VALLE D’AOSTA – Welcome Travelers Valle d’Aosta, bordering France and Switzerland to the west and north, has long been the connector between central Europe and the Italian peninsula. It is the place where people travel on their way to somewhere else. The locals have welcomed travelers since Roman times and have established a culture of hospitality. Travelers are given the same warm welcome now as they were then. The Valdaostani are welcoming and generous people, always eager to share their hearty mountain food. It is the place where cultures meet and eat. Valle d’Aosta shares food styles with Alpine France and Switzerland. Its cuisine is simple, based on fresh ingredients from the mountains, streams, and plush valleys. Our menu this...
Coming to the Table: The Great Equalizer Eating together helps build understanding and strengthens the bonds between people. After all, eating at a table means both eating and talking. It can foster an exchange of ideas, break down prejudices, and connect us on a most basic human level. When people are seated at the table, as they are passing the proverbial salt and breaking bread, they are forced to look at each other and converse. This week, we are featuring a simple menu, showcasing some of the favorite foods of past presidents. These are dishes well-known and loved by most Americans. How appropriate to serve these crowd-pleasers to entice people to the table. That, after all, is what we have...
La Befana – Italy’s Own Christmas Story The story of La Befana has been an Italian classic since the thirteenth century. It is a story of a lonely old woman and her endless search for the Christ Child. For Italians, La Festa della Epifania, The Epiphany, is as significant a holiday as Christmas Day, especially for Italian children. The legend continues that on the night of January 5th, Old Befana flies on her broomstick and goes down chimneys to deliver candy (dolcetti) or lumps of coal (carbone) to deserving children. January 6th is a national holiday and marks the end of the traditional Christmas season. It commemorates the 12th Day of Christmas when the Three Wise Men arrived at the...
La Festa di Sant' Antonio - Coming Together Cercina is not a little town or even a village – it is merely a cluster of simple country houses and farms, two trattorias, a tiny grocery store and an 11th century Romanesque church. The main event every year that draws hordes of Florentines to make the trek to this idyllic countryside enclave is La Festa di Sant’Antonio d’Abate, the Feast of Saint Anthony, protector of farm animals. Every other year, the parade starts at Trattoria i Ricchi, led by a marching band and locals on horseback, to the church square where the animals are blessed. La Festa di Sant’Antonio brings everyone together for three days of card games, communal lunches, and...
CAPODANNO – New Year’s Eve Traditions and Superstitions In the two weeks between December 24 (Feast of the Seven Fishes) and January 6 (Epiphany), Italians find themselves at the holiday table six times for six different celebrations! There are various traditions and specialty ingredients featured depending on the region, but food is always the main event. Second only to the Christmas feast, il Cenone di Capodanno or New Year’s Eve “Big Dinner” is the most important gathering of friends and family filled with traditions and superstitions that enrich the holiday, marking the beginning of the new year. In Italy, a traditional New Year’s Eve meal is all about symbolizing abundance, wealth and good luck. There are specific foods that no...
