Perhaps the most anticipated and beloved holiday of the year is Christmas, but New Year's is also traditionally celebrated in a big way. Thus, Miami could be called the party capital, with New Year's being no exception. When it comes to New Year's Eve, every self-respecting club, bar, or restaurant strives to propose something out of the box to attract as many guests as possible.
The pre-holiday cheer in Florida starts as early as the beginning of December. Starting on the 1st day of the month, everything here sparkles and shines, Christmas tunes start to play, bars stock up on champagne & the coasts are full of people in Santa costumes.
Christmas activities
The Sunshine State can't offer snow and sub-zero temperatures on Christmas Day, there are plenty of holiday activities to lift your spirits during the winter season though. Christmas trees and even palm trees are decorated all over the place, children hang up stockings for candy, families make gingerbread houses, and sculpt snowmen out of sand.
Check out the heart of West Palm Beach to join the local beloved custom called Sandi Land. It's a marvelous example of Christmas celebrations in Florida. Millions of visitors have already witnessed this marvelous sand beauty shimmering with different colors. The massive sandy Christmas tree, affectionately called Sandi, reaches 35 feet in height and carries 800 tons of weight. A truly remarkable thing to see.
Santa's Enchanted Forest, the largest Christmas theme park, opens in early December in West Miami. It's a typical American fair with lots of attractions for children and adults, barbecues, pony rides, and raffles for a chance to win something nice.
Florida signature salad
Of course, the highlight of Christmas is still the family dinner. The ultimate Florida dish also served on Christmas Day is the light and colorful Ambrosia Salad. A combination of grapefruit and oranges from Florida during the peak season, along with a variety of other tropical flavors, such as coconut, kumquat, and pomegranate, are featured in this recipe. Pretty to look at and delightfully refreshing. Combine these fruits to create a delicious salad:
1 coconut
3 grapefruits
3 navel oranges
1 pineapple
1 pint kumquats
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
Sandy salad bowl would be great for this salad.
Stone crab claw with mustard sauce
Florida's Christmas dinner is often dominated by seafood dishes, although that's hardly surprising given the state's close proximity to the ocean. At this time of year, it's stone crab season in Florida, so it's a good idea to kick it off with a simple but flavorful stone crab claw with mustard sauce. To prepare the mustard sauce, whisk together:
3 1/2 tablespoons of Dijon or dried mustard
1 cup or 250 ml mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of Worcester sauce
1 tablespoon of hot sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/8 tablespoon of salt
Chill and serve with stone crab or other seafood.
Oranges dipped in chocolate
Oranges, which are the favorite fruit of Florida, make a wonderful holiday dessert. To prepare chocolate-covered caramelized oranges, you'll need:
Middle-sized oranges 7 pcs.
2 1/2 cups or 650 g of sugar
1 1/4 cup or 300 ml of water
1 cup or 250 g of dark chocolate
Slice the oranges into thin rounds. After the water boils in a pot, put in the citrus slices, and let them boil for 5 minutes to eliminate all the bitterness, then drain them well. Prepare a syrup made of sugar and water. Once it comes to a boil, add the oranges to it and cook for 2 hours after boiling. Once the slices are ready, place them in an oven heated to 250°F for 15-20 minutes on each side. Allow the oranges to cool. Melt chocolate in a steam bath and coat half of the orange circles. Place them on a sheet of baking paper & let them chill at room temperature. This will surely be an annual Christmas treat.