Christmas Archives - Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/tag/christmas/ Helping people to be financially stable thru our online baking and cooking classes. Mon, 30 Oct 2023 10:52:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/cropped-TBA_logo2-64x64.png Christmas Archives - Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/tag/christmas/ 32 32 Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/edible-christmas-gift-ideas-to-make/ https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/edible-christmas-gift-ideas-to-make/#respond Mon, 30 Oct 2023 10:52:06 +0000 https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/?p=8101 The holiday season is a time for giving, and there’s nothing quite like a homemade, edible gift to show your love and appreciation for family and friends. In this article,…

The post Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

]]>
The holiday season is a time for giving, and there’s nothing quite like a homemade, edible gift to show your love and appreciation for family and friends. In this article, we’ll explore a selection of seven edible Christmas gift ideas to make. While store-bought presents are always appreciated, edible Christmas gifts made with love and care are a delightful way to show your appreciation! 

Why make and give edible Christmas gifts?

Christmas food gifts are a thoughtful, inclusive, and delicious way to create lasting holiday memories and spread cheer. By investing time and care into baking or creating a culinary treat, you showcase your skills and creativity, making each gift a unique expression of affection. These gifts are delightful to receive, won’t contribute to clutter, and can be customized to suit individual tastes and dietary needs. 

Convinced? Great! Now, if you’re wondering, “What can I make as Christmas gifts?”, well, we’ve got you! 

On to the seven ideas!

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 1: Homemade Cookies

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make the bailiwick academy

Homemade cookies are a timeless and delightful choice as one of your choices for Christmas gift ideas. You can make different flavors and styles that will suit everyone’s taste. It doesn’t have to be holiday-themed either, like gingerbread men or cookies shaped into candy canes—classic cookie shapes and flavors like chocolate chip cookies will do.

But if you want to keep with the season, pack them in decorative tins or cellophane bags tied with festive ribbons. And there, you have an easy, DIY gift of Christmas cookies!

Thinking of what cookies to make? Choose from these classes here at The Bailiwick Academy: Gourmet Cookies by Chef Bam Piencenaves, Best Ever Cookies by Chef Joey Prats, and Unique Cookie Concepts by Chef Miko Aspiras.

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 2: Polvoron In A Jar

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make the bailiwick academy
Photo by Steph Cueva

Polvoron traditionally is eaten molded into shapes, but why not give your loved ones something different? For this holiday season, surprise your loved ones with a creative twist on this classic delicacy by presenting the polvoron powder in mason jars. You can add a spoon so that they can eat out of the jar, but you can also attach instructions on how to mix and mold the polvoron, turning these edible gifts into a cute, delightful activity. 

Looking for the best polvoron recipe possible? Check out Chef Miko Aspiras’ Madrid Fusiòn Polvoron class.

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 3: Cakes In Cans

cake in can the bailiwick academy

Cakes in cans are a fun and unique edible gift idea for Christmas. Simply bake your favorite cake dessert recipes in a clean, empty can, and you’ve got a portable and delightful item great for Christmas gifting. You have the freedom to choose any cake recipe you like, from chocolate fudge to white chocolate to fruitcake. 

Once baked and cooled, you can decorate the can with ribbons or stickers and add a little note to make it personal. This DIY gift is not only tasty but also shows your creative side. 

Want to give these as gifts during the festive season? Check out Chef Joey Prats’ The Cake Cannery class or Ms. Chiqui Ortiz-Dingcong’s Keto Cheesecakes class for sugar-free, guilt-free options.

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 4: Pie

pie pies Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make the bailiwick academy

Homemade pie is a heartwarming gift that brings comfort and joy during the holiday season. Whether it’s a classic apple pie or every Pinoy’s favorite pasalubong, buko pie, it’s sure to be a hit. Bake it in a disposable pie tin, let it cool, and then wrap it up with some festive wrapping or place it in a pie box. 

Add a little tag with a sweet message or the recipe, and your delicious, thoughtful food gifts are ready to go!

Looking for an easy recipe to make pies? Check out Chef Jimbo de Panadero’s Bakery-Style Buko Pie class or Chef Joey Prats’ Fabulous Pies class.

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 5: Savory Treats In Jars

chili sauce the bailiwick academy

Not everyone has a sweet tooth, and that’s where savory treats in jars come in handy. You can layer ingredients for a soup mix, create a homemade spice blend, or even jar up some chili oil, marinated olives or feta. These edible Christmas gifts in a jar are not only tasty but also show that you’ve put thought into catering to different tastes. 

It’s definitely a great way to introduce friends and family to new flavors and recipes—and are great for business way after the holiday season.

To get more specific, you can:

  • Enroll in Gourmet in a Bottle by Chef Chona Garcia-Laureta for some long-lasting, gourmet fish treats;
  • Get Chef Allan Mertola’s recipe for Chili Garlic Sauce in his Dimsum 101 class, which we’ve heard are best-sellers for plenty of Bailiwickers; or
  • Take Chef RV Manabat’s All-Natural Meat Processing class and learn his recipe for preservative-free Garlic Atsara, which, as we all know, is enjoyed by many Pinoys!

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 6: Christmas Ham

Christmas ham the bailiwick academy

A Christmas ham is already a popular Christmas gift idea here in the Philippines, so why not make your own for a really perfect gift? You can be sure that receivers will appreciate this homemade edible gift, especially during family dinners for the holiday season.

And if you want to make some of the best hams ever, enroll in Sir Rodney Martinez’ Delicious Glazed Hams class. Make two kinds of hams and glazes that will take your loved ones’ ham experience to the next level!

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 7: Chocolate Truffles

chocolate truffles the bailiwick academy

Chocolate truffles are luxurious and decadent homemade Christmas gifts, perfect for those who appreciate the finer things in life. You can make them at home using good quality chocolate, cream, and a bit of butter, then roll them in cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or coconut flakes. Place them in a small box or cellophane bag tied with a ribbon, and you have an elegant gift ready to go.

And believe us, when you give these as gifts for friends, they will love you for life! After all, chocolate truffles are not just a gift; they’re an experience, rich and full of flavor. When you taste your creation, this homemade gift might not make it to your loved ones—they’re that good!

Speaking Of Chocolate Truffles…

If you’re on the hunt for a treat that’s both easy to make and irresistibly delicious, you’ve hit the jackpot! Check out Chef Chona Garcia Laureta’s class: Chocolate Cookie Truffles!

Enroll in this class and get an easy recipe for no-bake Chocolate Cookie Truffles! Imagine biting into a glossy chocolate shell and finding a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth center – that’s exactly what these truffles offer. They’ll strike the perfect balance between simplicity and indulgence, and are suitable for any occasion, making them a versatile gift option, not just during the holidays.

Ready to dive in? Sign up at The Bailiwick Academy today to start making these homemade food gifts! They’re simple but decadently delicious treats that are sure to impress!

Final Thoughts

We hope you found one you want to try from this list of edible Christmas gift ideas to make! This holiday season, let your loved ones know just how much you care with thoughtful, homemade gifts. From sweet to savory, there’s a delightful option for everyone. 

Get creative, personalize your gifts, and embrace the joy of giving. Happy holidays!

— 

Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more baking and cooking tips, kitchen tricks, and much more!

The post Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

]]>
https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/edible-christmas-gift-ideas-to-make/feed/ 0
How To Throw A Great Holiday Party https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/how-to-throw-a-great-holiday-party/ https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/how-to-throw-a-great-holiday-party/#respond Sun, 13 Aug 2023 09:55:02 +0000 https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/?p=7685 As of this writing, it’s now August 2023. And you know what that means in the Philippines: the holidays are upon us! That also means it’s not too early to…

The post How To Throw A Great Holiday Party appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

]]>
As of this writing, it’s now August 2023. And you know what that means in the Philippines: the holidays are upon us! That also means it’s not too early to plan how to throw a great holiday party.

Keep reading for tips from The Bailiwick Academy to throw holiday parties that will be fun and unforgettable for family and friends!

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Come Up With A Guest List

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party the bailiwick academy

Begin by taking a moment to list out your potential guests. If you’re considering hosting at home, remember to assess the capacity of your space—you might have to cut some people out if your home will not be comfortable for them. And even if you opt for an external venue, ensure it can accommodate your guest list comfortably.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Set A Date

Whether you plan to throw a party ahead of time for the holidays or one set exactly during the holiday season, you need to remember a very important thing. You need to make sure the people you want to party with you are available!

And thankfully, we’re now in the digital age. So instead of having to contact people one by one via text or snail mail, just make a paperless post on Facebook. You can make a group chat or an event invite, then find out when most of the people are available.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Choose A Theme

christmas weird theme the bailiwick academy

Sure, you might be throwing a gathering as an equivalent of a Christmas party, but that doesn’t mean it has to be strictly Christmas-themed. You don’t need to have a candy cane hanging on your door, serve hot chocolate, or have Christmas holiday bestselling food. Just set a theme that your guests will enjoy.

For example, if you are, indeed, having family over, then they might actually like a traditional Christmas-themed party. But if you’re just having friends over, they might enjoy deviating from the norm, like having a movie marathon and dressing up in outfits you like. Since it’s your party, after all, you can dictate what party idea you want to happen.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Determine Your Budget

How to throw the best holiday party, you ask? Well, part of it is determining your budget. After all, it wouldn’t be a nice party if you did a lot of party planning but didn’t have the funds to carry out your vision, right? And thankfully, the best parties aren’t always the ones that are the most expensive!

Start by assessing what kind of party you want to have and then set a clear budget. Use a spreadsheet to keep track, and make sure to list everything. That way, you can avoid unnecessary expenses and, simultaneously, know if you have emergency money for unforeseen happenings.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Make A List Of Things To Do

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party the bailiwick academy

One thing you want to avoid during holiday party planning is to feel overwhelmed. That can actually happen, especially if you’re the only one doing all the work. To keep things manageable, create a to-do list and check off tasks as you complete them—yes, even trivial ones, such as if you already have enough garbage bags and trash cans.

Not only will you feel more accomplished when you cross an item off, you’ll also know where you currently stand regarding preparations.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Get Help

While it’s your party, the guests you plan to have over would actually be eager to lend a hand, believe it or not. Struggling to find a particular supplier? Reach out to friends or family for recommendations. 

Their assistance not only lightens your load but also makes them feel more invested in the celebration’s success. And when they’re involved, they’re rooting for a fantastic party just as much as you are.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Prepare Some Activities

Any typical Filipino Christmas party involves a lot of eating… But after that, what happens? Do you just let people mingle? What if people want to play games or do something in general?

Well, don’t be caught with your pants down—include activities in your to-do list! For example, rent a karaoke machine so that your guest can belt out their latest tunes or prepare some standard party games. Even before the day of your event, you can make people prepare White Elephant gifts for a fun time during the actual party.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Serve Good Food

Food is important in any celebration. Think about what your guests might like. It doesn’t have to be fancy; sometimes, simple and yummy food is the best. 

Of course, just make sure that when guests arrive, they get offered some food right away. You can make finger foods or just prepare chips to tide them over until the main course.

Just make sure there’s enough for everyone and that it’s made with care, and you’ll have happy guests!

Oh, and of course, cooking ahead of time is the key. Doing so means you can hang out with your guests more instead of staying in the kitchen. Look for easy recipes for faster preparation.

Speaking Of Serving Good Food…

Thinking of what you should cook ahead, whether you’re throwing a lunch or dinner party? Well, here’s an idea for you: Chef Anthony Ang’s Perfect Party Food Trays class!

Enroll in this class and you’ll get to make these Pinoy party food favorites:

  • Egg Drop Soup: a light broth with delicate strands of egg for a perfect starter.
  • Lengua with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Seared French Beans: a mouth-watering combination of succulent Lengua paired with creamy mashed potatoes and crunchy French beans
  • Chicken Cordon Bleu: tender chicken breast filled with ham and cheese, fried to a golden perfection, and drizzled with a luxurious Special Cheese Sauce
  • Garlic Scampi Pasta: spaghetti perfectly cooked al dente, tossed in a fragrant garlic sauce, and topped with juicy shrimp

Each dish has been crafted to ensure a gastronomic journey that will keep guests talking for future seasons. With offerings like these, it’s practically guaranteed that your holiday menu will be a hit with your visitors!

And if you’re in the catering business or even considering venturing into it, this class is perfect for jumpstarting your career!

So what are you waiting for? Sign up at The Bailiwick Academy, enroll in Chef Anthony’s class, and elevate your culinary skills to dazzle your guests at your party!

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Enjoy Your Party!

Once guest arrival has commenced, it means your party has started. Dive right into the moment! While it’s essential to ensure everything runs smoothly, don’t be anchored to the kitchen or get lost in party logistics. Instead, immerse yourself in the laughter, the conversations, and the shared memories. After all, it’s your celebration too! 

Engage with your guests, dance to the music, savor the food, and most importantly, let yourself be in the heart of the revelry. The best hosts not only create wonderful experiences for their guests but also partake in the merriment themselves.

Conclusion

We hope this party planning guide has helped you solidify your vision for your event. One last thing to keep in mind is that there’s no such thing as a perfect holiday party. Things can go wrong, guests won’t arrive at the last minute, and so on.

But isn’t what truly matters the joy, laughter, and memories you create with your loved ones? Celebrations are about connection, not perfection. Embrace the imperfections, stay adaptable, and most importantly, just enjoy!

— 

Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

The post How To Throw A Great Holiday Party appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

]]>
https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/how-to-throw-a-great-holiday-party/feed/ 0
How to Stay Healthy During the Holiday Season https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/how-to-stay-healthy-during-the-holiday-season/ https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/how-to-stay-healthy-during-the-holiday-season/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2022 09:51:41 +0000 https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/?p=5936 How to stay healthy during the holiday season? Really, that’s going to be the topic, staying healthy during the holidays? The few moments in a year where you have an…

The post How to Stay Healthy During the Holiday Season appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

]]>
How to stay healthy during the holiday season?

Really, that’s going to be the topic, staying healthy during the holidays? The few moments in a year where you have an excuse to indulge in less-than-healthy food choices? When can you enjoy holiday parties, spend time with friends and loved ones and not think about staying healthy?

Well, this might be a downer of a topic, but you do want to spend MORE holidays with family and friends, right? That means while you don’t have to be super strict about having a healthy lifestyle (enjoy the holidays, seriously), you can take steps to ensure that your holiday health is as good as possible.

After all, you don’t want to be spending time in the hospital or consulting your doctor in family medicine instead of celebrating, right?

So how do you stay as healthy as possible during the holiday season? In no particular order, here are five tips for staying healthy (as healthy as can be, at least) during Christmas and New Year!

How to stay healthy during the holiday season: Wash your hands.

how to stay healthy during the holiday season the bailiwick academy

Washing hands is something that is severely underrated in keeping good health. And it’s also something you should do for yourself especially during this holiday season, as the holiday season is also flu season, and we know that washing hands can help prevent you from getting infected. 

So if you don’t have your flu shot yet, better safe than sorry!

Oh, and a non-flu reason: your hands go everywhere. So you might not pick up the flu, but you might pick up something else. And if you’re the one who’s assigned to prepare food, you don’t want people getting sick just because you didn’t wash your hands, right?

Make sure to follow proper guidelines in washing hands so that you know what you’re doing is really effective.

How to stay healthy during the holiday season: Drink water and stay hydrated.

how to stay healthy during the holiday season the bailiwick academy

Since it’s cooler during this holiday season, you might forget to drink water. Plus, when you’re at a holiday party, there’s likely alcohol, fruit juices, soda and plenty of other more interesting things to drink than plain old water, right?

Well, as much as water is boring, we still need a lot of it to keep our holiday health. After all, not only does water make up 60% of our body’s total weight (which we need to maintain), we also need water for several important bodily functions such as delivering nutrients to the body.

Without enough water, you become dehydrated. And when you become dehydrated, you’ll feel hungry, sluggish, and tired, which can make you miss workouts, eat not-so-good foods, and snack.

So sure, try the delicious drinks that are available, but as Healthline recommends, make sure to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

And if you’re indulging in alcohol, alternate each sip with a glass of water. Trust us, you’ll love yourself when you wake up the next day.

How to stay healthy during the holiday season: Get plenty of sleep.

how to stay healthy during the holiday season the bailiwick academy

One reason we personally love the holidays is that there’s less activity, and that means more time for sleep! It’s such an underrated activity, but hey, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

And when you have enough sleep, you’ll just feel really good!

The problem is that with so many holiday activities that are coming up with family and friends, you might find yourself not getting that at all. That’s especially if you’re the one doing cooking for family dinners, or you’re taking care of last-minute Christmas orders.

But as much as you can, try to stick to a regular bedtime every night, despite all the happenings. When you don’t have sleep, you’ll experience fatigue and you’ll be grumpy and cranky, so you won’t enjoy the holidays.

Plus, when you lack sleep, you can experience the following:

  • Short-term problems like lack of alertness, daytime sleepiness, bad memory, and relationship problems.
  • Long-term serious health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, lower sex drive, and obesity.
  • A less-than-ideal appearance, with you having more wrinkles and dark circles under your eyes.

Make sure to get at least 7 hours of sleep to get its full benefits!

Stay healthy during holidays by not forgetting to do physical activity. 

Holidays can be an excuse to lounge around the bed or the sofa all day, but don’t do that! Don’t forget to keep moving and exercise. Not only can it help you shed some unwanted pounds that you will acquire over the holidays, exercise will also help blood flow and circulation, which is always good for your heart and for your health overall.

And don’t worry, you don’t even have to go to the gym or do hardcore jogging. A simple walk around the street will do – what’s important is you get exercise in, no matter how small or how short.

You can also use this as an excuse to have physical bonding activities with your family. If your child likes soccer or basketball, indulge them. You can also do other things like Tag, hide-and-seek, or plenty of other Filipino children’s games – at least, if you can handle the exertion!

One more tip to staying healthy: Remember that you don’t have to eat unhealthily.

Okay, so we made mention that the holidays are usually an excuse to NOT be healthy, right? But if you really want to know how to eat healthy during the holidays, well, here’s what you should know:

You are under no circumstances obligated to overeat during the holidays at all. Sure, your aunt or mom or grandfather will likely urge you on to eat, eat, eat until you’re stuffed, but you can always say no politely, or say you’re full. 

And if you really want to stick to healthy food choices during Christmas and New Year, there’s nothing wrong with that either! If you’re hosting, make sure to prepare fruits and vegetables for yourself. And hey, you never know if some of your guests are actually looking for them as well, right?

And if you do want to indulge a bit, remember that portion control is your best friend. Use small plates. Before going over to the less healthy offerings, fill up first with healthier food. That way, you’ll have less space for other food.

Most of all, if you don’t feel hungry, STOP EATING. It’s that simple, really.

Final thoughts: why holidays are good for your health, despite the indulgence

Those are just some tips on how to stay healthy during the holiday season. Take note that these are by no means medical advice from doctors (we’re not a health blog after all), so if you’re really sick or need a physician, please see one immediately.

Going back, we don’t want to cause you any undue holiday stress, so don’t feel any pressure to form any healthy habits or start eating healthy food or even experience weight loss during this time. At the end of the day, a holiday is to be enjoyed, not a reason for you to feel guilty. You can always go back to trying healthy living when the holidays are over, right?

And ultimately, do you know why holidays are good for you, despite you being more likely to eat and drink not-necessarily healthy food and gain weight? 

Well, according to the Better Health Channel, spending time with family and friends or simply just a loved one is good for your health and wellbeing, and can even strengthen your immune system. When you don’t have social connections, your physical, emotional, and mental health are all poorer.

Plus, holiday seasons usually mean vacations! That means you can relax and cut down on working (or even overworking), and just generally enjoy the long downtime. Sure, you might experience some weight gain or something, but as long as you generally don’t overeat every single night, that’s fine.
And besides, over the holidays, you’re likely to just gain a pound or two. But still, keep everything in moderation throughout the holiday season, yes?

Speaking of favorite holiday food and how to stay healthy during the festive season…

We know avoiding some of your favorite holiday food is hard, to say the least. After all, we’re Pinoys – we love food, like Christmas ham. And one thing we Pinoys never run out of is Christmas party food ideas.

And one of the things we really love to eat especially during this season (actually, even if there’s no occasion) is kakanin. But these native delicacies are packed full of sugar. Do we really have to avoid these as much as possible or risk seeing our primary care physician, especially if we already have a medical condition?

Well, not necessarily… That is if you’re eating products from our latest class with Ms. Chiqui Ortiz Dingcong: Keto Bibingka Atbp!

That’s right! A guilt-free holiday season is now possible thanks to our resident Keto advocate! You’ll be able to learn recipes for two kinds of bibingka, puto bumbong, and even a bonus recipe for tsokolate de batirol – all free of sugar! 

You’ll be able to indulge in these because they won’t fall under the food you shouldn’t eat while on the keto diet!

So what are you waiting for? Sign up at The Bailiwick Academy, learn these healthy recipes, and truly enjoy a favorite holiday of Filipinos! 

And we bet that once people find out you’re capable of making sugar-free goodies… Well, let’s just say they might be ordering a lot from you! Talk about a truly happy holiday, wouldn’t you agree?

— 

Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

The post How to Stay Healthy During the Holiday Season appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

]]>
https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/how-to-stay-healthy-during-the-holiday-season/feed/ 1
Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas! https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/pinoy-christmas-party-food-ideas/ https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/pinoy-christmas-party-food-ideas/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2021 15:31:36 +0000 https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/?p=3262 As we say in the Philippines, “Ber months na!” And the Philippines is known for having the longest Christmas on the planet, so you know what happens as soon as the Ber months hit.…

The post Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas! appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

]]>
As we say in the Philippines, “Ber months na!” And the Philippines is known for having the longest Christmas on the planet, so you know what happens as soon as the Ber months hit. You yourself might be putting up your Christmas tree already! And speaking of a Filipino Christmas, it is never truly a Pinoy Christmas without food. So if you’re already thinking of Pinoy Christmas party food ideas, don’t worry – that’s the purpose of this blog! Here are some food ideas for what to serve on Christmas, whether it’s Noche Buena or otherwise. Also, our food ideas are not limited to strictly Filipino food, so don’t worry about having soy sauce on hand.

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Appetizers or Meryenda

Macaroni salad

macaroni salad the bailiwick academy

Ahhh, macaroni. This very versatile pasta pops up a lot as salad form during Noche Buena, Christmas, and even New Year. You serve macaroni salad cold, with cooked macaroni, mayonnaise, sweet jelly, and vegetables as the ingredients. You can consider this as a Filipino recipe since the salad is served with a sweeter taste than other versions. Variations of the macaroni salad can involve adding shredded chicken or tuna to the dish.

Pancit/Noodles

noodles pancit the bailiwick academy

Pancit is basically Filipino noodles. It is valued during special occasions because it symbolizes long life.If you can’t think of any Filipino Christmas party food ideas, just think of pancit. There are many pancit variants in the Philippines, such as Pancit Malabon, Lomi, Pancit Canton, and Sotanghon soup (sometimes, the noodles come with soup). If you’re lucky, the event you’ll go to will have pancit topped with crispy pork. Yummy!

Queso de Bola

queso de bola quezo de bola the bailiwick academy
Photo taken from Flickr

Queso de Bola is known as such because it’s… well, it’s cheese in a ball form. The red is red wax or paraffin. It is actually Edam cheese, a Dutch semi-hard cheese designed to last on long trade route voyages. It ages well, and the more it ages, the harder it becomes. But not only that: the flavor becomes more intense! According to Vice, it is popular in the Philippines because round things symbolize money. Plus, the color red is a symbol of good luck. Serve this with hot pandesal and hot chocolate, and you’re sure to have happy eaters.

Lumpia

lumpia the bailiwick academy
Fried lumpia

Lumpia is a popular snack in the Philippines. Pinoys even have a running joke where they’d be happy to be paid by unlimited lumpia access. We aren’t really sure where that joke originated. What we are confident of, though, is that lumpia are spring rolls made of thin paper-like “lumpia wrappers.” Inside are pork and other ingredients. You can present lumpia as either deep-fried or fresh, but the deep-fried version is more known in the Philippines.

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Main Courses

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Various Chicken Recipes

roast chicken the bailiwick academy Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas

Chicken is a staple food in the world, and you’ll find that many Filipino dishes involve chicken. For Christmas, you might find chicken adobo, chicken empanada, or even a simple roasted chicken being served. If you can be sure of one thing, it’s that chicken is a popular Filipino ingredient!

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Various Pork Recipes

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas crispy pata the bailiwick academy

Aside from chicken, pork is another constant in Filipino Christmas recipes – and even in non-Christmas ones. You have the delicious and crowd favorite crispy pata (pata is pork leg), pork belly, and the lechon kawali. Lechon kawali means pork belly slabs deep-fried in a pan, which is different from lechon, which we’ll get to later. There’s also hamonado, a sweet pork dish that uses pork shoulders, pineapple, sugar, and other seasonings. You’ll never run out of pork dish ideas or recipes!

Christmas Ham

Christmas Ham the bailiwick academy

If we’re talking about Christmas food in the Philippines, it has to be Christmas ham! We wouldn’t be surprised if this ham comes with a note: “Serve on Christmas ONLY.” After all, the ham is called Christmas ham for a reason. It’s a delicious mix of sweet and salty and is perfect with rice or bread. 

Relyenong bangus

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas relyenong bangus kawaling pinoy the bailiwick academy
Photo taken from KawalingPinoy.com

The relyenong bangus is a fish recipe that’s usually seen only on special occasions. You call it stuffed milkfish in English. One makes relyenong bangus using milkfish meat, carrots, potatoes, and other vegetables, as well as raisins, pickles, and spices. It’s one of the favorite seafood recipes of Pinoys!

Lechon

lechon baboy the bailiwick academy Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas
Lechon baboy

When you say “lechon” in the Philippines, it usually means roasted pig cooked over hot coals served on special occasions. But lechon is not limited to just pork. There’s also lechon manok (roasted chicken) and lechon baka (roasted beef or cow). All are equally delicious, but lechon baboy (roasted pig) is generally the most celebrated in the Philippines. If you taste the crispy skin, you’ll see why.

Inihaw

inihaw na pusit grilled squid the bailiwick academy
Inihaw na pusit

Notice the names of Filipino dishes? The names usually mean the way that the dish is cooked. Inihaw means to grill or to barbecue; therefore, inihaw na liempo simply means grilled pork. And when it comes to inihaw, you can grill many things, such as fish, chicken, and beef. 

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Snacks or Desserts

Buko Salad 

buko salad the bailiwick academy

In English, you call buko salad as coconut salad. Its primary ingredients are coconut milk and delicious coconut meat. Add fruit cocktail, condensed milk, cream, and you’ll get a cool, sweet treat that’s distinctively Pinoy.

Leche Flan

leche flan the bailiwick academy

It’s the Filipino version of the French dish creme caramel. This custard dessert with caramel sauce is always a hit among Pinoys. It runs out without fail, to the sadness of slow eaters.

Fruit Salad 

fruit salad Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas the bailiwick academy

We can say that fruit salad is definitely Filipino Christmas food! It’s another sweet, delicious treat with condensed milk, cream, and canned fruit cocktail. Some even add peaches and sugar palm fruit (known as kaong) for added flavor and texture. A variant is the macaroni fruit salad. What’s the difference? It’s still basically the same fruit salad but with macaroni. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

Buko Pandan

buko pandan the bailiwick academy

Buko pandan is almost like buko salad; in fact, one can say they’re related recipes. You still make buko pandan buko with shredded coconut and cream, but there are a few differences. Some of those is that buko pandan is green, has fewer fruits involved, and has pandan flavoring, hence the name. Oh, and there’s jelly too. Some people also add tapioca pearls, probably for more texture while eating this cold treat.

Kakanin

suman the bailiwick academy
Suman, an example of kakanin

We talked about kakanin in a previous blog post, so make sure to read it if you haven’t yet. Again, kakanin is an umbrella term for any traditional Filipino glutinous rice or sticky rice cake. Specific examples of kakanin are maja blanca, bibingka, suman, and puto bumbong. Did we mention Filipinos love rice so much that rice dishes even become dessert?

(If you want to enroll in our Kakanin course, click here!)

What are the Pinoy Christmas party food ideas that you like best?

These are some of the top Filipino Christmas meals we can think of, or at least, these are the party food we can remember usually served on Christmas. Did we miss out on anything? Do you have favorite Christmas recipes that we didn’t mention, like beef mechado, or fish recipes, or vegetable recipes?  Let us know in the comments so we can be sure we have an updated list for next year.

If you want more Pinoy Christmas party food ideas, why not try our class with Chef Chona? We call this class Christmas Holiday Bestsellers. Check out the preview video below.

In this class, you’ll learn to make fruitcakes, fresh cream tarts, and two other yummy desserts! Enroll so you can make these certified delicious treats during your Christmas gatherings!

Enroll in the Christmas Holiday Bestsellers class now!

The post Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas! appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

]]>
https://blog.thebailiwickacademy.com/pinoy-christmas-party-food-ideas/feed/ 3