It’s “Thanksgiving Eve” and I’d like to share a fun fact about me: although I’m Italian, my family is 100% Italian and we always lived in Italy, we’ve celebrated Thanksgiving for more than a decade. I’m talking about a full-blown dinner with stuffed turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, maybe a casserole, and a pumpkin or apple pie as dessert. It’s kinda weird…I know. It all started because I wanted to help some of American friends feel like they were back home on such a special day. Then, after a couple of years, my family just loved the idea of having an excuse to get together and eat delicious food that was somewhat “exotic” (although they never really quite understood the sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows)…so Thanksgiving sorta became a pre-Christmas gathering and my family keeps this tradition going. My dad even made up his very own Thanksgiving wishes and my brother and I can’t help but burst out laughing when he joyfully (and loudly) says to everybody “Happy Tacchin Day!!” (tacchino = turkey) with his super thick Italian accent. Yeah…and I thought “Happy Hallowey” was the worst English he could speak.
If last year I was on the other side of the Atlantic ocean cooking an unconventional (and delicious) pancetta-wrapped pork tenderloin with apples for my hubby, this year I’m in Italy celebrating Thanksgiving with my parents, brother, sis-in-law and little nephew. What will I and my mom cook? I wish I could tell you I had the whole menu planned waaay in advance – especially considering I definitely won’t be here next year! The honest answer is: I’ll cook whatever bird I’ll find at the grocery store tomorrow morning (most likely a guinea fowl or a small turkey) and I’ll definitely have more traditional side dishes ready by dinner (:
So, while I had the best intentions to share a nice Italian-style Thanksgiving recipe with you, I’ll instead take this special occasion as an opportunity to:
- …celebrate this fall season by posting a few photos I took around the house.
- …publicly say how thankful I am for all the people in my life who love and support me constantly and unconditionally. I’m not sure I deserve it…but I definitely love them back just as much, if not even more! I’m one lucky girl.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
Leave a Reply