Polish team

Folk customs in Poland 

Culinary specialties from Poland

Croatian team

Folk customs in Croatia - during Christmas and New Year

Children especially rejoice in St. Nicholas, when they receive gifts in boots, and naughty kids whip from Krampus.

 St. Nicholas  

What is Christmas weat?

What is Christmas?

Culinary specialties from Croatia

Nutella rolls

 Homemade sausages, kulen, bacon, prosciutto with cheese.  

The texture of the meat may be somewhat gelatinous due to the amount of collagen in the young pig. Serve with French salad or bean and onion salad.

Greek team

Folk customs in Greece - during Christmas and New Year

Christmas is a very important festival in Greece and traditionally food plays a major role. This is a good chance for families to come together over the decorated table and try Christmas food prepared by the housewife. The traditional Christmas celebration lasts for 13 days, from Christmas Eve until Epiphany on January 6th, the day when the baptism of Jesus Christ is symbolically celebrated.

As our country is a maritime country, the Greeks traditionally decorate boats for Christmas. This custom survives today in seaside towns and islands, where people decorate Christmas boats in the central squares. 

The Christmas tree is a foreign custom for Greece and it was brought by Otto, the first king of the country, who was of Bavarian origin. Over the years, the Christmas tree was integrated in the local cultural and now the Greeks decorate fir trees in their homes and in squares of mountainous towns.

Nikos P

On Christmas Eve, New Year Eve and Epiphany Eve children go out door to door singing 'kalanda' (carols). They play drums and triangles as they sing and add at the end some verse that wishes the head of the household a long life and prosperity:

"Σ’ αυτό το σπίτι που ‘ρθαμε, πέτρα να μη ραγίσει

κι ο νοικοκύρης του σπιτιού χρόνια πολλά να ζήσει." 

meaning:

"In this house we have come no stone may ever crack

And the landlord may live for many years."

When they finish, people give them money, as well things to eat like melomakarona, kourabiedes. 

Savvoula K

According to the Greek folk tradition, from Christmas Day until the Epiphany Day, that live underground come up to the Earth to tease and play pranks with people. Based to myths these are little monsters with bandy legs and arms, hunched backs, large ears, strange eyes and all kinds of deformities. All over the year, the hobgoblins live under the ground and saw the tree of the year. Around Christmas, when their sawing is nearly done, they go up to the world. On Epiphany Day, the village priest goes from house to house around the village and sprinkles with blessed water the rooms of the houses so that the hobgoblins return underground.

Tim S

The Greek Festival of Epiphany, or 'The Blessing of the Waters', is held every year on January 6 throughout all of Greece. This is the special occasion when many daring young Greek men brave the chilly waters to dive for a cross after it has been blessed by a priest and thrown into the water. For his gallantry, the first man who recovers the cross is said to have good luck throughout the coming year. 

Christmas bread: Χριστόψωμο (Christopsomo). 

For the Greeks, making this Christmas bread is like making an offering to Christ. We make this offering with special care and love. We feel it will strengthen the wellbeing, health and happiness of our household. 

Traditionally the lady of the house makes the bread. She mixes wonderful ingredients like walnuts and raisins into the dough. To make the bread sweeter she adds some sugar or honey.After making the dough, she uses the largest part to make the Christmas bread. There is usually an entire walnut in the middle of the cross. We decorate it with pieces of dough, nuts and sesame seeds.

Vasilis F Foteini A

The top among all Christmas desserts in Greece is Saint Basil’s Cake, called Vassilopita. This is a cake that is cut right after the coming of the New Year, which actually means a little after midnight, or at the lunch of New Year’s Day. The special thing about vassilopita is that it is baked with a coin inside. Whoever finds the coin in their piece of cake is expected to have much luck for the entire coming year. 

After midnight on New Year’s Eve, the family and friends gather around the table and the householder or housewife starts cutting the pieces. The first piece is for Christ, the second for Virgin Mary, the third for the poors, the fourth for the house and then the householder cuts pieces for the members of the table by order of age.In the old times, in the villages they cut a pice for the animals and one for their fields,too.

The slice that is for the poor is given to the first person that knocks the door for help.

Culinary specialties from Greece

Melomakarona and kourabiedes are the two varieties of Christmas and New Year's cookies in Greece. 

Melomakarona are incredibly soft, moist and flavorsome cookies soaked in a delicious honey syrup. Adding hot cookies to the syrup is crucial as that will help the cookies absorb that delicious honey. For an authentic last touch we sprinkle the melomakarona with chopped walnuts and just a pinch of cinnamon.

Kourabiedes are soft, fluffy cookies with a crunchy bite and rich almond (or pistachio if you are feeling adventurous) and butter flavour garnished with luscious layers of icing sugar.

Achilleas F

Diples get their name from the Greek word διπλώνω (diplono) meaning “fold” and are a traditional festive dessert that is very popular around Christmas time throughout Greece. They are thin sheets of dough that are folded while being fried into a crispy package that is drizzled with honey and dusted with cinnamon and ground walnuts.

Omaties or mpompari  look like sausages, but they are not ...They are stuffed with rice, onions, cinnamon, pork heart, pork kidney, pork spleen and pork lungs.

Sausages are made by pork gut stuffed with pork meat and fat, pepper, salt, cinnamon,zest of orange, leek, oregano, paprika and boukhovo.

Nikos P

Chicken soup avgolemono is a familiar dish in Greeks homes. It's served as the first course at the main meal of Christmas or New Year's day. It's a chicken and rice soup made with the famous mixture of eggs and lemon juice (avgolemono).

Another favorite winter dish that combines the succulent flavors of braised pork, celery, and the beloved avgolemono and is eaten in Christmas meals is Pork stew with celery. 

Lachanodolmades or sarmades

A traditional greek recipe of cabbage rolls stuffed with mince meat and rice that is connected to family meal and moments! A delicious and special dish, ideal for all our special moments!

Foteini A.

Serbian team

Folk customs in Serbia - during Christmas and New Year

The day before Christmas

The day before Christmas, the host of the house went to the forest early in the morning and cut down an oak branch and brought it in front of the house. We call this oak branch "Badnjak". The women in the house make Christmas cakes and prepare food for Christmas.

Badnjak

What is Badnjak?

"Badnjak" is a young oak or cer tree (branch) that is brought into the house in the evening, the day before Christmas.

            Straw

After "Badnjak", straw is brought into the house. Straw is sprinkled all over the house. Women put sweets and small gifts for children in the straw, under the table. This straw symbolizes the straw in the cave where Christ was born.

Christmas

The happiest holiday of all holidays in Serbia

    7th January

Položajnik is the special Guest who first came to the house on Christmas.

Položajnik is a man who brings happiness to the house on Christmas and next year.

Culinary specialties from Serbia

Česnica

"Česnica" is a type of bread that is kneaded for Christmas. Before baking, a metal coin is placed in it.

Before Christmas lunch, česnica  is broken into as many parts as there are people in the house. The person who gets the part of česnice in which  the money is, will be happy all next year.

Sarma

Sarma is one of the staples of traditional cuisine, especially during the winter months. 

Sarma consists of a filling that is snugly surrounded by leaves or leafy vegetables. There are numerous versions of this dish but the mixture typically combines ingredients such as minced meat, rice, various herbs, seasonings, red pepper, pepper, while the typical wrapping usually includes vine, cabbage, or sauerkraut leaves, or a variety of leafy vegetables. 

The dish is usually accompanied by plain yogurt, mashed potatoes, and crusty bread on the side.

Gibanica

Gibanica is a traditional pie-like dish that combines dough filling with a creamy combination of cheese and eggs.

The most popular version of this versatile pie is popularly known as gužvara, in which the sheets of filled dough are soaked in a creamy mixture of fresh cow's cheese and eggs. The leaves are then stacked in layers and baked in a pan.

In Serbia, gibanica is usually combined with yogurt and makes the perfect food for breakfast or snack.

Gomboce or knedle sa šljivama

https://www.tasteatlas.com/serbia 

Gomboce or knedle sa šljivama are plum-filled dumplings consumed throughout the Balkans, especially in Serbia and Croatia. The dough is made with potatoes, eggs, and flour. The potatoes should be cooked in their own skin, peeled, then mashed before they are combined with other ingredients.

Once prepared, the dough is rolled and plums are placed in the middle of each square, which is then assembled into a dumpling. These dumplings are boiled, then rolled in a combination of breadcrumbs, sugar, and (optionally) butter for the best experience.

Vasina torta or Vasa's cake

Vasina torta or Vasa's cake is an absolute classic of Serbian cuisine consisting of a walnut sponge base, a creamy filling made with walnuts, chocolate, and oranges, and two additional toppings – šaum (a mixture of egg whites, sugar, and a bit of water) and chocolate.

The cake dates back to 1908, when it was prepared as a gift from a mother-in-law to her son-in-law, Vasa Čokrljan from Paraćin, who took his wife to Vienna so she could give birth in better conditions than in Serbia. It should be noted that oranges were a real treasure in Serbia in 1908, which is one of the main reasons why this cake was so precious and valuable.

Since then, the cake became a staple in every Serbian home, and it is regularly prepared for festive events such as birthdays and weddings.

Turkish team

Folk customs in Turkey

In our traditional "BAYRAMs"  

we have 2 religious "bayram" in Turkey. First one is Ramadan. In the month of "Ramadan" muslims (most of them) fast from dawn to sunset (apprx. 16-17 hours) While fasting,we CANT eat,drink or have sex. At dinner time, we break our fast with date,water or olives. we generally have soup first because it is easy to digest after being very hungry.

We fast for 30 days.After 30 days,we celebrate "BAYRAM".Before 2-3 days of Bayram,women clean the houses, make desserts. Our famous dessert for Bayram is Turkish Baklava. It is a dough and pistachio dessert.on Bayram days, people wear the cleanest and the most beuatiful dresses. we visit elderly parents or relatives.Little children kiss their parents' and relatives2 hands. As a gift,parents give the little kids pocket money in a handkerchif. Kids go to the neighbours and say "eid mubarak" -iyi bayramlar" and get candies. Everybody is cheerful. 2.Bayram is Sacrifice Feast.(eid al adha) Men go to the mosque very early and pray for God.after that,we have breakfast and men go to the cows market(which means they choose cattle.)After choosing,a butchers slaughter the cows,bulls according to the Islamic rules.Other featurs are the same as Ramadan Bayram.

Culinary specialties from Turkey

Lahmacun

Lahmacun is a kind of stuffed pide in Middle Eastern cuisine,with ground meat,parsley, onion, garlic, spices, “isot” (Turkish chili peppper) cooked with stone oven without frying.

Ingredients for dough

2red pepper 4 glasses flour

3 green pepper 2 teaspoons salt

2 onions 1 teaspoon sugar

1bunch of parsley 2 glasses water

2 tomatoes Mix all the ingredients.knead the dough.

Shape like a walnut size. Roll it with a Rolling pin.Put Lahmacun staff on it.Then bake it in a stone oven.

1tablespoon tomato paste

½ teaspoon paprika

1 teacup oil

A bunch of salt

A pinch of salt

The history of “Lahmacun” dates back to Babyloonians.It is an oriental dish. It is sometimes called Turkish pizza.

Aşure

It is rumoured that the existence story of Aşure began with the Flood of Noah.Hz Noah was persecuted by his people and prayed fort o be forgiven. God orders Noah to build a very large ship. He takes the believers, who believe in God, and the great flood breaks out.Only believers who get on the ship will be saved.They take a pair of food to the ship.This stays on the sea for months.During this time, the food they took with them starts to run out of.They collect the remaining food and start to cook a soup. It is sometimes cooked hot but generally it is served cold. It should at least 25 ingredients.

Ingredients

Milk

Salt

Black pepper

rice

Clove

Almond

Sugar

currants

Fig

Walnut

Chickpea

Haricot bean

Split wheat

Nut

Apple

Dried apricot

Pekmez ( Turkish grape syrup)

Dried raisin

Water

Cinnamon

Process:

First, soak split wheat,haricot bean and chickpea before a day night. Next day, boil them. After boiling, add other ingredients oneby one. Stirring constantly, add all the ingredients. Put them into small bowls and decorate with pomegranade.

Baklava (Turkish dessert)

There are various rumurs about baklava. It can date back to Assyrians. It could belong to first Turkmens, Middle East or South Asia.

Ingredents

Flour

Eggs

Milk

Sunflower oil

Baking poweder

Vinegar

Salt

For syrup

Water

Sugar

Lemon juice

Step 1: Start kneading by adding flour adding all the ingredients. Get a dough does not stick to the hand.

Step 2: Divide the dough 24 pieces. (meringue )

Step 3: sprinkle plenty of starch on the counter, roll out the dough size of a small plate.

Step 4: Cover the pieces with a clean cloth and let them rest for 40 mins.

Step 5:Lightly starch the countertop.Then ,sprinkle starch on the meringues put a few of them on the top of each other and start opening them to the on the top of each other and start opening them to the width of your tray.

Step 6: after applying the some process to the all meringe seperate the each other and lay one of them on a greased tray.

Step 7: divide the dough into two as bottom layers and the top layer.

Step 8: sprinkle the peanuts in the middle.

Step 9: after removing the other layers and applying melted butter on it, bak efor 10 mins in the oven heated to 195 degrees.The lower the oven to 180 degrees and bak efor 35 more minutes.

iş Kebap (Shis Kebap)

Trimmed lamb

Onion

Vegetables (pepper,tomato)

A shish kebab typically consists of meat and vegetables on a skewer and is usually grilled. It can contain lamb, beef, fish, or chicken as well as vegetables like green peppers, onions, and mushrooms.

According to tradition, the dish was invented by medieval soldiers who used their swords to grill meat over open-field fires.

Romanian team

Folk customs in Romania - during Christmas and New Year

    In Romania, Christmas is celebrated according to the new style on December 25, and according to the old one, on January 7.

There is no family who does not prepare for Christmas. It's a really important holiday for everyone.

    For the Christmas holidays, the most beautiful tradition is singing carols. Carols are the songs with which children, young people or even adults greet the coming of Christ on earth.

    Carolers go from house to house, dressed in various traditional costumes and share happiness among all people.

Culinary specialties from Romania

Jordanian team

Folk customs in Jordan 

Culinary specialties from Jordan