Multi-Cultural Snack Recipes:
USA
Apples and apple pie originated in Europe, but the great popularity of the apple pie helped make the U.S. the world's largest apple-producing nation.
The related snack could involve store bought apple pie/mini apple pies or apple cookies or you could use the recipe below. Fresh apples and perhaps apple sauce or pie filling could also be provided to explain how apples are used to make apple pie. Any other food relating to the USA would also be fine.
APPLE PIE COOKIES
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups enriched flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup chopped and pared apples
1/4 cup apple juice or milk
1 egg
Combine margarine, sugars, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.
1. Sift flour with soda.
2. Add 1/2 of flour mixture to margarine mixture and blend.
3. Stir in apples, apple juice or milk, and egg.
4. Add the remaining flour; mix.
5. Drop by teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 11 to 14 minutes.
7. Remove from cookie sheet while hot.
Yield: 30 cookies
Mexico
Corn Tortillas have been a staple of Mexican cooking for many. They can serve as the base of hundreds of meals, but you only need three ingredients to make them – corn flour, water, and salt.
The related snack could involve corn tortilla chips and dips such as cheese dip, mild guacamole, mild salsa or any dip of your choice. Any other food relating to Mexico would also be fine.
Israel
During Rosh HaShana, certain foods such as gourds, black-eyed peas, leeks, beets, and dates should eaten and are included in many recipes.
The related snack could involve store bought date cookies or date bread or you could use the recipe below. Whole or chopped date pieces could also be provided. Any other food relating to Israel would also be fine.
DATE BALLS:
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package (8 ounces) pitted dates, chopped
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/4 cup sugar for rolling
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a mixing bowl, beat 1 cup sugar with eggs until fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Blend dry ingredients into the sugar mixture. Fold in dates (and pecans if using). Spoon batter into a greased 8-inch square pan; bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and stir immediately with a wooden spoon. Let cool completely, then roll mixture into 1-inch balls and toss in 1/4 cup sugar.
Makes about 3 dozen.
Ethiopia
Spices such as ginger, cinnamon, coriander, pepper and cloves are frequently used in Ethiopian cooking.
The related snack could involve any foods flavored with any of the above spices. Some of the raw spice could perhaps also be provided for the children to smell. An authentic Ethiopian dish is Spiced Cheese, an easy version of which is given below and could be served with vegetables or crackers etc. Any other food relating to Ethiopia would also be fine.
EASY SPICED CHEESE:
1 Lb Cottage Cheese
4 tsp Fresh ginger;finely grated
1 1/2 tps Ground tumeric
1/4 tsp Cardamom seeds
1 Stick cinnamon; 1 inch long, ground
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
3 Whole cloves, ground
1 tsp Cayenne
Black Pepper and salt to taste
Mix all ingredients.
If using this recipe for children, lesser quantities of spices are recommended.
Vietnam
In Vietnam, Tet-Trung-Thu (tet-troong-thoo) or the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most popular family holidays. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Vietnamese families plan their activities around their children on this special day. In a Vietnamese folklore, parents were working so hard to prepare for the harvest that they left the children playing by themselves. To make up for lost time, parents would use the Mid-Autumn festival as an opportunity to show their love and appreciation for their children. Appropriately, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Children’s Festival. Vietnamese parents tell their children fairy tales and serve mooncakes and other special treats under the silvery moon.
The related snack could involve Moon cakes available at oriental grocery stores, or you could use the recipe below. If these prove to difficult to find, moon pies could be used as an American alternative. Any other food relating to Vietnam would also be fine.
EASY MOON CAKES:
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup salted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup strawberry (or your favorite) jam or other filling (traditionally
red bean paste is used so if you want a more authentic version, you can
use a can of red bean paste instead of the jam).
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the butter, sugar and 1 egg yolk and stir.
Mix in the flour. Form the dough into one large ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for half an hour.
Unwrap the chilled dough and form small balls in the palms of your hand. Roll out on a lightly floured board to make a circle about 1/8-inch thick. Place about half a teaspoon of jam, paste or other filling
in center of dough circle. Fold in sides of dough to completely enclose filling.
Brush each cake with the other beaten egg yolk and place on a cookie sheet.
Bake for about 20 minutes or just until the outside edges are slightly brown.
Germany
Oktoberfest is a centuries-old German tradition that started with a wedding. The celebration dates back to 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen invited the citizens of Munich to attend their wedding reception. A popular treat is Lebkuchenherzen, jumbo gingerbread cookies in the shape of hearts. These plate-sized treats are decorated with icing in the shape of flowers and usually inscribed with token sayings such as Ich liebe dich or "I love you."
The related snack could involve store bought gingerbread or gingersnaps, or you could use the recipe below. Any other food relating to Germany would also be fine.
GERMAN GINGERBREAD COOKIES:
3/4 cup Soft margarine
1/2cup Brown sugar
2 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4tsp Ground cloves
1 Egg
3/4 cup Molasses
3 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Baking powder
Mix all ingredients together well.
Make balls of dough the size of walnuts, and place them on a greased cookie sheet 3-4" apart. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 325 F for 6-8 minutes.
Or, refrigerate overnight. Roll out cold dough for cookie shapes cut with cookie cutters.
If dough is sticky, add flour.
Jordan
When the new moon arrives to signal the end of Ramadan, there is a colossal celebration called Eid ul-fitr. The feasting and revelry of Eid ul-fitr are unparalleled by any of the other dinners held during Ramadan. Eid ul-fitr is a time when the whole community comes together to rejoice and, of course, eat! Platters of steaming food, music, games and general merriment last until the moon's silvery reflection begins to fade in the sky. A Favorite cake is fresh fig cake.
The related snack could involve store bought Fig Newtons, or you could use the simplified recipe below. Perhaps a few fresh figs could also be provided. Any other food relating to Jordan would also be fine.
FIG CUPCAKES:
1 cup figs
2 cup sifted flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 cup Crisco or other shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin pan.
Clip stems from figs and finely chop.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and ginger together. Cream shortening
and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Add sifted ingredients
alternately with milk in small amounts. Add figs. Fill muffin pans
2/3 full. Bake approx 20 min.
Makes 15 cupcakes.
Native Americans
"The First Thanksgiving" was a traditional English harvest celebration to which the colonists invited Massasoit, the most important sachem among the Wamapanoag. It was only in the nineteenth century that this event became identified with the American Thanksgiving holiday. Native Americans would have eaten various kinds of squash, such as we associate with Thanksgiving today.
The related snack could involve raw squash and dip, store bought or baked pumpkin pie or pumpkin cookies, or you could use the recipe below. Any other food relating to Native Americans would also be fine.
INDIAN PUDDING:
2 eggs
6 cups milk
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup butter
In top of double boiler set over hot water, beat together eggs and four cups milk. Beat in molasses, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ginger and cook until sugar dissolves. Add cornmeal and butter and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in remaining milk and pour into greased baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 3 hours, or until pudding is firm.
Serving Ideas: Serve hot or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream
Slovakia
A popular dish in Slovakia is the kolbasa sausage, which is very similar to the Polish kielbasa. It is often eaten with cabbage and other vegetables.
The related snack could involve mini sausages and some raw vegetables, though any other food relating to Slovakia would also be fine.
Sweden
Saint Lucia Day signals the beginning of the Swedish Christmas season. Traditionally, the oldest daughter in the family portrays Saint Lucia, the Queen of Light, and she serves the elder members of the family coffeecake or buns in bed.
The related snack could involve store bought coffee cake, or you could try the recipe below. The traditional Saint Lucia coffeecake is flavored with saffron (though this could be omitted here) and formed as a wreath or buns. Any other food relating to Sweden would also be fine.
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup (1 stick ) butter, melted
1 teaspoon saffron threads (a good pinch)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup currants
2 eggs, warmed
4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
1 large egg, beaten
Sugar sprinkles, optional
In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Add a pinch of sugar. Heat the milk and add the melted butter to it; cool until the mixture is lukewarm.
Pulverize the saffron with 1 teaspoon of the sugar, using a mortar and pestle or with the back of a spoon in a small dish. Add 1 tablespoon of the warm milk-and-butter mixture and allow the saffron to steep for 5 minutes.
Add the saffron mixture, milk-and-butter mixture, sugar, salt, currants and eggs to the yeast. Using an electric blender on medium speed, beat until blended. Add 2 cups flour and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of the remaining flour and mix with a wooden spoon to make a medium-stiff dough. Let dough rest for 15 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Knead for 8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and satiny. Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to lightly oil the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
To make a braided wreath: Punch the dough down and divide into 3 parts. With the palms of your hands, roll and shape each part into a rope-like strand about 36 inches long. Braid the strands by aligning them vertically and alternately crossing each outer strand over the center strand. Shape the braid into a circle and place on a greased or parchment-covered baking sheet. Pinch the ends together where they meet to seal the strands and to conceal the beginning and end of the braid.
Transfer to the baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles if using. Let rise for about 45 minutes or just until puffy.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the dough comes out clean and dry. Cool on a rack. Makes 16 servings.
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