I’m not dreaming of sugarplums but rather sfingi, struffoli and cheesecake! Oh yeah… CHEESECAKE! – Tony Giordano

Throughout the nation many families embrace the culinary spirit of their heritage. On Staten Island, many embrace the spirit of their Italian heritage. For me this connection reminds me of my childhood and of fantastic holiday celebrations.

My memories of Christmas’s past all revolve around family, food, wine and agita (Italian-American slang for upset stomach). Alka seltzer was served almost like an appetizer. My family’s holiday celebrations were monolithic. Someone not familiar might be intimidated by the mass of people and raucous celebration. All our family members would converge together and bring their contribution to the celebration. All the food was homemade and usually from a family recipe many generations old.

If you have been reading my all my posts you know that Italians view cooking as an art not a task and put a lot of heart and soul into the recipes. Dining was a true experience (especially at my family! Whew!). It’s a family affair with conversation and long hours basking in the kitchen and dinner table.

Christmas was a culinary festival. My childhood memories don’t revolve around sugarplums, Christmas hams or gingerbread. Nah, not me! It was more like homemade lasagna, stuffed calamari, cacciucco (a seafood boil), seafood fra diavolo,  sogliola alla Mugnaia (lemon-butter sole), sfingi (fried hole less doughnuts), struffoli/pingulatta (fried balls of dough covered in honey and almonds), biscotti, cheesecakes and Napoleon cake. Oh yeah, CHEESECAKE. My godmother makes the best cheesecake.

This Christmas embrace the spirit of the season and culinary delights of your heritage. I will share my family recipes for the holiday season and I hope you will submit your family treasures for the holidays. Just send me what culinary delights that reawaken those childhood memories.

You can submit any recipe anytime. Just go to my contact page or e-mail me at tgiordano@statenislandfoodandwine.com.

Thanks for reading.

The next post will be on Sfingi.