Cuccidati.......

When Michael and I go home we have lots of friends and family to catch up with.  My summer holiday usually consists of flying into Detroit solo, while Michael stays in Nanjing and works.  I stay with my friends in Detroit for a while and then drive down to my friend Barbara's in Ft. Wayne, IN.  After Barbara's I come back to Detroit and Michael usually is on his way into town by this time.  We stay in Metro Detroit for a week, while Michael works out of his office in Detroit.  We then proceed to our parent's houses.  My parents live up North and Michael's family lives in the Buffalo, NY area.  Needless to say, we get around.  We see lots of people and eat lots of yummy American food! ;o) 

Michael comes from an all Italian family.  His parents are Italian.  His grandparents are Italian.  His great grandparents are Italian and so on and so forth.  So we get lots of yummy food in Buffalo.  Both of Michael's parents can cook really well and I have learned lots of tips and tricks from them on how to improve on my own cooking. 

This year Michael's mom baked some traditional Italian cookies called CUCCIDATI., for us to bring back to China and share with my family.  The only way I can think to describe them are like fig newtons but 1,000 times better.  They are really yummy and not the easiest thing to make.  They are pretty labor intensive.  I have made them once and have not attempted them again.  When I move back to the U.S. maybe I will start up again as figs and dates are not anywhere to be found in Nanjing. 

Michael's mom made a lot of cuccidati.  We took some to my family and they ate them up in a hot second.  We also carefully packed some to bring back to China and share with Michael's co-workers.  They were a real hit. 

Chinese do not really eat sweets.  And if they do eat sweets, they are not really sweet.  At least not by American standards.  But they really liked them.  Here are some pics to prove it.

Cuccidati....they look pretty good for coming all the way to China in a suitcase.

Yi Ning...our driver

Hmmm...what do we have here?

Yummy to my Tummy

I love Italians!

ummmm....Do I really have to eat this? ;o)

The classic Chinese pose when having your pic taking...fingers in a V shape...stands for Victory or so we have been told.  Kids from 1 year of age to adults do it. 

Haochi....means good food or delicious

Did you just take my picture?   I was not ready ;o)

Thumbs up for Cuccidati!