I’ve realised that I always feel the need to scroll down through our posts and look at the wonderful illustrations first, then go back up and enjoy the words. Marvellous as ever
Excellent--and so different from the way the feast is celebrated or used to be in the montagna cortonese. Also different from the way Christmas is celebrated in Italy (and France and Spain and Tunisia and Turkey) today! Buon Natale, Elisabetta!
Buon Natale, dearest Nancy! p.s..the eye of Fatima as one of the shapes of Befana cutters - just a plain oval, pointed at both ends, very old moulds - never seen that anywhere else on the northern shores of the Med.
I so agree with Italians that good bread --preferably home-baked-- is definitely the best accompaniment to the rich meats and poultry or fish served at the festive table!
It works, doesn't it, Aglaia? I think maybe piling a plate with veg/relishes etc is a way of making the roast go further, result of Victorian pater-familias carving at table and portioning out according to importance of recipient, lowliest getting the least so would otherwise go hungry. Which also accounts for the English habit of serving a cheese course before rather than after dessert.
Delicious food, delicious story beautifully told and illustrated. I agree completely with small roast birds. The best idea. A partridge each. One year we had small ducks cooked in the aga. Perfect. I wld like to hear from Nancy how Italians in her area now cook for the holidays. Have they delegated the befana to a commercial side hustle as well as the grand feast Elisabeth describes?
I’ve realised that I always feel the need to scroll down through our posts and look at the wonderful illustrations first, then go back up and enjoy the words. Marvellous as ever
Buon Natale, Marco!
Excellent--and so different from the way the feast is celebrated or used to be in the montagna cortonese. Also different from the way Christmas is celebrated in Italy (and France and Spain and Tunisia and Turkey) today! Buon Natale, Elisabetta!
Buon Natale, dearest Nancy! p.s..the eye of Fatima as one of the shapes of Befana cutters - just a plain oval, pointed at both ends, very old moulds - never seen that anywhere else on the northern shores of the Med.
Wow! Just wow!
I so agree with Italians that good bread --preferably home-baked-- is definitely the best accompaniment to the rich meats and poultry or fish served at the festive table!
It works, doesn't it, Aglaia? I think maybe piling a plate with veg/relishes etc is a way of making the roast go further, result of Victorian pater-familias carving at table and portioning out according to importance of recipient, lowliest getting the least so would otherwise go hungry. Which also accounts for the English habit of serving a cheese course before rather than after dessert.
It's on it's way, Amie!
Buon Natale a tutti voi
Delicious food, delicious story beautifully told and illustrated. I agree completely with small roast birds. The best idea. A partridge each. One year we had small ducks cooked in the aga. Perfect. I wld like to hear from Nancy how Italians in her area now cook for the holidays. Have they delegated the befana to a commercial side hustle as well as the grand feast Elisabeth describes?
I’m still fantasizing about marzipan-topped biscotti...
Wow!