Buon Anno

Auguri!

I spent another holiday with Enrichetta, my landlady, and her family today as we rang in the new year together. Apparently, it's tradition in Italy to feast on seafood at the first of the year. When Loretta, Enrichetta's daughter, asked me if I liked fish, I squared my shoulders, answered, "Si!" and prepared myself for suction cups and tentacles. There were a lot of both but… everything was SO delicious! Not only eating but actually enjoying seafood. Who would have thought?!

Our menu:

Antipasti

Sliced tuscan bread with raw salmon/lemon and tuna/olives

Octopus and potatoes

Prawns and lentils

Primi

Spaghetti with mixed seafood (lobster, clams, shrimp, squid and octopus)

Secondi

White, lake fish with carrots, zucchini and fennel

Jumbo prawns

Dolci

Pineapple, orange (fresh off their tree outside) and grapes

Dried figs, dates and nuts

Panettone with dark chocolate and grappa

Ricotta torte

Almond cookies

All of this (oh, that's right, we're not done yet) was followed by a spumante toast and cafe.

After stuffing ourselves, I was introduced to an Italian card game that, despite playing for over 2 hours, I still don't understand. Loretta's husband, Giuseppe, helped me through though, and I didn't loose too terribly.

If today's afternoon, surrounded by my surrogate Italian family (no hot grandsons today, unfortunately, but you can't win them all) was any indication, I'd certainly say I'm in for a wonderful 2012!