Christmas: the time of the year everyone is waiting for!

What does it actually mean to have a Greek Christmas time?

Christmas is connected with the values of family, friends, love and compassion. Christmas time is already here and kitchens start to smell like cinnamon and spice .The holidays are full of family dinners, name days and many occasions for gathering and eating together. It is a wonderful opportunity to dress up, gather with your loved ones and arrange a festive lunch or dinner to celebrate.

Every region of Greece prepares its own local Christmas dishes. Each area specializes in a dessert, a main dish, or even an ingredient. That way we have a plethora of genuine traditional recipes that represent us in local and national level.

Preparation of the dinner is a family procedure. One way or another every family member is involved into it. The “cook” decides what dishes to prepare and the grocery list is getting ready. Then it is time for shopping and in-house arrangements. Regarding recipes, a typical start for a festive dinner would be a warm comforting chicken soup ,by Kenton Kotsiris, ideal for welcoming your guests. This soup is made with a technique called “avgolemono”, when whisked egg whites are added into it and gets a thicker creamier texture.

Also a less typical but authentic Greek recipe from Diane Kochilas is that of leek tart with metsovone cheese, a smoked P.D.O. Greek cheese with rich flavor.This recipe would be ideal as a cozy appetizer as it is preparing the guests for more intense flavors up next.

But roasted turkey is a relatively new addition to the festive main dishes. Most traditional main course dishes ask for meat like pork or lamb cooked either in the oven, or in casserole. One classic Greek recipe is pork with lemon and celery, or with dry fruits and nuts. The side dishes which come along are generally based on rice or potato, but not in their simple edition. A typical Greek dinners also has at least 1 – 2 salads in the middle, generally with vegetables of the season.

The typical Christmas bread with symbolic meaning and strong religious influences is called Christopsomo and is eaten on Christmas Day.

Every Christmas table has it desserts, and most of the times more than one. A typical Greek Christmas dessert is “Diples” that can be eaten any time of the day. Another famous Greek Christmas dessert is “Melomakarona”, a syrupy biscuit with winter herbs and spices.

The Greek Christmas menu doesn’t stop here. It has a long catalogue of appetizers, pies, main courses and desserts. It’s full of aromas, flavors and traditions that makes it unique and special.

We ‘d love if you share with us your own favorite Christmas recipes.

Our warmest wishes for Happy Holidays!

Greek Brands team

https://www.greekbrands.com