MEXICO: Tamales
Steamed masa filled with chicken, pork, cheese or beans, tamales are popular year-round — but at the holidays, they can be found with sweet corn, chocolate or even pumpkin. For a twist on the usually savory snack, we love tamales with sweet mango salsa at Don Julio’s in Rohnert Park. (Stock photo)
ITALY: Panettone
Filled with candied fruit, this Italian sweet bread was one of the many reasons to make a trip to the much-missed Traverso’s Deli — but Basque Boulangerie in Sonoma serves up homemade panettone along with brioche Christmas wreaths and challah at the holidays. (Stock photo)
ETHIOPIA: D'oro We't
This spicy chicken stew takes days to prepare, with a mix of African peppers and spices. Long-simmered with garlic and onion, hard-boiled eggs are added to soak up flavor, and it’s typically served
with fermented injera bread. Though Ethiopian Christians celebrate on Jan. 7 according to the Orthodox calendar, you can find d’oro we’t any day of the year at Abyssinia in Santa Rosa. (Stock photo)
GERMANY: Cakes, Cookies and More
Pfeffernusse cookies and “glüewhein” (a spiced mulled wine) are among the most cherished holiday traditions. European Food Store in Santa Rosa has holiday candies, cookies (including pfeffernusse) and boot-stuffers from Germany and Eastern Europe. You can find fresh stollen at Village Bakery in Sebastopol and Moustache Baked Goods in Healdsburg. Franchetti’s Wood Fire Kitchen in Santa Rosa hosts an annual St. Nicholas Day in early December with roasted chestnuts, glüewhein and sausages. (Stollen, stock photo)
SWEDEN: Christmas Rye-Limpa
A sweet bread made with rye, orange and caraway is common fare during the holiday season, along with herring and gingerbread. Pick up a loaf at Village Bakery in Santa Rosa, and make an open-faced Swedish sandwich with gravad lax and dill, or roast ham, apple and mustard.
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FRANCE: Bûche de Noël
Eating a log might not sound so delicious, but when it’s filled with buttercream and frosted with chocolate? That’s another story. The tradition stems from ancient pagan rites of burning logs to usher in spring, but we like the elaborate versions at Chloé’s French Café in Santa Rosa. (Stock photo)
JAPAN: KFC
Though Christmas isn’t widely celebrated in Japan, Kentucky Fried Chicken is a holiday tradition. Since the 1970s, the “Party Barrel” has attracted lines of eager eaters after a marketing campaign made Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii (Christmas with Kentucky) a thing. To follow suit, take your pick among Sonoma County’s eight KFC locations. (Photo: shutterstock.com)
NEW ZEALAND: Pavlova
It’s summer down under during the holidays, just in time for fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries that make this light dessert such a holiday favorite. Made with a meringue base, whipped cream and berries, the best spot to find it is BurtoNZ Bakery in Windsor, the only New Zealand-style bakery in the region. (Stock photo)
ENGLAND: Beef Wellington and Christmas Pudding
Harken back to the days of Merry Olde England in Healdsburg with Madrona Manor's annual Dickens Dinners. This traditional five-course holiday dinner changes up but always features authentic English fare, and puff pastry-wrapped beef Wellington and fruit-filled Christmas pudding are standards. (Stock photo)
PUERTO RICO: Sweet Rice Pudding
Coconut, raisins, spices and cloves make this a special rice pudding (arroz con dulce) that’s traditional on the island. You can find it at El Coqui Puerto Rican Cuisine in Santa Rosa. (Stock photo)
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Chinese for Christmas?
Many Jewish folks have a favorite holiday tradition of eating Chinese food — often from the only restaurants open on Christmas. It’s also a great way to avoid the kitchen after a day of exhausting present opening. Lately, more and more Chinese restaurants have been closing on Dec. 25, making this jolly night out harder to come by. China Legend in Santa Rosa is one spot that will be open on Christmas Day for sure. (Stock photo)
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Every family has a holiday food tradition, whether it’s lasagna while watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” or hunting high and low for the most authentic Hungarian poppy seed roll. The smells and flavors of grandma’s house linger in our memories, and more than any other time of year, we crave a little taste of our heritage. Click through the gallery above for some of the holiday dishes from around the world that you can find here in Sonoma County — from pfeffernusse to pavlova — to make the yuletide that much more delicious.
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