Tag: Organize

Christmas: how to organize a greeting party with friends – Italian Cuisine

More intimate than in a club, more informal than in a restaurant, the house party with friends to exchange greetings and gifts is the right solution for those who love to receive during the holidays. Whether it is an established habit of yours, or you are thinking about it this year for the first time, here is the handbook for an impeccable organization.

The right formula
Not an aperitif, not a dinner placé but a happy medium: the ideal formula for this type of invitation is the one that, in the seventies, was called cocktail party. In fact, the expression was born even earlier, at the beginning of the last century, with a rigid code of rules and labels which, fortunately, has been lost in favor of an easy and relaxed atmosphere, perfect for celebrating. The watchword is freedom: for the host, that of choosing and arranging the most disparate of foods and drinks; for those who participate, to use it at will, without the constraint of a seat at the table and with the possibility of wandering, chatting, toasting with whoever you want.

At what time?
The informality of the occasion is evident from the time of the day. For this type of reception, in fact, it is generally "open" from 18.30-19 until 21. This means that guests can arrive when they prefer, starting at the indicated time. Courtesy that will be appreciated by those who, like everyone, have to navigate through a thousand different commitments these days. It being understood that it is good manners, if invited, confirm with a rough timetable.

A warm atmosphere
Before even thinking about drink lists and menus, it is necessary set up the house. There are those who place a small Christmas decoration right on the intercom in the street, those who display a themed doormat outside the door, decorated with garlands and festoons. But of course the interiors are the ones on which to best apply your skills such as interior designer! Starting with the kitchen – who knows why! – at all parties it is intended to welcome numerous guests. A classic are the decorations hanging on the window frames: lights and sparkling balls to contrast with the darkness of the night, writings and drawings made with white sprays that simulate snow and candles placed in strategic corners will make this environment warm and welcoming. Greater care, of course, in the living room: if the tree and the crib are inevitable, there are many corners that can be decorated. The chairs can be embellished with ribbons and bows. The shelves of the bookcase, the television cabinet or the bar cabinet light up with the light of candles or LED "firefly" threads and can accommodate Santa Claus figurines, sparkling balls, pine branches, golden pine cones and so on. suggest your fantasy. It is forbidden to turn on powerful chandeliers, the ideal solution are wall lights and floor lamps (even "stolen" for the occasion from other rooms in the house!), Scattered here and there and oriented towards the walls and ceiling, to create a soft and suffused light. A low volume compilation of Christmas music will be the discreet soundtrack of the event.

What to cook?
The menu must take its cue from typical holiday preparations. Bet above all on appetizers: those cold, like salmon or pâté canapes, they can go out at the beginning of the party; of those hot, like vol au vent, provide two or three trays to be baked as guests arrive, to always serve them at the right temperature. Can't miss a nice selection of cured meats and cheeses, accompanied by fruit mustard and vegetables, even better if homemade. Always spot on savory pies which have the advantage of being good hot, lukewarm or at room temperature. They are inspired by Christmas chicken salads, hen or capon to be completed with pomegranate grains, raisins, pine nuts, walnuts and, why not, apple or orange wedges. Also plan one or two hot dishes, to be released around dinner time, when all the guests have arrived. Baked pasta o lasagna will have been prepared in advance and will only be heated at the last moment. Like meat, it is better to provide something that does not require the use of a knife. Always guess the fried meatballs (also good cold) or stewed, but also a goulash or a stew a morsels little ones, who will be able to stay warm on the stove at minimum until the moment of reaching the table, perhaps accompanied by a steaming (quick-cooking!) polenta. If you prefer to serve some fish, think of sautéed prawns or scampi (already shelled), or swordfish or tuna rolls, which are easily cut even with a fork. As a side dish, prepare a pan of carrots, fennel, pumpkin, celeriac, cabbage, all in pieces and wedges, brushed with oil, salted, peppered and baked for half an hour at 200 °.

For the recipes, of course you can browse our website among our selections of canapes, savory pies, baked pasta and stews.

And the desserts?
No, we haven't forgotten them. And they can't be missing. Starting with the traditional ones. Panettone and pandoro they are served on pre-cut trays, in slices divided in half to satisfy those who "I just a small piece"! They can be accompanied with sauces and creams, in large bowls with serving spoons. Already divided into flakes and slices they will offer themselves nougat, panforti and other unleavened sweets. Backsplashes and trays will be able to accommodate Marron glace, chocolates, ricciarelli and various pastries.

How to serve?
THE finger food they are the right solution if the number of guests is limited to 8-10 people, considering that they are in a single portion, it is also necessary to provide for some encores and each one needs its own container. There are many suitable containers on the market: if possible, choose them in recyclable materials such as paper or materials compostable (it is indicated on the packaging). But you can also use cocktail cups, shot glasses, coffee cups and saucers for personalized and creative arrangements. If the guests are numerous, the ideal is the classic buffet with the dishes arranged on trays and serving plates, each with its own serving cutlery. For hygienic reasons, it is better to say goodbye to various chips and pretzels arranged in bowls from which guests serve themselves. If you really want to offer them, you can arrange them in individual bowls or cellophane bags, even mixing the qualities. Flake cheeses and cured meats can be placed on large cutting boards, with serving tongs. One or more baskets will accommodate small sandwiches or rustic loaves cut into cubes, always with their tongs.

What crockery?
To arrange plates, cutlery, glasses and napkins, provide an area of the buffet table or, better still, a separate support surface. If the tone of the reception is chic, you can take out the dishes from the "good" services. But also among the products disposable now there are many very nice and elegant Christmas-themed proposals, to be chosen always with a keen eye on theeco-sustainability and of course dispose of properly!

What to drink?
We leave this chapter for last even if a glass is the first thing to offer to every guest, as soon as he crosses the threshold of the house. You are never wrong with the bubbles: whether they are Prosecco, Franciacorta, Trentodoc or another of the excellent classic method sparkling wines produced throughout Italy. If the start of the party coincides with aperitif time, you can serve classic cocktails such as Negroni and Spritz, also prepared in large jugs, so as not to have to dose the different drinks from time to time. Don't forget a non-alcoholic drink. Very Christmas are the pomegranate, cranberry, grape and apple juices, always served in jugs, which you can flavor by leaving them for a few hours to infuse with cloves, cinnamon, citrus peel and star anise. THE white and red wines they will agree to the different dishes. And at the time of the desserts, sweet it will also be the sparkling wine: from the classic Asti Docg to the Extra Dry and Dry bubbles, despite the name the most sugary ones, which perfectly marry the fragrance of Christmas leavened products.

December 2021

How to organize meals for the whole week – Italian Cuisine

Let's find out how to organize seven-day lunches and dinners so that the daily menu is ready: the dream of many families – especially with children!

It is one of the questions more recurrent and complicated that are heard in the morning during the Breakfast: what do you want to eat today?
Receive answers – especially from those who have small children – it gets really complicated and finding one recipe that can be good for everyone, is balanced from the point of view nutritional and satisfying the palates is an arduous undertaking.

Organize i whole week meals it could be the right answer to the need not to arrive a few hours after lunch and dinner and not knowing what to put on the table, with the risk of resorting – for survival – to a ready meals and last-minute orders on the app e restaurants of the surroundings.

So how to organize everyone's meals during the week, especially for those with small children?
Let's try to give the most important rules from which to start!

Let's start with the most complicated part of the organization: the children's menu. For all families whose children go to kindergarten or to elementary and take advantage of the school canteen, a good starting point would be to check what they eat at lunch and offer them a balanced food alternative during dinner.

What to propose then? The panacea for all ills in this case has a name and surname and is called single dish: a practical and quick solution, to (hopefully) proof of whims is that shorten the times in which the child is "forced" to table after a day at school and doing homework. What to choose? Even one soup with cheese can go well, or a pasta with i legumes, meat or fish with a quick side dish and bread.
Knowing what they ate for lunch will help do not replicate the same ingredients.

What are the golden rules of nutrition to organize meals throughout the week in a correct way from a nutritional point of view?

Even if everyone (or almost everyone) would like to eat there Pizza for both lunch and dinner – smaller ones included of course – vary as much as possible the seven-day menu it is essential for a healthy and balanced diet.

The golden rules on the ingredients to choose at the table on a weekly basis are: 3 portions of fish per week and 3 or 4 of legumes. There meat two or three times every 7 days, only one or two cold cuts. Eggs and cheeses, they can be consumed twice each respectively, remembering however to do not overdo it with eggs: 2 already represent a complete portion.

Eat all the same things in different qualities

For organize meals for the whole week it is important to decide that all components of the family they should eat the same thing. Cooked different things it will, in fact, make it practically impossible compose a menu and it will complicate drastically the culinary organization of the week.

If the ingredients must (hopefully at least) be the same for everyone, not so portions. Adults and children must eat absolutely different qualities of nutrients. It is good to remember that, in particular, the little ones need less protein than the older ones.

Very important for organize meals for the whole week it is also respecting the needs of all members of the family. The menu, in fact, must take into account tastes of all, one day it will satisfy someone more, another day someone else, including children.

Who wants to follow a quasi-scientific method to organize meals for the whole week, dividing the ingredients e preparing lunches and dinners in advance can try with the meal prep: perfect for a balanced diet and quick to cook.
With the meal prep you just need to get busy at the weekend and then have 5 lunches and dinners available for the days to come, for the whole family!

For other original and easy-to-prepare ideas, browse our gallery.

How to organize Thanksgiving lunch – Italian Cuisine

The pots start to rub, the most organized have long drawn up a shopping list and prepared a detailed planning, the perfectionists have already thought about how to decorate the table and of course everyone has already booked the turkey! Approaches the Thanksgiving, American feast that uses thelast Thursday of November and traditionally it is the time when families gather around the table to – in fact – say "thanks". The origin of this feast is religious and dates back to the time of the Pilgrim Fathers, in which he thanked us for the harvest of the year just ended. Today thanksgiving has become more secular, but the unifying spirit and the desire to party with relatives and friends remain intact.

Also in Italy, thanks to the opening of many American-style bakery and restaurants and numerous films and TV series set during Thanksgiving, the tradition of thanksgiving lunch begins to spread and to understand how to organize it we turned to a food expert from the American passport! We talked to Laurel Evans, known online as "An American in the kitchen"From the name of his blog. Laurel has lived in Italy since 2004 and through her blog and her cookbooks she tries to introduce the true American food culture.

Let's start with the organization: to arrive on time and not overflowed how many days before is it advisable to start the preparations?
I always recommend starting the day before lunch, so you won't get stressed on the day of the party.

Once the timing is defined, we can only concentrate on the true protagonist of Thanksgiving: turkey! Remember to order it in time because it is difficult to find large turkeys, calculating approximately 500gr of weight per diner. Be careful, however, not to exceed without first checking the size of the oven! The kitchens of American kitchens, in fact, are usually larger than ours and can easily accommodate turkeys of more than 8kg. Laurel suggested, also to better control the cooking, to "choose a turkey of 5-6 kg, which should sit quietly in a standard size oven".

Is it necessary to treat the turkey meat before cooking it?
I recommend making a dry marinade, that is, massaging the turkey with a mixture of salt and spices the day before, covering it with plastic wrap and letting it rest in the fridge for 24 hours before baking it. In this way the meat will flavor well and will also have a more pleasant consistency.

Filling yes, filling no, filling cooked and served separately. What do you prefer?
Tradition would like the filling inside the turkey, but the cooking times increase a lot with this method. For this reason, when I prepare the turkey, I cook the filling separately and serve it as a side dish. [Ndr. Esistono infinite varianti di ripieno per il tacchino, molte hanno una base di pane e carne di maiale, ma potete davvero sbizzarrirvi con la fantasia scegliendo di profumarlo con gli aromi che preferite e aggiungendo prugne, castagne, agrumi, tutti ingredienti che ben si abbinano alla carne del tacchino.]

The cooking of turkey is certainly the most delicate and difficult phase to manage.
Can we "forget" about the turkey once it is baked or should it be followed step by step? Is there a trick to check the cooking and to be sure that both the turkey meat and the filling are cooked?
The turkey should be followed, you can't absolutely "forget" it in the oven. It should be wet every half hour with a mixture of broth and butter to make it soft and succulent. To check the cooking, a meat thermometer should be inserted at the thickest point of the thigh (close to the bone but without touching it). The turkey is ready when the thermometer marks 72 ° C, on average it takes about 3 hours of cooking for a 5kg turkey.

What are the other dishes that can't miss on the Thanksgiving table?
To accompany the turkey it is necessary that there are many Side Dishes! My favorites are i Brussels sprouts baked with toasted hazelnuts and maple syrup and the cornbread, an easy to prepare corn bread that is a typical American dish from the southern states.

On the Thanksgiving table, desserts are also a must, and it is usually a parade of traditional American cakes: apple pie or the pumpkin pie that after the glories of Halloween it remains among the most important ingredients in the cuisine of American holidays. But my favorite is the pecan pie and maple syrup, its taste is precisely the essence of autumn.

Whatever the size of the turkey, it is almost impossible to finish it all! How do you use leftovers?
Apart from the famous sandwich with turkey, a great classic for reusing turkey, I prepare dumplings mixing the cooked and chopped meat with vegetables and milk. I cook this mixture and use it to stuff puff pastry bundles that I put in the oven. Simple and effective, practically perfect!

Claudia Minnella
November 2017
updated to November 2019

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