PUBLISHED December 10th, 2015 04:00 am | UPDATED June 11th, 2020 02:38 am
From the of roasting reindeers in Iceland to the bizarre Japanese practise of eating KFC on Christmas, people over the world stuff themselves silly with a plethora of “goodies” every 25th December. Since Singapore was a British colony, our favourite festive treats were definitely inspired by the ol’ Union Jack – but how did these goodies turn into their present forms?
Here are the stories behind four unquestionably traditional yuletide treats:
The Yule Log
Borne out of a medieval European tradition that consisted of burning trees to mark the end of December and to ward off evil spirits, this ancient custom evolved into the baking of Yule Logs around the early 17th century. The practice of eating these trunk-shaped sweet treats to celebrate Christmas starting spreading all across the globe since then.
Try: The Westin’s Singapore’s Chocolate Indulgence Yule Log ($60), a decadent treat that comprises of dark chocolate ganache topping a delightful brownie and mixed with orange and chocolate cinnamon mousse, along with bits of candied orange peel and walnuts.
The Fruit Cake
Despite a long and rich history that began with baking mixed barley mash in ancient Rome, the fruit cake has always been closely associated with Christmas through the years, though the reason for that still remains unknown. Nonetheless, any yuletide celebration is a great occasion to indulge in the rich and saccharine flavours that’s rather unique to the Christmas fruit cake.
Try: The Westin’s Singapore’s Christmas Fruit Cake ($45). Sweet, crumbly and chock full of chopped candied fruit.
The Roast Turkey
According to the BBC, Christmas was never a major, celebrated holiday until Queen Victoria married the German Prince Albert in 1840. Then, every household was soon embellished with all kinds of treats and decorations imaginable. One of the leading factors in the commercialisation of Christmas happened to be the Roast Turkey, which now embodies the spirit of any self-respecting yuletide feast.
Try: The Westin’s Singapore’s Apple-glazed Turkey ($140 for 6-7kg). This quintessential holiday bird will be served with roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables, and filled with chestnut stuffings, along with douses of cranberry and port wine sauce.
The Ham
Ham is possibly one of the most sought-after savoury staple when it comes to celebrating Christmas. Perhaps we should thank the Germanic people, who couldn’t have possibly fathomed that their ancient pagan rituals of slaughtering boars to pay homage to the God Freyr would have turned into one of the most profitable goods of modern Christmas.
Try: The Westin’s Singapore’s Pineapple-glazed Ham ($125 for 2kg). Sweet and savoury, these slices of cured pork are a definite must-have for Christmas dinner.
To get your hand on these goodies and more this Christmas season, check out The Westin Singapore’s extensive list of retail items here.
Feel like dining out instead? No problem. The Westin Singapore has got you covered with their exquisite range of indulgent buffets at premium restaurant Seasonal Tastes. To check out the full list of dining promotions, please click here.