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| Woke up to this beautiful surprise on Christmas Eve |
Glória in excélsis Deo et in terra pax homínibus bonæ voluntátis
Like many Duosiciliano Americans, my family still keeps the tradition of La Vigilia di Natale, the Southern Italian ritual of eating seafood and eschewing meat on Christmas Eve. We don’t do the so-called Festa dei sette pesci, or “Feast of the Seven Fishes,” but we do eat a variety of aquatic delicacies.
Despite regular and varied claims to authenticity, I believe the “Seven Fish” custom is a relatively recent fabrication. According to my family’s matriarchs, there was never a set number of fish dishes served, we simply ate what we could afford and what was fresh and available.
Today, we normally have shrimp, calamari, clams, mussels, and scungilli (whelk), which all can be prepared in a variety of ways. Capitone fritto alla napoletana (fried eel) used to be the main course, but nowadays, since the death of my grandparents, the dish has been replaced with ricci di mare (sea urchin), aragosta (lobster), seppia (cuttlefish), or baccalà (salt cod). For the past few years, we’ve been enjoying baccalà in umido (stewed codfish) and mini lobster tails. |
| Insalata di mare |
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| Gamberi fritti |
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| Fritto misto di mare |
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| Baccalà in umido with tomato, onion and olives |
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| Spaghetti alle vongole |
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| Mini lobster tails |
Following the fish bonanza, we had three different types of meatless panzerotti, a delicious deep-fried crescent-shaped dough filled with onions and capers; sweet ricotta; and the classic mozzarella and tomato. |
| Panzerotti |
Next came fruit, roasted chestnuts, cafè, and an assortment of delicious sweets, including homemade pizza di ricotta and cartellate. |
| Cherry pie |
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| Cartellate with fig syrup |
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| Cream puffs |
Afterward, we played tombola with the kids and attended Solemn High Midnight Mass at the Shrine and Parish Church of the Holy Innocents in New York City. We also stayed for the Low Mass at Dawn commemorating the Feast of Sant'Anastasia di Sirmio. |
(L) Before Mass, the choir performed traditional carols and hymns. Plunged
in darkness, the church was lit by candlelight during the procession.
(R) Portrait of Emperor Karl and Empress Zita in the Church Hall |
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| The High Altar at Holy Innocents Church |
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| The Nativity at Holy Innocents Church |
On Christmas morning, we attended the Traditional Latin Mass at Our Lady of Peace Church in Brooklyn, New York. After Mass, parishioners venerated the statue of the Christ Child. |
Wednesday morning we attended the Traditional Latin Christmas
Mass at Our Lady of Peace Church in Brooklyn, New York |
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| The Nativity at Our Lady of Peace Church |
Back home, we exchanged presents and enjoyed a modest breakfast. Braving the cold, we visited family and friends around the neighborhood until dinnertime. |
A friend gave me a custom-made baseball cap adorned
with the coat-of-arms of the Kingdom of the Two Siciles |
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| Santa and friends gave me an eclectic array of books this year: (L-R) Hunger by Knut Hamsun; Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X by Deborah Davis; War by Louis-Ferdinand Célene; George Sanders: Memoirs of a Professional Cad by George Sanders; La Smorfia della Fortuna edizioni Lito-Rama; Septentrion by Jean Raspail; Mysticism, Magic, and Monasteries by Sebastian Morello; Kaputt by Curzio Malaparte; and Elites Against Democracy: Leadership Ideals in Bourgeois Political Thought in Germany by Walter Struve |
No less extravagant than the Eve, Christmas dinner was a culinary tour de force with plenty of hot and cold antipasti, insalata, lasagna, and Christmas ham. Fruit, dessert, and cafè completed the meal. |
| Christmas dinner is served |
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| Charcuterie Board |
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Prosciutto e melone, focaccia Pugliese, crocchè
di patate, polpette di ricotta, and arancini |
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| Lasagna |
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| Christmas ham |
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| Sweet potato and pomegranate salad with goat cheese |
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| Pecan Pie |
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| Blueberry crumble pie |
Not quite finished yet, on December 26th, the second day of Christmas, we celebrate St. Stephen's Day (my saintly Confirmation namesake) with leftovers and homemade torrone, a sticky candy made from honey and nuts that dates back to Roman times. I like mine with a glass of Strega or Amaro.
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| Homemade torrone |
As always, the ladies outdid themselves and treated us to another memorable Christmas. Buon Natale a tutti!~ Giovanni di Napoli, December 26th, Feast of Santo Stefano primo Martire (Amended for 2024)
