Festive Food
Calendar
Food and festivals go hand in hand, and there are hundreds of festivals of festivals around the world throughout the year. We have chosen a few of the more well-known once and arranged them by month so that, if you can have a go at cooking some of the traditional dishes and Specialities for each festival.
JANUARY-MARCH
On 25 January, Scotland celebrates the memory of its most famous poet, Robert Burns. Scottish people enjoy a special dinner in which the main course is a dish called haggis. This is a sheep’s stomach which is stuffed with meat, onions and oatmeal. In many counties around the world, valentine’s day is celebrated on 14 February. People send each other cards, chocolates and heart-shaped biscuits. Couples go out for a romantic meal at a restaurant.
APRIL-JUNE
May is the month when the people of Teramo, ltaly celebrate Sagra delle Virtù. They prepare minestrone, a kind of thick soup made with a large number of winter and fresh spaing vegetables. As part of the festival, much of the soup is traditionally served to the poor.
Midsummer is celebrated on 24 June in many countries in many different ways. In Finland and Sweden, people make garlands with flowers ,light big bonfires , dance traditional dances and eat lots of smoked and pickled fish.
JULY-SEPTEMBER
Independence Day is a big celebration in the United States, and it takes place on 4 July. Across the country, there are firework displays and people enjoy barbecues and picnics . popular food include hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, potato salad, baked beans and corn on the cob.
Started by the large Caribbean population who live there, the Notting Hill Carnival has become a huge international street festival which takes place in London ,English , at the end of August every year. Thousands of people line the streets to watch the colourful parade , dancing to the rhythm of funky Caribbean music. There are many stslls sells selling a range of exotic foods from all parts of the world.
OCTOBER-DECEMBER
On the very last day of October, people in the UK, Canada and the USA celebrate Halloween. They dress up in scary outfits and have parties where they eat toffee apples and a wide variety of sweets and biscuit. Bonfire Night , also called Guy Fawkes’ Night, is a celebration that is unique to UK. It is celebration on 5 November , when people light huge bonfires and let off fireworks. They eat potatoes baked in the ashes of the fire, cinder toffee and a sticky cake called parkin.
31 December is New Year’s Eve and the people in Scotland celebration Hogmanay. Parties last well into the early hours of the following day, with people eating traditional Scottish food such as shortbread and Dundee cake as well as enjoying a traditional roast dinner.
Perhaps you know of some traditional dishes that we haven’t mentioned or you might have some interesting recipes you’d like to share. If so, we’d like to hear from you. Please write to our usual address.