We’d travel to Pittsburgh to be with family over Christmas break and stay for the week. My grandparents had a creche under the tree. Grandmom made the seven fish stew and fried calamari for Christmas Eve. I remember helping her in the kitchen cleaning the squids. It was a huge process. Still a favorite. She also incorporated American foods into the mix on Christmas day. So an antipasto dish with fennel, homemade pasta, turkey with the sides, salad, desserts with coffee, etc. Her best friend was Serbian and grandmom baked very non-Italian buttery nutty cookies for dessert as well as pumpkin and apple pies. She must have prepared for weeks ahead of time. A real panarda.
We’d travel to Pittsburgh to be with family over Christmas break and stay for the week. My grandparents had a creche under the tree. Grandmom made the seven fish stew and fried calamari for Christmas Eve. I remember helping her in the kitchen cleaning the squids. It was a huge process. Still a favorite. She also incorporated American foods into the mix on Christmas day. So an antipasto dish with fennel, homemade pasta, turkey with the sides, salad, desserts with coffee, etc. Her best friend was Serbian and grandmom baked very non-Italian buttery nutty cookies for dessert as well as pumpkin and apple pies. She must have prepared for weeks ahead of time. A real panarda.