CHRISTMAS IS A BEAUTIFUL TIME, SPENT TOGETHER WITH FAMILY. EVERY COUNTRY HAS SOME TRADITIONS. SIMILARLY, HOLIDAYS ARE CELEBRATED IN MOST COUNTRIES OF OUR CULTURAL CIRCLE. ALTHOUGH NATURALLY THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES. THEY ARE USUALLY DUE TO THE FACT OF HOW RELIGIOUS PREMISES ARE PERCEIVED IN A GIVEN COMMUNITY. BELOW WE WILL OUTLINE WHAT DIFFERENCES PREVAIL IN GREECE AND POLAND.
Dodekaimero – the holiday season in Greece
GREEK CUISINE, IS A RIVER TOPIC! ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN TO THE COUNTRY AT LEAST ONCE AND FOR AT LEAST A FEW DAYS HAS FOUND THIS OUT. GREEK CUISINE DIFFERS DEPENDING ON THE REGION, BUT ALSO DEPENDING ON THE DATE THAT IS IN THE CALENDAR. THEREFORE, IT CAN BE INFERRED THAT DURING CHRISTMAS THE TYPICAL GREEK TABLE WILL BE COLORFUL WITH WONDERFULLY TASTY DISHES. THIS IS IN FACT THE CASE, BUT… THE CHRISTMAS CUISINE OF GREECE IS VERY SURPRISING!
DURING CHRISTMAS EVE, A TYPICAL GREEK DINNER WILL FEATURE HEAVY, CONCRETE DISHES, ESPECIALLY MEAT. SO THE REIGNING KING ARE LOINS ROASTED FOR HOURS IN THE OVEN, STEAKS, MEAT ROULADES STUFFED WITH VEGETABLES OR CHEESE. GREEK CHRISTMAS EVE WILL THEREFORE BE A REAL PARADISE FOR LOVERS OF HEAVY, MEATY CUISINE.
ONE, TWO, OR THREE SUGGESTIONS FOR MEAT MAIN DISHES, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE FAMILY, BUT THERE WILL ALSO BE MANY MEZEDES, OR APPETIZERS, ON THE TABLE. ALSO AT CHRISTMAS, THERE MUST NECESSARILY BE FETA CHEESE, WHICH IS AVAILABLE IN ANY REGULAR LIDL STORE. A SIMPLE PIECE OF FETA, POURED WITH OLIVE OIL, SPRINKLED WITH OREGANO CAN BE ADDITIONALLY BAKED WITH TOMATOES.
AS WITH ANY TYPICAL DINNER, GREEK TABLES WILL ALSO FEATURE HOMEMADE FRENCH FRIES, WHICH IN GREECE ARE OFTEN FRIED IN OLIVE OIL, POTATOES BAKED IN THE OVEN WITH LOTS OF LEMON, OR PLAIN RICE.
MELOMAKARONA AND KOURABIEDES! THAT’S THE NAME OF THE TWO TYPES OF PASTRIES THAT, OF ALL THE DISHES, ARE THE MOST CHARACTERISTIC OF GREEK CHRISTMAS. MELOMAKARONA ARE MOIST PASTRIES TOPPED WITH A HONEY GLAZE AND SPRINKLED WITH NUTS. KOURABIEDES ARE FAIRLY SIMPLE, CRUMBLY BUTTER COOKIES COATED IN POWDERED SUGAR. OFTEN ALMOND NUTS ARE PUT INTO THEIR DOUGH. TO EAT THEM AT CHRISTMAS, GREEKS WAIT ALL YEAR ROUND!
RED BORSCHT IS A CLASSIC OF THE CHRISTMAS EVE TABLE. IN SOME HOMES IT IS PREPARED ON SOURDOUGH. MOST OFTEN SERVED ACCOMPANIED BY RAVIOLI, PASTIES WITH CABBAGE AND MUSHROOMS OR JAS BEANS, WHICH IS AN INGREDIENT OF BORSCHT SERVED IN PODHALE.
MUSHROOM SOUP IS, NEXT TO BORSCHT, THE MOST POPULAR SOUP SERVED ON THE CHRISTMAS EVE TABLE. MANY PEOPLE CAN NOT IMAGINE CHRISTMAS WITHOUT IT, BUT ALSO A LOT OF HOUSEWIVES DO NOT KNOW IT AT ALL. TRADITIONALLY, THIS SOUP IS SERVED WITH ŁAZANKI.
FRIED CARP IS UNDOUBTEDLY A CHRISTMAS EVE DISH. AN INTERESTING ALTERNATIVE IS CARP IN JELLY OR CARP IN JEWISH STYLE.
DUMPLINGS WITH DRIED PLUMS ARE ALSO A POPULAR HOLIDAY TREAT. DUMPLINGS IN THE SWEET VERSION ARE HOSTED IN MANY HOMES DURING THE HOLIDAYS. DUMPLINGS WITH MUSHROOMS SERVED AS A STAND-ALONE DISH OR AS AN ACCOMPANIMENT TO BORSCHT.
COMPOTE OF DRIED PLUMS IS A VERY TASTY ADDITION TO HOLIDAY MEALS. I KNOW THAT NOT EVERYONE IS FOND OF IT, DUE TO ITS SPECIFIC TASTE AND SMELL. WITH ME A MUST-HAVE ITEM
POPPY SEED CAKE IS A HOLIDAY DESSERT THAT IS HOSTED IN MANY SILESIAN HOMES. THE BASIC INGREDIENT OF THIS DESSERT IS GOOD QUALITY POPPY SEEDS, WHEAT ROLLS OR CHALLAH, MILK AND NUTS.
KUTIA WHICH IS THE MOST CHRISTMAS DESSERT FROM ACROSS THE EASTERN BORDER. THE MAIN INGREDIENTS ARE WHEAT AND POPPY SEEDS, WITH YOUR FAVORITE NUTS. MOCHKA IS A SILESIAN SWEET GINGERBREAD DISH WITH LOTS OF NUTS.
IN CONCLUSION, CHRISTMAS IN POLAND AND GREECE ARE CELEBRATED QUITE DIFFERENTLY. YOU CAN SEE MANY DIFFERENCES IN DISHES AND TRADITIONS. IN POLAND THESE HOLIDAYS ARE CELEBRATED VERY POMPOUSLY AND CEREMONIOUSLY, WHILE GREEKS CELEBRATE THEM IN AN INTIMATE CIRCLE OR OVER DINNER IN A RESTAURANT.
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