Christmas Holiday Traditional Foods in Cozumel Mexico

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Christmas Holiday Traditional foods in Mexico include Ensalada de Nochebuena, Tamales, Bacalao, Romeritos, Pozole, Pavo, Buñuelos, and/or a  Ponche Navideño. You can expect to see  these dishes and beverage in  Mexican Homes or in restaurants menus.

Ensalada de Nochebuena

The  Ensalada de Noche Buena  is a very festive looking salad.  This salad usually has lettuce and beets. The other ingredients vary according to the place and the chef’s preference. The salad may include apple, carrot, orange, pineapple, jicama, pecans or peanuts, and pomegranate seeds as a garnish. The Ensalada de Noche Buena is served at the Christmas Eve dinner.

Tamales

Tamales are made from cornmeal, have a variety of fillings, wrapped in corn husks  or banana leaves,, and are  steamed. It is very time consuming to prepare tamales, making them a special holiday food – made a few times throughout the year, in large batches. Tamales vary from state to state in Mexico. Bacalao

Bacalao (dried salted codfish) starts showing up in markets and grocery stores throughout Mexico as Christmas approaches. This dish that originated in Europe has become a common part of a traditional Mexican Christmas feast. Bacalao a la Vizcaina is a popular recipe in which the cod is stewed with tomatoes, capers, olives, and potatoes. This  dish may be  prepared in a variety of ways. My Aunt makes this for us every year; her recipe is from Spain passed down from my grandmother. It is simple to make and delicious.   The Cozumel Sun has this recipe!

Romeritos

Romeritos are made with a small  green leaf vegetable from a plant that  resembles rosemary, for which it is named. The dish is most often served as Romeritos en Revoltijo, with shrimp cakes and doused in mole. This is a favorite of my Cozumel friends; I have not been able to warm up to it.  The Cozumel Sun has this recipe!

Pozole

Pozole is hominy soup made with pork or chicken and seasoned with Chile and garlic. It is served with garnishes of shredded lettuce or cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, avocado, oregano, and lime wedges. It makes a hearty meal and is made in large batches, making it a great party food.  Pozole is popular  at Christmas and  Mexican Independence Day meals.  If you have not had Pozole, you are missing out. It is a year around favorite in my household.

Pavo

Pavos are native to Mexico and a popular choice for a Mexican Christmas Eve dinner. The Christmas turkey may be roasted, or it may be served with mole, a rich sauce made of ground chilies and other ingredients. Do not expect the American version! Mexican turkeys are injected with Coca Cola or wine, seasoned differently and the stuffing is not your typical American stuffing.

Buñuelos

Served with a hot drink, Buñuelos make an excellent treat on a cold night. This crispy fried treat is like a sweet tostada which is sprinkled with sugar or doused in syrup. In Oaxaca there are special stands set up at Christmastime selling buñuelos and atole. After enjoying the sweet fritter, you make a wish and throw your clay plate on the ground, where it smashes to bits. This tradition is said to spring from a Pre-Hispanic festivity in which all the dishes were broken at the end of a calendar cycle.

Ponche Navideño

Ponche Navideño is a fruit punch made with Tejocotes. This is Mexican Hawthorn that  looks like a crab apple with a large pit and an unique flavor.  Guavas, apples, and other fruit are added and the drink is flavored with cinnamon and sweetened with piloncillo.

Happy Holiday, to you and your family from ours!