Italian Feast…..part 1

‘Twas the night before Christmas…….Eve

Christmas Eve Eve!

Each year, those of us who are family and those lucky enough to be invited, gather at Gail and John’s,

around the kitchen island for Bagna Cauda.

(I may be the family historian, but these cousins keep alive the Italian traditions of the palate!)

All I would need to make the meal complete:

bagna cauda

cabbage

dill bread

The Bagna Cauda  – ‘hot bath’ in Italian:  a mixture of olive oil, butter, sliced garlic, anchovies and cream.

The method for eating:  dip cabbage in the hot bath with one hand, while taking a slice of dill bread with the other, catching the dripping sauce and cabbage on the bread, and into the mouth it goes – absolutely sublime!!!

Others like to dip carrots, celery, fennel, small potatoes, peppers….

…this is just the beginning…wine is being poured, acquaintances are being renewed, little ones are wonderfully under foot, absent dear ones are being recalled and missed…

….blessing are being counted and appreciated….body and soul are being fed….