"Christmas comes but once a year and when it comes it brings"...Uncle George (who'll  take over the single malt whiskey if no-one stops him), attention-seeking Aunt Mavis (who just this minute turned vegetarian), and all their dreadful children. It's enough to drive you crackers. (Even more so, now that Health & Safety gnomes are debatng whether that banger should be removed from crackers...)

Give Christmas a new sparkle and celebrate someone else's - with Britain's Christmas crackers, Italy's Omino di Neve, Switzerland's Zimststerne, Jamaica's West Indian Black Cake and more...

Britain
The Christmas cracker is a centrepiece of the British Christmas table. It was invented in 1846 by Thomas Smith, still one of the largest manufacturers. 

He had seen French bonbons, sugared almonds wrapped in twisted tissue paper, on a visit to Paris and decided to do the same with candies for Christmas. A few years later, he added mottos, then, around 1860, the banger. When rival manufacturers saw their popularity, they copied his idea. So Smith moved on, switching his candy for a tiny gift. The paper hat was included at the beginning of the 20th century and two decades later, riddles and jokes replaced the mottos. These days, crackers are readily found in Washington, at major department stores and at Rodmans.

The British eat mincepies. They're filled with mincemeat, which although way back when was a grinding of meats like venison stirred through with currants, has for at least a century had absolutely nothing to do with meat, apart from beef suet. This is the fat that preserves the 'sweetmeats' that stuff them - a mixture chopped dried fruits, nuts and alcohol filling the little pies. These days, a vegetable fat is generally substituted. You can buy mincepies ready made at most supermarkets, or in larger pies at Heller's Bakery. Christmas puddings, weighty steamed fruit sponge puddings which should come to the table flaming and have various symbolic good luck charms and coins buried inside them, can be found at Rodmans and larger Giants. The Scots know, though, that their Clootie Dumpling is much more delicious.

Italy
We all know Panettone. But Italians also love Omino di Neve, a snowman-shaped cake filled with hazelnuts and cream and covered in white chocolate. Dolce al Limoncello, another favorite, is a lemon-shaped cake from Capri. Discover these, along with Panettone, at The Italian Store, 3123 Lee Hwy, Arlington, 703 528 6266. You'll also find the special Italian candies  - Arrotolata, nougat rolled with nuts and chocolate, and Croccante, an almond brittle. While Bernice August points out that the branch of Vignola Pasta Gourmet at N. Washington St, Rockville, which also stocks all these is now closed, they have a branch at 9 East Church St, Frederick, 301 620 0077.

France
The French celebrate with Bûche de Noel, a rich chocolate Yule log cake. You'll find it on the menu at the Cafe du Parc, next to the Willard Hotel on Pennsylvania Ave NW. Patisserie Poupon is another source, for this gooey cake, along with Galette aux Rois, 1645 Wisconsin Ave NW, 202 342 3248.

Portugal
Portugal's traditional Christmas cake is Bolo Rei, a dense fruit cake full of candied peaches, cherries, oranges and nuts, soused in port. Find it at European Market, 17605 Redland Rd, Rockville, 301 417 0788.

Germany
Gingerbread houses are essential to a Northern European Christmas. Creative Cakes in Silver Spring, 301 587 1599, make them to order. To build one yourself, buy molds through the Williams-Sonoma catalogue, 800 541 2233, or take lessons, with your children, from Linda C. White, 202 291 0076, and the chefs listed in this week's The Dish.

Switzerland
The Swiss bake Christmas cookies. Mailaenderli, lemon-flavored, cross-shaped cookies, Madelkonfeckt, cherry-topped marzipan cookies, and Zimststerne, star-shaped cinnamon-and-almond cookies are all available at Randolph, 4500 Lee Highway, Arlington, 703 243 0070.

Jamaica
At Christmas time in Jamaica, a traditional black cake is baked in which the dried fruits have been soaking in alcohol since the previous Christmas. Denevol Samuels is faithful to the tradition, filling his grandmother's recipe for West Indian Black Cake with fruits that have wallowed for twelve months in cognac, wine, and white Jamaican rum. The cake is iced with blackened caramel or, if you prefer, a traditional white royal icing. Order at least two days in advance, from Tropical Desserts 82 Q St SW, 202 488 4647.

To bake your own Black Cake, buy the Jamaican burnt sugar you'll need for the icing from Caribbean Market at 7505 New Hampshire Ave, Langley Park, 301 439 5288. Nigella Lawson offers a recipe in "How To Be A Domestic Goddess."

Kwansaa
Order a Kwansaa sheet cake - or anything else that takes your fancy - from ex-lawyer Warren Brown's CakeLove. Call 202 397 4003.

Your own personal cake celebration...
Find seasonal cookie cutters, colored sugars and  frosting dyes:
in Maryland at Cakes Plus, 3325 Corridor Market Place, Laurel, 301 490 3600; Cakes 'n Things, Waldorf Shoppers World, Waldorf, 301 843 5623;
in Virginia at Fran's Cake and Candy Supplies, 10396 Willard Way, Fairfax, 703 352 1471; Marlene's Cake Candy and Party Supplies, 356 S. Pickett St, Alexandria, 703 370 3301.

Connie Schweizer, of Connie's Cake Creations, 703 860 2661, will decorate a half sheet as pretty as a picture, with a seasonal illustration. So will Patti Collette of Patty Cakes, 703 354 0677.

Related Information...

1 Comment

1. Sandra

   I'm a Caribbean native and when I was growing up, Christmas wasn't Christmas without black cake. My family would start soaking the fruits as soon as New Year's came around. I now live on the West Coast in the US and hardly ever come across it in my neighborhood. I have even ordered online through Aunt Eulie's and Jamaican Pride, which both tasted great, but I am hoping to find some locally.