The stuffed piglet
The stuffed piglet as a festive dish finds its roots in peasant traditions from the Middle Ages. At the time, the Christmas period marked a respite from agricultural work and a rare opportunity to consume meat in abundance. The pig, raised throughout the year, was often slaughtered before the holidays, and the piglet, because of its tender and tasty flesh, was reserved for large meals. According to Jean-Louis Flandrin, in his book “Tables d'hier, tables d'ailleurs” (published in 1999), in certain rural regions of France, notably Limousin or Brittany, it symbolized both prosperity and sharing. community. The piglet, sometimes called a “suckling pig” when very young, was stuffed with a generous mixture of bread crumbs, herbs (thyme, parsley, bay leaf), garlic, onions, and garnished dried fruits such as prunes or grapes. The pig was then slowly roasted on a spit or in the oven, after being brushed with fat and/or honey to achieve a crispy, golden skin.
Stuffed carp in the oven
Baked stuffed carp is a traditional dish originating from Central and Eastern Europe, notably Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, where it has been a centerpiece of Christmas meals for several centuries. The tradition dates back to medieval times, when it was common to fast during Advent (as is the case for Lent today) and to eat fish to break this fast. Because of its availability and generous size, carp was then particularly popular for family feasts, as it could feed many people. In France, this dish was adopted in certain regions such as Alsace and Lorraine, where fish could be abundantly caught in the artificial ponds created by Cistercian monks from the 12th century.
Stuffed carp is generally prepared by filling it with a mixture of bread crumbs soaked in milk, finely chopped vegetables (carrots, onions, celery), aromatic herbs (parsley, thyme, dill), but also, sometimes , nuts or mushrooms. Once stuffed, the carp is brushed with butter or oil, sprinkled with a little white wine or broth, and cooked slowly in the oven. In Alsace, it is common to add a touch of Riesling, a local white wine, to spice up the sauce.
In his work “Hunger and Plenty: History of Food in Europe” (published in 1995), historian Massimo Montanari highlights the central role of freshwater fish in the festive meals of European rural societies. Today, although this tradition has declined in France, it remains practiced in central European countries, where stuffed carp is often served on Christmas Eve, accompanied by potatoes or root vegetables.
French Christmas “pudding”
The festive “pudding”, although today closely associated with British tradition, was also long prepared in France. The dessert was initially a form of medieval “porridge”, cooked from simple ingredients like stale bread, milk, eggs and dried fruit.
In our country, it appears in old cookbooks under other names. “The Housekeeper of Paris,” a medieval domestic treatise, notably describes preparations similar to British pudding, in which ingredients such as bread, eggs and dried fruits are transformed into sweet desserts and cooked. “Le Cuisinier françois”, written in 1651 by François Pierre de La Varenne, also mentions dishes which could be related to puddings, although the exact terms vary.
Like its English neighbor, the “French style” pudding was an ingenious way to recycle food scraps while preparing a festive dish. Cooked by steam or in a bain-marie, it could also remain soft while being stored at room temperature.
Pudding-type cakes were gradually supplanted by other festive desserts, such as the log, introduced in the 19th century. However, local forms of these ancient desserts still exist in certain regions.
Christmas soup
For a very long time in Europe, soup was a staple of the meal, including at Christmas. It was often the first dish served during major celebrations. In many rural areas, soup was a way of sharing the products of the harvest or livestock. The ingredients varied according to region, but they generally included root vegetables (turnips, carrots, parsnips), legumes, and sometimes pieces of meat or poultry.
Today replaced by more sophisticated starters, soup has nevertheless reinvented itself in recent years, through original recipes which are regaining their place on festive tables.
Roasted quince with honey
Honey-roasted quince has been a dessert eaten since ancient times, although it has become rarer on tables today. A fruit with hard flesh and a tangy taste, quince was highly appreciated in Mediterranean cultures, notably by the Greeks and Romans, who ate it cooked to soften its bitterness. In the Middle Ages, the fruit gained an important place in winter feasts, because its long preservation made it one of the flagship fruits of the cold season, when the harvests were over. Adding honey then reflected a certain opulence, in societies where sugar was still rare.
