Tasty secrets of Christmas flavors

In many places, Christmas is a feast for the senses: the scent of cinnamon, vanilla and cloves rises and fills the room. So the sense of smell is almost infatuated with Christmas. The light of the candles flickers and creates a visual attraction. And it’s finally time again, the one that has been neglected for the past few months. But what is actually mandatory in terms of spices and taste if you want it to taste like Christmas?

Christmas drinks – which taste is actually typical?

The mulled wine is the most typical Christmas drink, which is served in many different variations. As a non-alcoholic version, it can be mixed together from fruit juice, citrus fruits and cinnamon. Alcohol-free punch can also be mixed from apple and pomegranate juice. For the more exotic variant of the classic, for , you need water, sugar, honey, lemon, cloves, cinnamon and star anise in addition to white wine. The mulled wine with cinnamon, orange and cognac is one of the higher-percentage variants. Basically, if you want to enjoy delicious mulled wine through and through, you should mix it yourself. This can mean a longer shopping spree in advance, because only numerous individual components ensure a tasty overall composition, but it’s worth it!

If you want to offer a slightly more unusual cocktail during the Christmas season, you could create a Christmas cocktail with cinnamon and rum. Sugar, specula spice, vanilla, milk, cream, rum, honey, cinnamon sticks and ice cubes are required. Pomegranate seeds serve as a visual highlight. If you are looking for a cream-free version, you can mix rum, grenadine syrup, cinnamon, orange juice, orange strips and maraschino cherries for a truly extraordinary Christmas cocktail. Tip: Since some lists of ingredients can seem a bit exotic, there are special online shops that sell Christmas flavors online. That saves a lot of running from one supermarket to the next. Even , is possible when shipping spirits.

The A to Z of Christmas spices starts with aniseed and ends with cinnamon

There is of course no reference work on whether there really is a Christmas aroma for every letter in between, but at least the most well-known Christmas aromas should be mentioned here will.

The seeds of the aniseed umbellate have a very special taste. This spice, which is found in many Christmas cookies, tastes sweet and tart at the same time, liquorice-like and almost a little woody-peppery. In combination with cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves, the taste comes into its own. Star anise can also be used.
No less aromatic are cloves. These are usually available in the form of dried buds. The aroma of clove is often played with in gingerbread and Christmas cookies, but also in red cabbage and game sauce.
Clove pepper is better known as Allspice. The word describes the fruits of the myrtle family and harmonises particularly well with cinnamon and cloves. Allspice should not be missing in gingerbread. But the slightly hot, sweetish-tart taste of allspice is also part of roast venison and goulash.
The tonka bean provides a rather noble taste. The bean, which is grown in South America, provides desserts with a hint of vanilla, marzipan and caramel all in one.
Even if the smell and taste of vanilla are inseparable from the Christmas aroma heard, very few people know that this aroma comes from an orchid. The vanilla orchid provides the vanilla pods, which are then alternately heated and dried until they get their black-brown shape.
Of course, another Christmas classic is cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon is grown in Sri Lanka. Cassia cinnamon comes from China. The brownish powder is obtained from the bark and usually finely ground.

Nuts in all kinds of variations are also part of the taste of Christmas – even if they are less aromatic than a classic spice. Examples of Christmas classics include . Hazelnuts, walnuts or even almonds also belong in – depending on your taste.

Christmas flavors don’t always have to be sweet

Of course, the delicacies already mentioned are part of Christmas. Gingerbread and cookies are nibbled with punch or mulled wine. That tastes like Christmas. Those who like sweets less, should not or are not allowed to eat them, will not go away empty-handed when it comes to any Christmas flavors. Because even hearty dishes can spread Christmas flair. Wild dishes in particular, such as ragout and goulash from deer and venison, are classic dishes that are often on the menu in autumn and are particularly popular well into the Christmas season. Sauerbraten, which only gets its aroma from a very special spice mixture and a longer period of time in the broth, is also considered a classic of the Advent and Christmas season. Spice mixes, which can also be bought online, usually include coriander, onion, allspice, mustard seeds, juniper berries, rosemary, paprika and pepper. Without it, the brew itself can be made from red wine, red wine vinegar, peppercorns, juniper berries, bay leaves, cloves, salt, oranges, water, vegetable broth, onions, carrots, leeks, celery and parsley roots. Other Christmas classics, which are sometimes even suitable for the holidays and can be served on the holidays, are the roast beef, roast beef, lamb shank, coq au vin, roast beef, fillet of beef and beef cheeks. Those who prefer to serve fish could put cod, salmon or plaice on the menu. It gets a little heartier but no less tasty when a sea bass is fried.