My husband's first American banquet dining experience was at our wedding and although he loved the food, he was a little dismayed that there wasn't more. We actually did the traditional amount of servings and I didn't really understand what was missing. We had the cocktail hour with a wide range of h'ordeurves, salad, first entree, second entree, two sides to go with the entrees, bread, and two desserts. Sounds sufficient, right?
Wrong.... I just attended our niece's First Communion and we had a party afterwards at a restaurant. Needless to say, I quickly realized what my husband meant and how Italians have put us to shame when it comes to true dining. First of all, we started eating around 2 pm and finished around 7 pm. Five hours of eating! And apparently, weddings go on for longer and there is more food! They normally go from 2 pm to 10 pm... can you imagine 8 hours of eating? Italians definitely know how to celebrate with good food, good drinks and good company.
Here is a total rundown of the menu and click on the pic above for visuals:
APERITIVI (Appetizers before main Appetizers)
- Spumante (Sparkling Dessert Wine)
- Aperitivo misto (A mixed plate of snacks - chips, topped bread slices, and pretzels)
ANTIPASTI (Appetizers)
- Antipasto Mare e Monti (A "sea and mountain" appetizer plate consisting of salame, prosciutto, sausage, and seafood salad)
- Bruschetta
- Fritelle (fritters)
PRIMI PIATTI (First Plates - Pasta)
- Scialiatelli ai Frutti di Mare (A thick hand-made pasta with seafood in tomato sauce)
- Trofie alla Norcina (Pasta with ground beef tomato sauce and mushrooms)
SECONDI PIATTI (Second Plates - Meat)
- Grigliata di Pesce (A mixed plate of grilled fish)
- Bistecca con patate fritte (Steak and fries)
* Sorbetto (sorbet) was served in between the fish and steak to clean our palates
CONTORNI (Side Dishes)
- Verdure Grigliate (Grilled vegetables)
- Insalata (salad)
- Mozzarella Tricolore (Fresh mozzarella with cherry tomatoes and arugula)
DOLCI (Dessert)
- Compose di Frutta (A mixed plate of fruits topped with ice-cream)
- Torta Pan di Spagna (Chocolate sponge cake)
- Spumante (Sparkling Dessert Wine)
BEVANDE (Drinks)
- Water
- Sparkling Water
- White Wine
- Red Wine
- Coca-Cola
- Coffee
- Amaro (Hard liquor like grappa to digest)
Aren't you full just reading it all? Can you believe it? And to top it off, every plate was a full serving, not just a small tasting. And, it was all buonissimo!!!! I still can't believe how much food there was and how weddings can have even more. Apparently, at weddings, there is an even larger variety of antipasti. You can get full off the appetizers alone! The biggest difference and how Italians can brave through all this food are the pauses in between them. They don't come out one immediately after the other. There is a good amount of time broken in between for smoking, bathroom and mingling breaks. Hence, a great mixture of good food and good company.
Now, I know exactly what my husband meant. =) Gotta love the Italians. If there is one thing they are good at, it's cuisine. Okay, three things... cuisine, drinking, and knowing how to relax. =)
MmmmMMmmm.... oh how good food makes for a happy gal. =)
Yumm-o. ho fame adesso!!! at least you are eating per due!
ReplyDeleteHey Anna!
ReplyDelete...so do Emanuele and I get an invitation to the next celebration?? =)
Can't wait for the baby pics! xo T
Yes, we had something like ten courses at our wedding reception, pretty much all of it fish. I also had my own special menu because I don't eat fish. It's all a blur of food to me now. So much food was wasted, though. I think feasting is a nice custom on important days, but I think it's a bit exaggerated. As always, I find myself wishing there were some healthy median between what Americans do and what Italians do...but I suppose that's what life is living between two cultures.
ReplyDeleteChristy, yes that is a good excuse for me right? Although, I think I still would have had no problem gobbling it all down if I was eating just for me. =)
ReplyDeleteTheresa, you are always invited and welcome here! =) I am sure you will get a good taste of it with Manu as well! Can't wait to hear about your adventures. =)
Karen, I think it is a little bit exaggerated here but at the same time, it's so much of their culture to just be around the table eating and talking for hours. I know what you mean though, I can't help but compare everything to how we live in America because that's what we know and grew up with. The best thing is that you can create your own traditions with a good median between the two cultures for your family now.