Indulge In Italian Food

Tue, 29 Nov 11

One of the true joys of Christmas is having the family gathered around the table, indulging in food, wine, music and laughter. Although the Australian festive traditions are no less magical than any other nation, Shirt Studio would like to take you on a gastronomic journey through the traditional Italian cookbook! Bon Appetito!

Breakfast - Colazione

To give your Christmas morning a kick-start, do as Romans do and brew a strong espresso, with a freshly baked pastry or eggnog glazed bread on the side.

Lunch - Pranzo

Lunchtime cuisine in Italy is usually served in a number of courses, starting with antipasti  (meaning “before the meal"). This plate of savoury delicacies consists of olives, pickles, cheese, bruschetta, frittata, dips and cold cuts of meat. Next on the menu is the main meal of the day and the traditional Italian lunch menu consists of soup, ravioli and risotto. A great Australian Christmas option would be arugula salad with prosciutto, soaked in balsamic vinaigrette and topped with shaved parmesan.

Dinner - Cena

Despite the seasonal differences in temperature, the main commonality of Italian and Australian cuisine is a love of seafood. Both nations are blessed with fruits of the sea all year round – as fresh, local produce is a staple at farmers markets and delicatessens on the coastline. In fact, Italy plays host to a number of sacred seafood festivals – such as the Feast of Seven Fishes (Festa dei sette pesci) held on Christmas Eve.  The perfect Australian holiday dinner would have to include a selection of fried scallops, fish balls with dipping sauce, barbequed prawns, anchovy linguine and fresh oysters.

Dessert

The final stage of holiday feasting is dessert – as many Italians are partial to a yuletide nightcap such as Amaretto – a sweet, almond liqueur.  A platter of Christmas treats include honey nougat, sweet nuts, ginger bread, dried fruit and fudge, all soaked in a healthy amount of wine.