A holiday celebration isn’t complete without a holiday feast! When it’s an important holiday like Christmas, you really can’t skimp on the food. All Mexican food has traditional roots, but those traditions run even deeper when it comes to the food served at Christmas. Every region has its own variations, but there are a few dishes that are inseparable from Mexican Christmas celebrations. Traditional food is what we do at Monarquia, so this is our season to show off!
You can’t have a Mexican holiday celebration without food! Check out these three traditional holiday dishes.
Pozole
Pozole is a thick soup traditionally enjoyed on Christmas Eve. The main ingredients are chicken or pork, chilies, and hominy (dried corn kernels). What makes this soup distinctive is its garnish of radishes, greens, and other crisp vegetables. Despite its holiday association, pozole isn’t just limited to Christmas. It’s also common to serve pozole at birthday celebrations, on New Year’s Eve, and on Mexican Independence Day.
Buñuelos
No Christmas celebration is complete without a sweet treat! Buñuelos are fried pasties, similar to doughnuts, covered in cinnamon sugar or hot sugar syrup. People make them in all different shapes and sizes. Small round or flat pancake-shaped buñuelos are the most common, but intricate shapes are also popular at Christmastime. Some designs are so complex that they look like snowflakes!
Rosca de Reyes
In Mexico, the celebrations don’t stop after Christmas Day. They continue through January until Candlemas on February 2nd. Within that period, there is Día de Reyes, the Day of the Kings, also called Epiphany. This day celebrates the arrival of the Three Kings (or Wise Men) to Bethlehem. Traditionally, a sweet bread called Rosca de Reyes is served as part of the celebration. It is ring-shaped and decorated with dried fruit and fruit paste. Concealed inside, there is either a fava bean or a tiny baby figurine representing the baby Jesus. Getting the slice with the bean or figurine inside is supposed to bring good luck in the coming year, but it also means you have to host the next party!
Enjoy Traditional Mexican Food at Monarquia!
Our mission at Monarquia is to share traditional Mexican food with our customers in NH. Visit us to try our specialty dishes and signature margaritas!