Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Appetizers or Meryenda

Macaroni salad

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

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 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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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 

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

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 

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 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

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.

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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.

We start Christmas earlier than the rest of the world and end it later than everyone else. It is such a joyous season that people seem kinder and happier.

However, this year it is going to be so much different.  The world was dealt with a deadly virus that drastically changed all our lives.  The normal that we were accustomed to is now just a distant memory.

Lives and jobs were lost. The rest of us ensconced in our homes waiting for an uncertain future to unfold.

Christmas won’t be the same this year, unfortunately.  There will be no Christmas parties and merry-making.  There will be no frantic trips to the airport to pick up balikbayan family and friends. And, there won’t be too many presents for everyone as money is scarce and every peso should count in this chaotic time.

Celebrating In The Time Of A Pandemic

But even with the pandemic still very much around we can still make the most out of the situation. This can still be the time for happy get-togethers.  Even if we’re just going to be “zoom-ing” with our friends and families here and abroad, we can still make this holiday season special. 

We can still decorate our homes and still plan what we will have for our Christmas dinner to make it feel like our usual holiday activities. It won’t be the usual grand Noche Buena. It will be simpler and smaller, yes.  But still meaningful, nevertheless.

Of course, there should be food! Delicious food! After all, eating sparks joy in all of us.  Our best conversations still revolve around a table laden with food no matter how simple it may be.

Holiday’s Best

Even with simple and limited festivities, the demand for food products during this time of year is still high.  This is still the best season to learn new things to make for our families. 

And also the best time to earn from a small business. 

Actually, home bakers and small businesses have a fair chance of competing with the big guys nowadays.  Their approach is more personal which has a great impact on the consumer.

Moreover, with the advent of the delivery services, getting your homemade products to your clients has never been easier and more convenient!

With all that being said, what can you sell that will appeal and transcend to almost all demographics?

The Classics

New and unique products are good but it may not be for everyone. Especially now when money is a bit harder to earn and people would rather spend on something they’re already familiar with. So, we go back to the classics. Food that has been passed down from generation to generation.  Food that we have come to love and hold dear. The comforting taste that brings back happy memories. 

What is more classic than holiday bestsellers!

Flavours of the Season

In this class, we will be learning well-loved and iconic Christmas goodies.  The recipes shared in this class will not only enable you to create mouth-watering Christmas treats but they can serve as recipe bases for other yummy pastries. Doesn’t that sound fun?

 All you need is your imagination and the possibilities are endless.

So, without much further ado, here are your Christmas Holiday Bestsellers!

Christmas Festive Fruitcake, Fresh Fruits Cream Tarts, Strawberry Chocolate Mousse Cake in Tin Can, Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies and as a bonus, learn how to make Christmas Chocolate Mint Fudge!

Oh wow! I can’t wait to tell you more about these awesome holiday goodies!

Here’s a sneak peek from what you will learn from the class! 

Chef-in-Charge

Before we go into a more detailed description of what we will learn in this class, let me introduce our chef instructor. 

At the helm of this online class is none other than chef  and owner of Apron and Mitts Baking and Kitchen Lab, Chef Chona Garcia-Laureta.  She specializes in Pastry Arts, Middle Eastern and Filipino cuisine.

Chef Chona has degree in Computer Engineering but has found her passion in food.  She is a regular on several television, radio and online media outlets and has been teaching for several years.

Get to know Chef Chona Garcia-Laureta here!

Christmas Festive Fruitcake

Now, we will get to know the yummy treats we will be learning in class! Yup, I’m just as excited as you are!

What can be more festive than a fruitcake?!

For those who don’t know …

A fruitcake is a rich, dense, moist and velvety cake filled with sweet  glazed dried fruits, crunchy nuts, aromatic spices and usually laced with brandy.

The scent wafting from your oven when you bake this cake is just incredible and smells just like Christmas joy!

A fruitcake is very versatile as you can bake it in loaf, cake or cookie form! You can even cut it up in pieces and include it in a lovely cheese platter.

What makes fruitcakes so easy to sell or give as gifts?  Well, they are pretty and festive.  Plus, they can last up to a year or more! (with the proper storage, of course!)

Fresh Fruits Cream Tarts

Next on the list are these scrumptious fruit tarts!

These aren’t your run-of the-mill tarts! These are laden with fresh fruits and  will surely be a spectacular addition to any buffet or dinner table.  Just imagine the rich jewel-like colors of the fresh fruits contrasting with the snowy white bed of fluffy cream. 

 Oh, and what a delectable bite it will be when you sink your teeth into that smooth custard and buttery pastry crust! 

Can you imagine the delightful contradiction of the tart and tangy fruits and sweet components of the tarts?

They are also great as gifts or giveaways! Put them in a pretty box, tie a big bow around it then you’ll have yourself a delicious present that everyone will just adore!

Strawberry and Chocolate Mousse Cake in Tin Cans

Cakes in tin cans have been the craze in the past two years. This has been a genius idea since the cake will be protected while in transit. Also, it looks great! Aesthetics and practicality rolled into one!

Strawberries and chocolate have always been a good pair! Fresh strawberries dipped in melted chocolate, strawberry ice cream with delicious chocolate syrup and chocolate donuts with strawberry jelly filling are just among the many examples of this superb pairing.  

So, in this class, we will learn a version of this yummy cake in a tin can.  This is actually a fresh approach as two of the most requested flavors are combined to make one gorgeous, soft, and appetizing cake! Ooooooh-la-la!

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

What can be more luxurious and special than chocolates, right?

This time the chocolate factor is doubled in this wonderful cookie recipe! Can you believe that?!

Imagine biting into that warm chewy cookie dough with melted chocolate chips that ooze out once you take a bite. Doesn’t that sound like heaven?

I am sure your family will clamor  for these delicious little treats all the time! And if you are selling them, they’ll be flying off your shelves! Yup, that is a guarantee!

Wait…there’s more!

Do you think that this is all this class has to offer?

We just can’t let you go without giving more, can we now?  How about learning a bonus recipe? Yes! Bonus recipes are always a good idea!

How does Christmas Chocolate Mint Fudge sound? 

Can you imagine what a nice minty treat mixed with sweet chocolate fudge would taste like?

Lip-smackingly good, right?

Well, this is it! You’ll learn how to make this soft and slightly chewy little treat in your home! Whether you make it for yourself or for a loved one, this will surely be a fun and tasty present to create!

Not to mention, a very good product to offer your clients as well!

Convenient Learning

Describing all those decadent treats for all of you made me forget (even for just a while) that we are still in the middle of a pandemic.  With this far from over, it is best to have another source of income.  Or if you lost your job because of the pandemic maybe selling baked treats will be a new venture for you.  Who knows? This might be the success you are looking for!

Here at The Bailiwick Academy, we are committed to bring you classes that will not only enable you to create excellent gastronomic delights but will make you earn as well. 

What’s even better is you will be learning from… 

Yes! You got it right! You will be learning in the comforts of your home.  It is so convenient! No traffic to think of and no virus scare! Best of all is you can learn on any gadget that is available for you. Desktops, laptops, tablets and even mobile phones. So technically, you can learn wherever you deem is comfortable and favourable. Great, right?

I can’t imagine a better way to learn new skills.

Class Content

Also, let me tell you that the video quality of the classes is seriously good! Well, it should be as all the classes are professionally made. Comprehensive printable PDF class materials are also included in the class and sent to your email as well. 

There’ll be none of those cheap homemade learning videos that are so popular on social media these days. Sure, they are very affordable but you can hardly see what that the instructor is doing.  Worse, you can hardly learn anything as audio is also bad. Not to mention, there are no class materials available. Support is also non-existent because as soon as you pay for the class you’re just left to fend for yourself.

Believe me, been there done that. They’re cheap. But hey, you get what you pay for! And it is such a waste of your hard earned money!

Students at The Bailiwick Academy are treated with utmost care. Aside from professionally made classes and a comprehensive printable PDF files for recipes and tips, a dedicated support Facebook page is automatically available for you once you enrol.  This is where fellow students convene and display their works. Instructors are actively interacting with the students. Giving them valuable support by promptly and personally answering their questions.  It is such a good place to ask your Qs as everyone is just so supportive. It is one place where you feel so appreciated.

Uh-huh, no place for negatrons here!

I tell you, I experienced all this firsthand and I am very happy and content to be a Bailiwicker!

Outtakes

These days because of the pandemic more people are opting for the work from home set-up. So why not learn from home too? And eventually earn your way to a successful business venture!

The online class, Christmas Holiday Bestsellers,  will equip you with tried and perfected recipes, valuable tips and other pertinent information that will help you churn out awesome Christmas Holiday Bestsellers successfully!

That’s a promise!

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