>> HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A
WONDERFUL NEW YEAR.
(Foreign Language)
>> MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY
NEW YEAR.
(Foreign Languag
(Foreign Language)
>> AND THOSE WERE HOLIDAY
GREETINGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATING IS LIKE
IN OTHER COUNTRIES?
>> NOPE.
NO, I'M TOTALLY KIDDING, FOLKS.
HERE WITH A QUICK LESSON ON
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS ACROSS THE
POND IN EUROPE IS THE WELL
TRAVELED TEXAN, JEANNIE
POLACHECK.
TODAY WE'RE FOCUSING ON POLAND,
GERMANY, ITALY AND FRANCE.
>> CORRECT.
>> SO LET'S START WITH GERMANY.
>> SO GERMANY HAS A REALLY
UNIQUE TRADITION AROUND THE
CHRIS KRISTA KEN SO, THESE DAYS
THEY DO FOLLOW SANTA CLAUS, BUT
IN TH 15 HUNDREDS, THE CHRIS
KEN.
INSTEAD OF COMING DOWN THE
CHIMNEY LIKE SANTA DOES, SHE
GOES THROUGH A WINDOW.
>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOU,
JENNIFER BROOME.
OKAY, SHE COMES THROUGH THE
WINDOW.
>> AND SHE LEAVES PRESENTS FOR
THE KIDS AND THEN RINGS A BELL,
SO THE KIDS KNOW SHE'S BEEN
THERE.
AND THEY ALSO HAVE REALLY FUN
TRADITION CALLED THE CHRISTMAS
PICKLE, WHICH IS THIS LITTLE
GUY OVER HERE, AND YOU PUT HIM
ON YOUR TREE AND THE PERSON
THAT FINDS THE PICKLE HIDDEN IN
THE TREE GETS EXTRA GIFTS ON
CHRISTMAS MORNING.
>> OKAY.
>> WHEN DO YOU FIND THE PICKLE?
CHRISTMAS EVE?
>> CHRISTMAS EVE.
ACTUALLY, A LOT OF EUROPEANS
MAINLY CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS ON
CHRISTMAS EVE.
>> HOW DID THE PICKLE TRADITION
START?
>> YEARS AND YEARS AGO, WHEN
THEY -- WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY
KIND OF A MORE COMMON TRADITION
NOW IN PRESENT DAY FOR JUST
PICKLES ARE GERMAN AND SO YOU
HIDE IT IN THE TREE.
>> SO WHEN I GO HOME AND I SEE
MY MEMO TOMORROW NIGHT, I'LL
SAY, MOM, WE FORGOT TO HANG THE
CHRISTMAS PICKLE ON THE TREE
>> THE GERMANS ARE FAMOUS FOR
THEIR CHRISTMAS MARKETS.
FRANCE HAS THEM AS WEL
ONE OF THE BIG THAT IS REALLY
BIG IS GERMANS MAY HAVE FONDUE.
THEY MAY HAVE A BIG BEEF, GAME
DINNER, AND THEN THIS IA
GERMAN RIESLING, A WINE THAT
BALANCES OUT THE FONDU
AND THEN CHAMPAGNE.
>> IT IS JUST SITTING HERE
COLLECTING DUST.
>> AND THIS IS HOW EUROPEANS
START OFF ON CHRISTMAS EVE IS
WITH CHAMPAGNE.
>> WELL, I AM DEFINITELY
EUROPEAN THEN.
>> SO THE OTHER THINGTHAT THEY
DOIS THEY HAVE STOHLANS, THEY
GO TO CHURCH AND THEN COME HOME
AND HAVE A REALLY SWEET BREAD.
WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT
POLLAND IS THEY ABSTAIN FROM
MEAT AND DAIRY ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
THEY HAVE FISH.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A SMOKED
MACKEREL.
THEY HAVE FISH AND THEN THEY
HAVE PEROGY, WHICH ARE THESE
POLISH DUMPLINGS.
THESE ARE FILLED WITH POTATO
AND CHEESE, AND THEY HAVE
DIFFERENT FRUIT-FLAVORED
PEROGYS.
THIS IS POPPY SEED BREAD.
>> THAT IS VERY FIRM BREAD.
>> TYPICALLY THEY EAT WHAT THEY
GROW IN POLLAND, AND THEN THEY
ALSO HAV GORSCH WITH DUMPLINGS.
THEN THEY HAVE THE WAFER.
THEY SPLIT THE WAFER AROUND THE
FAMILY AND WITCH FOR PIECE AND
PROSPERITY.
THAT'S THEIR BIG TRADITION THAT
THEY GO THROUGH.
A LOT OF THIS STUFF, HOUSTON
HAS A REALLY BIG FOR LET THE
BIG PICTURE POLISH COMMUNITY.
IF YOU HAVE POLISH IN YOUR
PAST, YOU CAN FIND PLACES TO
VISIT.
>> I'VE BEEN TO KRAKOW BEFORE.
MOVING ON TO ITALY.
(Foreign Language)
>> ITALIANS ALWAYS EMPHASIZE
EVERYTHING AND THEY TALK WITH
THEIR HANDS SO THEIR WORDS ARE
REALLY BIG.
THEY ALSO FAST ON CHRISTMAS
EVE, WHICH IS REALLY
INTERESTING, AND THEY HAVE
ACTUALLY A WITCH CALLED BUFANA.
>> A WITCH UP >> A WITCH, WHO
FLIES IN ON HER BROOMSTICK AND
DELIVERS GIFTS TO THE CHILDREN.
BEFANA.
>> THAT ALSO LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE
JENNIFER BROOME.
>> THEY HAVE A LOT OF FUN ON
CHRISTMAS EVE.
>> WHY DO I FEEL THAT A NEW
NICKNAME IS COMING OUT OF THIS
ON
>> THEY GO TO MIDNIGHT MASS.
ON CHRISTMAS DAY IS WHEN THEY
HAVE THEIR REALLY BIG MEAL, AND
THEN THEY MAY HAV PRESECO AND
WINE
THEY HAVE A THICK BREAD SIMILAR
TO FRUITCAKE
>> YOU HAVE A TRUFFLE BUSINESS,
DON'T YOU SUMNER I DO.
WE FLY TRUFFLES IN FOR SOME OF
THE FRENCH CHEFS IN HOUSTON AND
ALSO FOR REGULAR PEOPLE LIKE US
WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TRUFFLES
ON THE TABLE FOR CHRISTMAS, AND
SO WE FLEW SOME IN THIS WEEK
FOR OUR SEGMENT.
THIS IS TRUFFLES WITH GOAT
CHEESE.
THESE ARE BLACK WINTER TRUFFLES.
>> CAN I SNIFF THE ACTUAL
STRUFL?
>> YOU ARE GOING TO BE.
IT'S PRETTY STRONG.
>> IT'S VERY STRONG.
>> OH, WOW.
>> IT'S A BIG SINUS OPENER.
>> I'M DIVING I
EXPERT BEST WAY TO SERVE
TRUFFLES IS LIGHTLY SHAVED OVER
SOMETHING THAT HAS A BASE OF
FAT.
THE REASON WHY TRUFFLES ARE SO
EXPENSIVE AND RARE IS BECAUSE
THEY TAKE EIGHT TO 10 YEARS TO
GROW.
>> THAT LONG?
>> EIGHT TO 10 YEARS, SO YOU
REALLY NEED TO HAVE SOME LAND
AND INVESTMENT IN THE EXACT
TYPE OF SOIL THAT WILL GROW
TRUFFLES, AND THE BEST THING TO
HAVE TRUFFLES W-AS THE FRENCH
DO ON CHRISTMAS EVE, IS, OF
COURSE, CHAMPAGNE.
>> THAT IS SO GOOD.
WOW.
>> REALLY TASTY, HUH?
>> THAT IS SO GOOD.
THE FRENCH DO NOT ABSTAIN ON
CHRISTMAS.
THEY ACTUALLY EAT A VERY
LUXURIOUS DINNER OF PERHAPS.
OYSTERS AND, OF COURSE, THEY
HAVE WINE BUT THEY DO NOT DRINK
RED WINE WITH AN APPETIZER.
THE FRENCH DRINK RED WINE ONLY
WITH A MEAL.
IF YOU WALK INTO A FRENCH HOUSE
AND SAY I'D LIKE A GLASS OF RED
WINE, THEY'LL ACTUALLY HAND YOU
A GLASS OF WHITE WINE OR
CHAMPAGNE.
YOU MAY GO THROUGH CHRISTMAS
EVE DINNER, IT MAY TAKE SIX
HOURS AND THERE MAY BE A
DIFFERENT BOTTLE OF WINE WITH
EVERY SERVING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JEANNIE.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
TO LEARN HOW TO SAY HOLIDAY
GREETINGS IN 16 DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES AND TO DISCOVER FUN