It started out with an innocent invitation to a friend’s house to make holiday decorations for her tree. Being the good American friend that I am, I brought my trusty Gingerbread Man cookie cutter. And a 6-pack of beer (correction… a 6-pack of Italian-sized 66 cl. birre).
It pretty much disintegrated from there.
the scene of the gingerbread crimes
There were numerous attempts at a dough that would not rise too much, which resulted in several deformed gingerbread men with air pockets protruding from their bellies and cavities sinking into their chests. We decided to use those to our advantage. I mean, after all, we are in Emilia… are we not? Pork has to make its way in here somehow.
gingerbread maialino
This little guy’s wound was too serious. There was nothing we could do.
gingerbread casualty
Depending on the individual artist and her level of beer intake, the results ranged in quality from the likes of this:
To the intricate detailing of these guys:
-
- gingerbread fancy man with his decor
-
- gingerbread flapper
-
- gingerbread Rasta Santa
-
- gingerbread pirate
In the spirit of the holidays, my lady friends created this adorable fancy ginger-couple.
gingerbread fancy couple
Then we had another beer and this happened. I have no excuse for our behavior, but I will note that Italian ladies are not nearly as prude as Italian men would have you believe! (Yes, that’s a Christmas tree cookie.)
gingerbread fancy couple drunk on food coloring
And, of course, don’t forget my gingerbread retiree couple. Please note his Hawaiian shirt and her oversized ring.
Floridian gingerbread retirees
So there you have it. Just your average Wednesday night here in Emilia.
christmas gingerdisaster
This post is yet another reminder to my fellow expats/immigrants about the power of finding local friends to hang out with. I was having a pretty bad week until these creative girls cheered me up. It also helps that I decided to blow off work this morning and dedicate myself to uploading my photos to Picasa…
Married to Italy 
Pingback: Italian holiday food culture | Maple Leaf Mamma by Michelle TarnopolskyMaple Leaf Mamma by Michelle Tarnopolsky
I love your gingerbread people! It sounds as though you had a great day.
I am very excited. After more than 6 weeks without power at our mountain house after a storm knocked our lines down, the men from Enel finally turned up and fixed the problem in a hour. I then discovered that the heating wasn’t working, but today the plumber came and all is fixed…how wonderful to have a functioning house.
Oh, Debra, that sounds horrible! 6 weeks?!? Hopefully this was a second house, not your primary? I find that cookie therapy works wonders in moments like that!
It is our second house, but I need to be there next week as I have people staying at our first place. I promised to to them not expecting to have problems with the mountain place. I love Italy, but it sometimes frustrates me.
I hear ya, dude.
Dudette, sorry.
Me again, I just nominated you for the Italy Blogger Awards. Perhaps you could nominate mine?
oh yes, thank you so much! Of course I will, right away! -M
Thank you.
LOL! These are so cute and I love your cookie tree! Awesome, just awesome! I made a lemon pie with 8 egg yolks and not enough lemon zest and I ate it anyway. 😉
YES. power to you, Jennifer. I have often craved an egg yolk pie.
No.
Wait.
I haven’t.
It kinda sounds like you made a lemon flavored frittata!
-M
Sadly there was no lemon flavour and the inside seemed uncooked. I did forget the butter once the batter was in the pan, my husband walked in at that moment and asked why I was freaking out, I told him about the butter and he told me to add it anyway, and I did. Yeah, I’m not a good baker.
Ha,ha they are great, gotta love the Christmas tree!! I hope they end up on the tree 🙂
oh, yeah, that’s never gonna happen. 🙂
Awesome!! I love them! Great job. I gotta show the guys in the office the Italian Gingerbread man with the super-Christmas tree pisellone– they’re gonna love that. Glad to hear your over the blues — some gingerbread cookie-making and a lot of beer. I will have to remember that one!
haha… yeah, a little pisellone always puts a girl in a good mood. (blush)
Pingback: Barcelona or Bust. | Married to Italy