Linuzza's Torrone
Linuzza - that for some reason is what we called my cousin Lina growing up. I guess that is a Sicilian version of her name? Trust me, we have a lot of Sicilian-Canadian versions of our names - thankfully my mother did not allow my dad to name me Calogera!! Bless you Momma Dolce. Anyway, here is a pic of Linuzza's homemade torrone that she made for Christmas Eve.

Turrón (Spanish), torró (Catalan), or torrone (Italian) is a nougat confection, typically made of honey, sugar, and egg white, with toasted almonds or other nuts, and usually shaped into either a rectangular tablet or a round cake. It is delicious and usually emerges around Christmastime.

Oddly I think she said she put marshmallows in her recipe but will verify that - maybe she is making a new North American/Sicilian version. Perhaps the recipe is from her mother in law who I recall makes some great sweets.

Her husband tried to pass it off as store bought but she scolded him a few times for the joke he kept making - saying to everyone, 'and the bakery just brought it out fresh from the oven this morning.' It was funny as she was getting quite frustrated but it was just the way married couples tease each other lovingly.

The picture isn't the greatest but it was the only one I took (the Rice Krispie squares are my mom's festive favourite- easy to make as the recipe is on the back of the Kellogg's Rice Krispie box). The festivities then took over and the family consumed lots of lobster, crab, calamari, shrimp, pasta and more!

Oh Italians do love to eat...I think I gained a nice little muffin top in the last two weeks.

:)