European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 21, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Italian food continued from Page 15 december with animal sacrifices to ensure a season of plenty. To this Day in Lombardy a fattened Chicken is roasted for Christmas dinner the bigger the Chicken the better the prospects for the future. Around Bologna spiced pork sausages and boiled lentils symbols of Prosperity and Money respectively Are served at Christmas legend has k that the More one eats the Richer that person will be in the coming year. In Friuli the Region where Aviano a is located seafood feasts Are also the Norm on Christmas eve says Paolo Tarchi the base s Community relations adviser. In addition to big headed eels Salt cod is also featured on Christmas eve Tarchi says. Torrone a nougat is especially popular for dessert at christmastime throughout Italy. Tarchi says that one kind of Torrone served with an Apple Jam spiced with Mustard is especially popular in Northern Italy. Quot the Best Torrone is sold at the sights and sounds of an italian Christmas traditional Christmas Market in Verona s main Square Quot says Anna Derentiis a family services coordinator for the . Army a Southern european task Force in nearby Vicenza. Quot that nougat is hard like a Rock and is made out of Honey and egg Whites and has either hazelnuts or almonds in it. You need Good Teeth to eat it. Elderly folks try to buy a softer kind of Torrone says Derentiis. Everybody s favorite dessert All Over Italy is panettone a Light Fluffy Christmas bread. There is Only one beverage fit to accompany panettone and that s a Yumante Champagne like sparkling wine. Cheers skewered eels capstone Atlo Seledo the following recipe is from an Abruzzi Christmas eve feast. It serves 4. 1 or More eels Large enough to be Cut into 16 2 Lnch pieces skinned unmistakable music heralds the arrival of the Christmas season throughout Italy. Down from the mountains of the Abruzzi the spine of Southern Italy come Zampogna i shepherds playing haunting Christmas music on bagpipes. The shepherds colourfully dressed in Felt hats sheepskin vests and laced up leggings wander All Over Italy tooting their tunes for tips. Often As not the bagpipes Are grotesquely comic with sheep so feet dangling from them. In some provinces shepherds go from House to House and if properly welcomed 1 cup Olive Oil vib cup vinegar 1 Clove garlic minced Salt and Pepper 12 Bay leaves Lemon wedges Black and Green olives blend the Olive Oil vinegar minced garlic Clove and Salt and Pepper to taste. Place 4 sections of eel on each skewer separated by touching Bay leaves to lend flavor during cooking. Place in 375-degree oven and Cook turning frequently for about 25 minutes or until eel is White and dry Baste with Oil mixture while cooking. Serve at once garnished with Lemon wedges and Black and Green  from italian provincial cookery another Way to prepare eels is to Fry the sections Cook them for 5 minutes in Chicken Stock and then bring them to a boil in a wine and Herb sauce of Parsley mint chives Lemon juice and pureed spinach. Cool and serve chilled. Leave wooden spoons to Mark the place where they will later return to play. Quot they usually Start to play on dec. 8, the feast of the immaculate Conception Quot says Terry Lanna an intercultural relations specialist with the Navy s family services Center in Naples. By then Christmas tree vendors have already turned vacant lots into forests of Pine. However while Christmas Trees grow annually in popularity they present no danger of supplanting the Central Christmas icon the Presepe a miniature representation of the holy family and Manger. Fils eels Are available throughout Italy during the Winter and Are used in a popular Holiday dish. The figures populating the nativity scenes Are often hand carved from Wood and May be very valuable Antiques having been lovingly passed Down through generations. The creation of these nativity figures continues especially in Naples where a Small Section of the old City dubbed Christmas Alley by american residents specializes in the Sale of mangers. Quot in Naples you Are sure to find Presepe on display in churches and on Street Corners after dec. 15,&Quot says Lanna. A j. King Cruger Iceland celebrates with yuletide lads and after dinner treats by Meridith Winder . Bureau Iceland celebrates Christmas in the traditional Way with religious Observance gifts Lood and treats Quot however despite the last that we be been celebrating Christmas Lor centuries we have very few traditional Christmas foods Quot said Fri Thor Eydal. He s the Deputy base Public affairs officer at Nas Kef Lavik Iceland he s also an icelandic native. Quot Many of our customs Are borrowed from the rest of Europe particularly  he said but one tradition that Wasny to imported was that of the yuletide lads in Iceland children wait for the lads instead of Santa Claus. The yuletide lads Range in number from nine to 13, with the latter figure appearing in print in 1864. Original names included sheep cot clod meat Hook Gully gawk bowl Licker and a few others that change from time to time. Although the lads Are considered friends of children today it was not always that Way. According to Eydal the yuletide lads were the offspring of an ogre who ate unruly children. The ogre was used by icelandic parents As a tactic to scare children into being Good. However that practice was eliminated in the 19th Century and the lads assumed a More Santa like behaviour bringing gifts singing and telling stories. During the Holiday season the icelandic people celebrate Christmas for 12 Days starting on dec 24. That Day most people attend Church services and then go Home to open presents according to Eydal. Quot while children still receive toys for Christmas one of the Best loved and most thoughtful gifts for anyone is a Book Quot Eydal said. Quot icelanders love to read. You la find More books As presents than anything  the traditional Holiday meal served Christmas eve can be either smoked Lamb smoked pork or Ptarmigan a Type of grouse As the meat accompanied by potatoes and vegetables. For treats cookies and cakes Are normally served. But the icelandic people also love pancakes following is a recipe for icelandic  pancakes 1vb cups flour i Teaspoon baking powder a a Teaspoon Salt 2 Tablespoons sugar 3 eggs 2 Teaspoons Vanilla extract 3 cups milk a cup melted butter sift dry ingredients together in a Large mixing bowl. Make Dent in the Middle and break eggs into Center. Whisk and continue whisking while adding milk and Flavouring. Add melted butter and blend. The Batter will be the consistency of heavy Cream. Pour Vij cup of Batter on lightly greased crepe pan or Skillet. Brown lightly on each Side. Makes about 10. The pancakes Are usually served cold so they can be made ahead of time. At serving time spread 1 Teaspoon of Jelly or Jam on the Pancake. Then add about 1 Tablespoon of whipped Cream in the Center. Fold in half and then fold in half again. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Tomorrow Holiday treats from Belgium and Britain