~Sunday, September 16, 2012
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| My father's Moscato grapes |
As if Italians needed another
reason to enjoy good company and good food, every year, all regions of Italy
celebrate La Vendemmia: An event centered on the gathering of the
community at harvest time. When fall
grapes are ripe and ready, it is time to enjoy the bounty of work well done with family and friends!
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| Wine tasting! |
Much to our enjoyment, my
husband and I joined my parents this weekend at their local Italian club’s Vendemmia dinner dance they hold in
honor of this cultural yearly tradition.
Cocktails this evening started at the wine-tasting booth, consisting of
its signature “arch,” adorned and constructed with clusters of grapes (which my
father was soon to point out, "It's a little 'shaky' this year because I wasn’t able to help
construct it." My father is retired;
however, has every construction tool made by man, and is the go-to source for
all the neighbors for help and advice—yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking—he
does help us at our house too!). Getting
back to La Vendemmia, after eating our
antipasto salad and pasta, the hired band for the night struck-up some tunes,
ranging anywhere between Italian ballads to
“The Tango.” (I have to admit, watching
the older generations dance is a wonderful part of the evening for me. I watch them thinking I am witnessing the
true meaning of the fountain of youth.) All night long these Italians are full of life—an endless flow of
laughter, fun and jokes—with a mischievous spark in their eye, as if they were
still teenagers. And just when I thought
I had seen it all, I came back from the powder room to find myself in an “I
Love Lucy” scene: women with their
skirts tied up, and men with trousers rolled up to their knees,
holding on to each other as they danced and stomped in grape-filled barrels!
I
can’t think of a better description to leave you with in celebration of La Vendemmia. The funny part is, this is how Italian’s
celebrate the bounty of hard labor. Can
you imagine how they celebrate a family wedding!?!
