Milan is the home of worldly pleasures; the shopping, opera houses and nightlife draw you in to its culture. The historical and modern points of interest can b...
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Random Proverbs
Chi troppo vuole nulla stringe Grasp all, lose all
Pictured below are some images from a 7-fish Christmas Eve Italian dinner, or the famous "festa dei sette pesci." This is moreso a tradition in central and southern Italy. The significance of seven is not really known for certain but there are a couple of theories. One theory is that seven is supposed to represent each day of the week. Another theory is that the number "7" relates to the number of Sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church. In any event, it is still a beautiful Christmas Eve tradition for Italians and many Italian-Americans.
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A long-time Christmas tradition, especially in Sicily, is to serve the sweet and tasty torrone (literally “big tower”).
Legend has it that it was invented for a medieval wedding in the Italian city of Cremona. It was shaped into a tower, to serve as a wedding cake. It is now one of the main industries in Cremona, and it is exported to many parts of the world.
Here is a simple torrone recipe you can use to make it yourself!
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Ecoupon code BUONEFESTE is valid for purchases made on Alitalia.com/US_EN web site by December 17, 2010 for transatlantic itineraries departing from the United States to Europe and Italy, commencing no later than March 31, 2011.
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A popular Christmas-time tradition in Italy is to make some vin brulè, or mulled wine, especially on a cold winter's night. It is actually popular all throughout northern Europe. In France this warming winter beverage is known as vin chaud, Germans call it Glühwein. The Swedish name for it is glögg.
Besides being able to warm you up nicely (brulè, in fact means burnt), it is also known to have therapeutic qualities. Many people swear that it can help you combat the common cold.
Here's what you will need to make vin brulè
Red wine - 1 (750-ml) bottle, should be dark red, and full-bodied Sugar or honey - 3 to 5 tablespoons Cinnamon sticks - 2 to 4 Cloves - 4 to 6 1 Orange (peel) 1 Lemon (peel)
You can vary the ingredients above to suit your tastes. You can eliminate the lemon, or orange, etc.
Peel the orange and the lemon.
Avoid using the whites of the peels, as it will give it a bitter taste. Pour the wine into a pot. It is also best to freshly grind the cinnamon and cloves. Pour in the sugar or honey. Prior to turning on the heat, stir all the ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly bring to a simmer over a low flame. Do not boil. Cover and let steep on a very low flame for about 15 minutes. Strain, ladle into mugs and serve. Can be served warm or cold. Best served in ceramic mugs.
Swedish variation (Glögg): Drop a couple raisins and a slivered almond (or two) into each glass before pouring in the wine.
