Happy (Food) Holidays from Around the Globe
More often than not, holiday traditions = food traditions. Every family’s are unique to them, even if they follow some of the local customs. A myriad of global cuisines are represented in the Upstate, and a few of those restaurant owners are sharing their personal food traditions with us this holiday season.
Pour a cup of holiday cheer, nestle into a cozy chair, and read on for some delicious, heart- and belly-warming food tales from here and around the world.
Gifted by: Team OTGG
Images: Provided
Erika Mejia-Dila, owner and chef, of Califas:
”We make Honduran tamales for every holiday or when there’s a big gathering. It’s very labor intensive. When I was small I would make them with my mom, and it would take us a day and a half to make 200.”
(Pictured: Erika’s family recipe for Honduran tamales uses plantain leaves, white and red masa, potatoes, rice, peas, onions, pork or chicken, and olives.)
Meredith Bost, owner and chef, of Resident Diner:
”The only real tradition we have is cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. Just generic ol’ out-of-a-can cinnamon rolls. We’ve always worked a lot, so we like to keep Christmas Day super low-key, just me and Greg and Hugo. I cook pretty much every other day of the year so from the beginning of our family Christmases together, that’s been the move. It’s not real festive, but it’s incredibly nice to actually enjoy a couple of cups of coffee not on my feet or in the car and eat some sweet comfort food that I didn’t have to make myself!”
Jay Desai, owner of Green Laundry Lounge:
”We have two popular Indian cold festival drinks: Rose Falooda (pictured) and another one is Custard Milk with apple, grapes, pomegranate, and banana. Fruit salad is special during winter festivals like Diwali and Hindu New Year. Falooda drink is more during summer months.” (Get both family recipes here.)
Roberto Cortez and Gina Cortez Petti, owners of Asada Restaurant:
”We make and eat Gallina Rellena, a traditional Nicaraguan dish usually served during Christmas and New Year’s, to be enjoyed with family and friends. Ours is a family recipe that has been passed down and it’s a roasted chicken with stuffing made with pork, celery, carrots, prunes, and bread. We also enjoy a drink after midnight mass on December 24th, called Ponche Navideño, which is a hot spiked cider with fruit in it.”
Katie Chaney, owner and proprietor of Hester General Store:
”One of my family's fun holiday traditions is making Beef Wellington on Christmas. I always go get a beef tenderloin from Revival Butchery and make it myself. Instead of the traditional puff pastry, we use the pie dough from Hester General Store and fold it multiple times. It feels like a more formal meal, but we always enjoy it in our pajamas after a long baking season. “
Anna Okupinski, co-owner, of The Community Tap:
”My family LOVES to cook and we love to eat. We love to experiment, we love to savor, we love to share recipes, we love to discuss... Our Christmas Eve tradition for years has been for each family at my mother's home in the Pettigru district, for everyone to bring a dish or two to share.
“Seems pretty standard—but this is not a potluck-style, fill-your-plate-then-stuff-your-face type gathering. Every dish is carefully prepared and presented one at a time throughout the evening. Often we move throughout the house/space for the dishes—one is enjoyed around the kitchen counter, another in the living room, another outside around the fire, and then maybe/finally around the dining room table.
“The evening almost turns into a progressive tasting: each course is discussed as we go—where the ingredients came from, how it's prepared if there's a story—while that family also shares their gifts with the rest of the family, one by one.
“The theme for the past few years has been "7 Fishes," which is an addition to the tradition from Mike's family!... His family has done this for years, with seven seafood-based dishes.”
Anna’s 2021 ‘7 Fishes’ Menu
Smoked Mussels on Crackers (my mom actually shucked and smoked the mussels herself)
Caviar "Bumps" with Champagne (from the Tap, of course)
Smoked Salmon florets
Scallop with Persimmon Ceviche served in shells
Seared Octopus with mixed greens
Lobster Tails
Squid Ink Linguini with Shrimp
“I adore this evening so much—because of the time we take to appreciate the food, the company, and LASTLY/leastly the gifts. I think for many families the gifts end up being the centerpiece of the gathering, this evening is the opposite. We take time to appreciate the love and effort put into the recipes, time to appreciate the experience of eating said dishes, and then giving of gifts carefully and thoughtfully with moments to appreciate each giver and each recipient.”
A Bonus Gift from Team OTGG:
“You know it’s a Jewish holiday when you can smell matzoh ball soup wafting through our home. Pair it with some chopped liver pâté, roast brisket, sweet kugel, challah and a very jealous salad peering from the kitchen counter. 😉 Jewish traditions most often take place with family and friends at home.” — Jackie Shapiro Brooker
“My holiday food tradition is bourbon milk punch. It goes great with pecan pie and any sweet, really. It's an excellent alternative to eggnog.” — Ashley Hay Mitchell
“Since I was a child, we’ve made monkey bread (pull apart bread) on Christmas morning. The whole family gets involved. Now that I have my own children, they help me and love rolling the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mix. While it bakes, we open presents. We serve it alongside fluffy eggs, candied bacon, and holiday mimosas (orange and cranberry juice with bubbles). And then we nap.” — Ariel H. Turner
Whether your own food traditions are as formal as a seven-course progressive dinner or as simple as popping open some dough in a can, we hope your holidays are merry and bright. Cheers!