How to organize a Made in South Christmas in the North.

Do you have a friend from the south who has moved to the north? They are undoubtedly living the most classic of dramas during this period: Christmas away from home.

Yes, because what happens when you are born in the south, maybe just a stone's throw from a beach, literally with the sun in your face for eleven months a year, surrounded by fried dough stuffed with tomato and taralli, next to a neighbor who gives you freshly picked cherry tomatoes because he has a garden full of them and doesn’t know what to do with them, while your grandma is asking you every two hours, very worried, if you have eaten enough, is that sooner or later you grow up. You leave the nest to move north, where there is work, or where your dream university is, and you find yourself dealing with cold and fog. There isn’t even a shadow of freshly picked cherry tomatoes, the sea is a dream you wait for months inside an air-conditioned office or while fighting through summer exam sessions. Your grandma learns to use a smartphone just to call you every two hours and ask you, very worried, if you have eaten.

Indeed, this is the real drama of people who move from southern Italy to the north: because you can get used to the cold and the gray sky…but the nostalgia for the pleasure of good food is a pain too heartbreaking to bear.

What can you do to comfort the person living away from home and forced to spend Christmas far from home, from loved ones, from the festive tables, from the uncles who just yesterday were asking him, “When will you graduate?” and today are asking him, “When will you get married?” Give him a gift: organize an authentic Christmas made in the south even in the north!
The excitement of the most dreamed flavors throughout the year without the burden of persistent questions. The Neapolitan friend cannot resist pastiera and struffoli, which are a must as dessert. As a first course, however, be sure to include Gragnano pasta, dressed with an package of Piennolo del Vesuvio cherry tomatoes. The mozzarella di bufala campana Dop is a must, which will be tempting for every guest. If the friend comes from Sicily, he will surely love eggplant caponata, dried tomatoes, or penne alla norma. All strictly seasoned with organic Sicilian extra virgin olive oil Primo DOP. The Caciocavallo Silano Stagionato DOP, usually contested among various regions, from Apulia to Basilicata, from Molise to Campania, will bring peace to the table, accompanied by a sweet chili sausage. Remember to bring to the table some bottles of Falanghina.

Complete the gift by organizing an evening with all your dearest friends, whether they are from the north, the south, or any other place. A bit of atmospheric music and some great classics like “Trading Places” to play on the screen while you toast. The person living away from home will never admit it, but the noisy gatherings are what he misses most!

Whether you sit at a sun-kissed table in the south, or spend the holidays in the north, Merry Christmas to all of you who choose to celebrate it surrounded by the best flavors!