Linguistic Recipe. Culture, Language and the Holiday Dinner.

Dear Colleagues,

During the Holiday Season most people celebrate by getting together with family and friends, going back home to visit and share a special meal. Everywhere the motivation is the same but the meal is not. While some cultures cook a turkey, others eat pork (lechón) and some have a goose. In Latin America the culinary tradition is reach and it is showcased during the Christmas season. I have enjoyed many traditional Mexican Christmas dinners.  Mexicans gather on December 24 to eat and have fun. Adults and children participate on this very important celebration of their Mexicanidad (Mexican identity)

A Mexican Christmas eve (Noche Buena) dinner consists of Bacalao (codfish) a stew fixed with olive oil, olives, potatoes, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. You can also find as part of this traditional meal Romeritos (stringy-looking Mexican greens that taste like spinach) with nopales (cactus paddles) dried shrimp, and Mexican mole.  Caldo de camarón (spicy shrimp consommé)   is a most for La cena de Navidad, and you can often find pierna al horno (baked pork ham) ensalada de manzana (apple salad) and espagueti al horno (baked spaghetti with butter) as part of this festive meal. To wash it all down Mexicans drink ponche, a fruity beverage made of guayaba (guava) caña de azúcar (sugar cane) tejocote (Mexican hawthorn fruit) ciruela pasa (prune) manzana (apple) naranja (orange) canela (cinnamon) jamaica (hibiscus flower) azúcar (sugar) and ron (rum) or tequila.   Family, friends, and this traditional meal are an essential part of a Mexican Christmas celebration.

Now that I have shared a very Mexican traditional meal, I invite you all to share your country cultural and culinary traditions with the rest of us.

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