Both December 24 and 25 dawned cold and absolutely clear, and with much less wind. The weather veritably sparkles and blackbirds sail the currents above the castle walls and out over the valley as church bells sound their cacophony at irregular intervals. There was a bonfire in the piazza under Carmela and Eugenio’s balcony where we drank champagne and prosecco and watched as local carolers and Babbo Natale did their thing.

Dinner on the 24th was a festival of fish: smoked salmon antipasti and octopus and potato primi and cozze and squid in sepia and sweet shrimp in brandy all on the secondi piatti, followed by a flaky cream filled pastry dusted with powdered sugar. The woman can cook!!!

Barbara and Marco were there and their sister Muriel called from Switzerland during the feast so we all talked on the speaker phone about missing her and about recipes and how her pregnancy is going. Fun gifts and music and film. This is my family here and I’m so lucky they’ve made me a part of their lives with such care and generosity.

posted by Joanna @ 12/25/2006 10:39:00 AM