Want to serve something a little different this Christmas? Why not go Mediterranean?
Christmas dinners and lunches have always sat a little uncomfortably in the South African summer and good option better suited to the South African summer is to make this year’s Christmas a Mediterranean-inspired one.
21/12/2023
Christmas dinners and lunches have
always sat a little uncomfortably in the South
African summer. Sure we’ve tried to adapt by
having cold versions of traditional Christmas
dishes, such as roast meats, and adding cold
salads to the table. Nonetheless, there’s still
something that doesn’t feel quite right about
eating dishes developed for the depths of a
European winter on a scorching South African
day.
Even if that doesn’t bother you,
you might just want something a little different
this year. But where should you look for
inspiration? A good option that provides variety
while offering dishes better suited to the South
African summer is to make this year’s Christmas
a Mediterranean-inspired one.
“While the
coastal areas around the Mediterranean do still
cool down in winter, they don’t do so to
anywhere near the same extent as the more
Northern European countries we take many of our
traditional Christmas dishes from,” says Papy
Mingashanga, Guest Relations Manager at Radisson
Blu Hotel Waterfront. “That means the meals they
make at this time of the year are much better
suited to South African Christmas celebrations.”
For many, that means setting up long
tables on verandas, patios, and lawns rather
than a dining room table. While traditional hot
roasts may work well in cosy dining rooms,
they’re less well-suited to this kind of
al-fresco dining. On the other hand, it’s
something that many in the Mediterranean excel
at.
“If you’re going to spend most of
your day outside, it only makes sense to have
food that complements the setting,” says
Mingshanga. “And with many cultures across the
Mediterranean having deep outdoor eating
traditions, their cuisines are ideally suited to
it.”
Mingshanga further notes that
anyone putting together a Mediterranean-style
Christmas has a wide range of cuisines to choose
from.
“Around 20 countries have
Mediterranean coastlines,” he says, “and each of
them has its own unique dishes to explore. Many
also have traditional Christmas dishes that will
bring something fresh to your Christmas table.”
Minghsanga points out that if you wanted
to highlight the flavours of Spain, for example,
you could start with entre-meses (traditional
plates of cured meat, paired with local
cheeses), followed by a Velencian-style paella
for mains, and some marzipan or roscos de vino
(doughnut shaped biscuits that contain small
amounts of sweet wine and nuts) for dessert.
If, on the other hand, you’re feeling Greek,
you could start with figs in blankets (which
bring together dried figs, puff pastry, feta or
goat cheese, and other ingredients), before
moving on to lamb shanks, and finishing up with
baklava. Alternatively, you could make Christmas
a culinary tour with dishes from Italy, Turkey,
Morocco, France, Lebanon, or any other
combination that excites you.
As
Mingshanga notes, you probably won’t have to go
to specialist stores to get the ingredients for
these dishes either.
“Parts of South
Africa, particularly in the Western Cape, have
Mediterranean-style climates,” he says. “That
means it’s easy to get high quality local
produce such as olives, cheeses, nuts, and other
fresh produce. And that’s to say nothing of the
high quality meat and seafood we have in South
Africa. Imagine, for example, how a succulent
cut of Karoo lamb could elevate a traditional
Greek dish.”
“This use of quality,
locally sourced ingredients with dishes inspired
by global cuisines is something that is central
to the philosophy behind Tobago’s, our
restaurant at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront,” he
adds. “We have an abundance of incredible local
ingredients in South Africa, which can be used
to create beautiful dishes, no matter what
season it is.”
So, this Christmas, why
not explore some of those ingredients and use
them to live out some of your Mediterranean food
fantasies?