Weekend Planner: Italian Edition

Eat Panettone at Eataly

Starbucks cups have morphed red, so you know it's officially holiday season. And along with eggnog and gingerbread and excess family time, that also means panettone, Italy's wonderful "fruitcake" that makes American fruitcake taste like doorstops. In honor of the panettone season, Eataly is filling up its shelves with varieties of the dessert bread, each one emblazoned in illustrious gift boxes perfect for giving. Not only is now an apt time to go wild at Eataly, but the store is offering vouchers for $15 off future purchases of $50 or more in the month of January when guests purchase panettone or pandoro between November 8 and December 31.

Eat Truffles at Davanti Enoteca

You know what else is in season right now? Italian truffles. And luxury. The opulent ingredient can be found in droves at Davanti Enoteca these days, where chef Jaysen Euler has crafted a special truffle-themed menu at all three Chicagoland locations between November 12 and November 30. Cheekily dubbed the "Every Day We're Trufflin' Menu," it features items like wild mushroom ragu with winter black truffles, mascarpone polenta, and poached farm egg; and thick-cut spaghetti with white truffles, Parma butter, chives, and Grana Padano cheese. Along with these special creations, guests are welcome to burn through money by adding five grams of truffles (black or white) to any dish for a surcharge.

Travel to Tuscany for Sunday Supper

In other Italian news, the latest iteration of Azzurra's Sunday supper series journeys to Tuscany for the month of November. Each week, the family-style spread contains items such as housemade pici with ragu, mushroom farrotto, braised short ribs, calamari steak, roasted Brussels sprouts, and more. The shareable smorgasbord goes for $23 per adult, $12 for children 8 to twelve, and free for those seven and younger. 

- Matt Kirouac