12/23/2020
Did anyone else do Christmas Shopping this a.m.? I am happy to say that I only have two people left to buy for, and then the wrapping begins. As my gift shopping comes to a close, I am now focused on my Christmas Day menu. After choosing my Christmas Eve menu based on yesterday's selections, I have to say my work is cut out for me.
For a few years now, I have wanted to do something out of the ordinary for Christmas dinner. I've wanted to pay homage to my Italian roots and do an Italian menu. When I say Italian menu, I'm not just talking about spaghetti and meatballs. I'm talking about a full 6-course dining experience.
I once visited a client in NYC and was taken to an authentic Italian restaurant in Queens, NY. I hadn't eaten all day and was ready for dinner, to say the least. My experience with dinner is typically the main course. In our house, we're lucky if dinner is anything other than a bag of Bird's Eye Pasta and Rotisserie chicken, which I love, thank you very much. But I often think about this experience in Queens, and I want to share it with you to set the scene.
We sat down at a table with olives, bread, and wine. I, a woman with no shame in grabbing the bread basket and wine, went to town. I probably ate an entire loaf of bread, to be honest, and soon to follow was soup and salad. As I mentioned earlier, I was starved, so I ate both the soup and salad until nothing was left but empty bowls. At this point, like every other girl on the planet. I was full. What happened next is somewhat hazy. Be it the food coma or the three (to five) bottles of wine that circled the table, all I know is that the food didn't stop coming.
Next, we were served a seafood dish. It was plated with fish, vegetables, and risotto. At this point, I was begging to be rolled out the door, but it didn't stop there. My stomach was bursting as the plates were cleared, and a red sauce dish came. I looked at my clients and said, "Are you serious?" Which was then answered by a white sauce dish. At this point, I said, you guys, "I can't do this," but I did. I ate as much as I could to the point of nausea. As the plates cleared and we sat there discussing fun conversation, dessert showed up with coffee.
When I tell you I've never turned down food. I mean, I have NEVER turned down food until this point in my life. I politely took a few bites and then called it. I went through this entire story because it is one of my most special memories. My clients from Queens are first-generation Italian and shared their culture with me, a fourth-generation gal. I had these experiences when I was a child visiting my great-grandparent's house, but this was my first time as an adult feeling so close to my family, and that to me s what Christmas is all about. The gift of food, fun, family, and memories.
This year, I plan to remake this memory with my family by creating a similar menu for all. I have provided the menu and recipes below for you to enjoy, should you choose to create this experience. As I depart from this blog for the Holiday, I want to wish everyone the beautiful gift of food, fun, family, and memories. Happy Holidays to you all from all of us at TDC Custom Homes, and as always, if you choose to make the recipes below, let us know!
Olive suggestion - https://www.webstaurantstore.com/frutto-ditalia-pitted-country-italian-olive-mix-215-225-count-4-4-lb-2-kg-pail/107053650.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=CjwKCAiA8ov_BRAoEiwAOZogwaQg4psab1_v78YTP81j-qcWsNfCD0wsrTyiJs3Lip9BVk1uhnQ4vBoCyrMQAvD_BwE
Salad - https://www.spendwithpennies.com/easy-italian-salad/
Soup Option 1- https://cookieandkate.com/classic-minestrone-soup-recipe/
Soup Option 2 - https://www.cookingclassy.com/italian-wedding-soup/
Fish- https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12715/fish-fillets-italiano/
Red Sauce - https://www.theseasonedmom.com/baked-penne/
White Sauce - https://www.danpelosi.com/post/handmade-butternut-squash-ravioli-with-browned-butter-sage-and-walnuts
Dessert - https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018684-classic-tiramisu
Done correctly, a classic tiramisù can be transcendent A creamy dessert of espresso-soaked ladyfingers surrounded by lightly sweetened whipped cream and a rich mascarpone, tiramisù relies heavily on the quality of its ingredients If you don’t have a barista setup at home, pick up the espresso at...