Whether you're looking for your grandmother's "vecchiarelle, a traditional Christmas Lye Neapolitan seafood salad, Italian-style fried chicken for Chanukah, or spice cookies for All Souls' Day, you'll find them together with 150 other classic recipes in "Italian Holiday Cooking.

From Christmas to Carnevale, from Sundae dinner to saints' feast days, Italians know how to celebrate. And what's an Italian celebration without food?

With this collection, renowned Italian food and wine writer Michele Scicolone brings the spirit and the flavors of Italian holiday cooking into your own kitchen. Enjoy Christmas Capon, Red Risotto for Rosh Hashanah, and Good Luck Lentil Soup for New Year's Day. Leave it to the Italians to honor the holidays with specific pasta dishes: Pasta for Saint Joseph's Day -- tripolini with almonds, bread crumbs, and anehovy -- Ravioli for the Feast of Saint John the Baptist, and Fettuccine and Chickpeas for the Day of the Dead. There are antipasti and savory pies and hearty second courses. Special cakes, cookies, and other dolci include Chocolate Cake for Passover, Christmas Struffoli, and Carnevale Cannoli. And, of course, all these recipes can be made throughout the year.

"Italian Holiday Cooking includes stories and the lore of homeland traditions and celebrations that Italian-American families have kept alive in the United States. So even if you're not Italian, celebrate with "Italian Holiday Cooking.