Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
The Casa Italia Cultural Committee’s presentation of “Christmas Baking Italian Style” was a great success. More than 80 people attended the event. The master of ceremonies was Teresa D’Alessandro Helfand, and the presenters included Mirella Alfano, Maria Cuscino and Antonietta Girardi.
Traditional Christmas cookies and food specialties were presented from Abruzzo, Campania, Sicily and Puglia. The attendees were shown how to make buccellati, or “cucciddata,” struffoli, pizzelle, crostata, taralli, pistachio cookies, castagnole, almond cookies filled with liquor, cartellate, calzone rustico and more.
All of those in attendance had an opportunity to savor the delicious cookies and food specialties. The attendees also seemed eager to learn the traditional Christmas recipes of their grandmothers, which had unfortunately been lost with the passing of the generations in many cases. The next baking presentation is scheduled for the Easter season in 2013.
