I’ve always envied my Italian friends because they enjoy feasts of seafood every Christmas Eve.
Why seafood? Two reasons: Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula kicking deep into the Mediterranean Sea which is loaded with all manner of delectable water-bound wildlife. Secondly, Italy’s a devout Roman Catholic country, and Dec. 24, known as vigilia di magro, is a Catholic day of fasting on which no meat is eaten.
Instead, folks with roots in Southern Italy and Sicily have long celebrated the Feast of the Seven Fishes, and some families even increase that number to nine, 11 or even 13 fish. The seven is believed to represent the seven sacraments. Thirteen is dedicated to the 12 apostles plus Jesus.
Whatever its origins and religious connotations, however, the feast often features fried whitefish, dried cod, fried eel, baccala (baked fish), boiled shrimp, clams, mussels, fried calamari (squid), fried flounder, octopus, scallops and sometimes oysters, lobster and salmon with chick peas. The most creative cooks might make lobster ravioli, mussels marinara or tuna with cannellini beans.
Canale’s sauces in stores
Even if you’re not Italian, you can adopt this delicious tradition with a little help from Canale’s, 7421 Oswego Road, in the old Hiawatha Plaza on Route 57. Their dinner menu includes no less than a dozen seafood offerings from seafood marinara to haddock parmigiana. You can also order pasta with red or white clam sauce, or better yet, shrimp sauce. And don’t forget those salty anchovies!
Everything on the menu is available to go. Call Canale’s at 701-4323.
Brothers Michael and Dominic Canale opened their first restaurant on Oswego’s west side, before branching out here in Liverpool six years ago. Now the family is selling its sauces and dressings in local grocery stores. Their traditional red sauce goes for $5-plus and their meatless marinara costs $6-plus at Nichols, Mazzye’s Meats and Price Chopper on Route 31. Frozen entrees such as fixed rigatoni and ravioli are also available, but I’m most excited about their flavor-infused artisan olive oils such as Tuscan Herb, Garlic Gusto, Abbruzi Chili and Rosmarino Rustico. Those are priced at about $9.
Gentile’s expands into L’pool
One of Syracuse best restaurants, Gentile’s at 305 Burnet Ave., now has a Liverpool location. Last month, Chef Kevin Gentile opened Gentile’s Pasta & Pizza Café at 1349 Cold Springs Road (Route 370), at the corner of Long Branch Road.
“It’s gourmet quality food,” Gentile said, “but it’s café quick. We’re proving you don’t have to sacrifice taste and quality for convenience and affordability.”
Kevin’s not kidding.
I stopped in for a grilled chicken-breast sandwich last week, and – with portabello mushrooms, prosciutto, tomatoes, mozzarella and sage aioli on a fresh ciabatta roll from Renzi Brothers – it was the best chicken sandwich I’d ever tasted! Service was swift, pleasant, attentive and efficient.
Can’t wait to try a few of Kevin’s “designer pizzas,” maybe the Gucci pizza with shaved steak, Gabana pizza with Applewood smoked bacon, Prada pizza with chicken and pine nuts and Giannini pizza with shrimp scampi and green onions. While those specialties boast gourmet ingredients, they don’t command gourmet prices. Pie prices range from $9 to $11, and each of six pasta dinners cost $9.95.
Caricatures and cavatelli
And here’s something you don’t get at most pizzeria’s: on Sunday afternoons, Gentile’s Pasta & Pizza Café serves caricatures as well as cavatelli.
That’s right, Local illustrator Brad Cole creates free caricatures for customers between noon and 4 p.m. every Sunday.
Check out Cole’s varied work at bradleyjcole.com; 246-7572.
For Gentile’s Café info or to place an order for pickup or delivery, dial 457-3333.
Meanwhile, Gentile’s Restaurant continues to draw discerning diners to Burnet Avenue. After 10 years there, Kevin Gentile has forged a reputation for serving high-quality Italian-American dishes with all fresh ingredients for both lunch and dinner; 474-8258; gentilesrestaurant.com.
‘Here Comes Another Christmas’
The Z-Bones call their mix of rock, funk, blues and boogie “melting pot music.” The Tipperary Hill-based quintet covers artists such as Sam Cooke and the Allman Brothers while writing their own tunes such as “You Must Be Kidding” and “Here Comes Another Christmas.”
The combo led by guitarist Ed Zacholl lays down its deep grooves at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at the Limp Lizard Lounge at 201 First St., in the village of Liverpool. Admission is free and the barbecue is bodacious; 451-9774. The Z-Bones are bandleader Zacholl, plus Lorne Coon, Louie Fortin, Mike Gridley and Mike Lounsbery.
