Monday is Columbus Day, a day that celebrates the discovery of the Americas by Europeans. This is a holiday that really isn’t celebrated with special meals or activities, however, you can have fun on this holiday with food. To create a Columbus Day menu you will want to look at what foods were available to Columbus and his crew during their voyage, or you can look at the foods that were found in the New World.
The first option that you have is to select Jewish recipes that focus on fish. Salmon and white fish both work well for Columbus Day dishes. Salmon recipes can be simple, such as a nice poached salmon fillet with lemon and dill, or you can create a gefilte fish recipe that will give your Columbus Day menu a more authentic Jewish feel.
In addition to fish, Columbus’ crew had citrus fruit aboard ship. Citrus fruit was used to stave off scurvy. You can use citrus for your menu’s focus. For example, you can make a tasty citrus sherbert or sorbet for dessert, you can baste your meat with a citrus marinade or glaze or you can create a citrus flavored Jello mold.
Goat is another food that the Columbus crew had with them. Goat meat or goat cheese can therefore be incorporated into your menu. This can be a good way to offer your friends and family a unique dining experience, especially if they have never had goat cheese. If goat is not available at your local butcher shop, then try mutton or lamb.