Subject: A Very Merry Italian Christmas to All!!

--- I ITALIAN Christmas When I was a kid growing up, Christmas was a day to reflect on what we had to be thankful for and to see my family together. After this peaceful moment, of no one screaming at each other, it was time to eat! ANDIAMO! Now Italians do it all little bit different than the rest, but what else is new. First we start with: ANTIPASTO then LASAGNA or MANICOTTI (depending on what you had last year) with MEAT IN THE GRAVY then SOUP Now we get to the Meal: TURKEY STUFFING ROASTED POTATOES BROCCOLI RABE and / or ESCAROLE ROASTED RED PEPPERS SAUTEED MUSHROOMS SAUTEED STRINGBEANS (picked from the vine in the backyard garden) THE BREAD(that nonna made) and GOD FORBID YOU FORGET THE SALAD!!! (picked from the backyard garden with homemade wine vinegar) To wash it all down, we had: HOMEMADE WINE and 7UP (IN THE GLASS BOTTLE) Then after the men had a 2 hour nap and the woman cleaned all the dishes, we had: CHESTNUTS MIXED NUTS FRESH FRUIT DRIED FIGS and FINOCCHIO Then we started the dessert: ITALIAN COOKIES SFOGLIATELLE CANNOLIS’ and ITALIAN PASTRY (just in case we missed something) During this feast we enjoyed a nice EXPRESSO with MARIE BRIZARD ANISETTE or ROMANA SAMBUCA Then after that we needed a little something for DIGESTIVO AVERNA or FERNET-BRANCA Now don’t get me wrong, sometimes we skipped that and went straight for the BRIOSCHI!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS (AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR) TO ALL MY PAISANI