Season's Eatings podcast

When done right, it's sticky and dense, warmly spiced and distinctively dark in colour. While raisins, suet, brown sugar, spices and brandy can be found in most modern variations, the sweet, cake-like nature of today's pudding is a far cry from its early incarnations. So grab your fork because we're going in for a second helping of figgy pudding Website:  https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.com Face...

This holiday treat was found on the tables of many families during the 19 th and early 20 th centuries, but now it's usually found in a few key areas.   The main ingredient was so common, it was called the fast food of the nation.   While the main ingredient has been eaten for millennia, the holiday version has only been around for a few hundred years.   We're exploring the history and origins of...

This holiday dessert is a newer cousin to a traditional English favourite.   Filled with fruit and a little bit of spirits, this cake is a seasonal staple on tables throughout the Caribbean. It has now made its way across the world as people traveled for work and play.   We're exploring the history and origins of Jamaican Black Cake. https://sites.libsyn.com/271751/seasons-eatings-fruitcake Websit...

This donut shaped treat has its roots way back to the seventh century but emigrated to the United States in the early 1800s.   Its name reminds most of the jolly gift bringer who lives at the North Pole. They can come in many different flavours and colours.   They've even become the state pastry of Wisconsin.   We are exploring the history and origins of the kringle. Website: https://www.seasonsea...

Legend has it that the name for this dessert came from a cry of amazement from a boy at the sight of this gold-coloured cake! It stems from a tradition of women meeting on Christmas eve to bake together. This sweet cake resembles a Christmas star guiding the magi to the birth of Jesus.   Even the box in comes in can be used as a toy. We're exploring the history and origin of pandoro. Website: http...

This dish is found on the tables of many African countries during the holidays, as well as when there's a large gathering of people for a party or celebration.   While the basic ingredients are the same, there are many different variations depending on where you're from.   It has been debated so much, there was actually an online Twitter war on which country had the best recipe.   We're exploring...

This towering dessert almost resembles a children's stacking toy and sometimes there's a prize hidden inside.   Made with just a few ingredients, it can be a bit tricky to make and can sometimes take generations to perfect.   And while its origins may have started in Greece, it has now become a Scandinavian tradition for many families over the holidays.   We're exploring the history and origins of...

This sweet treat can be found in the candy dishes of many grandma's homes. Its origin has been lost to history but the mechanism used for this candy was created in America. The creator of this machine may be the bane of many children. The candy's extremely brittle consistency makes it easy to break off a piece for sharing. We're discovering the history and origins of ribbon candy. Website: https:/...

During the holiday season hundreds of these treats are made, sometimes by just one household.   Their name can be a bit confusing when first heard.   They have originated in Europe but have settled in America.   It's the cookie that isn't called a cookie.   We're exploring the history and origins of sand tarts. Website: https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seaso...

Merry Christmas!  This is a bonus episode to thank you all for listening.  Here are a few weird Newfoundland traditions from the past that happened around Christmas.  Thanks again for listening and please share this podcast with friends to spread the Christmas joy.   Website: https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seasonseatingspodcast Instagram: https://www.insta...

It's the Christmas eve tradition that may not be true to its name.   Friends and family gather together on Christmas eve in Italian households to have this large meal.   And it was recently featured on The Bear, the series about the trials and tribulations of restaurant life.   We're exploring the history and origins of the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Website: https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.com...

It's the spice which is the main ingredient in countless breads and cookies.   It has travelled the world, starting in Asia, through to Europe, and over to the Americas.   It has been used as medicine for thousands of years.   It's connection to Christmas started with a hermit in France.   We're exploring the history and origins of ginger. Website: https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.com Facebook: h...

While it may not be to everyone's taste this holiday food is a combination two different types of meat. It is served in a rich dark gravy and is a comfort food for many French Canadians. We are exploring the history and origins of pork hock stew. Website: https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seasonseatingspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seasonseatin...

While "the holidays" is not technically a scent, but we all know exactly what the phrase "smells like the holidays" means. Catching a whiff of those key spices evokes a warming feeling of comfort during the coldest months in the Northern Hemisphere.   It is the smell of mulled wine or the sweet citrus combination with orange. This spice's strong smell may have warded off evil. We're exploring the...

One can't go through the holiday season without hearing, seeing, or listening to a version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." It is often held up to be one of the quintessential markers of the traditional holiday meal.   I've talked about some of the food in the story and how it may have come from America.   https://sites.libsyn.com/271751/seasons-eatings-turkey https://sites.libsyn.com/2717...

This family of cakes can be found all over Europe and are produced quite unlike the more traditional way of baking in a pan.   It can be smooth or spiked and is decorated with chocolate, coconut, or spices. Broken in pieces or served as a tower, this holiday treat is sure to wow your guests.   We're exploring the history and origins of sakotis. Website: https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.com Facebo...

It's the spice that tops your holiday eggnog, in your Christmas baking and is even used in medicine.   Discovered in a remote Asian island, this spice has taken over the world.   The seed is actually the source of two different spices.   We're exploring the history and origin of nutmeg.   Website: https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seasonseatingspodcast Instag...

This holiday treat can be found all throughout the Netherlands.   It is said that eating this treat will save you from the wrath of a goddess.   And while it's a Christmas and New Year's delicacy, its beginnings can be found in Jewish culture.   We're exploring the history and origin of oliebollen.   Website: https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seasonseatingspo...

The rich spicy flavour is a favourite Christmas ingredient in recipes such as Christmas cakes, Christmas pudding, mince pies, cinnamon shortbread, Zimtsterne (Christmas stars), lebkuchen, mulled wine and glühwein. It was used as a culinary spice, a medicine and as an ingredient of oils and perfumes.   We're exploring the history and origins of cinnamon. Website: https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.c...

This holiday treat is enjoyed in many different countries across Europe but it's especially common in Russia and Lithuania.   It's made from the juice of the popular berry of the land and has a consistency that can vary from a liquid to thick enough to eat with a spoon.   During the holidays it's enjoyed on Christmas eve but it's available all year round. We're exploring the history and origins of...

For some people Christmas has come and gone, leftovers are being eaten and the decorations are being put away, but there's another holiday for millions of Christians around the world.   This sweet bread comes covered in various symbols and has a hidden prize inside.   We're celebrating an Orthodox Christmas and discovering the history and origins of cesnica.   https://sites.libsyn.com/271751/seaso...

This sweet treat was once only made during the holidays, or for grand special occasions.   It can be filled with your favourite fruit, cheese, or even savoury foods.   It has emigrated from Eastern Europe all the way to the south of Texas where people come from far and wide to make a pit stop.   We're exploring the history and origins of kolache. Website: https://www.seasonseatingspodcast.com Face...

This dessert has its origins in three European countries and can be linked to various members of royalty.   While it can be enjoyed for practically any occasion, this dessert is perfect for large gatherings so it would make sense to have it during the holidays.   While it traditionally comes is three flavours, nowadays, the combinations are endless.   We're exploring the history and origins of kug...

During the holiday season pies can be found on practically dessert buffet.   This dessert becomes a good way to use up older fruit before the winter season hits.   It can be considered a pie or a custard and has its origins dating back to the seventeenth century.   Mixed with a little citrus and a little more alcohol, this pie isn't what people think of when asked to bring something to the next ho...

It's Christmas eve and you've just set out a pint of Guinness for Santa alongside a mince pie.   Tomorrow you will have a feast surrounded by friends and family.   This cold dish starts its journey during the medieval times, but doesn't really become popular until a few centuries later.   Covered in a rich blend of spices, it's been called many different things over the ages.   Grab a nice thick s...