Seasonal Classics with a Modern Twist

« Ever since I can remember, my family spends Christmas at my aunt and uncle’s house, and every year our unchallenged highlight is Christmas Eve dinner: the traditional roast goose with potato dumplings and kale. Some people in my family (myself included) don't dare to eat a bite throughout the whole day—so we’re able to eat even more in the evening! This year, I'm organizing a pre-Christmas dinner with friends and will try a modern variation of my beloved Christmas dish. Instead of roast goose, I'm going to prepare goose legs and refine the sauce with mandarins, anise, and Pernod. »

Kristin, Food Editor

« My grandparents always hosted Christmas dinner at their house when I was growing up and even though we lived in Minnesota, where there's typically plenty of snow on the ground and zero degree (°F) weather, my grandpa would still grill ribs every year. I remember wrapping myself in my heaviest winter jacket, determined to stand outside with him by the grill, only to last for a few short minutes before running back to shelter and warmth inside. The recipe they used was quite standard (albeit delicious and smoked over cherry wood!), so to make my own version of festive Christmas-worthy ribs, I decided to glaze them in a sticky pomegranate-cherry glaze and freshen them up for serving with pomegranate seeds, plenty of fresh lime wedges, and lots of herbs. »

Devan, Food Editor

« Potica is a Slovenian recipe for swirled nut bread, passed down to me from my great-grandmother. My family still has the original recipe in her handwriting, worn and splattered from years of use. I have fond memories of my mom and aunts making it every Christmas to snack on or serve with coffee in the morning while opening presents. The traditional filling calls for ground walnuts and raisins, while my American family prefers it with pecans. A generation later, I’ve decided to swap in hazelnuts, an updated spice mixture, and chocolate for raisins. You’d do fine to adjust the filling to your preference as well, so long as you don’t skip the homemade honey butter for serving. »

Julie, Editor-in-Chief

« Bubble and Squeak is traditionally served on Boxing Day (December 26th), the day after the main Christmas dinner. It is usually made from potatoes, cabbage, or whatever vegetables and herbs you have left from Christmas dinner, which are then mashed up, fried to create a crisp patty or cake, and served with other leftovers such as turkey, or even with eggs, bacon, or sausages if eaten for breakfast. The name comes from the sounds made when cooking it (possibly also the sounds made after eating it). I will probably opt for small vegetarian patties of potatoes, carrots, Brussel sprouts, and mustard, with a breadcrumb cheese crust topped with cranberries, chestnuts, and crispy sage leaves—and maybe also crispy onions. »

Steven, Working Student Content Operations

« In my family, there’s no holiday without the traditional Russian salad, much less Christmas. You can find the recipe in countless variations and each family prepares it a little differently: with chicken, fish, or, as in my family, with meat sausage. In addition to that, it also takes boiled vegetables, mayonnaise, eggs, peas, and gherkins. For me, it tastes the best the next morning, eaten while sitting on the couch with your family and watching the replay of the previous night's show. For a modern twist on this classic, I recommend preparing the salad with rice, tuna sashimi, and sesame—simply delicious! »

Ksenia, Social Media Manager

« One cannot imagine Polish Christmas without the traditional pierogi in mushroom sauce. Pierogi making is collective work: making the dough, seasoning the mushroom filling, and then coming up with the perfect shape. The classic way to make pierogi is to boil them, but, in my family, we decided to rebel: Instead of traditional pierogi dough, we use shortcut pastry (not so sure about the name, to be honest) and bake the pierogi instead. They turn out crispy and wonderful. »

Paulina, Lead Video Producer