Food Lover's Odyssey

Tastiest Tales of 2011

 

It's been both an amazing and unbelievable year of tasty travels for me.  Before we move into 2012, I'm sharing a few highlights from the year.  Here are my picks for the "tastiest tales" of 2011 from Food Lover's Odyssey.

 

 

 

Chocolate and Pastries - You know I'm a firm believer in starting with desserts, so let's begin with the sweet stuff.

 

This year I attended two of the biggest chocolate festivals in Italy - CioccolaTo in Turin and Eurochocolate in Perugia. Along with tons of chocolate to sample at both festivals, the display of Italy and its monuments made out of chocolate at CioccolaTo and the views of the Umbrian valley from Eurochocolate's Spalm Beach and Piazza Italia stand out in my mind.

And even more chocolate, this time in Paris, Easter chocolates in Paris.

Speaking of Paris, I enjoyed a pastry binge so big that I had to write not one, but two posts about it.

Paris sweets also inspired this chocolate eclair recipe (well, Paris & Mother's Day) and a salted butter caramel ice cream recipe from Berthillon.

There were a few other pastry binges, err, I mean photo journeys I made: one through the pastries of Napoli and the other through the pastries of Lecce.

Again this year, I participated in World Nutella Day, making Nutella Love Cakes for the February celebration.

 

 

 

Carnival in Venice was truly magical and just writing about it makes me want to search airfares for Carnival 2012.  Besides gawking over the costumes & posers in St. Mark's Square, I'm certain I consumed a year's worth of Carnival fritelle & thick hot chocolate. In between sweets, I also went on a fantastic food walk with Monica and ate my way through some of the best cicchetti bars in Venice.

 

 

 

 

Puglia - Another standout in a year of travel highlights was my trip to Puglia. I loved it so much, I actually made two trips this year.  Pasta making with Nonna Vata, a special lunch for me at Cantine Menhir, the frantoio ipogeo (ancient underground olive mill) at Masseria L'Astore, cooking with Chef Paola, making and eating fresh cheese, dining on traditional regional dishes at Locanda Rivoli, and crashing a wedding were just a few of the many highlights from my culinary journey in Salento.

 

 

 

Napoli is a city I love as much as I love chocolate.  I still remember how fat and happy I was after five days of Neapolitan pizza on my pizza lover's odysey.  I met up again with fellow Napoli-philes, Bonnie & Steve from Napoli Unplugged. They took me to some of their favorite dining spots in Naples.  Bonnie & I also attended a class on Genovese & other Neapolitan sauces at Citta del Gusto.  Between all this food, I did do some walking, along Spaccanapoli & Naples' Historic Center, and driving riding, along the Amalfi Coast.

 

 

 

 

Rome - "una vita non basta." And if an entire lifetime isn't enough to discover the city, a few weeks is certainly not enough to eat my way through it.  In that short time though, I was able to eat more pizza, pizza al taglio at Bonci's Pizzarium, take a food tour in Testaccio and sample one of the best carbonara's ever at Da Danilo.  A walk in Rome at night and a day trip through the fountains at Villa d'Este helped me walk off some of those carbs. I'm hoping in 2012 to carve out enough room in my stomach for a month's worth of eating my way through the eternal city.  All the artichokes I had during March in Rome, and elsewhere in Italy, inspired this Artichoke & Spinach ravioli recipe.

 

 

 

 

Paris - Besides all the aforementioned sweets in Paris, I did a little dining in the city that I once called home.  L'Epicuriste was one of my most memorable meals of the year.  Paris & its environs were the scene of two new series here on FLO, Food Lovers' Walks in Paris and the France Blogging Roundtable.  For December's Roundtable blogging theme, I took an Autumn trip to Chateau Vaux le Vicomte.

 

 

 

Dining with a count in Lombardy - A combination of royalty & risotto definitely makes this year's tastiest tales highlight reel.

 

 

 

 

Provence - Although I've only shared photos of  my time in Provence, I have much to write about the good eats and good times there with Tuula.

 

 

 

 

Christmas - I spent most of the Christmas holidays away this year, seeing the Christmas markets along the Danube River.  While I was away, friends from around Italy and France stopped by to share Christmas treats & traditions from Rome, Venice, Naples, Salento & Provence.  A huge thanks to them, and I so enjoyed the posts, I hope to see more like them next Christmas.

 

 

 Wishing all of you a 2012 full of happiness, great food, friends & travel!

 

 

Here are a few things I'm looking forward to sharing with you in 2012:

• Cooking in Puglia - I'll be cooking in Puglia and am inviting you to join me!

• There will be even more recipes from my travels and a new series: Paris Pastry Stories

• So much more to share from my culinary travels, especially those in Provence, Paris - both the sweet & savory side, and Piedmont.

• Sunday's roundup, Italy on a Plate, will continue in 2012.

 

 

 

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What are some of your tastiest tales from 2011?  What would you like to see more of from Food Lover's Odyssey in 2012?

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Christmas Around Italy - Christmas Desserts in Salento

 

Christmas Around Italy travels to Puglia today.  I'm welcoming my good friend from Lecce, Ylenia, of YL Tours Congressi.  I had the pleasure of meeting her this March and met up with her again this fall on my culinary journeys (and more) in Puglia.  Her company provides tours in Puglia for the food lover, along with educational, cultural, yoga, and biking tours in her native region, Puglia.  Today she's sharing six Christmas sweets you'll find on the table in Salento during the holidays and some beautiful photos of Lecce dressed up for Christmas.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Purceddhruzzi are one of the traditional desserts of Salento.  They are small balls of sweet dough fried and crispy. They are then tossed in honey and garnished with pine nuts or almonds or tang colored. (Similar to struffoli in Naples)

 

 

Carteddhrate, another variation on fried dough.  This a yeast dough is made by mixing flour, the liqueur Strega, orange juice, oil flavored with orange peel. You work the dough for a long time so that it is elastic.  It's then rolled out into a thin sheet and cut into strips with a special pastry wheel. Strips obtained with different shapes can be created: twisting each strip can be in on itself, giving the shape of a rose, or cut pieces of 2 × 8 cm and huddle in the middle forming the butterfly.  The fried carteddhrate go into a saucepan of warmed honey & water and soak up the honey. At the end of the preparation, they are decorated with pine nuts, cinnamon and sprinkle with colored candies.

 

 

Scagliozzi (also known as mostaccioli) biscuits are slightly crunchy outside but soft inside. They are typical of the city of Nardo, diamond-shaped with toasted almonds and various spices including cinnamon. They can be covered with chocolate or white icing sugar.

 

 

Cupeta is another delicacy one should taste. It is a nougat with almonds, which comes in the form of long sticks made with caramelized sugar and toasted almonds. It is similar to almond brittle but thicker.

 

Chinuliddhre are in the form of little calzone, and filled with jam. he most widely used jams for the filling are pear, quince and Negroamaro grape.

Pittule, little doughnuts from Salento, are very famous and sought after by tourists during the Christmas season. Often they are topped with a dusting of sugar or honey, and also eaten for breakfast.

 

Christmas lights in Piazza del Duomo in Lecce

 

 

Join me in Puglia in 2013! Gifting this trip to yourself or someone special would make for the perfect Christmas gift! For this food lover's culinary tour, we'll be cooking with our beautiful Italian mamme and professional chefs. We'll also be eating and exploring our way through the region.  There are four tour dates available from which to choose! For tour details, check out this page: Culinary Tours in Puglia 2013! 

***Early booking discount: Book and pay by check by January 31, 2013 and receive a $200 discount off the tour price.****

 

*All photos are courtesy of Ylenia and YL Tours Congressi

 

Related Posts:

Christmas Around Italy: 10 Addresses for Christmas Sweets in Rome

Christmas Around Italy: Traditional Christmas Dinner in Venice

Christmas Around Italy: Christmas Traditions in Naples

Holiday Dessert Recipes

Christmas in France: Aix-en-Provence Christmas Market

The Pastries of Lecce with Pastry Chef Luca Capilungo

A Wedding in Puglia

Traditional Salentine Dishes at Locanda Rivoli in Lecce

 

Christmas Around Italy - Christmas Traditions in Naples

 

Christmas Around Italy travels to one of my favorite Italian cities, Napoli!  Huge welcome to Bonnie of Napoli Unplugged.  Bonnie, an American expat, has been living in and loving Naples for many years.   Her love for the city is what inspired her site, Napoli Unplugged.  It's the place to go if you want to know "what's on" in Naples.  Also, via the site, Bonnie blogs about various escapades and strolls she takes in and around Naples.  She also maintains a photo blog where she shares a daily photo from Naples.  Even though she does all this, I'm so happy she found time to stop here and share a few Neapolitan Christmas traditions with us. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Christmas. In the immortal words of Andy Williams "It's the most wonderful time of the year." Filled with the joy of the season I am transported to my youth, as visions of snow-covered houses, blazing fires and horse-drawn sleighs dance in my head. Classic Currier and Ives Christmas scenes that are interminably rooted in my DNA.

Of course Christmas in the Mediterranean, Christmas in Napoli is slightly different. It's unlikely we'd ever see a white Christmas (although there was snow on Vesuvius today) and Jack Frost is not likely to be nipping at my nose. And what of the commercial Christmas bling my inner child so desperately craves? Well that has only recently started to creep onto the scene.

 

But Christmas in Naples is every bit as magical as the Currier and Ives pictures I have in my mind. And perhaps more so, because time-honored traditions remain the star, while everything else is just trimming on the tree. The tree, which by the way only plays a supporting role to the world-renowned Presepe Napoletano, the Neapolitan Christmas Nativity.

A centuries old tradition, by early December Neapolitan Presepe collections are on display all over the city. There are so many in fact, that I've made an annual treasure hunt out of trying to find them all. They are in every Neapolitan home, most of the city's churches, on display in all variety of public buildings, and there are permanent displays like those at San Martino and Santa Chiara.

 

Presipio Napoletano

And of course, along Via San Gregorio Armeno, Naples premier Christmas Market, where you'll find everything to create your own Nativity Scene. Open year round, during the holiday season tourists flock in from all over the world just for the chance to wander this magical Christmas alley.

 

 

Not far from San Gregorio Armeno, is Porta Nolana, Naples second most important Christmas Market. But don't head there expecting to find mulled wine, Christmas ornaments or nut crackers. This isn't a Christmas market in the traditional sense. Home to the freshest seafood in town, it is THE place to stock up on everything you need to make the traditional Cena della Vigilia di Natale, the Neapolitan Christmas Eve dinner.

 

 

The live clams, le vongole veraci for the Vermicelli or Spaghetti alle Vongole that is served as the primo piatto.

 

The salt cod, il baccalà, served fried, in vapore or baked as the secondo.

 

And the obligatory Christmas Eel, il capitone. Definitely an acquired taste, it is typically fried and seems to find its way onto the Christmas Eve table whether it is eaten or not.

 

 

 

You can also find fresh cauliflower, le papaccelle, hot peppers conserved in vinegar and olives for the Insalata di Rinforzo.

 

But if it's Neapolitan Christmas sweets you are in search of, you will either have to make them yourself or do like most Neapolitans do these days, pick them up at a Pasticceria. What to buy? Honey soaked Struffoli, chocolate dipped Mustaccioli, nutty and crispy Roccocò, and the S-shaped Susamielli.

 

There are other Neapolitan Christmas traditions to be sure. Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and Minestra Maritata for the Christmas Day lunch. Gli Zampognari, bag pipers who magically arrive in December to entertain the residents of the city for a bit of food or change. Tombola, a game played during the holidays that is similar to bingo, except it uses the numbers from 1 through 90, and each has a meaning based on La Smorfia Napoletana.

 

 

And of course the one universal tradition of the season, sharing the holiday with friends and family.

From our home in Napoli to yours wherever you may be, Merry Christmas to all and to all a Very Happy New Year!

 

*All photos in this post are courtesy of Napoli Unplugged

 

 

Related Posts:

Christmas Around Italy: 10 Addresses for Christmas Sweets in Rome

Christmas Around Italy: Tradtional Christmas Dinner in Venice

Christmas in France: Aix-en-Provence Christmas Market

Christmas Holiday Dessert Recipes

Dining Around Naples with Napoli Unplugged

Pizza Lover's Odyssey in Naples

Journey Through the Pastries of Napoli

Pasta alla Genovese and Other Classical Neapolitan Sauces at Citta del Gusto

Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: Dec 18, 2011

 

 

 

It's another week of spreading Christmas cheer on Italy on a Plate, with Christmas recipes and Christmas scenes in Italy.  Seafood and desserts dominate this week's links.  I hope you've also read my guest post series this week, Christmas Around Italy.  I have a few more friends stopping by this coming week, too.  And as you're reading this I'm probably in the air to Europe.  Not in Italy, but I am along the Danube River, where I'll be in Germany, Austria & then Budapest visiting Christmas markets.  I'm hoping to share a post or two from some of the markets while I'm there, but am not sure about internet connections.  I will certainly be posting photos of the festivities on the Food Lover's Odyssey Facebook page and via Twitter.

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season ~ Buon Appetito & Buon Natale! 

 

My Choice for This Week's Top 10 Italian Food Recipes:

 

Capitone Fritte - Fried Eel - the Neapolitan Christmas dish - Napoli Unplugged

Baccala Mantecato - Ciao Chow Linda

Seadas - Sardinian Fritters - Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino

The Pot-Bellied Big One - Ventricina Teramana - Life in Abruzzo

Feast of the Seven Fishes - Italian Food Forever

Red Snapper Livornese - The Italian Chef

Ricette per la vigilia di Natale 2011 (Recipes for Christmas Eve dinner 2011) - La Voglia Matta (in Italian)

Croccante di Natale - Almond Brittle for Christmas - The Front Burner

Tuscan Pine Nut Cake - A recipe with a story - Juls Kitchen

La Pitta 'Mpigliata (traditional Calabrian Christmas dessert) - Cime di Rapa

 

 

 

Eating Italy:

Santa Lucia and the Tradition: Let's Find Out What, Why & When - The Sicilian Cuisine Blog

Best Wine Bars in Florence - NileGuide Florence

100 Italain Food/Drink Words and Phrases - Food Republic

Zeb (Florence) - Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome

It's Kosher in Rome's Ghetto - Katie for The New York Times

Buona Forchetta - Italian Notebook

Italy Winemaker Sends Literary Message in the Bottle - Reuters

The Layover Rome, Parla Food Edition - Parla Food

Three Wise Wines - On the Wine Trail in Italy

Michelin Mountains: The Italian Ski Resort Where the On-Piste Food is Award Winning - The Daily Mail

 

 

 

Christmas in Italy:

Christmas Time! Creche in Liguria - Beautiful Liguria

Live Nativity Pageants in Umbria - Rebecca for Umbria on the Blog

Christmas in Rome: Some Serious Lights - A photo & video essay of some of the prettiest Christmas lights in Rome - Revealed Rome

Christmas in Florence: Palazzo Medici Riccardi - Italy Magazine

Christmas in Venice - Travel + Leisure

500 Italian Santas Run for Charity - Italy Magazine

 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Food and Wine Festivals in Italy:

Giornate Gastronomiche Sorrentine 2011 - December 1 to 20 - Sorrento "Gastronomic Days" celebrates the food of the area

Festa del Torrone e del Croccantino - December 7 to 11 and 15 to 18 - San Marco dei Cavoti in the Campania region is in its 11th year of celebrating candies associated with Christmas

Showcolate - December 8 to 11 - Napoli - Chocolate Festival

Christmas Markets and Events in Italy

Cioccolentino 2012 - February 10 to 14, 2012 - Terni - Chocolate festival and more in the Umbrian town half way between Rome and Perugia

Fiera del Cioccolato Artigianale - February 10 to 19, 2012 - Florence - Artisanl chocolate festival

Carnevale di Venezia -February 11 to 21, 2012 - Venice - Not really a food and wine festival, but it is a festival, one where the entire floating city becomes a stage, that one should attend at least once in a life time.

Cioccola-To - March 2 to 11, 2012 - Turin - Italian chocolates & more, with a focus on the chocolatiers of Turin, fill the Piazza Vittorio Veneto.

VinItaly - March 25 to 28, 2012 - Verona - Italy's largest wine exposition

Events in Tuscany - Site listing many events throughout Tuscany, and not only food and wine

Events in the Langhe area of Piedmont - Site from the Alba Tourist office listing many festivals, mostly wine & food, happening in the Langhe area of Piedmont

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Christmas Around Italy: 10 Addresses for Christmas Sweets in Rome

Christmas Around Italy: Traditional Venetian Christmas Dinner

Holiday Dessert Recipes

Italy on a Plate: The Week in Italian Food - December 11, 2011

 

 

Christmas in France: Aix-en-Provence Christmas Market

 

 

I have another friend stopping by, this time from France, to share a little Christmas in Provence.  I'm welcoming Tuula, an American expat living in Provence. She is the author of the beautiful blog and travel site, Belle Provence Travels.  On her site, Tuula shares much of magical Provence with us, while discovering out-of-the-way little villages and markets along the way.  After meeting her virtually via our blogs, I had the great fortune of meeting Tuula in person during my trip to France in October.  It was one of the highlights of my trip. She took me to little villages on hills, outdoor food markets, wine tasting and on several other culinary adventures - all of which you'll be hearing about soon.  Today we're talking Christmas, as she shares a day at the Christmas market in Aix-en-Provence - and many of the treats on offer at the market.  Enjoy!

 

Being an American living abroad certainly has its ups & downs, but undoubtedly one of the high points of residing in the beautiful land of France is the chance to experience the Christmas season... à la française.

What France may lack in splashy decorations (believe me, I really do miss my sparkly, pot-bellied Santa from home), it more than makes up for in simple sophistication.  Holiday traditions in Provence, as in other French regions, are quite a subdued affair - full of elegant pine trees (les petits sapins), lots of twinkling white lights (think woodsy meets Coco Chanel), and thankfully, a Christmas market in almost every city.

Which brings us to perhaps one of the most quintessentially Provençal cities of all: Aix-en-Provence.  It's difficult not to fall under the spell of this charming university town which somehow manages to do "high-brow" and "stone-washed village" all at the same time.

Having visited this southern gem on many an occasion, I can safely say Aix really shines during the holiday season - and nowhere is this more apparent than at the annual Christmas market.  This past weekend, I braved the somewhat less-charming holiday crowds to shop the "snowy" chalets lining the main boulevard of Aix: Cours Mirabeau.

Representing not only Provençal specialties, including many of the key ingredients needed to make the famed 13 desserts of Christmas, the market was filled with traditional French favorites.  Chocolates of all shapes & sizes, macarons, cookies (navettes from Marseille & calissons from Aix), mulled wine (vin chaud), and gingerbread - to be served beneath a huge slab of fois gras, of course.

This is a French Christmas after all...no skimping on taste or quality by any means.  And if you ever happen to be this far dans le sud (in the south), you may just want to check out the Christmas market in my town.  Oyster bar anyone?

 

"Gingerbread man" - Pain d'Epices vendor at the market

 

 

Calissons - Almond paste "cookies" from Aix in holiday colors

 

 

A French Christmas market isn't complete without macarons

 

Navettes - Cookies from Marseille

 

Buches de Noel

 

Boules de Mousse - in the shape of Christmas bells

 

Santons de Provence

 

 

*All photos in this post are courtesy of Tuula - Belle Provence Travels

 

Related Posts:

Christmas Around Italy: 10 Addresses for Christmas Sweets in Rome

Christmas Around Italy: Traditional Venetian Christmas Dinner

Christmas Around Italy: Christmas Traditions in Naples

Holiday Dessert Recipes

Paris Christmas Market: La Defense - Belle Provence Travels

A Day at the Market with Chef Kathy  - Belle Provence Travels

 

 

Holiday Dessert Recipes

 

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"It's the most wonderful time of the year," yes?  Christmas is here and for someone that loves to bake and share what I make, it is a wonderful, and also busy, time of the year.  For those of you looking for holiday dessert ideas, I've put together a list of my favorite dessert recipes.  Inpsired by travels to France & Italy & baking memories with mom, all of them would be a sweet ending to a fabulous holiday meal, or make a great edible Christmas gift.  There are many super easy yet elegant recipes and also those that are a little more elaborate, but definitely worth the extra effort.

Wishing all of you a sweet and happy holiday!

 

 

 

~ Super Easy and Elegant Dessets ~

Apple Tart from Gascony - Croustade aux Pommes 

Gianduja Budino

Gianduja - Nutella Cheesecake

"Magical" Chocolate Kahlua Budino

Meyer Lemon Cheesecake

Tiramisu Cheesecake

Torta Caprese - Flourless Chocolate Cake from Capri

 

 

 

 

~ More Delicious Desserts ~

Cannoli Siciliani

Cassatelle alla Siciliana

Chocolate Eclairs with Chocolate Pastry Cream

Meyer Lemon Tart Topped with Lightened Lemon Cream

Nutella Love Cakes

Quince Crostata

Tiramisu

Torta Setteveli - Seven Veils Cake from Palermo

 

 

 

 ~ Cookies and Other Small Bites ~

Cantucci - Biscotti from Tuscany

Four-Spice Palmiers

Pignolata (or Neapolitan Struffoli)

Snowball Cookies (Palle di Neve)

 

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Christmas Around Italy - 10 Addresses for Christmas Sweets in Rome

Christmas Around Italy - Traditional Venetian Christmas Dinner

Christmas Around Italy - Christmas Traditions in Naples

Christmas in France - Aix-en-Provence Christmas Market

Christmas Gingerbread House

French Pastries and 10 Top Patisseries in Paris

Paris Pastry Binge - Some of the Best Pastry Shops in Paris

Paris Walks for Food Lovers - Along Rue de Seine and Bonaparte

 

Christmas Around Italy: Traditional Venetian Christmas Dinner

Christmas lights in Saint Mark's Square

 

Continuing with our Christmas Around Italy  guest post series, today we welcome Monica Cesarato from Venice!  I had the pleasure of meeting Monica, a Venetian, last March during Carnival and taking a personal food walk with her.  Monica blogs about Venice and owns and runs the Faronhof Bed and Breakfast, just outside of Venice. She also is one of the two people who run Cook in Venice, where they offer food tours in Venice and Venetian cooking courses, specializing in traditional dishes of Venice and the region.  Today Monica is sharing a typical Venetian Christmas Dinner, the dishes that make up the dinner and the traditions behind them.  Enjoy!

 

Snowy Saint Mark's Square

 

Have you ever wondered what Venetians eat traditionally for Christmas?

Julia Child said: “You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.”    This typifies Venetian cooking: simple fresh ingredients enriched by herbs and spices, turning a simple uncomplicated recipe into a sublime dish. This is usually what appears in both the Grand Canal palaces and the normal houses of people living in Venice and in the Veneto region during the festive season!

 

Murano Glass Christmas Tree

 

Since the 15^th century the Catholic Church has set a big distinction on what you are usually allowed to eat on Christmas Eve and what you should eat on Christmas day.  This is why, in days bygone, Christmas Eve's lunch would have been the only meal of the day: by decree of the Church, Venetians  were supposed to fast from morning till evening with the exception of midday, when they were allowed to have a small meal of Bigoli co la Sardela (Venetian spaghetti with sardines), Mandorlato (nougat) e vin Bon (good wine).

 

 

Fish at the Rialto Market

Nowadays the use of eating “magro” (light -  that is eating fish and vegetables) continues but instead of having a midday meal, the banquet has moved to the evening, with a light (if we can call it that) dinner. Venetian Christmas Eve's tables will be full of traditional fish based recipes, like Risotto de Pevarasse (Venetian Clams risotto), Branzino al forno (oven cooked Seabass) or Anguilla (Eel) accompanied by mixed fried fish together with some grilled or stewed vegetables. No matter that they will be smothered with mayonnaise and other sauces, the perception of “magro” still persists!

 

 

Antipasti of Salami

 

Then Christmas day comes.   Always back in the middle ages, the agrarian rituals demanded that people should eat “ossocollo”, a typical Venetian sausage, made by using the pieces of meat from the vertebrae of the pig's neck. The meat is marinated with salt and saltpeter for a week, then it's dried, covered with milled pepper and mixed spices and then it is packed in the guts of the pig. It is tied and hanged for 2 months. In the 15th century ossocollo would be used to make broth as well as constituting the main meal of this special day.

 

Today a typical Venetian Christmas meal would still start with an antipasto (starter) of ossocollo but also with other cold meats like Soppressa, Salame, Prosciutto Crudo e Cotto served with grissini (breadsticks) and pickled vegetables (onion, gherkins, peppers, carrots).

 

 

Capeeti (photo courtesy Andrea Buoso - Flickr)

 

But for centuries right up to today, three main traditional dishes have been served on Venetian Christmas tables for the joy of all diners: Capeeti or Ravioli in Brodo di Cappone (Ravioli in Capon broth), Cappone lesso (boiled Capon) and  “Musetto” (boiled salame) with Puree di patate (mashed potatoes) and spinaci (spinach).

 

The “mare” (the mother, the woman of the house) prepares the broth with the cappone (a capon is a rooster that has been castrated to improve the quality of its meat) on Christmas eve, boiling a large capon together with salted water and carrots, celery, onion and herbs. This broth will be used to cook the capeeti (small homemade tortellini) in it. The capeeti would be prepared with flour, eggs and water, mixing to a dough, rolling it and cutting out some rounds which would have been filled with a mixture of pork meat, turkey meat, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg and eggs.  Just exactly like Tortellini or Ravioli.  This tradition is so old, that in Venice it would not be Christmas if you didn't find this dish on the table.

 

The Capon is then cut into chunks and served as the main dish together with the “Musetto”, a salame similar to the cotechino in shape, but at the same time very different in taste. The worldwide famous cotechino is made using the rind of the pig together with lean and fat pork meat.  “Musetto” is made using the meat from the head of the pig (previously boiled) which is minced and then mixed with lean pork meat and spices.  The musetto is then cooked in boiling water for a few hours and served in slices.

The Capon and the Musetto are always served on a bed of mashed potatoes (in Italy our mashed potatoes are a more chunky then the American ones) and spinach (either boiled or stewed) together with different sauces like cren (horseradish sauce), mayonnaise, mustard. Many times there will also be the unmissable hot creamy polenta, either yellow or white.

 

 

Pandoro (photo courtesy Conanil - Flickr)

 

And last, but not least, desserts!!!!  Venice is famous for having a dessert for every occasion (Carnevale, Easter and so on), but Christmas brings the best out of Venetian bakeries and patisseries and this is reflected on the festive menu. At the end of a very large and succulent meal, Venetians will have for sure first some dried fruits like nuts, walnuts, peanuts, figs, dates followed by the real dessert, which would have come either from a local baker or patisserie: most probably Pandoro (the typical raised all butter soft bread cake from Verona) or Panettone (similar to Pandoro, but filled with raisins and mixed peel), but they might also have Torrone (nougat) or Mostarda con Mascarpone.  

Mostarda is a condiment typical of some Northern Italian regions, dating back around the year 1300.  Not yellow mustard as Americans know it, mostarda is a condiment of candied fruit and mustard essence.  Mostarda allowed people to keep extremely perishable fruit for a long time. A typical mostarda is made with sugar, mustard essence and whole fruits, but Venetian mustard is made with different types of candied fruit and finely chopped quince as well as mustard essence. The combination with the mascarpone cheese makes it a really tasty and delicate dessert.

 

Obviously all of this opulence would be paired with the best wines the Veneto region can offer: rivers of Prosecco or Raboso, fountains of Merlot or Manzoni, gushes of Soave or Verduzzo. And to end it all the best of dessert wines, like the worldwide famous Cartizze, the Recioto or the Moscato.

 

So, hoping to have tantalized your taste buds, as we say here, Buon Appetito e Buon Natale!

 

*This post is part of Wander Food Wednesdays.

 

 

Related Posts:

Christmas Around Italy: 10 Addresses for Christmas Sweets in Rome 

Christmas Around Italy - Christmas Traditions in Naples

Christmas in France - Aix-en-Provence Christmas Market

Holiday Dessert Recipes

Tasting Venice - A Food Tour with Monica Cesarato 

Italian Hot Chocolate and Carnival in Venice

 

Christmas Around Italy: 10 Addresses for Christmas Sweets in Rome

Christmas lights on Via del Corso in Rome

 

This week and next, some friends from Italy are "stopping by" on Food Lover's Odyssey.  They'll be sharing a little bit of Christmas Around Italy from their part of the bel paese.  Today, a big welcome to Tavole Romane (Roman Tables)! Their reviews of Roman eateries (now in both Italian and English) have been regular features on my weekly roundup Italy on a Plate.  Tavole Romane also provides food tours in Rome, and today they are taking us on a virtual stroll through Rome in search of sweets for Christmas, and Hanukkah. Enjoy!

 

 

Let’s bring our attention to Christmas, in a “gourmet” way. There are the savory treats: tortellini, cappone, bollito, capitone, and “frittelle” made of fried dough filled with baccalà or vegetables. And still, there are the sweet Christmas treats: panettone, pandoro, struffoli, panforte, torrone...the list could go on forever! For those of you who are into the gastronomic side of Italy, all of this surely reaches immediately to your head and senses. So, let us focus on the “sweet” side of the gastronomic sensation and let us turn it into reality! How? Follow us through a quick Roman “passeggiata” as we walk through 10 special sweet addresses in Rome.

 

 

 

Let us begin with pastries and sweets which have a pure and radical ROMAN IDENTITY.
This category's main ingredients are dried fruits, raisins, honey, spices and chocolate. Various combinations of these ingredients come together to create different pastries: panpepato (a peppered bread based on fruit, almonds, nuts, honey, and peppered chocolate), pangiallo romano (made with dried fruit, nuts, almonds, pine nuts and sweetened by the addition of sultanas to result in a relatively low-sugar content), mostaccioli romani (diamond shaped sweets covered in chocolate and nuts, almonds, fruit and honey) and the classical torrone (soft and white nougat, with honey, almonds and pistachios, and sugar coated).

 

1) Pasticceria Valzani - An earlier post of ours referred to “Those sweets which set time still...” and that motto does justice to the production of this bakery! Valzani has always been in the same location and has been producing the same high-quality pastries since 1925. They are famous for their preparation of chocolate-based products, such as Sacher Torte, Easter eggs and pralines as well as for their Mont Blanc and their seasonal specialties. At Christmas time of course you can find the traditional products: pangiallo, panpepato, roman mostaccioli and the classical torrone along with variations characterized by different coatings such as pine nuts, pistachios, and chocolate. (Their web site provides for on-line purchase of their products.)
Address: Via del Moro 37 (Trastevere), tel. 06.5803792, closed on Monday and Tuesday morning

2) Pasticceria Regoli - Another pastry shop with a 100-year tradition like Valzani.  As you enter the place you can see their claim to have been in this business “since 1916!" Over the years they have consistently been among the top producers of pastries in Rome (according to us at least!). Definitely worth mentioning are the outstanding profiteroles, maritozzo (a dough filled with cream) and “bavarese." For Christmas, of course, pangiallo and roman mostaccioli.
Address: via dello Statuto 60 (Esquilino), tel. 06.4872812, closed on Tuesday.

3) Panella l'Arte del Pane - As old as the previous ones, we have another business started in the twenties, 1922 being the actual start. Panella is like a casket full of baked products. (and not only that!) They also have sweet and savory selections. Over Christmas the shop windows are filled with a variety of torrone and other Christmas delicacies. Watch out not to empty your wallet here!
Address: via Merulana 54 (Esquilino), tel. 06 4872435, open every day.

 

 

Sufganiot (photo courtesy of savtadotty - Flickr )

 

Let us tour now around the JEWISH TRADITION.
True, Christmas is not a Jewish celebration. However, you should not miss a walk through the Ghetto in Rome, where you can find a number of delicious products which come out for the "festival of Lights" hanukkà. Fried sweets in this season: specifically Latkes (sort of potato pancakes in sour cream) and Sufganiot (donut filled with jam or custard and covered in sugar, they bring back to memory the roman "bomba"). And after a quick immersion into the Jewish tradition let us take a look at the addresses. We cannot be positive you shall find latkes e sufganiot in the places we suggest, but these are undoubtedly among the best in Rome when it comes to the Jewish tradition.

 

4) Boccione - A must in the Ghetto! The place looks exactly like it did in the old times. You can easily find a line at the entrance. After a short wait you will be able to collect your “ricotta and visciole” or “ricotta and cioccolato” tart, or sweets based on dried fruit, honey and “beridda bread." In this season, as well as over the rest of the year, you should rely on the “house suggestions” and you will be happy.
Address:  via del Portico d’Ottavia 2 (Jewish Getto), tel. 06 6878637, closed on Saturday. Kosher-certified.

5) Il Mondo di Laura - Here we come across  a little of magic: mixing Kosher tradition, the international experience of Laura Raccah, and high-quality ingredients, to get a number of different cookie productions. So, over Christmas time, stop by and fill in a box with nuggets, candy spice, "miss cioccolatissima," "green lady" and many more. The products are available at their direct sale point as well as at resellers (such as Castroni).
Address:  via della Reginella 18 b (Ghetto) or via Tiburtina 263 (close to Bologna subway stop), tel. 06.5880966, closed on Saturday and Friday afternoon. Kosher-certified.

 

 

 

And let us finish our tour with tastes coming from the TRADITION OF OTHER ITALIAN REGIONS.  How can we not mention the Panettone (we are supporters of the original recipe based on raisin and candied fruit!) from Northern Italy and the sweets coming from the South in a triumph of ricotta and citrus flavors.

6) Antico Forno Roscioli - One more historical address which, over the generations, bakes bread, pizza (widely recognized the famous pizza bianca!) and gastronomy products. At Christmas time there is room for some Northern recipes and you can find an amazing panettone with raisin. For the few who would not know, we point out their delicatessen shop and restaurant close by in via dei Giubbonari.
Address: via dei chiavari 34 (Campo de' Fiori), tel.06 6864045, closed on Sunday.

7) Pasticceria Perle - A brand new address in the suburbs of Rome (Capannelle area). A shop in Rome, after the original one in Velletri, for Fabrizio Donatone and his creations (widely recognized  are his pan brioche but also cakes, profiteroles, and mignon - little desserts). For Christmas you can find a panettone prepared with high quality ingredients and yeast. Available in the traditional recipe as well as in chocolate and orange. Our special thanks to Lorenzo “Linguini” who let us discover this shop.      Address: via Appia Nuova 1220/b (Capannelle), tel. 06 45421748

 8) Forno Farinando - One more Bakery – in the heart of Testaccio – which bakes yeast breads following natural procedures. For Christmas you can find a tasty panettone filled with lots of bitter chocolate chips. Maybe it is not top notch quality but still we feel they well deserve to be mentioned as a reference in this list!
Address: via Luca Della Robbia 30 (Testaccio), tel. 06 5750674, closed on Sunday.

 

9) Pasticceria Sal de Riso - Slowly slowly we go down south in Italy and our thoughts arrive in Campania! The sweets of Sal de Riso have been, over the years, a seductive synthesis of taste and flavor of the Amalfi Coast, high quality mastery and ingredients! For Christmas panettone baked according to the Milanese classical recipe, but he also adds a number of “deviations” (such as almond coated with candied orange, sultanas and diamond citrus coated in almond glacè, orange flavored cremderì with nut cream in extra virgin DOP olive oil, limoncello in limoncello cream and IGP Amalfi’s lemon peels,...).
Address: via Gallia 12, (San Giovanni), tel. 06 68135738, closed on Sunday.

10) Pasticceria Siciliana Svizzera - And here we come to the southern top! As the name suggests, this place is all-for-Sicily and its products, based on ricotta and candied fruit. So, for Christmas you can find “cassatine” (Sponge Cake covered in royal dough and sugar glaze and filled with sweetened sheep ricotta and candied fruit) and “Buccellati” (a donut filled cookie with dried figs, almond, raisins, lemon peels).
 Address: piazza Pio XI 10 (Aurelio-Gregorio VII), tel. 06 6374974, closed on Monday.

We can’t help but close this post with our “Sweet” wishes for the upcoming holidays to our fellow Roman citizens and to all of you who will happen to be in the “Capitale” over these magic days!

 

*Photos in this post, unless otherwise noted, are by Tavole Romane.

 

Related Posts:

Christmas Around Italy: Traditional Venetian Christmas Dinner

Christmas Around Italy - Christmas Traditions in Naples

Christmas in France: Aix-en-Provence Christmas Market

Holiday Dessert Recipes

Christmas Gingerbread House

Snowball Cookies (Palle di Neve) and Christmas Baking Memories

 

Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: Dec 11, 2011

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at Italy on a Plate! This week we have many many Italian Christmas sweet recipes for you.  I've also added a new category for the next two weeks, not necessarily food related, it's called Christmas in Italy. I'm sharing links from around the web about different holiday events throughout the boot. I hope you enjoy it and find it helpful whether you're traveling in Italy this Christmas or planning a trip for next Christmas.  In the next two weeks, I will have more Christmas treats for you.  A few guests bloggers straight from Italy will be stopping by and sharing Christmas from their part of the Bel Paese.  Buon Natale & Buon Appetito! 

 

 

 

My Choice for This Week's Top 10 Italian Food Recipes:

Mushroom and Fig Risotto - Italicious

Tomato Cardoons Recipe - Gobbi Rifatti - Experience Tuscany

Tozzetti - Italian holiday treats and family traditions - Due Spaghetti

Dicembre Dolce & Chocolate-Dipped Hazelnut Meringues - Domenica Cooks

Pandolce Genovese - Genovese Christmas Bread - Cake Duchess

White Christmas Meringues - Jul's Kitchen

Sicilian Spiced fig-Nut Cookies (Cuccidati or Buccellati) - Z Tasty Life

Hazelnut Mezzaluna - Italian Food Forever

Biscotti Natale - Beyond the Pasta

Pitelli: Christmas Fruit Mince Tarts from Southern Italy - The Authentic Vincotto

 

 

 

Eating Italy:

Christmas and New Year's Eve Restaurants in Rome - Tavole Romane

Terra Madre Day - Bella Baita Views

New Openings on Via dei Serpenti in Rome - Parla Food

The Magic of Brunelli's Brunello and Tasting Notes - DoBianchi

Old Style Italian Bread and the Old Style Food Festival in Milan - Itali Anna

 

 

 

Christmas in Italy:

Immaculate Bridge - A nice lesson on Italian ways of speaking and ideas for spending a holiday weekend in Tuscany - Experience Tuscany

10 Ways to Enjoy Festive Milan - The Guardian UK

10 Things to Do This Christmas in Rome - Revealed Rome

Naples Christmas Alley - Via San Gregorio Armeno - Napoli Unplugged

Slideshow: Christmas Lights in Rome - Young in Rome

81 Top Christmas Markets, Food and Music Events in Tuscany - Around Tuscany

Gubbio's Guinness Record Lights the Mountain - Anne's Italy

Best Cribs and Nativities In and Around Rome - Buzz in Rome

Luminaria - Christmas lights on Via del Corso in Rome - Rome Every Day

 

 

 

Upcoming Food & Wine Festivals in Italy:

Giornate Gastronomiche Sorrentine 2011 - December 1 to 20 - Sorrento "Gastronomic Days" celebrates the food of the area

Festa del Torrone e del Croccantino - December 7 to 11 and 15 to 18 - San Marco dei Cavoti in the Campania region is in its 11th year of celebrating candies associated with Christmas

Showcolate - December 8 to 11 - Napoli - Chocolate Festival

Christmas Markets and Events in Italy

Cioccolentino 2012 - February 10 to 14, 2012 - Terni - Chocolate festival and more in the Umbrian town half way between Rome and Perugia

Fiera del Cioccolato Artigianale - February 10 to 19, 2012 - Florence - Artisanl chocolate festival

Carnevale di Venezia -February 11 to 21, 2012 - Venice - Not really a food and wine festival, but it is a festival, one where the entire floating city becomes a stage, that one should attend at least once in a life time.

Cioccola-To - March 2 to 11, 2012 - Turin - Italian chocolates & more, with a focus on the chocolatiers of Turin, fill the Piazza Vittorio Veneto.

VinItaly - March 25 to 28, 2012 - Verona - Italy's largest wine exposition

Events in Tuscany - Site listing many events throughout Tuscany, and not only food and wine

Events in the Langhe area of Piedmont - Site from the Alba Tourist office listing many festivals, mostly wine & food, happening in the Langhe area of Piedmont

 

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Torta Setteveli - Seven Veils Cake from Palermo

Meyer Lemon Cheesecake and Recipe Sharing in Rome

Torta Caprese - Flourless Chocolate Cake from Capri

Tiramisu

Cantucci - Biscotti from Tuscany

Cannoli alla Siciliana

Gianduja - Nutella Cheesecake

Pignolata: Sweet & Gooey Bites from Sicily -Fried Dough with a Honey Glaze

Snowball Cookies (Italian Wedding Cakes) and Christmas Baking Memories

Tiramisu Cheesecake

Quince Crostata

Gianduja Budino

 

France Roundtable: Art and Chateau Vaux le Vicomte

 

Welcome to the first installment of the monthly France Blogging Roundtable, a project organized by Christine Cantera of WhyGo France. The group includes Christine and four others of us who blog about France: Jennifer of Chez Lou Lou, Jamie of Life's a Feast, EuroCheapo, and me. Each month we'll share our unique perspectives on a predetermined topic about France.  This month's topic is “Favorite Art in France.” So pull up a chair to our Roundtable, have a croissant or an eclair, and join in on the conversation.  We'd love to hear your take on each month's topic and your comments.

 

Two things initially brought me to Vaux le Vicomte.  First, I'm a sucker for French castles.  If there's a castle in the area, I'm there.  Even though I'm usually mocking the eccentricities of the very rich, I have to give them credit. Their eccentricities and patronage have brought us great works of art.  Also, being a huge fan of Alexandre Dumas and his many books that take place in France, I went to Vaux le Vicomte in search of  "The Man in the Iron Mask."  There was no man in a mask. Instead I fell in love with the castle and its gardens. Restored to their original grandeur, the castle and the gardens tell the story of its past and are whimsical enough to invite inspiratioin, wonder and new creativity.

The castle was the idea of Nicolas Fouquet, minister of finances for King Louis XIV. He set out to build the finest chateau in France and hired the architect, Louis le Vau, the interior designer, Charles le Brun, and the landscape artist, Andre LeNotre to help. Unfortunately for Fouquet, he was a little too successful.  His creatiion also set in motion his demise.  King Louis XIV asked to see the place.  Fouquet had a feast prepared for the king and an evening of lavish entertainment that ended in an elaborate fireworks display, one that had them coming from everywhere, even the top of the castle's dome. 

The king didn't like being upstaged by one of his employees, and three weeks after the fete, Fouquet was arrested for embezzlement.  A trumped up charge, Fouquet spent the rest of his life in prison, dying 19 years later.  King Louis XIV took le Vau, le Brun and LeNotre and had them create a new castle, bigger and better than Vaux le Vicomte.  Versailles was born, its size and its gardens tripling that of Vaux le Vicomte.  The king also took statues, tapesties and the orange trees from Vaux le Vicomte.

Though it's no longer the biggest castle in France, Vaux le Vicomte has been restored to its majestic form, one which dominates the gardens from every angle and where its reflection shimmers in the garden's lakes.  My favorite part of the castle is the domed Grand Salon, and well of course, the kitchen.  The kitchen, too, has been fixed and furnished as it was in Fouquet's time (late 1600s).  The gardens are what I love the most. Can a garden be considered art?  I think so.  Meticulously placed lakes, ponds, grottoes, fountains, sculptures and shrubs fill the garden, while a square shaped canal frames the castle. The garden is the place where art and nature come together and inspire.

 

  

"To Create a Garden is to paint a landscape." ~ Alexander Pope

 

A summer's eve at Vaux le Vicomte

 

In the summer, candlelights are set throughout the gardens and along the castle's window sills. The fountains come alive to a musical display.  There's also another reason to love Vaux le Vicomte.  For the last four years during the first weekend in November, the castle has been transformed into un Palais du Chocolat.  Chocolate and chocolatiers take over for the weekend and turn the castle into a chocolate lover's paradise.  Just missing the chocolate festivities this year, (I'll make sure to see them next year, though) I visited the castle again this Autumn to find the garden just as beautiful and adorned with the colors of Fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside the Castle:

 

 

The kitchen restored its the 17th century look

 

 

The castle, rarely crowded, is an easy 25-minute ride on the train or RER from Paris to Merlun.  On the weekends, there is a shuttle bus that will take you to and from the Merlun train station.  On other days, you need to take a taxi from Merlun's station.  If you're visiting Paris during December, Vaux le Vicomte celebrates Christmas at the castle.

 

Check out what the others have to say about art in France:

• Favorite French Art  from WhyGo France
  
• Favorite Art in France  from Chez Lou Lou
• Paris Art Museums: Admission, Charges and Discounts  from EuroCheapo

 

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What is your favorite art in France?

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