Archive for the ‘holidays’ Category
Shout Out to the Daddies of the World
Just wanted to wish a Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, especially mine!
And to my grandfather, Pap Pap, wherever he may be:
To my mom’s father, also wherever he may be (sadly no photo here with me).
And to all the rest of my grandfathers back into family history–especially to:
(1) My great-grandfather Aniello D’Isabella, who I never got to meet but whose lack of desire to get American citizenship after leaving his southern Italian village allowed me to reclaim his Italian citizenship many years later and live here happily ever after without bureaucratic hassle; and
(2) My great-great-grandfather Giuseppe Bressi whose village I now call home.
Auguri to all you daddies out there!
Cool Beans! Customized Party Favors and Gifts through PartyBeans
All aboard for PartyBeans!*
What are PartyBeans you ask?
They are personalized, custom party favors and gifts through the Jelly Belly Candy Company; besides jelly beans, you are also welcome to fill your gifts with M & Ms or mints.
And yes, you can order as many or as few PartyBeans containers as you like–even just one!
You can choose from pre-designed, themed graphics or include your own photo on the container free of charge.
I found out about PartyBeans.com through an e-mail from Peter Shankman’s Help a Reporter Out (HARO) and ordered containers of pink and blue M&Ms for my niece and nephew for Easter–with this photo of our sweet Pasqualina on the lid:
They arrived within a week and were a big hit, and this is why I’m recommending PartyBeans to you.
To be clear, I’m not receiving anything in return for spreading the word about PartyBeans; I just wanted to pass along a unique, fun gift idea…great for any occasion!
PartyBean on!
Have you ever ordered PartyBeans?
Can you recommend other personalized gift companies?
*Note in the comments that Jacques has informed us that PartyBeans only ships within the United States.
Celebrating Easter in Southern Italy
Pasqua, or Easter, is by far the most celebrated holiday in Italy.
Indeed, I’m taking this week off from the blog so I can enjoy some of the festivities, catch up on various work and personal projects, and also continue packing as our move is really picking up steam. Woohoo!
I will be back blogging on Tuesday, but in the meantime if you want to keep up with me, you can always follow me on Twitter @michellefabio or become a fan of Bleeding Espresso on Facebook.
But I’m certainly not leaving you with nothing to do:
- Pasqua in Calabria: A description of Badolato Superiore’s day long procession on Sabato Santo (Holy Saturday) and La Cumprunta, the magical Easter Sunday meeting between the Madonna and Jesus.
- Pasqua in Calabria: The Photos: Photos of the festivities on Sabato Santo and Easter Sunday.
- Still Celebrating: Easter celebrations in Italy continue into Easter Monday, or Pasquetta.
- Calabrian Cuzzupe: Recipe for traditional Calabrian Easter cake.
- Deno’s Easter Eggs: One of my favorite childhood Easter memories–now with an additional comment from the infamous Deno himself! How cool!
For those of you who have been around the blog a while, you’ve probably already seen those links…but not these videos, newly uploaded to Flickr. They are of La Cumprunta in 2007; I tried unsuccessfully to upload others from Sabato Santo and even Good Friday. I *will* keep trying, so do check back for updates. Enjoy!
Buona Pasqua!
Snap, Crackle, Pop Italian Style: Chiacchiere for Carnevale
Munching on chiacchiere for Carnevale is one of my almost-springtime traditions here in Calabria. In case you’re not sure what they are:
Chiacchiere: The traditional pastry for Carnevale.
Known by a ridiculous number of names throughout Italy such as Cenci (rags/tatters), Bugie (lies), Guanti (gloves), Nastri delle suore (nuns’ ribbons), Fritelle, Crostoli, Frappe, and often called Lovers’ Knots in English, these fried, powdered-sugar-dusted treats are just what the dottore ordered after a long, hard winter.
Maybe not so heart smart, but hey, that’s why they’re a treat, right?
Here in my corner of Calabria, they’re called “Chiacchiere,” which I like to think of as “chit chat” — these definitely make noises as you crunch into them (and you probably make some noises too as you shift wildly to avoid sprinkling your entire self with powdered sugar in the meantime).
A kind of Italian “snap crackle pop,” kinda sorta.
Some recipes call for rum, whiskey, brandy, grappa, anise, or the like, and many are tied in knots, but the ones I’ve seen around here are just strips, so those are the instructions below.
P’s mom doesn’t make these, so I borrowed this recipe from my dear friend Mary Amabile Palmer’s Cucina di Calabria: Treasured Recipes and Family Traditions from Southern Italy (a cookbook that I cannot recommend highly enough):
Recipe for Chiacchiere for Carnevale
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, well beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 to 2 teaspoons milk
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Powdered sugar for dusting
1. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
3. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest and mix well.
4. Place mixture on lightly floured surface and knead for 6 to 8 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. If dough is hard, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk.
5. Form dough into ball, place in greased bowl, turn to coat, and then cover with towel and let stand for 10 minutes.
6. Roll out into sheets, 1/8 thick. (I’ve seen other recipes that recommend folding the dough over and doing this a few times, but you can use your judgment.)
7. Cut dough into 3 by 5 inch strips. Put a small slit in the center of each strip and twist slightly.
8. Deep fry strips of dough for 1 to 3 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain.
9. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
I don’t think I have to tell you that I think these are great with espresso, do I?
Buon appetito e Buon Carnevale!
Have you had these fried treats? What do you call them?
It’s Carnevale Time in Venice!
One of the most colorful, celebrated, famous festivals in Italy is happening right now until February 24 in Venice: Carnevale.
During Carnevale, aside from the usual romantic alleyways and gondola rides through the Grand Canal, Venezia offers something extra special throughout the period before Lent begins for Catholics. This year’s theme is “Sensation: 6 senses for 6 districts” and will highlight the various areas of the city.
I’ve written all about Carnevale in Venice over at Italy Magazine, so please do have a look to read about the history and traditions of Carnevale and see videos of past celebrations:
Now perhaps you want to know about what Italians eat during Carnevale? Well, hang tight! What’s Cooking Wednesday is only a couple days away….
But for now, tell me:
Have you celebrated Carnevale in Venice,
New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, or elsewhere?
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
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