Indulging in Andalucía’s festive flavours is a top 1 activity during the Christmas holiday. Of course, Christmas is about people, togetherness, family, friends. It is about singing villancicos together, gathering around the fire. Christmas is celebrated in large groups so you can already imagine what Spaniards do best in times of celebration when surrounded by those they love. They eat. Festive dates are celebrated with food, a lot of food. Let us guide you through the sensory experience, exploring how the Spanish celebrate the holiday. Merry Christmas!
Christmas Eve
In Spain it is much more common to celebrate Christmas Eve, on December 24th, rather than Christmas morning, on December 25th. There is something about celebrating Christmas in the evening that makes it that much more special. The candle light, the smell of the burning wood in the chimney, the sparkling decorations in the light… It is pure magic.
When the family gathers together, it means that literally the whole family comes together. With ease you will find that a group between 20-50 people will be celebrating together. Uncles and aunties, cousins, grandmothers and grandfathers, boyfriend and girlfriends, newborns… Everyone is invited and everyone brings food. Just imagine how much food is presented on the table.
The Table of Food
Like always, there are several courses: to start the tapitas, then the starters, the mains, then the dessert and when you thought we were finished, then come the copas or coffee, with polvorones. There is food for days. And what is Christmas without and experience like this one? Let’s dive into the specifics!
Tapitas
Let your imagination unwind and you can probably guess what tapas are presented on the table. Ham, cheese(s), chorizo, salchichón, lomo, picos, olives, altramuces… And no, it is not one plate of ham and cheese. There are as many plates as fit on the tables. And no, it is not a pack of ham, but it is a whole leg! And between meals and drinks, it is very common to keep cutting off slices of ham as a guilty pleasure snack! If that wasn’t enough, get ready for the filled eggs: a cooked egg cut in half with a creamy tuna-based filling.
Starters
By the time you are done with the tapitas you might feel pretty satisfied already. The delicious snacks prepare your stomach for what is yet to come! The most famous starters revolve around the sea: Marisco & Gambas. Again, there will be several plated with cooked and grilled shrimp, all served with a fantastic cocktail sauce (salsa rosa). Mussels and clams also form part of this culinary journey. Here in the South gambas and marisco are so engrained in the culture, that you will see them served at almost any celebration. Another dish that forms part of the starters is soup. This can be any kind of soup but almond soup is quite popular! Other popular soups are of course the fish or marisco soups, or sopa de picadillo, mushroom soup…
Big Boy Food
The main course, the most important course. The largest course. Something very special is expected here and this is also exactly the reason why it is common for there to be several main dishes so the whole family can choose what they eat and how much they serve themselves. It is safe to say that almost always the main course will be meat. Not any kind of meat, but the largest piece of meat they could find in the store. Common options are lamb, T-bone steaks, turkey and chicken. There are endless ways of preparing these meats. Though what they have in common is that they are all served with different kinds of potatoes and vegetables. The potatoes can be served as crunchy fries or patatas a lo pobre.
How are you holding on? Do you have more space in your stomach for the desserts? Get ready, because here they come!
Desserts
For those with a sweet tooth, this is the favourite part of the night. There are cakes of all sizes and shapes, ranging from lemon cake, cheese cake, 3-layered chocolate cake, custard cake… Furthermore, there is turrón, also polvorones and of course, mantecados to finish the evening with style. No Andalusian Christmas is complete without the delightful duo of turron and polvorones. Turron, a nougat confection, hails from Moorish influences and comes in various forms—soft or hard, almond or hazelnut. Polvorones, crumbly shortbread-like cookies, are a heavenly blend of ground almonds, flour, sugar, and lard. These sweet treats, often shared among family and friends, set the festive tone with their melt-in-your-mouth goodness.
Sipping and Nibbling Tradition
As the day winds down, a sip of anisette, a traditional Andalusian liqueur, complements the sweetness of mantecados. These small bites encapsulate the essence of Christmas in Andalucía, inviting friends and family to linger, savour, and share the spirit of the season.
In Andalucía, Christmas is not just a time for exchanging gifts; it’s a celebration of culinary heritage, a symphony of flavors that echoes through generations. As you savor each bite and raise a toast to the season, may the warmth of Andalusian traditions fill your heart with joy and your palate with the magic of Christmas. ¡Feliz Navidad!
Merry Christmas to all!
Danielle Ernstsen | 26th December 2023