Christmas Celebration

Scampi on Tagliolini

Petite Fleur had it right when she said that the French love their oysters. We live in Italy and it's not easy finding them here though for Christmas Esselunga has imported some from France (au prix de l'or) so I was able to offer the traditional Plateau de Fruits de Mer for our Christmas celebration.

Raw Oysters

As far as I could remember we've always started with Foie Gras and Smoked Salmon on toasts for our Christmas Eve dinner followed by a Cold Seafood Platter made up of whatever fresh seafood we could find e.g. oysters, lobster, crab, prawns, scampi, shells, mussles...

Cooked Prawns, lobsters, crabs

This year, we had 2 types of Foie Gras from the South-West of France courtesy of MIL and SIL, Scottish Smoked Salmon, raw oysters including les plates de Belon (served with buttered bread, shallots in red wine vinegar, lemon juice...), cooked lobsters, crabs and prawns. The scampi I prepared them so that they would go nicely on a bed of tagliolini pasta. We had Dom Pérignon Vintage 2000 Champagne and a few bottles of very good wines both red and white to accompany the meal. For dessert I made Mille-feuille Mascarpone with Red Berries.

Dom Pérignon Vintage 2000

Excellent Coteaux du Layon (a sweet white wine)

This year, I received a book written by Barack Obama (translated into French) from SIL, Harumi's Japanese cookbook from MIL while the Hub didn't get me anything - but made a casual remark about giving me carte blanche to buy myself a new diamond whenever I want it. He also said that since a big diamond is a major purchase I should go to a reputable jeweller like Cartier for my ring so as not to get fleeced (he knows I like to buy things on the Net). Having said that there is no Cartier in these parts and it breaks my heart to pay for anything from Cartier knowing they usually cost at least 20 to 50% more than anywhere else. So we'll see. In any case, I'm not in a hurry. I'm really just happy to know that he wants to buy me a new diamond. Next year, we would have been together for 10 years! If I double the size of my diamond every decade (meaning he still feels that his naggy fat wife is worth his hard-earned money), that'll cover the symbolic representation of our relationship. Otherwise we all know that it's how we live our quotidien that really matters.

Christmas Tree before the big rush to massacre wrapping paper

Baby Boy and some of his prezzies

Meanwhile, Christmas in Italy should not go without mention of the panettone, of course. To tell the truth, I do not like it, especially not the ones sold in the supermarkets. Our sole panettone this year came from an old pastry shop in Milan itself. And it contains all the dried fruit etc that I hate - but MIL loves it which is all that really matters. Auguri!!!

Panettone from OVA Milano

PS : BTW, I DO NOT like oysters. Though occasionally I have a craving for oyster omelette - or the starch and egg as I usually just leave the oysters in it on the plate. And I also do not eat smoked salmon - though I like cooked fresh salmon. Just in case people should start inviting me to their homes and serve me only that!!!