A White Christmas in Trentino

And that is where we fulfilled our wishes for a snowy Christmas this year. Smack in the middle between two large natural parks - the Regional Adamello and National Stelvio - and within proximity to the Tonale Pass which leads into the region of Trentino. Sun, sun, sun every single day; we couldn't have asked for better weather. What all of this comes down to was hiking in the snow, stuffing ourselves with the local cuisine, bringing home 15 pounds of apples(!) which Trentino is so famous for, and the Mercatino di Natale in Trento.

For the past few days we've been catching up with house and yardwork so it's been crazy. Details and photos from the trip are in the making but in the meantime, here's a photo of Maddie the snowbunny queen. The dog could probably stay forever in that winter wonderland.

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Preparing for the Winter Solstice

Between the solstices of summer and winter, it's difficult to decide which of the two I look forward to the most — one signifies the day that I became Signora C, and the other means the beginning of the end of long nights and short days. Since the Winter Solstice will occur on December 22 this year, I'll be waiting until the calculated hour of 7:08 am in Italy on that day, (if I figured it out correctly), to begin my own plans for celebrating. This means... the blog goes on a break! and will be back online, oh, in about a week? Again, not telling where we're heading or what we'll be checking out but I think most visitors are already familiar with my tastes. Speaking of which...

The Three Tastes blog has A Gift for You. It doesn't come wrapped in a shiny red bow or goes bling-bling, yet what is being offered might be of interest to anyone who believes in the healing powers of Reiki. It's a detailed post, so please read carefully in order to benefit from the host's gracious generosity.

Until then...

Merry Christmas
Buon Natale
and Mele Kalikimaka from Italy!

All I want for christmas...

Is another doggie bed. With flowers or something. Maybe even squirrels, but NOT tartan plaid which I despise! This video is for my dad, who calls my dog by the name of 'pooch'. Pooch or no, today Maddie is Destruct-O...

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Fondue Vigneronne

I am completely sold on the fondue style of entertaining because not only is it easy on the host, but also a very convivial way of dining which can last for hours as long as the flame keeps burning. You need only to supply the ingredients and utensils and the guests will take care of the rest. But first, I'm going to deviate from the usual format of subject image with accompanying recipe and simply post instructions to make your own fondue vigneronne at the very end, which really, is where the fun all begins.

Fondue, no doubt, is known the world over on the gourmet scene, but la fondue vigneronne? Unlike its counterpart fondue boeuf bourguignonne which uses hot oil as the cooking medium, fondue vigneronne is a variant, where bite-sized cubes of beef and/or veal are done to perfection in a pot of simmering wine. Various sauces are essential to the meal besides two or three vegetable side dishes (make it simple) and fresh loaves of bread. The most common sauces would be mayonnaise, creamy horseradish, mustard and ketchup as my husband and I had experienced on separate occasions in France, yet for this meal I added a salsa verde and a roquefort cheese sauce. Nobody ended up touching the mayo or ketchup!

The only photos taken were of the various breads before the party began. The first two acting as carbs with dinner and the third as an accompaniment to coffee.

A crusty round of pagnotta...

A loaf called 'Resegone' which takes after the jagged peaks of the mountain range in Lecco that goes by the same name.

Italian fruitcake? Anyone? This is the first time we've had Bisciola and I think next time we'll think twice before getting an entire loaf. Don't get me wrong, it's really good, with lots of chopped dried fruit, figs, walnuts and golden raisins in a loaf that has more of a cake/bread texture - dense but not so dense that you could chuck it as a weapon! The only drawback was the price: 18.36 euros for a two pounder. It was artigianale, and if what the sign said was true, I can presume that this artisan bread was made from a mother dough started in 1930.

Fondue Vigneronne

The following was split between two fondue pots - a 2 quart and a 1 quart. Enough for 8.

Veal loin and/or a tender cut of beef (I used entrecôte steaks) cut into 3/4-inch (2cm) cubes. Count on about 6oz (170g) per person.

1 bottle of inexpensive bordeaux
6 cups plain beef broth, homemade or canned
1 medium onion, stuck with 3-4 whole cloves
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 bay leaf

Combine the wine, beef broth, vegetables and bay leaf in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Strain into fondue pots and keep on a continuous simmer. Accompany with ramekins of mayonnaise, dijon mustard, ketchup, creamy horseradish, salsa verde and roquefort sauce. Round out the meal with steamed green beans or a mixed salad of leafy greens; french fries or roasted new potatoes ; and fresh bread.

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Gingerbread Presepe by the Castelli's

Today I'm regaling all of you fine readers of this blog with a double post on italian traditions during this time of year. The first one here, is plainly obvious in the image, and is still very popular all over Italy. The nativity scene or presepe/presepio, is in every town and neighborhood, in many italian households, and thus makes it much more widespread than the christmas tree. Displays range from the most simplest of figures - Joseph, Mary, and the Christ child - to elaborate works that are meant to delight and enchant those that come to see them. The gingerbread creation above was something that my husband and I quickly slapped together a few hours before guests arrived for a holiday dinner. Glue (confectioner's icing), sewing pins (cheater!), and Baby-Jesus-should-go-there sort of endeavor which is still holding up quite well two days later. The clay figurines were purchased from one of my favorite shops, AltroMercato, an organization that contributes to sustainable development of poor countries by promoting their products.

The second tradition is a long lost one which includes an apple personification of San Nicolò and a story of 3 children. I've included the email written to me by my husband, as told to him by a friend. Although I cannot expect everyone to understand the italian version, for me it speaks volumes, like chicken soup for the soul.

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The tradition of San Nicolò

Long ago, the tradition of the festival of San Nicolo (the patron saint of Lecco) went like this. On December 6th children would receive gifts, but aside from the gifts they would also receive a puppet-like figure or pupazzo of San Nicolò. The pupazzo was made from a big red apple with a walnut or mandarin orange attached with a skewer for the face, and on top of it a red hat. Eyes were drawn on the face and a white beard attached. A fairytale told to little ones reveals a story that I find so innocent and beautiful, of which I share with you here along with a proverb-nursery rhyme in italian dialect that ties together the three important days of December 6, 7 and 8.

{San Nicolò met 3 children that were so poor that he presented them with three beautiful red apples. During the night, the three apples turned into gold, and the children became rich.}

San Nicolò ci porta i pomm
Sant’Ambroeus i e fa coeus,
la Madonna i ha pelaa
e i bambin i ha mangià!

St. Nick brings the apples.
St. Ambrogio cooks them.
The Madonna peels the apples.
And the children eat them!

San Nicolò is Dec. 6th, Sant'Ambrogio the 7th, and la Madonna (Immaculate Conception) is the 8th! It really does sound much more fascinating in italian, so here is the email that my husband had sent.

Stavo chiacchierando con un amico, e parlavamo della tradizionale festa di San Nicolo' a Lecco. Mi ha detto che per quella festa si usava dare ai bambini, oltre ai regali, un pupazzo di San Nicolo'. Il pupazzo era fatto da una grossa mela rossa (il corpo), una noce o un mandarino sopra, attaccata con uno stuzzicadenti (la faccia), e sopra un cappello rosso. Sulla noce o sul mandarino si disegnano gli occhi e si attacca la barba bianca.

Ho trovato su Internet la favola che si racconta ai bambini. San Nicolo' incontra tre bambini, talmente poveri che regala loro tre belle mele rosse. Durante la notte, le tre mele si trasformano in oro, e i bambini diventano ricchi.

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Fried olives Ascolana-style

If you haven't yet had the pleasure of biting into a stuffed, fried olive, believe me, these can be wickedly addicting. This entry has been waiting in the wings for the perfect moment, and what better time than now when that nip in the air makes you acquiesce to calorie-loaded foods, despite the resolve to eat sensibly during the holidays. Bah humbug!

This recipe is easy as 1-2-3 — stuff, coat, fry — though I must warn you that it's the laborious process of stuffing them that makes most people opt for the ready-made. Two important things that I'd like to point out about the olives are such that you really need humongous green ones kept in a simple brine (pre-pitted thank you), and I'm not sure if it is even at all possible to find these in the states. Secondly, when you make the cut in the olive to facilitate stuffing, make a spiral incision from top to bottom, kinda like the seam on the cardboard roll of paper towels. This seems to work better than doing a straightforward slice.

The rest of the procedure is merely coating the olives in flour, dipping them in beaten eggs, and giving them a roll in fine breadcrumbs. Let them sit for about 5 minutes to "set" before frying in hot oil. Since the filling is already cooked, all it needs is about a minute to achieve a nice crunchy, golden brown color. I've made these a day before (up to the coating part), and kept them in the refrigerator for finishing off the next day. Forget about frying them all at once to be re-warmed in the micro later. They just won't compare. The first photo is actually of some meat-stuffed olives that we had at the famous shop Migliori in Ascoli Piceno. My husband and I were fighting over those.

The filling, I suppose, can be whatever your heart desires but please remember that it needs to be well-amalgamated and not too fine nor coarse of a texture (remember we're stuffing little buggers here). Also, take care when adding salt because with the use of parmigiano and olives, these ingredients will ultimately contribute to the flavor. The following is a recipe for a beef/lamb mixture that makes enough to stuff 8 dozen large olives.

olive oil
12 oz. lean ground beef
12 oz. lamb, cubed (I cannot find minced lamb here)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
2 large eggs
1/2 cup grated parmigiano or grana
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
salt and pepper

Saute the onions and carrots in a bit of olive oil over medium heat until the onions have softened. Add the garlic, beef and lamb; continue to cook until it loses any pink color. Stir in the wine and parsley; season lightly with salt and pepper; and cook over a low flame, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes or until all of the liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool.

Place the mixture in a food processor fitted with a blade and add the eggs, parmigiano and nutmeg. Process until well-combined and the texture is that of finely minced meat. This filling can be used immediately, or stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.

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It'll take at least 10 angels to make one of her

Not to make light of Victoria's dirty little Secret, but I figured this is as good a time as any to plug my favorite name in italian underthings and to make mention of the most appreciated italian actress on cinema. No, I'm not speaking about Sophia Loren. In the new holiday commercial for Intimissimi, actress Monica Bellucci plays a multi-faceted role in which I have to concede is an absolute go-for-broke, over-the-top marketing genius — considering the fact that I don't remember any of their other spots for bras and panties. Bellucci is femminilità e bellezza incarnate. In the mini-film Heart Tango, the musical score alone is worth the voyeurism, and it reminded me immediately of the electrified scene with J-Lo and Richard Gere in Shall We Dance. Yeah, you know the one, where it leaves the viewer wishing that they could be just as effortlessly sexy and coordinated on the dance floor. {sigh} [Link to youtube].

Fortunately I don't need to search my conscious over Victoria's segreto; it has never appealed to me to sprout wings when I'm in my underwear. Monica on the other hand, is much more convincing as she catapults to goddess status whenever she wears anything remotely seductive, which is uh, seemingly always. It'll take at least 10 angels to make one of her.

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What's your insect zodiac sign?

Always something new to bemuse and amuse on Italian airtime television. Whoever said it was boring?! On last night's L'Eredità (a trivia type of game show), one of the questions posed enlightened me to the wonderful world of insects — zodiac signs that is. On the website Oroscopo Degli Insetti, 14 spineless critters represent the arthropod version of your astrological self. Even if you can't understand one word of italian, it's enough to use the drop down menu to select the day [Nato il giorno] and the month [del mese di] then click calcola. Now I am sure that some people take this stuff seriously so if you come up with senseless online translations and it bugs the heck out of you, I'd be more than happy to translate the gist of the first two paragraphs into english. So are you a...
Bee? ape, Butterfly? farfalla, Ant? formica, Cricket? grillo, Dragonfly? libellula, Earthworm? lombrico (this is an insect??), Preying Mantis? mantide religiosa, Fly? mosca, Spider? ragno, Beetle? scarabeo, Scorpion? scorpione, Termite? termite, Wasp? vespa, Mosquito? zanzara.

The female butterfly is characteristically a very open person and therefore is always surrounded by friends and attention. So what if I am prone to fickle and impulsive behavior? My strong point is optimism which is probably why spring is my season and scarlet red is my color...wooo!
Download free butterflies animations @ Animalgifs

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Now, I don't know how high M.I. man Tom Cruise rates on your stud-o-meter, but I couldn't believe it when I saw this guy on another program, Festa Italiana. Usually, I only tune in mentally at the end for updates on festas and sagras, but when the program host started going gaga like a school girl — "You look like Tom Cruise!" — well I just had to spin my head around for eye candy myself. C'mon, he does resemble a young Tommy don't ya think? Even his mom was on the show with him, evidently quite proud of the handsome, young lad that is her son. Dario is all of 23 years old ladies (younger than Katie Homes!). My oh my...

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The Krampus - he knows if you've been bad or good

...but he'll probably whip your butt just the same anyway. In the neighboring country of Austria and the area of NE Italy which borders it (sud-Tirol/Alto Adige), today is the day of the Krampus - a hideous beast that resembles a mutated he-goat on steroids. Check out the link — that is one.ugly.mothaf dude. If I had known earlier about this particular occasion, I'd be dodging hoards of terrifying Krampusses all over Val Pusteria and especially in the town of Dobbiaco (italian) this weekend. Believe it or not, this is St. Nick's sidekick! No wonder Santa didn't want to invite him along for the ride when he crossed the Atlantic; american kids already had their hands full with Freddy and Jason to worry about.

Well there's always next year so I'm adding a youtube clip for your viewing pleasure. In a few others a whole procession of Krampus parade noisily through town, the loud clanging of cow bells somewhat reminiscent of my post on fuggi fuggi, though on a much more hellish scale.

Related links:
Santa’s Not-So-Little Helper
Companions of Saint Nicholas (wikipedia)
La Festa di San Nicolo e i Krampus di Tarviso

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Saved comment(s)

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Oh my goodness what a video! That's so funny, where do you find all of these things? Well, I guess it's part of life abroad, right?
farfallina... a roam to Rome | Homepage | 12.05.07 - 10:18 am

That is one scary looking dude!
Kat | Homepage | 12.05.07 - 12:29 pm

Makes you thankful to be on this side of the pond! BTW, looking forward to your post about beef vigneronne — is it like raclette?

No power in lots of Oahu, roofs blown off, streets closed (downed lines and trees), no bus service, schools closed — had a freak wind storm early this morning. Hope your family is okay.
manju | Homepage | 12.05.07 - 11:06 pm

Great video. I have to say my experience of Krampus when I worked over in Mayrhofen, Austria was that Krampus was even more frightening and threatening than the ugly guy in the video. It seemed to me the locals took the flogging just a bit too seriously for my taste. I definitely had a hard time believing that Santa was on his way. I'll take Befana any day over Krampus.
Pasticcera | Homepage | 12.06.07 - 10:21 am

I think Krampus would scare some kids straight here in the states.

eeeeeeeeeeee
Carla | Homepage | 12.06.07 - 2:47 pm

Wow! He is an awesome dude! That'll keep the kids in line. Holy moley!
Maryann | Homepage | 12.06.07 - 10:41 pm

Um. Yikes. Is that who visits if you're naughty?
Kevin | Homepage | 12.07.07 - 3:49 am