From turkey to Brussels sprouts, find out why these foods are traditional for Christmas, and what goes into making them.

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Christmas turkey 

Why?

Volume and ease! Historically, the turkey was seen as a cheaper option, pound for pound than chicken, easier to cook than beef, and more plentiful than venison. But it was also the easiest single-source-food that could feed the entire family, from the grandparents to the cousins.

With turkeys generally weighing from 5 kilogrammes (11 pounds) to 9 kilogrammes (20 pounds), you could easily feed up to 20 people per bird.

How?

Roasted and served with stuffing. The classic stuffing is made with bread, herbs and aromatics. However, stuffing is also made with nuts, fruits, sausage, and even cheese.

When buying a turkey for average eaters, the general rule when it comes to weight is 450 grams (1 pound) per person.

The one downside with turkey is the potential to overcook it and end up with dry breast meat, which is why it’s always served with gravy.

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Mince Pies 

Why?

The mince pie is quintessentially British and still has a presence at some Christmas dinners locally. How quintessential is it? While Hollywood has taught us to leave cookies and milk out for Father Christmas, the British prefer a hearty mince pie and brandy.

The history of the mince pie dates back centuries when they were costlier to make, thus only suited for special occasions – like Christmas.

How?

Despite its name, which will have the average person imagining minced meat in a pie, mince pie contains no meat at all. Although they did in the past, the recipes began to shift over time, by first including fruits and nuts, then spices, before the meat was excluded altogether for what has become more of a dessert pie.

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Brussels sprouts

Why?

Because every feast needs greens! But more likely, because the fall and winter is their harvest season.

These tightly rolled up little cabbage balls are resilient in the cold, meaning they could even be picked out in the snow, on Christmas Eve.

How?

The can be consumed blanched, sautéed or roasted; eaten whole, halved or thinly sliced; most commonly, and deliciously cooked and served with bacon.

The sprouts however, have always had a polarising reputation, with some (including yours truly) loving them, while others taste nothing but bitterness.

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Yule log cake

Why?

The Yule log was, once upon a time, an actual log, from an actual tree that was chopped down and burned over the 12 days of Christmas to keep the family warm.

However, with modern day heating systems, this was no longer necessary. Thus, the Yule log cake became a symbol of the past.

Given that Malaysia doesn’t experience winter, we eat it because we like pretty looking chocolate desserts. 

How?

The core of the Yule log is a rolled sponge cake with butter cream, whipped cream or chocolate ganache making up the filling and outer layers. The cake is decorated to look like a tree bark and therefore the old Yule log itself.

Few people actually make their own Yule logs at home, but if you are one of them, please consider dropping us an invitation.

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Eggnog

Why?

Eggnog is not common in Malaysia, although it isn’t impossible to find this custardy drink that has long held the position of the ‘Christmas drink’ in America.

A combination of the hearty and heaty, the drink can be made with alcohol or without it, but it’s best with alcohol for reasons listed below.

How?

Raw eggs, sugar, milk or cream and alcohol make up the base of eggnog. The alcohol plays a double role in the drink because it warms up its drinker while killing bacteria from the raw eggs.

Spices like cinnamon or nutmeg are also added for depth of flavour.

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Stollen bread

Why?

Because it’s not fruitcake! The Christollen’s history is that it was specifically a Christmas bread, baked during the advent and made to look like a bundled-up infant Jesus. But it built itself off of a poor history of limitations, because bakers in Germany were only allowed to bake with flour, yeast and oil.

But over the centuries, as butter, fruits and nuts made their way into this loaf, it became the delightful bread that we continue to enjoy today.

How?

A dense and heavy bread, that is made with a variety of fillings – from dried fruit, to raisins, to a variety of nuts, pastes, and seeds. The Stollen is also topped with confectionary sugar, just to give it that ‘white Christmas’ magic.

Now that you know why you're eating them, go ahead, have as much as you like and have a very Merry Christmas!!

(Stollen photo: Mandarin Oriental KL)

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