First, I would like to thank Sister Heather Ciro for a wonderful Italian meal! I thought a cultural note about food would be appropriate.
Christmas time is the season to make some of our most well-loved Italian foods and drinks. The purity of the ingredients is one of the hallmarks of Italian cooking, so the standards have been high for many centuries. Historically, even the Vatican recognized the importance of good food in Italian culture. Here are some examples of quality control in Italy’s culinary history:
In the 13th century, the Pope himself set the quality standards for Italian pasta, which had to be made with durum wheat “semolina” just as it still does today.
As far back as the 16th century, pure dark chocolate was viewed as a highly nutritious drink that was allowed even during Lent and other fast days.
True balsamic vinegar must come from Modena or the Emilia Romagna region of Italy and it must be aged for at least 12 years.
Prosciutto is popular everywhere in Italy, but Prosciutto di Parma can only be made from one of two Italian breeds of pig. These animals must be raised on a strict diet of grain, corn and whey, they must be ten to twelve months old and weigh a minimum of 308 pounds. Finally, the meat must be cured in Parma, Italy to get the final seal of approval.
If you see the letters DOC on Italian products, it translates to “denomination of controlled origin” which ensures that certain standards were met while producing the wine, cheese, olive oil, or balsamic vinegar of that particular region.
By the way, if you cook a turkey for your Christmas dinner, remember the ancient Italians who thought chickens, turkeys, and other fowl could predict the future, based on the fact that roosters “predict” the dawn. Since the collarbone was thought to give the birds their power, it was always saved as a symbol of good luck. Not surprisingly, sometimes fights would break out over grabbing the wishbone and the bone would break in the scuffle. From this rowdy behavior at the dinner table, we get the custom of breaking the wishbone for good luck.
Regardless of your personal behavior during Christmas dinner, may you all have a wonderful holiday season!
Source:
“Little Known Facts about Well Known Places: Italy.” By David Hoffman, Metro Books, New York.
Submitted by Charlene Pardo