I grew in in a home with many cultures, Panamanian, Italian, and Chinese. For Christmas, however, we tend to lean toward the Italian traditions yet without forgetting where the other dominant side is from, Panama.
For Christmas we serve a variety of seafood and it is a feast of many courses that last all night. Sometimes depending how many we are we do not get to finish what is on the menu. We do not serve everything all at once as we cook it as we eat it. Some of the traditions are bacalao salad (salted dried cod fish), insalata rinforze, which is a cauliflower, pickled red peppers, carrots and anchovies salad. Another salad is an octopus salad that we make. Traditionally, the typical Italian Christmas involves 7 fishes. Depending on the household you will find a little more or a little less. What you will usually find is spaghetti with clams!!! In Naples, Italy you will always find eels on the menu too. Not easy to find in south Florida I found some beautiful Bronzino fish. My menu this year did involve 7 pieces of seafood yet we only got to 5 of them but ate the rest within the next few days =) Two more things that you would always find in my mothers house along with the seafood is a beautiful ham and delicious Panamanian tamales!!! Although we make the ham Christmas Eve and show it, our household tradition is to eat it the next day with Crackers, cafe con leche (coffee w/ milk), and some panettone! I love Christmas and our Christmas feast but most of all I take pride in doing Christmas the way my mother taught me.
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