News from Italy
A Christmas dinner in Sardinia…
Chiara Fiverri – Christmas is the most magical time in Sardinia and everywhere. Traditionally, it is considered the perfect opportunity to consolidate past and present family ties. Christmas is the symbol of friendliness and the meeting of loved ones. Gastronomic traditions, religious rites, lights, flowers and elaborate Nativity scenes are perfect for Christmas.
Everyone is preparing to celebrate this holiday in the best possible way, and nothing is ever left to chance. On the night of Christmas Eve (December 24) and Christmas Day, the tables of Italians are prepared with all kinds of goodness, from appetisers to desserts; everything is delicious on these special days. Despite the restrictions of the Corona, all family members prepared to celebrate the holiday in the best possible way. When the calendars showed December 24, the purchases were finished, and the gifts were wrapped. Since the most enormous table is at my grandmother’s house, we traditionally gathered there. Everyone came in their elegant and comfortable clothes. The twinkling lights of our tree were on. The crackle of burning wood came from the fireplace, Christmas stockings hanging. The house was gorgeous with the Christmas decorations my grandmother had been collecting for 40 years. Fir branches and glittering red flowers were everywhere. The dominant shades of the house were green and red. Inside the house danced objects with deer, stars and pines. Illuminated pine branches enveloped the windows and doors. A wreath decorated with pine boughs and red ribbons with the words “Merry Christmas” greeted visitors at the door.
Preparing the dishes for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day takes a long time; some families even start preparing a few days earlier! So my mother and my aunt spent the last three days with my grandmother. When Christmas Eve arrived, the 24th of the month, our table was set with all kinds of delicacies, from appetisers to desserts. From the kitchen came the smells of delicious food seasoned with happiness…
In Sardinia, for example, the typical Christmas menu includes mixed land appetisers, possibly local products of the highest quality, meats and cheeses in quantity, and creams to spread on slices of warm and fragrant bread. The first course in Sardinia is usually the ricotta and spinach ravioli or the potato and pecorino ravioli. My grandmother, my mother and my aunt made ravioli together. They filled it with ricotta and spinach sauce. Prepare roast pork with potatoes or lamb in a casserole with artichokes as a second course. Lamb stew with artichokes is preferred. Also waiting for us are various mixed appetisers prepared with local ingredients, cheeses and creams to spread on warm and fragrant slices of bread.
From the tables, there is always a supply of sweets symbolising Christmas in Italy: the Milanese Panettone and the Veronese Pandoro. On the other hand, traditional Sardinian pastry offers us a variety of dry sweets, the main ingredient of which is almonds. All desserts accompany liqueur wines, such as the delicious Sardinian Malvasia. When my mother, aunt and grandmother met, they were all traditionally at our table this year. Small dry cakes of panettone, pandoro and sardo were waiting for us to make these days even more unforgettable…
After dinner, my aunt’s twins were eagerly awaiting the presents that Santa would bring. According to tradition, they had to receive long-awaited gifts at midnight. My grandmother used to say that everyone gathered around the fire after dinner, and the grown-ups told the children magical tales about Christmas. Today, this tradition has been forgotten. I wish it would start again! If the stories were handed down from generation to generation… Today, while the little ones await the arrival of Santa Claus, adults and children play bingo. Here’s what we did: We played our game with enthusiasm and glee, accompanied by dried and fresh fruit baskets. Then, my grandmother and my aunt left the game early to go to church and attend Christmas mass, one of the most exciting celebrations of the entire liturgical year.
And the time we’ve been waiting for all year is midnight. Between the shouts of joy from the children and the greetings of the adults, the father uncorked the champagne, and everyone toasted together: “Merry Christmas, best wishes!”.
The opening of the gifts and the first supper were over. The next day, we will meet again for the most extended and most demanding Christmas lunch and a new bingo!
Merry Christmas…