Christmas decorations have become part of Dominican culture with most households borrowing inspiration from international decorations while others express local creativity in preparing their homes for the holidays. Many of the decorating is so elaborate that in order to enjoy it for several weeks, decorations start to go up as early as October.
December, indeed, is to Dominicans what August is to Europeans. This means, it’s a time for friends’ gatherings and to enjoy traditional Christmas fare. El Dia reports on the tastes that traditionally mean Christmas for Dominicans.
Attend a Christmas gathering and expect to find roasted chicken or pork, paddies of cassava or plantain packed in plantain leaf or pasteles en hojas. There will be paddies of all kinds be they catibias or pastelitos filled with beef, chicken or cheese, sometimes combined with raisins. You can expect what Dominicans call “Russian Salad”, a salad that is a combination of potatoes, carrots, and beets in a cream or mayonnaise sauce.
Also at this time of the year, people consume “pan telera”, a kind of bread that while airy and delightfully chewy is texture, is practically tasteless.
There will be creamy eggnog (ponche), with a touch of rum and spice. For desert, you will find on the table nougat and dry fruits, and lots of imported apples, pears and grapes.
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El Dia
13 November 2017
