Cartolina Christmas programme 24 & 31 December

Cari amici, in the next programme (24 & 31 December 2008), Cartolina brings an Italian Christmas with songs, interviews and a traditional recipe.

We talk about the typical instrument of the Italian Christmas: zampogna. Song: Zampognari in paradiso. Three little girls talk and sing their Christmas songs.

A great Italian tradition is the Nativity Scene, the Presepe. It seems that the first one was made by St Francis of Assisi, at the beginning of the 1200s. This tradition is still alive, as Ester Monti-Reid can testify, on the phone from Auckland, while little Emma provides some background music of her own….
More songs played in this programme are: Piva Piva, Caro Gesù bambino, Bianco Natale, Pasquella di Natale.

Our recipe: porcedduzzi al miele (honeyed piglets). In spite of its name, this is a dessert, traditionally prepared at Christmas time in Apulia. It’s basically small pieces of dough, fried and honey-dipped. Find the full recipe here.