The 7-course Italian Dinner

 Each year, my mom does an ethnic Christmas dinner complete with researched dishes and a spreadsheet of job assignments for everyone but the little ones and my dad. For the first time in years, my siblings all came home for Christmas so it was wonderful to have the house overflowing with people. But back to the food. Let me just say this is the FINAL time we'll be doing this to this scale. In the midst of it all I felt like we were actually living in the movie Big Night. If you've never seen Big Night with Tony Shalhoub of Monk, it's a foodie movie must-see.

The 7 courses turned into 6 mostly out of a necessity to live to eat another day. 
Course 1: antipasti (1:00 p.m.)

The research:
Antipasti is an Italian word meaning literally "before the meal." The antipasti is the appetizer or hors d'oeuvre course. Antipasti is the plural form of the word, but the singular form, antipasto, is often also used.
Our offering: 

• mozzarella-prosciutto-basil logs
• mozzarella-salami logs
• salami
• assorted cheeses
• assorted olives
• artichoke hearts
• tomato and mozzarella with sea salt, olive oil and balsamic vinegar (insalata caprese)
• crusty bread with garlic-balsamic vinegar and olive oil for dipping
• ceviche with fresh caught mahimahi
• shiraz

Course 2: insalata (2:15 p.m.)
We waited about a half an hour and that gave the cooks enough time to put the salads together. Salads are also served at an antipasti course, but we played Christmas bingo between courses instead.
Our offering:

• Caesar salad with anchovies on the side (Ken's homemade Caesar salad dressing)
• pasta salad
• marinated vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, smoked green olives)
• chardonay

Course 3: soup (3:30 p.m.)
At this point, lethargy is setting in and the day is getting hot. The older kids have disappeared to the park so Ahi can do some stunting, the little ones are outside picking tangerines and our youngest is downstairs in the "man cave/tattoo studio" playing "Modern Warfare."

Our offering:

• cioppino
• minestrone
• shiraz left from a former course and chardonay

The research:
Cioppino is a fish stew  developed by Italian fisherman in the 1800s.  It's a stew, so any kind of seafood will do and everything is in a tomato and wine flavored broth.  Like cioppino, minestrone is not a fussy soup because cooks just use whatever vegetables are in season.

Course 4: Pasta (5:30 p.m.)
There was a bit of a mix-up on what came when so the fire was started for the salmon and the orzo was finished before the pasta course came out. At this point, everyone is beyond full and seriously making sure that they have enough room for what's coming up. The clearing tables, putting food away and setting up for the next course is taking longer than the actual eating.
The offering:

• Spaghetti with mushroom marinara
• Spaghetti with simple clam sauce
• merlot, second chardonay

  
Course 5: Entree (6:30 p.m.)
The offering:

• Grilled salmon seasoned with olive oil, lemon, Rocking H salt
• Pork loin with roasted potatoes, onions and mushrooms
• Mango chutney for the pork
• Orzo with parmesan
• Grilled marinated vegetables (asparagus, colored peppers, zucchini)

Course 6: (not served): fruit and cheese platter
Course 7: dessert and coffee 
We were actually going to make cannolis but there were no cannoli tubes in Hilo. True story. It seems we only want to make cannolis around Christmas and our local restaurant supply store is always out of cannoli tubes. They must order one after our inquiry, then sell it before the year is up so when we call again, they are once again out of it.

The offerings:

• Panatone (Italian fruit cake)
• Christmas themed white cake
• Lime layered jello
• Ken's dark chocolate sea salt fudge
• Ken's cream cheese pie with blueberry or cherry topping

fini!