Ingredients
For various recipes see Italy Revisited/Recipes "Italian Pasta Dishes"
Directions
Notes
Prior to World War II almost everyone in Molise and in the Abruzzi region served eels on Christmas Eve. When my father was growing up he said that Christmas Eve festivities couldn't happen without eel. His mother would borrow money to buy it, but buy it she would. On the other hand, my mother, whose parents were not as well off as my father's parents, never had eel on Christmas Eve even though she was living in the exact same town. Nowadays, many second-generation Italian-Canadians from Molise or the Abruzzi serve eel on Christmas Eve. However third generation Italian Canadians are generally not fond of it. Kids regard it with suspicion especially if their grandparents buy the eel fresh and keep it in a bathtub filled with water until they are ready to cook it. When my parents were younger eel was part of our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, now that they are older, they have given it up. Luckily, my sister takes the trouble to do eel on Christmas Eve so they still get to enjoy it. Image ID: New York Public Library, Digital Gallery. |
