Holiday Magic Arrives in Lucca

Via Fillungo, in the evenings after the Tree Lighting ceremony

The winter holidays officially began in Lucca on the evening of November 26th with a community event marking the beginning of Lucca Magico Natale (Lucca Magical Christmas), a season that will last until Epiphany on January 6th. 

Over the preceding week, lights were strung along the streets in the historic center of town.  Next, decorations began to appear in the form of large Christmas trees and oversized Christmas ornaments in many of the piazzas.  However, none of the lights on the trees or ornaments were turned on until the ceremony on the 26th.

 The festivities began in Piazza Napoleone, the largest piazza in Lucca, with the opening of the pista di pattenaggio (ice skating rink).  This is a favorite of local kids, as is the full size sleigh with two sparkly reindeer in the lead.    

 Then came the big event – the lighting of the Albero di Natale, a massive 45 foot tall Christmas tree.  A crowd gathered to ooh and aah as the lights came on.  Not just simple lights, but ones that change color and pattern with swirls of light moving up the tree.  

The event next moved on to Piazza San Michele where a different kind to tree stood. That tree is much more modern, a multidimensional metal sculpture standing 16 feet tall.  The tree is a large version of the tabletop ones designed for Alessi, the very fashionable Italian housewares company, for their Christmas collection “Bark for Christmas”.

Across the piazza stands a large, modern Presepe (nativity), also an Alessi design.

Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) also made an appearance, accompanied by a princess who was definitely not Mrs. Claus!

Could she be Elsa from the Frozen movies? The children with delighted to pose for photos with both of them. 

Perhaps the best part of the ceremony in Piazza San Michele was the projection on the church of moving stars and baubles on a blue background.  It is a beautiful and festive display.

Mother Nature contributed a bit of magic too, providing a full moon rising over the rooftops surrounding the piazza.

The Church of San Michele at Christmastime.

The final stop on the lighting ceremony was in Piazza Anfiteatro (the Amphitheater Piazza) where a huge star with a comet-like tail filled the piazza with sparkle.  

Piazza Anfiteatro in the evenings after the lighting ceremony

Before the lights of the decorations were illuminated, a full moon brightened the piazza

Music was provided at each stop by the very lively Large Street Band, an energetic group of horn players. Babbo Natale and his companion danced to the music, holding hands with a circle of children.

The full moon hung over the Anfiteatro and there really was magic.

Piazza San Frediano, Lucca.

Walking through town after the ceremony, more large decorations were found in Piazza Scalpellini, Piazza San Frediano, and Piazza San Salvatore.   

Lucca is full of lights and sparkles this holiday season. Evening walks are going to be wonderful between now and January 6th!

Piazza Scalpellini, Lucca

Inspiration from an Italian Spice Market: Chai

Does anything taste better on a cold winter afternoon than a cup of chai? Hot, peppery, spicy, sweet, milky - it is the perfect winter warm up. Brewed Chai is not a typical offering in Italy, and the available Chai tea bags just don’t approach the taste of the real thing. There was only one solution, I needed to learn to brew it myself !

A trip to an outdoor holiday market in December gave me just the inspiration I needed to work on my chai brewing skills. A big basket of star anise and another of tiny cubes of candied ginger first caught my eye. There were also displays of cinnamon sticks, whole black peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom pods. It was impossible to see all of these spices and not think of chai!

I have experimented with several different ways of brewing chai. I’ve used whole, ground, and crushed spices. I’ve tried making batches of spice mix ahead of time to keep on hand. In the end I have found that the easiest method, and the one that achieves the flavor I crave, is to brew individual small batches of chai using whole spices, pieces of crystallized ginger, and a good strong base of black tea. Whole milk is perfect for chai, though 2% works pretty well too. There are lots of possibilities for sweeteners - I tend to use stevia.

The brewed chai will keep in the refrigerator for a few days, just reheat as needed.

The recipe is flexible. Like more pepper? Just increase the amount to taste. More cinnamon? Throw in another stick. Don’t like cloves? They can be eliminated all together. No cardamom on hand? It will still taste great without it. The ginger, cinnamon, and some black pepper are essentials though. And a good, strong black tea. And while I have tried powdered spices, they just don’t work as well.

As I write this I have a batch brewing and my apartment is filled with the wonderful aroma of chai spices.

Simple Chai Recipe (makes 3 cups)

In a saucepan, cover 3 black tea bags (or an equivalent amount of loose black tea) with 3 cups of boiling water.

Add the following:

3 cinnamon sticks

1 ounce of crystallized ginger, either thin flakes or cut into small bits (note: ginger varies a lot in intensity - this is a starting point, adjust to taste)

3/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

12 whole cloves

15 cardamom pods, cracked

4 whole star anise pods

Steep over lowest flame x 45 minutes and then strain to remove the whole spices.

Add sweetener and milk to taste (4 ounces of milk is about right)

Bring to a simmer and enjoy!

A hot cup of chai provides inspiration for writing too!

Paris at Christmas

One last holiday post – this time from Paris!  

Traditional Yule logs in a Paris Bakery

Paris is magical at any time of year, but especially so during the Christmas season.  There are beautifully decorated shop windows, sparkling lights all around the city, and an abundance of Christmas markets.  Add in the Eiffel Tower, a museum visit, stunning Parisian architecture, and wonderful French delicacies in pastry shops around town and it is all pretty perfect. 

Along with all of that, the air is crisp (well, that is putting it gently – Paris was incredibly cold in December), the early sunset means the lights come on by about 4 pm, and everyone seems to be in a festive, friendly mood.  Street musicians play Christmas music and people dressed up as Santa dance in the streets. Fun!

Vin Chaud (hot mulled wine) at the Christmas market in Place St Michel.

Some seasonal highlights:

The Christmas Markets. 

Visiting the holiday markets was the main reason that my friend and I went to Paris in winter. They did not disappoint!  The biggest
Christmas market is at the Tuileries Garden, along Rue de Rivoli and surrounding the Ferris wheel that takes passengers high above the rooftops of the city.  The market includes a large food court filled with German and French specialties.  Picture roasting sausages, large pretzels, escargot, raclette, vin chaud (hot mulled wine), and steaming cups of hot chocolate. There is a carnival-like atmosphere with lots of rides and games for children, an artisan market with handcrafted items, and Christmas decorations galore.  

 My two favorite markets were both near Notre Dame.  The first is a Parisian institution - Le Marché aux Fleurs (The Flower Market) in Place Louis Lépine.  Open year round as a plant and bird market, in December it adopts a holiday theme. The stalls are filled with gorgeous wreaths, trees large and small, ornaments, candles, and garden items.  This is THE place to get your Parisian Christmas tree and holiday decorations.  It is enchanting and festive and very Parisian.

 The Marché de Noël Notre Dame Market lies just across the Seine in Square Viviani.  This is not the largest holiday market in Paris but it is surely the most beautiful.  Père Noël greets visitors at the entrance to the market which is arranged around a central winter wonderland.  Artisan and regional specialty booths offer beautiful crafts, wonderful scents, classic foods, and lots of opportunity to buy gifts.  This was definitely my favorite Christmas market.

 Shop Windows and Shopping Centers

 The Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is amazing even when not decorated for Christmas.  The 100 year old building is crowned with an ornate stained glass dome and ringed with arched balconies around an open central area.  At the very top is an outdoor viewing platform with spectacular views over Paris.  The building itself is one of Paris’s top attractions. At Christmas it becomes even more incredible. There is a giant Christmas tree rising from the main floor towards the dome.  Throughout the store are holiday themed displays sprinkled among the exclusive brand name merchandise.  It is a unique and very glamorous Christmas experience.

 By contrast, the smaller shops throughout the city have displays that are more restrained but very charming.  This includes the pastry shops with their Buche de Noel (Yule logs), gingerbread cookies, and other delicious looking confections as well as wine shops, and a host of other merchants. 

 The Lights

Christmastime on the Champs-Elysées

It is hard to imagine how Paris, the City of Lights, can shine even brighter. 

And yet, at Christmas, the addition of lights overhead and in trees along famous boulevards adds an extra measure of brightness.  

 My Christmastime visit to Paris was a brief 4 days, just long enough to give me a taste of the holiday season. Walking through a very cold Paris, from one market to the next, past churches, monuments, and beautifully decorated shops, was a joy.  Taking warm-up breaks with a glass of hot chocolate, a coffee, or a glass of wine was a much-appreciated necessity in the frigid weather.  Sampling wintertime dishes (onion soup!) was part of the fun.  And while I am now back at home and ready for my Lucchese Christmas, I very much enjoyed my brief Parisian holiday escape.