Holiday

[Witchy Woman]

@Tori3569 

I haven't heard fennel called "finocchio" since visiting my Scilian grandma in Brooklyn as a child.  They also referred to regular coffee as "brown coffee" and, of course, espresso made in that special little pot.  I have my mother's ancient espresso pot.

My grandfather (who made his own wine in the cellar) used to put Anisette in his espresso and, sometimes, a twist of lemon peel.  Such nice memories from long ago.  Of course, they had special tiny little espresso cups for serving.  

[manny2]

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@amyb wrote:

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@Sooner wrote:

I was just thinking about how much many of us don't eat the way we used to, and thinking fresh fruit after a big meal sounds good to me.  Especially sweet/tart apples and grapes, maybe some pears?

Anyone doing this???  Or will I be shamed for even mentioning it?  

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You won't get any shame from me @Sooner! You make me think of sitting around the holiday tables with my big Italian family and fruit and nuts were always served after the Thanksgiving meal. We never really did "Italian pastries" as many people think Italians must do...in my family, those were mostly enjoyed at weddings and at Easter time. But we did have desserts also, fruit pie, pumpkin pie, and my cousin would always make her signature (delicious!!) cheesecake.

I didn't grow up eating dessert after dinner, not that it was a "no-no" or anything, we just loved fresh fruit, and often that's what we had. So I like cookies and a piece of fruit pie occasionally, as a snack with a tea maybe. But rarely  eat a dessert right after dinner...too full. Occasionally in a restaurant if I split it or have a small serving of gelato or I do love some chocolate mousse, if I've left room for it.

To this day I'm a big fruit lover.

Pomegranites were big in our family this time of year; I bought one the other day. Grapes also would come out with the nuts. Nuts in a shell...everyone sat around cracking nuts and talking.

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I’ve never met an Italian family that didn’t serve Italian pastries after a holiday meal. The desserts aren’t as sugary as American ones. Italian pastries, ricotta‑based cakes, biscotti, they’re all part of the tradition. They’re lighter and less sweet, but they’re always served.

And it wasn’t just dessert. There were always nuts on the table, chestnuts, and even orange slices sprinkled with a little salt. Italians understood palate‑cleansing between courses long before it became a “new trend.”

[Sooner]

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@manny2 wrote:

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@amyb wrote:

---

@Sooner wrote:

I was just thinking about how much many of us don't eat the way we used to, and thinking fresh fruit after a big meal sounds good to me.  Especially sweet/tart apples and grapes, maybe some pears?

Anyone doing this???  Or will I be shamed for even mentioning it?  

---

You won't get any shame from me @Sooner! You make me think of sitting around the holiday tables with my big Italian family and fruit and nuts were always served after the Thanksgiving meal. We never really did "Italian pastries" as many people think Italians must do...in my family, those were mostly enjoyed at weddings and at Easter time. But we did have desserts also, fruit pie, pumpkin pie, and my cousin would always make her signature (delicious!!) cheesecake.

I didn't grow up eating dessert after dinner, not that it was a "no-no" or anything, we just loved fresh fruit, and often that's what we had. So I like cookies and a piece of fruit pie occasionally, as a snack with a tea maybe. But rarely  eat a dessert right after dinner...too full. Occasionally in a restaurant if I split it or have a small serving of gelato or I do love some chocolate mousse, if I've left room for it.

To this day I'm a big fruit lover.

Pomegranites were big in our family this time of year; I bought one the other day. Grapes also would come out with the nuts. Nuts in a shell...everyone sat around cracking nuts and talking.

---

I’ve never met an Italian family that didn’t serve Italian pastries after a holiday meal. The desserts aren’t as sugary as American ones. Italian pastries, ricotta‑based cakes, biscotti, they’re all part of the tradition. They’re lighter and less sweet, but they’re always served.

And it wasn’t just dessert. There were always nuts on the table, chestnuts, and even orange slices sprinkled with a little salt. Italians understood palate‑cleansing between courses long before it became a “new trend.”

---

@manny2 Italians had fruit.  Out here in most of America unless you were lucky enough to have an apple tree, or could afford an apple at the store, it was a rare treat.  Even up into the 1930's with the recent dust bowl and depression, here in most of Oklahoma people were experiencing very hard times.  

[manny2]

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@Sooner wrote:

---

@manny2 wrote:

---

@amyb wrote:

---

@Sooner wrote:

I was just thinking about how much many of us don't eat the way we used to, and thinking fresh fruit after a big meal sounds good to me.  Especially sweet/tart apples and grapes, maybe some pears?

Anyone doing this???  Or will I be shamed for even mentioning it?  

---

You won't get any shame from me @Sooner! You make me think of sitting around the holiday tables with my big Italian family and fruit and nuts were always served after the Thanksgiving meal. We never really did "Italian pastries" as many people think Italians must do...in my family, those were mostly enjoyed at weddings and at Easter time. But we did have desserts also, fruit pie, pumpkin pie, and my cousin would always make her signature (delicious!!) cheesecake.

I didn't grow up eating dessert after dinner, not that it was a "no-no" or anything, we just loved fresh fruit, and often that's what we had. So I like cookies and a piece of fruit pie occasionally, as a snack with a tea maybe. But rarely  eat a dessert right after dinner...too full. Occasionally in a restaurant if I split it or have a small serving of gelato or I do love some chocolate mousse, if I've left room for it.

To this day I'm a big fruit lover.

Pomegranites were big in our family this time of year; I bought one the other day. Grapes also would come out with the nuts. Nuts in a shell...everyone sat around cracking nuts and talking.

---

I’ve never met an Italian family that didn’t serve Italian pastries after a holiday meal. The desserts aren’t as sugary as American ones. Italian pastries, ricotta‑based cakes, biscotti, they’re all part of the tradition. They’re lighter and less sweet, but they’re always served.

And it wasn’t just dessert. There were always nuts on the table, chestnuts, and even orange slices sprinkled with a little salt. Italians understood palate‑cleansing between courses long before it became a “new trend.”

---

@manny2 Italians had fruit.  Out here in most of America unless you were lucky enough to have an apple tree, or could afford an apple at the store, it was a rare treat.  Even up into the 1930's with the recent dust bowl and depression, here in most of Oklahoma people were experiencing very hard times.  

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I agree, @Sooner  fruits like grapes, figs, and other seasonal fruits were always on hand, but Italians also enjoyed desserts during holidays and special occasions. Italian culture is very different if you had parents or grandparents who came directly from Italy. If you don’t, and you’re third or fourth generation, the experience is very different, you lose a little bit of the culture with each generation.

[Pooky1]

My in-laws always put out fruit after a holiday and every meal. My grandmother always did to then they all put out desserts.

[Sooner]

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@manny2 wrote:

---

@Sooner wrote:

---

@manny2 wrote:

---

@amyb wrote:

---

@Sooner wrote:

I was just thinking about how much many of us don't eat the way we used to, and thinking fresh fruit after a big meal sounds good to me.  Especially sweet/tart apples and grapes, maybe some pears?

Anyone doing this???  Or will I be shamed for even mentioning it?  

---

You won't get any shame from me @Sooner! You make me think of sitting around the holiday tables with my big Italian family and fruit and nuts were always served after the Thanksgiving meal. We never really did "Italian pastries" as many people think Italians must do...in my family, those were mostly enjoyed at weddings and at Easter time. But we did have desserts also, fruit pie, pumpkin pie, and my cousin would always make her signature (delicious!!) cheesecake.

I didn't grow up eating dessert after dinner, not that it was a "no-no" or anything, we just loved fresh fruit, and often that's what we had. So I like cookies and a piece of fruit pie occasionally, as a snack with a tea maybe. But rarely  eat a dessert right after dinner...too full. Occasionally in a restaurant if I split it or have a small serving of gelato or I do love some chocolate mousse, if I've left room for it.

To this day I'm a big fruit lover.

Pomegranites were big in our family this time of year; I bought one the other day. Grapes also would come out with the nuts. Nuts in a shell...everyone sat around cracking nuts and talking.

---

I’ve never met an Italian family that didn’t serve Italian pastries after a holiday meal. The desserts aren’t as sugary as American ones. Italian pastries, ricotta‑based cakes, biscotti, they’re all part of the tradition. They’re lighter and less sweet, but they’re always served.

And it wasn’t just dessert. There were always nuts on the table, chestnuts, and even orange slices sprinkled with a little salt. Italians understood palate‑cleansing between courses long before it became a “new trend.”

---

@manny2 Italians had fruit.  Out here in most of America unless you were lucky enough to have an apple tree, or could afford an apple at the store, it was a rare treat.  Even up into the 1930's with the recent dust bowl and depression, here in most of Oklahoma people were experiencing very hard times.  

---

I agree, @Sooner  fruits like grapes, figs, and other seasonal fruits were always on hand, but Italians also enjoyed desserts during holidays and special occasions. Italian culture is very different if you had parents or grandparents who came directly from Italy. If you don’t, and you’re third or fourth generation, the experience is very different, you lose a little bit of the culture with each generation.

---

@manny2 I do think Italians think of themselves as Italians longer through generations that people from most  other countries because I hear more people saying "I'm Italian so..."  I think what you said is interesting. 

And I wonder what part of Italy because I have read a lot about food origins and cultures and that if I remember southern Italy uses more tomatoes--maybe because importing ships brought them there first from the new world? And peppers...I just think food and culture is fascinating especially combined with history and trends and how new foods traveled! 

[manny2]

---

@Sooner wrote:

---

@manny2 wrote:

---

@Sooner wrote:

---

@manny2 wrote:

---

@amyb wrote:

---

@Sooner wrote:

I was just thinking about how much many of us don't eat the way we used to, and thinking fresh fruit after a big meal sounds good to me.  Especially sweet/tart apples and grapes, maybe some pears?

Anyone doing this???  Or will I be shamed for even mentioning it?  

---

You won't get any shame from me @Sooner! You make me think of sitting around the holiday tables with my big Italian family and fruit and nuts were always served after the Thanksgiving meal. We never really did "Italian pastries" as many people think Italians must do...in my family, those were mostly enjoyed at weddings and at Easter time. But we did have desserts also, fruit pie, pumpkin pie, and my cousin would always make her signature (delicious!!) cheesecake.

I didn't grow up eating dessert after dinner, not that it was a "no-no" or anything, we just loved fresh fruit, and often that's what we had. So I like cookies and a piece of fruit pie occasionally, as a snack with a tea maybe. But rarely  eat a dessert right after dinner...too full. Occasionally in a restaurant if I split it or have a small serving of gelato or I do love some chocolate mousse, if I've left room for it.

To this day I'm a big fruit lover.

Pomegranites were big in our family this time of year; I bought one the other day. Grapes also would come out with the nuts. Nuts in a shell...everyone sat around cracking nuts and talking.

---

I’ve never met an Italian family that didn’t serve Italian pastries after a holiday meal. The desserts aren’t as sugary as American ones. Italian pastries, ricotta‑based cakes, biscotti, they’re all part of the tradition. They’re lighter and less sweet, but they’re always served.

And it wasn’t just dessert. There were always nuts on the table, chestnuts, and even orange slices sprinkled with a little salt. Italians understood palate‑cleansing between courses long before it became a “new trend.”

---

@manny2 Italians had fruit.  Out here in most of America unless you were lucky enough to have an apple tree, or could afford an apple at the store, it was a rare treat.  Even up into the 1930's with the recent dust bowl and depression, here in most of Oklahoma people were experiencing very hard times.  

---

I agree, @Sooner  fruits like grapes, figs, and other seasonal fruits were always on hand, but Italians also enjoyed desserts during holidays and special occasions. Italian culture is very different if you had parents or grandparents who came directly from Italy. If you don’t, and you’re third or fourth generation, the experience is very different, you lose a little bit of the culture with each generation.

---

@manny2 I do think Italians think of themselves as Italians longer through generations that people from most  other countries because I hear more people saying "I'm Italian so..."  I think what you said is interesting. 

And I wonder what part of Italy because I have read a lot about food origins and cultures and that if I remember southern Italy uses more tomatoes--maybe because importing ships brought them there first from the new world? And peppers...I just think food and culture is fascinating especially combined with history and trends and how new foods traveled! 

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Different regions of Italy do have different foods, my family is from southern Italy. Southern Italy especially became known for tomatoes and peppers since they first came through ports like Naples and Sicily.

Being first or second generation doesn’t make you “more Italian” it just means you get a closer experience of the culture, the food, the language, the traditions at home. By the third or fourth generation, often it’s more the American version of the culture that they know. @Sooner 

[RedTop]

I am not a lover of fruit.  I have to force myself to eat a few bananas each month.  My body hates citrus.  When I am in the mood for an apple, I buy 2 to take care of that notion.  

[RetRN]

Not a fruit lover but I do make myself have berries with breakfast most days.

I think healthy options are always nice but I know I personally would pass over them. The restaurant we had Thanksgiving dinner at served apple pie, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and cheesecake. 

[Carolina925]

My mother used to make what she called "ambrosia" for holidays. It was a fruit salad with apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, pears, and coconut. I've been thinking of having it for my Christmas Day; it was just so good. I had a friend who was talking about ambrosia but hers was some sort of chocolate pudding. She's from the midwest, I'm from the south. We always got an orange or tangerine in our stockings but I don't ever remember eating mine since we would also get chocolates, hard candy, or Lifesavers books.