Foodie Celebrations Around the World

Throughout the year, there are so many meaningful celebrations in cultures across the globe. Whilst all of these may differ in their purpose, one thing we’re absolutely sure of is… they all have DELICIOUS FOOD in common. Let’s have a look at 5 beautiful festivities that will transcend you straight to foodie heaven! 

1. Cinco de Mayo

Translating to the ‘5th of May’, many people mistake Cinco de Mayo to be Mexico’s independence day, but it is actually the victory over the French Empire in the Battle of Puebla, 1862. Given that this holiday pays homage to Mexican culture and heritage, it would be SO wrong to not deep dive into just some of the iconic dishes that are loved by many…

Fish Tacos: The classic and healthier fish taco is a favourite! A slightly battered white fish, spices, shredded cabbage, white sauce, salsa or guacamole cuddle up closely in a taco. In competition to the traditional soft shell taco (tortilla based), the hard-shell taco has been giving it a run for its money! 

Nachos: With over 1.8 billion search results on Google, it’s fair to say that a life without nachos is not one we’d want to imagine! The ultimate loaded nachos consist of classic tortilla chips with salsa, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, beans and meat - give or take! 

Mexican Flan: Light and creamy with a mix between a custard and cake-like consistency - a highly popular dessert made of sweet dreams! Flan originates back to the Roman Empire, which was then a savoury dish. Now, Mexican flan tends to have a syrupy caramel top; YES please.

2. Christmas 

Christmas time… the ‘out of office’ emails are on and the mulled wine is flowing! What better way is there to ring in the birth of Jesus than being with family, friends, and indulging in traditional winter warmer feasts - which happen to date back centuries to British origin!

Roast turkey: As you can imagine, millions of turkeys are bought around the festive season! However, it was only in the 19th century that turkeys began to become more popular in England, hence shaping our Xmas meals as we know them.

All the trimmings: So, given the staggering statistic above, you would assume that turkey is the Xmas favourite… right? Well not quite - this spot is taken up by the sexy roast potato, and to be honest, we get it! Along with the crispy spuds, a helping of roast veg can include carrots, Brussel sprouts, parsnips, cabbage and pigs in blankets. 

Gravy & Cranberry Sauce: Having your plate covered (or drowned) in thick veg or meat gravy, aka a warm hug for your belly, is a staple to the typical Xmas dinner. Whilst the gravy has a hearty and rich flavour, the cranberry sauce shakes things up with a more tangy, sharp and fruity base! 

3. Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, aka Lunar New Year, continues across 15 days, and billions (yes, billions) around the world engage in cultural traditions and eating foods that symbolise good health and fortune. Let’s take a look at some of the classic dishes that are particularly enjoyed for the festivities: 

Dumplings: Representing wealth and family, round dumplings are a must-have for the occasion! Commonly, dumplings are filled with ground meat such as pork or beef, and vegetables wrapped in a thin sheet of dough. Given how versatile dumplings are, the way you make them can be completely down to preference!

Longevity Noodles: Just as it says in the name, these uncut and lucky noodles manifest longevity - it is even said that it’s important to not cut into them when eating to live a long and healthy life!

Spring rolls: Similar to dumplings, spring rolls also represent wealth and prosperity. In fact, the lucky quote for eating spring rolls is ‘hwung-jin wan-lyang’, which means ‘a ton of gold’! These deep-fried and savoury rolls are usually filled with meat or vegetables.

4. Eid

Celebrated by Muslims globally, Eid is a joyous occasion that comes after Ramadan - a month of fasting dedicated to charity and gratitude. Given this, Eid is a time of relishing magnificent traditional feasts in the company of loved ones! To pick a few, common dishes at the dinner table can include…

Biryani: A classic, versatile, one-pot fragrant rice dish that can be cooked up with either vegetables or meat, plus tons of colourful spices. This extremely popular South Asian dish is a flavoursome explosion for the taste buds!

Sheer Khurma: Eid is well known for its sweet treats; Sheer Khurma is a simple but tasty winner! Sheer translates to ‘milk’, whilst ‘khurma’ means dates - two of the main ingredients of the rich and runny dessert! Sugar and a variation of nuts are also added, and the best part is that it can be served hot or cold.

Baklava: Although its origin isn’t certain, the delectable Baklava is super popular in Turkish and Greek cuisines. Baklava has layered pastry for days filled with nuts and honey syrup! Some people add their own twist to the traditional baklava by adding alternatives such as Nutella, Oreos, Biscoff - the list goes on!

5. Oktoberfest

Don’t be fooled by the name… although Oktoberfest claims a month in its name, it is in fact mainly celebrated from mid-September onwards! Oktoberfest is the world's largest beer festival, held annually in Munich, Germany. People gather from all over the world to take part in fantastic parades, dress up in folk costumes, and feast on German cuisine, such as… 

Pretzels: Ahh, an essential snack that works with anything! Pretzels have a golden crisp exterior with a warm inside, topped with salt, sugar, or both! Depending on your mood, you can choose your dip accordingly, maybe even Obatzda - a German beer cheese!

Bratwurst: Would Oktoberfest be complete without these hearty German sausages? The reason we love Brats so much is that the possibilities are endless. You can have it in rolls, with a side of potatoes, salad, pepper, onions, all the sauces, sauerkraut… or maybe even all of the above?

Potato dumplings: The perfect sides to main meals such as stews, roasts and soups. These dumplings consist of rounded, creamy and seasoned potatoes. To us, this is the type of thing we’d go for as warm comfort food!

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