Ask any Italian when they usually open their gifts and you can probably tell where they are from. Italians celebrate lots of great unique Christmas traditions. Customs vary from city to city, from exactly what dishes are served to when to open presents. It is a great time to be a kid in Italy! December 13th marks the “Festa di Santa Lucia” – St. Lucy’s Day. Historically, it was to her (and not Santa) that children wrote letters requesting gifts and sweets which she delivered with the help of her donkey on the eve of her feast day. This week we feature a typical menu from Sicily, Santa Lucia’s birthplace. An “omaggio” to this colorful and beloved Saint kicks off...
Slow Food: Saving our Food Heritage. “Fast,” “Convenient,” “Save time,” all have become the mantras of modern life. “Time is money,” has become the foundation of how we live our lives today, both here in the US and Italy. Many of the time-honored traditions of Italian regional cuisine are being lost and replaced by more time efficient and less expensive methods. The “Slow Food” Movement was created to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life, and combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat. It goes without saying that Italy has a rich food culture and is an extraordinary expression of local traditions. We like to think that what we have...
Thanksgivings Past and Customer Favorites This certainly will be a Thanksgiving to remember – filled with zoom calls and quiet isolated dinners. Since I realized that we really will have to forgo the yearly event that we most treasure in our family, I have found solace in remembering Thanksgivings past, first as a child at my Italian grandmother’s table and then as a young woman in Italy, cooking for the Ricchi’s and my new friends. Since most of us will be enjoying turkey this week, I thought it a good idea to highlight the dishes our customers ask for the most. Menu Penne Strascicate Pasta quills “dragged through” 12-hour Tuscan sugo Rosticciana A Tuscan specialty! Grilled pork ribs rubbed with...
LAKE COMO – Glitterati, Gourmands & George.
Why did it take me so long to get to Lake Como? It is undeniably breathtaking with gorgeous landscapes and towering snowcapped mountains. It is an ideal spot with beauty, style and great food, frequently peppered with a movie star here and there. Join us this week for a feast worthy of a movie star!
