During Christmas season, Pinoys love to be with their family and friends. And one of the best ways to spend the holidays with loved ones is to reminisce the good old days while eating food especially served during Christmas. Of course, it’s never a Christmas event without the ham and queso de bola!
With Christmas around the corner, you’d want start planning as early as now to beat the Christmas rush. Prepare your best Christmas fiesta yet with these 10 famous food on your dinner table!
Lechon
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Lechon is a must-have for any Pinoy Christmas party or dinner! Pair this with the best sauce and rice, and you’ll feel as though there’s a party in your mouth. It’s really just that good.
Christmas Ham
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Nothing quite comes close to making noche buena feel like noche buena, save for Christmas Ham. Equal parts salty and sweet, Christmas Ham goes well with pandesal or buttered bread. You can even save some for beyond noche buena, like Christmas day lunch.
Queso de Bola
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Like your traditional Christmas Ham, no Christmas is complete with a Queso de Bola! This also goes well with Christmas Ham, pandesal or bread rolls, and a cup of hot chocolate – a perfect hearty way to cap off a high-energy Christmas eve.
Bibingka
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The Filipino version of rice cake, Bibingka has been a staple at the Pinoy Christmas dinner table since time immemorial. It’s cooked with rice, flour, water, egg and milk, and usually cooked in a claypot with banana leaves. You can also get Bibingka with cheese or spread grated coconut on top.
Puto Bumbong
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Another Christmas favorite for many Pinoys, the puto bumbong is steamed glutinous rice (puto) cooked using bumbong (bamboo cylinder). It’s a sweet and sticky delicacy that you can serve as dessert or as a snack, and is usually topped with grated coconut like the Bibingka. Partner this with hot chocolate or tea!
Pancit
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This Pinoy favorite comes in may shapes and forms: pancit malabon, bihon, canton, guisado. You can even serve it with lumpia! No matter the occasion – birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, what have you – you can be sure that pancit makes for a crowd favorite.
Fruit Salad
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With the amount of meat and grease guaranteed at any Pinoy Christmas event, a salad is a good way to balance your menu. Like pancit, there’s a wide variety of salads you can serve – fruit salad, buko salad or vegetable salad. You can also serve this either at the start as an appetizer, or at the end as a palette cleanser.
Cake
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Cap off the dinner with cake! Most, if not all, Pinoys are big fans of sweets, cake included. Tickle your tastebuds with this delectable pastry after feasting on a hearty meal.
Fried Chicken
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Fried chicken is also a staple dish in any Pinoy gathering, and it’s probably because this viand goes well with a lot of meals – spaghetti, rice and gravy, pancit, you name it.
Leche Flan
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A popular traditional Filipino dish, Leche Flan is an egg-based custard dessert often served at Pinoy gathering. This Filipino favorite goes with a lot of other dishes too, and in particular goes really well with halo-halo (another Filipino dessert made from shaved ice, fruits, sago, beans and ube).
Making Christmas this year your most memorable one yet is definitely an achievable feat with these top Pinoy food favorites. Don’t tire yourself out preparing all ten though – you might miss out on the fun! If you’re an excellent host but not quite a cook, or if there’s simply too much to plan for, you can arrange for a trusted caterer from Gawin to help you out. That way, you can join in the Christmas fun at your event, while keeping your guests’ tummies happy. Just submit a request on our website and get free quotes to hire the best caterer for you!
written by Bea Luna