I made this bread over a week ago but it took a while to post on my blog about it. To be honest, I actually made this bread twice, a few days apart, as I was frustrated in my shaping the first time round and really wanted to cut it into Epi or Sheaf of Wheat loaves. I seem to be making a number of breads in this challenge more than once which I really need to stop doing if I ever want to complete baking my way through this cookbook! I need to stop being such a perfectionist, admit defeat when I mess up, and simply move on to the next bead in the book! I hate to admit it though, even my second try wasn't perfect as you can see above in the photo where I tried shaping it into a round Epi, but the bread itself was delicious with a really nice crust and crumb so it really is time to move on to bread #23. I'll come back to this bread sometime in the future and finally perfect my shaping.

Although Thanksgiving is not a holiday Italians (in Italy) traditionally celebrate, there are many wonderful Italian dishes that would fit perfectly into a holiday menu. Italian Americans have embraced Thanksgiving wholeheartedly and made this holiday their own by adding their own special touch to the celebration. They often do this by including traditional family favorites such as a special pasta dish or a pasta based soup to the holiday menu. There are so many wonderful different fall foods that can be incorporated into your Thanksgiving menu to give it a special "Italian" flavor. I am giving a number of my favorite holiday options below to help you plan a very special Italian Thanksgiving this year. Many of these dishes may not be typical for this specific holiday, but they do celebrate the season's best and are perfect for any celebration.

I awoke a little sore but well rested and quite excited to see the process through at the olive mill so we could bring home the fruits of our two days of hard work. I was surprised to see my husband managed to cram all 11 cases into our small little leased Citroen, but somehow he managed to do so without an inch to spare. Our appointment was at 10:30 and our landscaper planned to come along with us to make sure everything went smoothly. I guess he thought we might lose our way and get stranded with a car full of olives.