CHRISTMASTIME CULINARY TRADITIONS With Christmas just around the corner, my family – like so many others both here and in Italy – is starting to make preparations for all of the traditional foods that will be devoured during the holiday

The time is quickly approaching for the 2018 installment of Italian extravaganza! This year’s 5 week adventure will take us home – Basilicata – for 3 weeks and into Umbria for 2 weeks.

There are so many wonderful traditions in Italy associated with the Easter holiday. There are many famous processions all throughout Italy that re-enact the Catholic tradition of the Via Crucis, or way of the cross.

This week I wanted to talk about an upcoming feast in Italy and its traditional treats. San Giuseppe – or St. Joseph’s day – is next Monday, March 19th. In Italy it is also Father’s Day.

Today is National Pizza Day, so what better excuse could I have to discuss pizza? One of my favorite things to eat, bar none, the topic of pizza is more complex than you would think.

Carnevale is a holiday that is celebrated the day before Lent starts. Lent traditionally being a period of subdued frugality, the day before represents a last hurrah for merriment and indulging.

Italian Christmas traditions are in my blood. Two nights ago we had Dough night, one of my particular favorites. It is the night when we fry all of the savory and sweet dough specialties in preparation for Christmas Eve.

The Nativity, or presepe, is a wide spread and well-known symbol of the religious Italian Christmas spirit. It is not only a religious expression, however, but is at the heart of Italian heritage and tradition in general.

With Christmas just around the corner, my family – like so many others both here and in Italy – is starting to make preparations for all of the traditional foods that will be devoured during the holiday season.

No discussion of autumn harvests would be complete without mentioning truffles. These little treasures are literally worth their weight in gold and are considered a delicacy, especially the white variety.

There are many wonderful events that take place in Italy during this time of year. In a previous post I talked about the vendemmia, or grape harvest. But there is another amazing harvest that is currently underway and that’s the olive harvest.