Discussion Cooking Traditions

[k-dom]

Ok I'm a bit late but, the 2d of February, it's Chandeleur in France and we have the tradition to eat crêpes. We make the pastry without sugar so that we can fill them with salty or sugary ingredients. Originaly it is a christian event but I'm pretty sure everyone has forgoten about it.

In your countries, what are the tradition/events related to food ? Do you follow them and do you know where they come from ?

 

[steelwingcrash1]

Oh, I know one here in the Philippines.

Filipinos celebrate devotedly the Lechon Festival (Roasted Pig Festival) in various provinces here in the country.

I don't want to think of my own essay of it, so I just pasted the information:

"In the Philippines, it is not unusual for lechon or whole roast pig to grace any Filipino fiesta table. Parada ng Lechon is a parade of golden-red and crispy roasted pigs. The delicious aroma of this sumptuous dish led the locals of Balayan and Batangas to commemorate the feast of St. John, their patron saint on 24 June with the presence of the delectable, crispy lechon.

On the event day , a mass is held at the Immaculate Conception Church. After the mass, at least, 50 lechons are gathered in anticipation of the celebration. The parade proceeds after the holding of blessing of the pigs and people in St. Johns' name. At this celebration, one can witness a hilarious sight when the roast pigs are dressed according to the theme of the participating social organizations. Some of the lechon are dressed in wigs, sunglasses, raincoats, or whatever the decorators fancy. After the fiesta, the lechons are then brought back to their respective club headquarters or home for yet another celebration of drinking and feasting. As for those who believe in the spirit of sharing, they will gracefully give away their prized lechons to the crowd of audience.

Since the Lechon Parade coincides with the feast of St. John the Baptist, be prepared to get wet as people observe the feast by repeating the ritual of baptism - pouring water. The water-dousing funfare officially ends at 12:00 noon, but nevertheless, some folks usually extends the merriment up to the wee hours of the next day."

Source: http://www.etravelpilipinas.com/events_festivals/parada_ng_lechon.htm

 

[Kaiten]

Thanksgiving is probably the most famous American cooking tradition. Thanksgiving is our harvest holiday, we celebrate the first successful harvest by the settlers of New England. It's a holiday to spend with family, watch (American) Football, and eat a lot of food. Roast Turkey is so traditional I can't even imagine having anything else for the main course. Stuffing, candied yams, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie are usually served with it. Among other things, of course. Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November. My birthday is the same week, I love when my birthday falls on Thanksgiving.

 

[k-dom]

I was wondering if the turkey was a things only seen in series but it seems it's still a strong tradition. In france the family meal is usually for christmas ( at least for christian families ), but there are no really imposed mealed also the dessert is most of the time a buche de noël

Another winter cooking tradition is the galette des rois. It's a special cake eaten the first week of january for the Epiphanie ( the visit of the 3 kings to baby Jesus). Inside the cake, a porcelain ( or plastic) charm is hidden. The one who eat the slice who contains it becomes king. With marketing this tradition has become so popular than one can find these galettes in supermarkets from the end of November. Since it's beginning of january, it's not rare to have galette days at works with your collegues to feat the new year

 

[steelwingcrash1]

In the Philippines, every new year, we are entitled to present 12 types of round fruits (apples, oranges, etc.) on the table for our Media Noche (Mid Banquet)

This is to symbolize success, fruition, and luck all throughout the twelve months of the incoming year.

 

[k-dom]

Does everyone do it or is it a set of 12 fruits for the all family/friends ?

 

[Roflkopt3r]

It's not for a set date to my knowledge, but typical (nothern) German food around the christmas period would be a goose with dumplings and red cabbage.
We had a friend from Switzerland as a guest short before christmas. He originally came from Germany and said that he tried desperatly, but couldn't find a goose to buy in southern Germany or Switzerland

With the typical hefty sauce to it, it really "feels" like winter food when it's all about beeing warm and having a lot of nutrition value. Nothing I could eat during summertime, it's just too much.

 

[k-dom]

Honnestly I have rarely eaten goose myself. And most of it was in paté or rillette forms. The poultries for feast are more the turkey, the guineafowl or duck.

 

[steelwingcrash1]

Does everyone do it or is it a set of 12 fruits for the all family/friends ?

Every family celebrating New Year's Eve does it. The whole 12 fruits are for the whole family. Imagine eating all those luscious round-n-sexy fruits.

 

[k-dom]

Yes especially when you think to the limited choice of fruits we have here in Europe for new years eve :-))

 

[steelwingcrash1]

Christmas dining in the Philippines is one of the most sacred. For Catholic Christians, we always cook a bountiful food (and I mean, large scale food) that will last for the entire Christmas day (Dec. 25). Usually, relatives visit our home and eat what we serve for them. Of course, vice-versa is also true: we also go to their houses and eat the food they prepared for us!

Christmas may be a fun day, but for people who are conscious in what they are eating, that day is a horrible one because you are forced to eat as many as you can.

 

[k-dom]

Easter is coming I'm pretty sure there are some cooking tradition about that christian fest.
Well in France there is not really other things that the chocolateceggs. Basically Easter is the second occasion to stuff oneself of chocolate after Christmas

 

[faintsmile1992]

Do people have hot cross buns outside England? I bake them.

 

[k-dom]

Never seen here so far. It really seems like a british tradition, although i suppose it was exported in the colonies now.
The french wikipedia page states that there are superstitions associated to them ? Is it still the case ( even if is justfor fun ) ?

 

[faintsmile1992]

I just looked at some om the superstitions and I hadn't even heard of them except for one.

 

[Conner89]

I don't wait for any event as far as eating tradition is concerned. Seems to be funny but I'm really telling
truth. Its always depend on the mood.
Suppose, last night at 2:30, I decide to try Chinese, called a friend and we a found an open restaurant
near the river bank. It was memorable.