It was the fall of 2019, B.C (Before Covid) in Bologna, Italy. We lived in a quaint one-bedroom flat in the quiet residential area of Costa Saragozza. The porta Saragozza, one of the gates or portals to where the original 14th-century medieval walls once stood before WWII, was just three blocks away.
The main square, Piazza Maggiore, fifteen minutes away by foot, is where you will find the 15th-century-era town square. It is where the Basilica of San Petronio is located, opposite a modern-day Signor Vino Wine bar and enoteca. Nearby is the Piazza del Nettuno, featuring the fountain of Neptune. The Due Torri (twin towers) are both leaning and are symbols of Bologna's skyline. The city features 62 km of Porticoes dating back to the twelfth century, offering shelter from inclement weather and convenient access to the many merchant shops. In 2021, the Porticoes of Bologna were declared a UNESCO "World Heritage Site."
Our wonderful neighborhood had vegetable and fruit shops, ristorantes, grocery stores, bakeries, butcher shops, and a favorite watering hole, Bar il Caffeone. Over time, we became friends with the owner, Salvatore, and his lovely English-speaking girlfriend, Claudia.
On many a late afternoon, we would stop by for a Negroni or glass of wine and aperitivo (light Italian snacks), which are complimentary with your drinks.
After several months, our relationship with Sal and Claudia became a friendship. We also became friendly with several of Bar il Caffeone's regulars. The subject of Thanksgiving in America came up. "Are you going to miss it, they asked." We said yes.
Salvatore asked us if we wanted to create a Thanksgiving dinner for several of his friends.
He checked with his friends at the local meat store, La Carniceria, who told him that they knew of a farm in the region that raised Turkeys. At the time, Salvatore estimated that we needed to order a Turkey large enough to feed 12 people. After a few days, Sal informed us that the headcount had climbed to 28 people.
We asked Sal and Claudia to order a 12-pound (5.5 Kilograms) Turkey (Tacchina).
As usual, we planned to brine the turkey for 24-36 hours in a refrigerator using Chef Thomas Keller's brine recipe. Claudia offered us the kitchen in her apartment just a block from Bar il Caffeone.
Using our shopping list of items needed for the brine, we headed to a large grocery store where we were certain we could find all our ingredients. This proved interesting, as we quickly learned that certain vegetables and herbs have different names in Italy!
Chef Thomas Keller’s Turkey Brine Ingredients
| English | Name in Italian |
| 1 1/4 Kosher Salt | Sale |
| 5 Lemons cut | Limone |
| 1/2 Cup Honey | Miele |
| 1 bunch Thyme | Timo |
| 1 bunch Parsley | Prezzemolo |
| 2 Bay Leaves | Laurel |
| 3 TBS Black Peppercorns | Grani di pepe nero |
| 1 bunch Rosemary | Rosmarino |
| 1 Garlic Head | Aglio |
Recipe and instructions here:
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/my-favorite-roast-turkey-51258050
Thanksgiving sides we made in Italy:
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes are available in most vegetable stores. They are nicknamed "Americano Potatoes" and are much larger in size than ones found in the US. We peeled them and cut them into quarters. We boiled them in salted water until soft. Then, we baked them in a pan coated with butter, honey, and cinnamon. Bake at 350 F/ 176 C for thirty minutes.
Potatoes Au Gratin
Potatoes (Patata) are available everywhere. We decided to make au gratin potatoes using Fontina cheese, an Italian alternative to Gruyère. We peeled them, sliced them thin, and layered them in a pan with shredded Fontina and ground nutmeg.
Bake at 350 f/ 176 C for one hour. Turn up the heat to 450 F/ 232C and cook for fifteen minutes to brown.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and orange zest.
Slice the sprouts in half, parboil for 4 minutes, shock in ice water, drain, and place in a roasting pan.
Fry cubed pancetta for 10 minutes. Add the pancetta and leftover cooking oil to a roasting pan and toss gently. Zest orange over the top and squeeze orange over the Brussels. Bake at 350 F/ 176 C for thirty minutes.
Suggested Wines:
Sparkling:
- Prosecco
White:
- Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
- Pinot Bianco from Trentino-Alto Adige
Red:
- Barbera
- Amarone
We could not host the dinner on Thanksgiving Day because the Bar was open. So, we held our feast on Sunday evening, when the Bar was normally closed.
Most of our Italian guests had never eaten Turkey before, and it was exciting to see how much they loved the meal.