Christmas is one of the biggest celebrations around the world, steeped in many traditions involving gifts, food, and spending time with loved ones.
The culinary traditions that decorate festive tables vary greatly from culture to culture, and in this variation is also a celebration of our diversity.
Traditions
Roast Turkey is, of course, a Christmas staple in the UK and America.
The making and eating of festive bread, Panettone, comes from Italy. With a soft and airy texture, it takes several days to make because of the fermentation process. It is traditionally flavoured with candied citrus and raisins; however, popular modern adaptations include chocolate, pistachio, or limoncello.
Stollen originates from Germany. This is a rich, fruit-studded bread that is covered in powdered sugar. It is said to resemble a swaddled baby Jesus, giving it symbolic meaning.
Buche de Noel is better known as Yule log cake, and originates from France and Switzerland. It is a light sponge, wrapped around a buttercream filling, which is said to symbolise the practice of burning a log in the hearth on Christmas Eve. It is decorated with a frosting resembling tree bark.
Commercial Kitchens
As the end of the year and Christmas approach, commercial kitchens across the world will be preparing traditional festive food fayre for the masses.
Specialist suppliers such as www.targetcatering.co.uk/kitchen-extraction/commercial-kitchen-extraction provide caterers with a range of equipment, such as commercial kitchen extraction systems.
Specialist equipment helps to ensure a safe environment in commercial kitchens, where staff can get on with preparing delicious seasonal treats.
