Tutti a tavola!: Lidia Bastianich welcomes viewers to her Christmas table

By Cassie Dresch TV Media

Deck the halls and hang the stockings, it’s that time of year again! Yes, the holidays are upon us, and so are the Christmas cooking specials that bring glad tidings and delicious food to our screens.

PBS and celebrated chef, author and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich invite you to join them for one such special. The newest installment of Bastianich’s series “Lidia Celebrates America” brings together a group of diverse individuals as they celebrate “Home for the Holidays,” airing Friday, Dec. 11, on PBS (check local listings).

Together with some of her famous friends, Bastianich cooks up a (winter) storm and brings us along for the ride, as the hour-long documentary starts in her home kitchen, takes a tour around the world and finishes up at the dinner table with special holiday dishes.

And just who are these celebrity guests sharing their personal stories and culinary customs? Why, none other than Oscar winner and longtime friend Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter,” 1978), TV journalist Ann Curry (“Dateline NBC”), host and model Padma Lakshmi

(“Top Chef”), recent Kennedy Center honoree and EGOT winner Rita Moreno (“The Electric Company”),

The six stars gather with their host over an ethnic dinner as diverse as they are and tell tales from different times in their lives, such as childhood memories or what prompted them to come to America. It’s all punctuated with footage of a special journey Bastianich recently took back to her birthplace in Istria and the political refugee camp she stayed in before coming stateside, as well as footage of her visits to Chennai, India, and the streets of Harlem.

“The holidays are a great time of the year,” Bastianich said in a news release. “It’s a time to really assess our values in life and to talk about who we really are and where we come from — our roots, our culture.” Of course, she’ll be doing this in one of the best ways she knows: with a group of great friends with bellies full of delicious food.

As Bastianich would say, “Tutti a tavola a mangiare!” (“Everyone to the table to eat!”) The special “Home for the Holidays” edition of “Lidia Celebrates America” premieres Friday, Dec. 11, on PBS.

Sunday, Dec. 6

2:00 p.m. TRAV Fast Foods Gone Global Traditional dishes and local cultures influence flavors at fast food chains in Asia.

3:00 p.m. TRAV Fast Foods Gone Global American fast food chains adapt their menus to honor local flavors.

4:00 p.m. TRAV Fast Foods Gone Global International food chains are introducing their homegrown flavors to American customers.

Monday, Dec. 7

6:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods America Andrew discovers that some of the best food in Los Angeles is in dangerous areas.

8:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods Andrew travels to multicultural hot spot Jerusalem, for tastes older than the city itself.

8:30 p.m. (8) WDSE I’ll Have What Phil’s Having Explore this city with Phil, where no one ever sleeps — and also where they always eat.

9:00 p.m. (5) KSTP The Great Holiday Baking Show Cake is the featured dessert in this week’s challenge as five remaining bakers compete. (N)

TRAV Booze Traveler Jack experiences drive-thru margaritas, honky-tonk bingo, and bloody beers.

11:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods

Andrew travels to multicultural hot spot Jerusalem, for tastes older than the city itself.

Tuesday, Dec. 8

6:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods America Andrew explores the bold flavors of Dallas and Fort Worth.

8:00 p.m. (8) WDSE A Chef’s Life Holiday Special Vivian will create modern interpretations of family food traditions. TRAV Bizarre Foods Andrew goes out of his comfort zone to find the best bites. (N)

9:00 p.m. TRAV Booze Traveler Cuddling with horses, the brew of the gods, and the left-footed tango. (N)

11:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods

Andrew goes out of his comfort zone to find the best bites.

Wednesday, Dec. 9

1:00 p.m. (11) KARE The Rachael Ray Show Viewers are presented with great recipes and simple solutions for everyday issues.

Andrew finds that Pittsburgh has a knack for blending old and new food traditions.

2:00 p.m. TRAV Man v. Food A presidential t-bone steak, the Sooner State original, fried onion burger.

2:30 p.m. TRAV Man v. Food Adam’s quest takes him to Philly for a mouth-watering Italian roast pork sandwich.

3:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods Andrew heads to Japan, where the people are willing to eat just about anything.

4:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods Andrew meets Greeks who are passionate about food in Athens and Kalymnos.

Thursday, Dec. 10

1:00 p.m. (11) KARE The Rachael Ray Show Viewers are presented with great recipes and simple solutions for everyday issues.

Friday, Dec. 11

1:00 p.m. (11) KARE The Rachael Ray Show Viewers are presented with great recipes and simple solutions for everyday issues.

9:00 p.m. (8) WDSE Lidia Celebrates America Lidia Bastianich to celebrate her holiday traditions and those of six celebrity guests. (N)

Saturday, Dec. 12

2:00 p.m. (2) KTCA Lidia Celebrates America Lidia Bastianich to celebrate her holiday traditions and those of six celebrity guests. (8) WDSE Martha Bakes Extraordinary holiday breads: Italian panettone, German stollen and braided Easter bread.

TRAV Food Paradise

2:30 p.m. (8) WDSE Martha Stewart’s Cooking School Martha demonstrates confit and salting and makes duck confit, lemon and tomato confits.

3:00 p.m. (8) WDSE America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated Test cook Bridget Lancaster demonstrates how to make the best baguette at home.

TRAV Food Paradise From fivealarm chilli to blistering curries, meals that are literally too hot to handle.

4:00 p.m. TRAV Food Paradise A pub crawl across America to find the taverns with the tastiest treats.

5:00 p.m. TRAV Food Paradise

Brainerd Daily Dispatch, MN: Food Dec 6, 2015 to Dec 12, 2015

Solution on page 10.

Video releases

Ant-Man

Dr. Hank Pym (Douglas) is a technological genius with a high-up position in the counterterrorism organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. When he finds out that someone is out to steal his shrinking-bodysuit technology, he leaves — taking the suit with him — in an effort to keep his colleagues from misusing it. Decades later, his fears are realized when he is forced out of his company by his protégé-turned-rival, Darren Cross (Stoll), who has nefarious plans for Pym’s technology. Hank recruits petty criminal and scientist Scott Lang (Rudd) to help him thwart Cross’s plans, teaching him how to use the original suit — and ultimately helping him become Ant Man.

Director:PeytonReed.Starring: PaulRudd,EvangelineLily,Corey Stoll,MichaelDouglas.2015.117 min.Action.