Monday 24 November 2008

Christmas in Taranto ( Italy )











carteddate and sannacchiudere
pandoro and panettone












rice and seafood








The streets in our city are full of coloured lights, everywhere we can feel a joy and a holiday time!!! In the week before Christmas, people go shopping and spend a lot of money. They buy presents for their friends and relatives and food for the special Christmas dinner. In the houses women prepare local sweets “carteddate” and sannacchiudere”.On Christmas Eve , at six o’clock ( more or less ) all the family gather round the table and start the special dinner. On Christmas Eve dinner we used eat fish and different vegetables. Here it is a local menu:
Starter: sea food salad, fried artichokes or artichokes in oil, aubergines in oil, stem sprouts, stem turnip tops, olives…
First course: spaghetti with mussels or clam/ rice and seafood.
Then we can eat fish or sweet-and-sour yellow eel
Fresh fruit and dried fruit and a typical Italian cakes “panettone” or “pandoro”.
Many people at eleven o’clock ( evening ) go to church, others go to church on Christmas Day.At midnight the Baby Jesus is placed in the Crib.
On Christmas day, children get up early and open their presents, the people also exchange gifts. Then it’s time x Christmas lunch. Italian families usually have : lasagne, roast lamb with roast potatoes, and many different kinds of sweets : “panettone” ( spiced brioche with sultanas ), “pandoro” (a Veronese cake),” sannacchiudere and carteddate” ( local sweets in Taranto). We usually drink red wine and sparkling wine.
On the 26th of December ( Boxing Day ) the family meet again all together, we have a light meal, like” tortellini” ( ring- shaped pasta parcel with a savoury filling) in chicken stock. We spend time chatting or playing board games or cards games.

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