The 1792 celebration took place
in New York City, where today's Italian-American population
equals the population of Genoa.
The first Columbus Day celebration included a gala
banquet$a thoroughly appropriate way to mark the event that
changed the eating habits of the Old World forever. The
enriching exchange of foods between the Old and New World
affected all the cuisines of Europe, but none more than
that of Italy. Imagine Italian cuisine without tomatoes or
peppers or corn.
To many of us "eating Italian" is a favorite
experience, and what could be a better excuse for a "festa
Italiana" than "Cristoforo Colombo Day". Here's a
complete menu for just such a holiday dinner. In fact, it
could be two dinners, because there's a choice of main
courses one with the color, spice and flare of southern
Italy, the other with the rich creaminess of the North.
Because large numbers of immigrants came from southern
Italy, especially from Naples and Sicily, lively southern
Italian dishes are most familiar to Americans. These
typically include tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, spices such
as cinnamon, raisins, and olives. Layered pastas and pizza
come from the South.
In the North, foods are lighter, more varied, and are
frequently delicate in flavor. Many dishes call for
butter, cream or cheese, and filled pasta and rice are also
served. Chicken is suited to either style of cooking, and
boneless Oven Stuffer Roaster thigh meat is as delicious
with a spicy tomato sauce as with wine and cream.
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