Costa Cruises, Europe’s number one cruise company, is offering two exclusive menus for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, specially devised by two of Italy’s finest chefs and popular personalities, Carlo Cracco and Benedetta Parodi.

An estimated 70,000 passengers who have chosen one of Costa’s sailings in the United Arab Emirates or the Mediterranean during the festive season will be treated to the special dishes, but as the recipes will be made available online, non-cruisers will also be able to try them out for themselves in the comfort of their own homes.

Carlo Cracco and Benedetta Parodi are both exceptional interpreters of the country’s inimitable culinary culture, based on simple high quality ingredients combined in original ways. The choice also reflects Costa Cruises’ determination to export the very best Italian excellence around the world on board its 15 ships. The Christmas and New Year’s Eve meals on Costa Cruises’ fleet will be supervised by   Costa Cruises Executive Chef, Stefano Fontanesi, who is responsible for ensuring compliance with quality standards that are the distinguishing feature of the cuisine on offer on all of Costa Crociere’s ships.

The festive menus are particularly special because, while consistent with Italian tradition, they are a superb blend of Cracco’s creative flair and the wholesome flavor and practicality of Parodi’s approach to the culinary arts. Classic Italian staples for the holiday season like cotechino, a fresh pork sausage traditionally served with stewed lentils, has been reinvented as a starter with a truffle fondue, while the lentils will be used to garnish a lobster salad together with sprouts, celery and a bisque (thick cream shellfish soup). There are also traditional Christmas dishes on the menu, such as guinea fowl and panettone.

The menu will be accompanied by a selection of fine wines produced by Aneri, an excellent quality label that has become one of Costa Cruises’ partners. Highly recommended wines for the Christmas and New Year’s Eve tables are the Leda Bianco doc 2009 Aneri, the Pinot Nero doc 2008 Aneri and the much sought after Prosecco di Valdobbiadene doc “Aneri” N° 1.