is somewhat different from traditions in neighboring countries. One of the Dutch traditions is the "gourmet". Small groups of people get together, everyone brings their own frying pan and cooks their dish in small quantity. The owner prepares chopped vegetables in advance and different types meat and fish, shrimp. All dishes are complemented with various salads, fruits and sauces. The tradition probably came to Holland from Indonesia, a former colony.
The Dutch love to cook traditional European dishes for Christmas, including fried beef, rabbit, pheasant or glazed ham. Meat served with different vegetables and salads. IN last years In Holland, the traditions of the Anglo-Saxon countries became very popular. As in England, they began to cook turkeys for Christmas.
7) France
In France and some French-speaking countries, Christmas celebrations begin on the evening of December 24th. The French call this holiday rĂ©veillon(Dinner on Christmas night) from the word rĂ©veilâ âawakeningâ, since according to tradition, participants must stay up virtually all night or at least until midnight. Traditional dishes: goose or duck liver, oysters, smoked salmon, lobster, roast duck, goose or turkey with chestnuts. For dessert there is a traditional Christmas cake called Buche de Noel with chocolate or nut flavor, which is made in the shape of a log. The preferred drink is champagne.
8) New Zealand
Because of New Zealand has been a colony of Great Britain for a long time; many traditions of celebrating Christmas came here with the British. At Christmas they prepare a baked turkey with vegetables, sometimes stuffed, topped with cranberry sauce. Baked ham may sometimes be served as a main course, and lamb is also very popular here.
One important difference from English Christmas feasts is the absence of the goose, as these birds are not raised in New Zealand, and the government prohibits the import of foreign meat products. For dessert, in almost all cases, Christmas pudding (or raisin pudding) and sweet butter with brandy are prepared. These dishes also came from England. Many other dishes can also be found on the New Zealand Christmas table, including German cupcakes, French log cake Buche de Noel, and Italian panettone cake. However, these dishes are the exception rather than the rule. Since New Zealanders are forced to celebrate Christmas not in winter, but in summer, they like to celebrate it outdoors, with seasonal fruits and berries served on the table. Also a very popular Christmas dessert is Pavlova cake, made from whipped egg whites and fruit.
9) UK
For the British, Christmas celebrations begin in the afternoon. On holiday dinner they serve baked turkey or goose (sometimes duck, but it depends on the number of guests), sometimes they offer baked ham or suckling pig, fried potatoes, boiled or steamed vegetables, especially Brussels sprouts, sausage stew, cranberry sauce. For dessert - pudding and sweet butter with brandy.
In England, the tradition of cooking turkey for Christmas arose quite quickly. At first, in medieval England, either peacock or wild boar was prepared as a main course. After the French Jesuits introduced turkeys to England, the birds became a staple at Christmas starting in the 18th century.
In Great Britain, it is traditional to share the breastbone of a bird at Christmas, thus predicting the future. This slingshot-shaped bone is taken by 2 people who begin to pull both ends in different directions. As a result, after it breaks, the person who has the long bone left in his hand remains the winner, he will be lucky all year, and the other person will be the opposite.
10) USA
Many Christmas traditions in the United States were borrowed from England and other European countries, however, this is not surprising, since the first settlers were Europeans. The main dishes for Christmas in America will be turkey, cranberry sauce, corn, pumpkin and green beans. For dessert, they serve what the family loves according to their ethnicity, but often cook pumpkin pie, marzipan, cookies, panettone pie, fruit cake, Apple pie, carrot cake and others. Instead of turkey, you can cook roasted beef, since turkey is the main dish for Thanksgiving in November.
It is customary to cook in different states different dishes For example, in Hawaii - teriyaki sauce, in Virginia - oysters and ham pie, and in the Midwest - Scandinavian dishes - lutefisk, turnip dishes. In the southwest, especially in New Mexico - pozole soup, tamal (meat stewed with corn), bizcochito cookies and others.
Christmas is celebrated by almost everyone and is eagerly awaited all over the world. Each nation puts its own special meaning into this holiday, which is reflected in culinary traditions. HELLO.RU tells what is served on the festive Christmas table in France, Great Britain, the USA, Japan and other countries.
France
Le Reveillon, also known as the Christmas log - traditional french dessert, which is almost always served with champagne. In appearance, it most closely resembles a fallen log, sprinkled with âsnowâ from powdered sugar, around which meringue mushrooms âgrowâ.
Christmas "log"
The main dish on the Christmas table is roast goose stuffed with chestnuts, or turkey, either simply fried or baked in white wine. Also on Christmas, the French treat themselves to delicacies: foie gras (pate from goose liver), oysters (both fresh and salted or smoked), and cheeses are served for dessert.
Great Britain
The traditional English Christmas food is pudding and stuffed turkey With vegetable side dish and gooseberry sauce. Pudding (plum-pudding) is made from bread crumbs, flour, lard, raisins, eggs and various spices. The most spectacular detail of this recipe is that before serving, the pudding is doused with rum, set on fire and placed on the table flaming.
Christmas pudding
In Scotland, Ireland and Wales, it is customary to serve roast pork or lamb, as well as baked goose and blood sausage for Christmas dinner. And they wash it all down with sherry and whiskey.
As in many other countries, in America traditional dish considered a stuffed turkey. The turkey is stuffed with everything: bread, cheese, prunes, garlic, beans, mushrooms, apples, cabbage. In addition, turkey is served as a side dish. mashed potatoes, boiled corn kernels and Brussels sprouts or broccoli. Cooked turkey is often served with cranberry sauce. They also prepare a Christmas eggnog cocktail. This is a sweet drink made from raw eggs and milk. 
Japan
Under Western influence, Japan also began to celebrate Christmas. True, the Japanese holiday table is very different from the traditional dishes of Europe and America. Thus, a holiday is not complete without cold appetizers âo-sechi-ryoriâ - cold beans with rice, rice cakes, pickled and fresh vegetables. They also serve foods that the Japanese believe bring happiness: seaweed gives joy, fried chestnuts - success in business, peas and beans - health, boiled fish - calmness, good spirits, herring caviar - a happy family, many children. The meal is very restrained without excessive fun and alcohol consumption, which is quite natural for this country.
Japanese Christmas cakes
Austria
In Austria, goose, duck, chicken, and turkey dishes are not served on the Christmas table due to an ancient superstition. They believe that you canât eat a bird that evening - happiness will fly away. Instead, the Austrians serve various dishes from flour. On Christmas Eve, bread is placed on the table, which symbolizes the unification of the family and clan. They also prepare various dough products with filling: sweet, sour, without filling, etc. under the general name Krapfen, as well as apple strudel.
Austrian apple strudel
For Christmas dinner they can serve: traditional porridge Bachlkoch, which is boiled in milk and poured over butter and honey; Mettensuppe (strong broth); sausages; pork and beef with horseradish and sauerkraut; Wiener Schnitzel; fish dishes(carp).
Spain
In Spain, the grapevine has long been considered a symbol of abundance and a happy family home. It is not surprising that the Spaniards, when the clock strikes at midnight, eat twelve grapes - according to the number of strokes of the clock - and make 12 wishes.
According to tradition, holiday tables in this country are filled with meat dishes: roast lamb, turkey, suckling pig, smoked sausage and ham. On the first day of Christmas, soups made from shellfish and other seafood are served. All this is washed down with sherry. For dessert they serve: almond soup, honey-nut halva (turron), milk rice porridge etc. They also eat special ritual cookies.
Traditional spanish turron
Germany
In Germany, the traditional dish on Christmas Eve is fried carp or pickled herring, and on Christmas Day they serve roast goose with apples or pork with sauerkraut. A dish brightly decorated with apples, nuts, raisins and pies is also a must. There is also symbolism here: the apple is the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, nuts with their hard shell and tasty core symbolize the mysteries and difficulties of life. In Germany they say: âGod gave the nut, and man must crack it.â
Special ritual cookies
Italy
Regular dishes of the Christmas meal are roasted meat, Italian snacks assorted dishes, pastas and wine. Symbols of health, longevity, prosperity on festive table Prominent, as in Spain and Germany, are grapes and nuts. Meat dishes pay special attention, here they prefer to cook pork leg (zampone) - it is boiled in a bag made of the skin of the hind leg of the pork, maintaining its shape, and also pork sausage(kotekino), it is boiled for at least two hours and served hot.
Traditional Italian sausage - cotecchino
Probably each of us, from school English lessons, knows no less (if not more) about British Christmas traditions than even about our own. About decorating the Christmas tree, about the so-called Boxing-day, about the big family dinner, about a big roast turkey, Christmas pudding, pies called mince pies... Do you know how exactly these dishes appeared? When did turkey win the hearts of the British? Or why there is no meat in mince pies (although, judging by the name, English speakers should understand me)? I offer a short excursion into history.
Roast turkey appeared on English Christmas tables relatively recently. The birds were first brought from North America during Tudor times and immediately became a favorite at grand feasts all year round. But they were especially good in winter. Roasting required a lot of effort, equipment and people, so having baked meat on the table was a sign of prosperity. An alternative to turkey on the tables of the rich was peacock or swan, which were eaten at Christmas until the 19th century. For people with less income or fewer friends, the goose was the best option.
In the Victorian era, working-class people often joined what was known as a âgoose club,â saving money each month to buy a bird for Christmas. But for a real British Christmas, there had to be beef on the table, along with poultry. And even after slicing a bird or a large piece of meat for common table went out of fashion, many families, including Queen Victoria's, had a huge piece of beef in stock.
Christmas pudding, first named as such in 1845, has roots in Roman and medieval stews. By the Tudor period, stews of meat and root vegetables were often served, to which breadcrumbs were added for thickness and lots of spices. At that time, spices were very expensive, so they were associated with the holiday and therefore with Christmas.
In the 18th century, plum soup intervened in the course of history, which was thickened, lard and sugar were added, the amount of meat was reduced and they began to cook in fabric bags. These puddings appeared around the 17th century and over the next 200 years became an integral and popular part of British cuisine. Plum pudding (as Christmas pudding was known for a long time) could be prepared months in advance, making it a very practical dish.
Sweet Christmas pies (mince meat) originate from the Middle Ages. They were huge open pies with meat (usually lamb), dried fruits, lard, spices and sugar. They cost a fortune, but kept well and made ideal gifts. By the 18th century, meat began to slowly disappear from the recipe, and other recipes came in its place, with lemon or apple. Each family had its own recipe, and meat periodically appeared in pies until it completely disappeared by the 20th century.
Almost no holiday, including Christmas, is complete without drinks. Even in the 16th century, people complained that the holiday was just an excuse to eat and drink a lot. For centuries, most drinks (even everyday drinks) were alcoholic to some degree because water was associated with poverty. On holidays, preference was given to strong ales and wines, punch and mulled wine, loved by both Georgians and Victorians. In Dickens's A Christmas Carol, the Cratchit family drinks gin punch made with spices. hot water, lemon and ginger wine.
Until the mid-Victorian period, Christmas dinner was served à la Française (in French). Up to 3 dishes were served, and for each serving there were from 5 to 10 dishes. It is interesting that beef and pudding were the main courses, because it was unwise to serve a rich pudding at the end of the meal.
Advent was once a time of fasting and preparation for the celebration of Christmas. In the Middle Ages, the 12 days of Christmas came after 24 days of abstinence - the exact opposite of modern times, where Christmas comes when the English are already fed up with mince pies.
