For some unknown reason meals we make after Thanksgiving tend to be very rich in flavor. color and intensity. Here are three examples this year, along with some of the side dishes.

Purée of Gaeta Olives and Whipped Almond Milk Ricotta

Radicchio, Spinach, Tokyo Bekana Cabbage Salad with Ricotta Salata

Rigatoni with Mushrooms, Leek, and Artichokes

Prosciutto Bruschetta on Sourdough with Radicchio Salad Underneath

Squid in Red Wine Sauce with Rice, Beans, and Vegetables

This Birichino California wine, a blend of Carignan and Grenache, is fabulous with squid. The wine is named Scylla, from the Greek legend of Scylla and Charybdis.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Scylla and Charybdis”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Scylla-and-Charybdis. Accessed 10 December 2023.

Thanks to my friend, Jan, I made sure to visit Scilla (as it’s spelled in Calabria) in 2016. Here is my photo of this marvelous sea creature at the high point of the village, with Sicily and the Strait of Messina in the background.