Oplatki
Oplatki, Christmas wafers shared by family members during Christmas dinner in Poland, hold cultural significance in Poland and other Eastern European countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus,...
https://www.chefspencil.com
All posts by Chef's Pencil Staff
Our editorial team is responsible for the research, creation, and publishing of in-house studies, original reports and articles on food trends, industry news and guides.
Polish Herring in Sour Cream (Śledź w Śmietanie)
Herring is one of the most popular types of fish in Poland. It’s no surprise then to see herring featured on the Christmas Eve dinner table in Poland. This herring...
Karelian Pies
Karelian pies have their origins in the Finnish region of Karelia, which is now part of Russia. However, certain traditional dishes, including these pies, continue to be integral to Finnish...
Shoyu Chicken
Chicken is a popular choice for holiday potluck in Hawaii and this recipe is a true crown pleaser. After all, who doesn’t love deliciously sweet-and-savory fried chicken? It’s made with...
Zupa Grzybowa (Polish Christmas Mushroom Soup)
This Polish soup is a lovely staple at the Christmas table and usually a part of the 12-dish meal on Christmas Eve. Many love making it year-round as well, however,...
Piernik (Polish Gingerbread)
Piernik is a delicious Polish treat that has the same aromatic sweetness of gingerbread but it takes a cake-like form! This Polish spiced honey cake goes back several centuries and...
Makowiec (Polish Poppy Seed Roll)
Polish poppy seed roll is a sweet strudel-like cake with a nutty and sweet poppy seed filling, traditionally made and served around Christmas. It’s often enjoyed as a dessert after...
Hawaiian Lau Lau
Lau lau, also spelled Lūʻau, is a traditional Polynesian dish made by wrapping meat (chicken, pork, fish or a combination of these three proteins) in taro (luau) and ti leaves...
Pasteles de Masa
Pasteles (or “pateles” as Hawaiians pronounce it), are a Puerto Rican Christmas dish adopted by Hawaii during the plantation era. Made with pork, beef, or seafood and mixed with green plantain masa,...
Fried Carp (Karp Smażony)
Fried carp holds a special place in Poland, particularly during Christmas. It’s a national dish often served on Christmas Eve (Wigilia), and its preparation varies among families—some prefer it coated,...
Sernik (Polish Cheesecake)
Sernik is perhaps one of the best appreciated Polish desserts, with a rich and creamy texture that never fails to impress. It’s made with twaróg, a type of fresh curd...
Kapusta Z Grochem (Polish Cabbage with Yellow Peas)
Kapusta Z Grochem (translated to “cabbage with peas”) is a vegetable side dish that the Polish enjoy especially at the Christmas Eve dinner. It’s a tradition dating back centuries, and...
Broas Castelares (Portuguese Sweet Potato Cookies)
Broas Castelares are Portuguese sweet potato cakes made especially for Christmas. Their creation is often attributed to the Castelar brothers who owned the Confeitaria Francesa in downtown Lisbon in 1860. They are...
Azevias de Natal
Azevias de Natal is a delicious dessert, typically enjoyed at Christmas time in Portugal. These little sweet pockets of flaky pastry are filled with a delicious chickpea mixture and a...
Formigos (Mexidos) de Natal
You can make the most unexpectedly delicious things out of the most simple ingredients. This traditional Portuguese dessert called Formigos de Natal are made of dry bread, dried fruit, nuts...
Popular German Christmas Food and Desserts
It is a cold winter evening, and people are gathering around little wooden stalls of a traditional German Christmas market, wrapping their hands around steaming mugs of mulled wine. The...
Akkoub
Akkoub is a wild plant that grows in parts of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. Akkoub belongs to the sunflower family and is harvested in early spring. The plant is...
Sago Pudding With Gula Melaka
Sago Pudding is one of the best Malaysian desserts. It is definitely unlike anything you’ve eaten before. The pearl sago is a type of starch that comes from the Sago...
Tortitas de Camarones (Shrimp Tortitas)
Shrimp tortitas (or “tortillitas”) are a Mexican dish that is served as a tapa throughout the year, although they are most enjoyed during Christmas time and Lent. Tortitas originate from...
Bacalao a La Mexicana (Mexican Salted Cod)
Bacalao is a mestizo dish, traditionally served at Christmas dinner in Mexico, and is of Spanish and indigenous heritage, and adapted with local ingredients. The Mexican version has olives, capers,...
Mexican Christmas Turkey (Pavo Navideño)
Pavo Navideño is traditional Mexican turkey dish that has a great history behind it. During the winter solstice, the Aztecs celebrated the so-called Panquetzaliztli, in which the god Huitzilopochtli was...
Arroz Amarillo Con Pollo (Yellow Rice with Chicken)
If Arroz Imperial is likened to the Cuban version of Lasagna, then Arroz Amarillo could be dubbed as the Cuban counterpart to Paella! The traditional version of this dish is...
Birria de Chivo (Mexican Goat Stew)
Bittia de Chivo is a Mexican goat meat stew, simmered in a sauce of ancho chilies and spices and cooked on low, low heat until it is melt-in-your-mouth and fall-off-the-bone...
Chilaquiles with Chicken
Chilaquiles are a perfect recipe to prepare if you had tortillas from the day before and since most families in Mexico do have leftover tortillas, this dish is one of...