A German/Italian Christmas

From Article: A Very Multicultural Christmas by Jane de Graaff - 2nd December 2009 | 07:45 AET

If you were having Christmas with chef Robert Marchetti, you'd be forgiven for thinking that his Italian heritage might influence the Christmas table. Executive Chef to Sydney's Icebergs Dinning Room, North Bondi Italian and Melbourne's Giuseppe Arnaldo and Sons, Italian food is his trademark, but his Christmas dinner has other influences.

"My mum is German and my father is Italian, so we get a double prong Christmas" he says, happily. "Germans celebrate on Christmas eve, so mum cooks a German feast; suckling pig, bread dumplings and strudel, milk and apple strudel. It's real heart attack material from a cold climate."

His mum also bakes traditional German biscuits for the feast. After that, it's Christmas day where the Italian flavour comes through, with Marchetti using his own salami. He teams his own ham up with a garlicky-mayonnaise including gherkins and anchovies and serves it on fresh cooked ciabatta.

"It's not true Italian because we're not in Italy," he says, but points out that the cultural influences are still certainly there.

So before you get lost in your own Christmas traditions this year, maybe stick your head over the fence and see how the neighbour's are celebrating. You might find anything from Filipino bibingka (rice cake cooked in banana leaf) to Italian panettone or Danish julekage.

Chances are the meal will be more than a little different to your own, and who knows, you might find a tasty new way to celebrate Christmas.

Courtesy: SBS Television FOOD