The Italian Thanksgiving in New England was and still is a piece de resistance – a masterpiece of Italian and American cooking. It’s also a result of Italian cooks who successfully resisted do-gooders trying to Americanize their food habits. An Italian Thanksgiving in the Italian cities like Waterbury, Conn., or Providence, R.I., or Revere, Mass.,...
READ MOREWhen we think of Thanksgiving, the classic image of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce comes to mind. But for many Italian-American families, the holiday table tells a slightly different story. Alongside—or sometimes instead of—the traditional Thanksgiving fare, a steaming tray of lasagna often takes center stage. Italian immigrants brought thei...
READ MOREFor people unaccustomed to it, the idea of lasagna at Thanksgiving might seem extreme. When the holiday table is already buckling under the weight of stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and a giant main course, the choice to add a tray of bubbling, saucy lasagna may not seem obvious – but that’s what makes it so special. Growing up, ...
READ MOREThanksgiving is the day when family members gather in the kitchen to prepare an incredibly large meal with an array of delicious components, all the while playfully teasing one another and bickering over various family-related foibles. It all culminates in the entire family unit sitting down for an hours-long eating marathon around a long dining-ro...
READ MOREEver since I was a kid growing up in Southwest Philly, Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. I remember how it used to be at our home, with my Sicilian mother preparing the feast for the whole family, immediate and extended. The Thanksgiving meal was kind of unique in an Italian-American household back then, and I’d venture to say it st...
READ MOREThe afternoon of November 22 started with a few members of the Morris County Lodge of the Sons of Italy arriving at Parsippany Child Day Care Center on Baldwin Road in Parsippany with a truckload of Holiday Turkey Dinners, ready to be distributed to various locations in the general Parsippany area. 18 boxes of those meals, along with assorted pies,...
READ MOREThe countdown to Thanksgiving is on in Philadelphia as residents flocked to the Italian Market on Tuesday to pick up some must-haves for the holiday. Tuesday was a busy day at the Italian Market on South 9th Street in Philadelphia, one of the oldest and largest open-air markets in the country. The meat slicer at Cannuli's Quality Meats and Poultry...
READ MORELucia Hotton is among the many people and experiences I am thankful for this Thanksgiving. Hotton, who is 94 and lives in Weymouth, snail mailed to the newsroom a short story titled "The Absent Turkey," inspired by the Thanksgivings of yesteryear. An editor sent it my way. Every November, I like to come up with a Thanksgiving column with themes of...
READ MORELast year, Giada De Laurentiis helped us conquer Christmas with her oh-so-Instagrammable crostini Christmas tree, her best budget-friendly wine recommendations and her bountiful Feast of the Seven Fishes menu. And this week, just in time to contribute to your final Turkey Day prep, the chef/cookbook author/Food Network star is back with a preview o...
READ MOREFor people unaccustomed to it, the idea of lasagna at Thanksgiving might seem extreme. When the holiday table is already buckling under the weight of stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and a giant turkey, the choice to add a tray of bubbling, saucy lasagna may not seem obvious – but that’s what makes it so special. Growing up, Searc...
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