Christmas Capon recipes

Christmas Capon recipes --the florentine--http://www.theflorentine.net/articles/article-view.asp?issuetocId=7374&browse-by=Food-Wine

by Rachel  Priestley  (issue no. 154/2011 / December 15, 2011)

Cappelletti in brodo di cappone and Cappone Bollito

Christmas is a special time to share with friends and family. Here in Italy, whether you are with family, new friends or friends who are now your Florentine family, what's on the table at Christmas Eve, before midnight mass, is a top priority.

Why such a decadent abundance of food at this time of the year? The answer is 'winter.' According to early documents Christ was more likely born in late March, mid-November or early September, some time between what some calendars now call 1 AD and 3 BC.

Pagans held an eight-day festival from December 18 to 25, during which time anything and everything was permitted. The courts would close so no one could be held accountable for his or her actions. There would be widespread drunkenness, singing naked in the streets, sexual indulgences, feasting and human sacrifices. People would devour human-image cookies (the ancestors of gingerbread men, which are now sweetened with spices and sugar frosting.)

As Christianity spread, the church decided that Christians would commemorate Christ's birth on December 25; it was meant to fit in with existing pagan festivities. Over time the wildness and overindulgence of the eight-day pagan festival reduced in magnitude. The part of the tradition that remains is to indulge in the preparing and sharing of a great feast of luxurious food and wine (and, of course, gifts of gingerbread treats!).

On the eve of December 25, a traditional Florentine family's Christmas Eve menu might start with crostini toscani (Tuscan chicken-liver pate crostini), followed by tortellini al brodo or cappelletti in brodo, then bollito misto di carne (boiled meats) or cappone bollito

(boiled capon). Note that the boiled meats traditionally follow the tortellini al brodo (tortellini in meat broth used from the boiled meats but the cappelletti will be in capon broth). Next comes the whole boiled bird, traditionally served upside down so you can see he really is a quality capon (a male chicken castrated young to improve the quality of flesh for eating). The dishes keep coming: the boiled course will usually be followed by a roast such as arista (roasted pork), or roasted game. After that comes panforte or panettone.
With all this in mind I am festively embracing the old pagan ritual of gluttony and giving you two recipes instead of one for Christmas in Florence. Be careful: this grand feast could see you falling asleep during midnight mass on Christmas Eve!

Buon appetito e buon natale!