Ahh the turkey, the pies, the cookies, and all of those fill-your-heart side dishes. The foods we eat on Christmas bring us to a happy and warm place, and are a big part of what brings us all together each year. As with many traditions that we enjoy, they’ve been around since well before our time, so we don’t know where they come from. With America being the melting pot that it is, the traditions are numerous. So let’s look at a few & see where three of our Christmas food traditions came from.
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Egg Nog
Get 7 facts of Egg Nog from vinepair.com
Like many of our Christmas traditions, Egg Nog has it’s roots in Britain. Some say the drink dates back to medieval times and a drink called posset which consisted of hot curdled milk, ale or wine & spices. The term “Nog” is believed to come from two slang words-Rum was referred to as grog and the drink was served in small wooden mugs called noggins (yep, like your head). The egg was an ingredient the wealthy could afford. There was no short supply of eggs when the drink made it’s way to the United States, so the Egg Nog we know today has pretty much been the same since 18th century America. For more of a history (and recipes through the years) of our favorite & maybe strangest drink, take a look at Egg Nog historian Frederick Opie’s blog.
2. Christmas Cookies
Another tradition coming from medieval times, Christmas cookies were enjoyed as biscuits, until the 16th century, when they become popular all across Europe, with Germany, Sweden, and Norway all having their own national favorites. During the late 1800s, cookie cutters became available in America, and were an affordable way to bake up batches. They started to appear in cookbooks, as they do today.
3. Fruit Cake
It seems to show up every year, so why is fruit cake a tradition? It actually dates all the way back to Ancient Rome. The recipe has changed over time, though we can give the middle ages credit for the recipes we know today. Cultures all over the world have their own fruit cakes, so don’t knock it. Traditions wouldn’t exist unless lots of people took part (nod to the closet fruit cake fans).
From the Italian seven seafoods, to Rosca de Reyes, plum pudding, Hanukkah latkes, and so so many other traditions of this season, one thing all holiday traditions have in common is the way they make us feel happy and at home.
