The Tastes of Italy - Art De La Table/The Tastes of Italy - Art de la Table - Disc 2.iso/FESTIVAL/FEST1.TXT

Text File | 1996-02-25 | 12KB | 199 lines

JANUARY

Epiphany  is twelve days after Christmas; it is the time of the Christmas
season when gifts are exchanged. In Italy, the role of Santa Claus is played
by the toothless witch "La Befana" who rides about on her broomstick
distributing toys and candy to good children and garlic and "carbone"
(sweets resembling lumps of coal) to bad children. Epiphany marks the end
of the Christmas season and is one of the most best-loved holidays,
especially as it marks the beginning of Carnival as well. Popular dishes
include FESTIVE sweet bread in Friuli, GNOCCHI di zucca, and grilled
sausages. In SICILY, Greek Orthodox women celebrate Epiphany by wearing
traditional dress and forming a procession to church where they then take
part in the beautiful Feast of Lights. The priest blesses the oranges which he
then handed out to the townspeople as a symbol of prosperity for the New
Year.
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FEBRUARY

Carnival (Carnevale)  is celebrated throughout Italy for
one week, beginning on Maunday Thursday. Every
region has its own special traditions. The Church was
very restrictive and, historically, it was the only time
when  people felt free, once hidden behind masks, to
indulge in revelry and merriment before the sobriety
of Lent. Aside from the parades, costumes, and music
other Carnevale highlights (in Ivrea and Turin) include
three days of "battling" where oranges are used for
weapons. The end of the festivities is marked by a
torch-lit procession where the most recently married
couples dig the first holes for the "scarli" (tall poles),
upon which heather and juniper garlands are strung.
These poles are torched and if the flames reach the
banner at the very top, it means prosperity for the
community and many weddings for the coming
year.Some delicacies that always appear at this time
are cannoli, carnival gnocco, and all types of
FRITTELLE. Along with this big festival, several smaller
festivals are held throughout the month including the
polenta festival in LOMBARDY and the olive festival in
UMBRIA when delicious BRUSCHETTA drizzled with the
olive oil are served. Throughout Italy the carnival is
celebrated by eating "Nuns RIBBONS ".
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MARCH

During Lent (Quaresima)  special meals are served to make up for the meat
and eggs that are not eaten during this time. "La Vecchia," an old hag, is the
embodiment of Lent and in different regions she takes on different guises.
For example, in SARDINIA she is made of bread and has seven legs, one is
bitten off as each week passes during Lent. She is burned in effigy at the end
of Lent and her death symbolizes the new growth of spring. Different regions
have special dishes like the sweet rolls from *FLORENCE* ("corollo") and the
("pazientini" or "patience") little cookies -- something that everyone needs to
have during Lent. For Saint Joseph's Day (March 19) PIEDMONT celebrates
with all kinds of FRITTATES while in LOMBARDY tortelli is featured.
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APRIL
 Easter (Pasqua)  processions in Italy are special and every region celebrates
in its own way. In SICILY, the dance of the devils is performed; they are
ritually chased away and supplanted by the Madonna - a large, mechanical
figure that is paraded through the streets. Eggs, which are dyed red, are
passed out to visitors. In some towns arches made of bread line the streets.
Shortley afterwards, there is a huge potato gnocchi festival in Teolo in
VENETO. On April 25, the feast of Saint Mark, (the patron saint of Venice),
the traditional dish RISI e bisi (rice and peas) is served. The annual banquet
which was held during the Republic of San Marco in the Palazzo Ducale
featured 12 courses always began with a rice dish followed by a pea and
prosciutto dish. It is guessed that at one banquet the two got mixed, the Doge
ate it and loved it, and the rest is history. Lamb dishes such as ABBACCHIO
are also standard. ROME celebrates the end of the month with an artichoke
festival. A traditional favorite are the CARCIOFI alla giudea.
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MAY

During May many spring festivals and Saint's Days are celebrated. On May 1,
a porchetta festival is held in UMBRIA and on the first Thursday in May
honors the miracle that San Domenicao performed when he turned poisonous
snakes into delicious breads. In ABRUZZO, women form a procession carrying
snake-shaped breads. These breads, CIAMBELLONE, are formed into rings to
represent a snake biting its own tail. These breads are given to the men who
carry the statue of the saint and the banner to the church. Money to make
the bread is collected by the townspeople who go from door to door
"begging" for the ingredients. It is considered an honor to be chosen to make
these rings. This ritual has been carried out for almost four hundred years
and at one time involved live snakes. In LAZIO, an asparagus festival is held
during the last Sunday in May which features all kinds of dishes, for
example, the delicious asparagus TART.
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JUNE

In June when the fruits and flowers of the country color the countryside,
many cultivation festivals are held including the strawberry festival of Nemi
(LAZIO) and the cherry festival of Marostica (VENETO). It is also the time of
the *PESTO* festival in FLORENCE when they pay tribute to pine nuts on the
first Sunday of June. One of the most beautiful festivals is the flower festival
of Spello, (UMBRIA) on June 21 (the "Infiorata"); incredible carpets are
created entirely of flowers. These beautiful "pictures" are placed on the main
street and on the street that leads to the church in Genzano. It takes two
weeks to gather the flowers; large groups of artists then develop their
designs in utmost secrecy until the eve of the celebration. These carpets are
judged and the decision for the best one is made public at a special dinner
where the winning team gets money for a victory dinner of their own. A
popular dish in this area is BRUSCHETTA and a traditional dish eaten in
Rome, on the eve of San Giovanni, is SNAILS.
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JULY

In July summer festivities are in full swing but few are as exciting as the
horse race, the Palio, which takes place on July 2 and August 16 in SIENA in
TUSCANY. This event captivates the entire city. The horses are picked by a
lottery and lots are drawn for the ten "contrade" who compete for the special
silk victory banner. Horses and riders are also paired by lottery and an age-
old system of negotiations begins between contrades. A great deal of money
may be exchanged when one contrade pays off another to defeat an old rival
or pays to keep a jockey in his pocket though he rides for another. It is
considered victory enough if one defeats a rival even if he does not come in
first. The worst case scenario is to come in second. This is such a humiliation
that the contrade who suffers this fate slips into darkness while the rest of
the city celebrates. Many other festivals take place and in PALERMO, the
Feast of Saint Rosalia in mid-July is celebrated with CAPONATA while in
Venice marinated SOLE is enjoyed for the feast of Il Redentore.
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AUGUST

The famous white wine of Lazio, Est!Est!Est!, is celebrated in festivals during
the first few weeks of August. This wine takes its name from the German
"est" meaning "it is." A German cardinal traveled to ROME for the coronation
of Henry V in 1110. He sent his steward ahead to identify taverns serving
good wine and instructed him to mark those tavern doors with "est." His
rather intoxicated steward was later found by the cardinal beneath a door
upon which he had written "est, est, est" and so the wine was named. On
August 14 in TUSCANY in the town of Cortona, the famous BISTECCA alla
Florentine are cooked over the largest grill in Italy for one of the country's
largest barbecues. Other food events include the cured pork festival in Arnad
in VAL d'Aosta. The following day as well as the capellini festival in
Campofilone in the Marches on the same day. Lazio celebrates with its pasta
ALL'AMATRICIANA at the end of the month.
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SEPTEMBER

At Marostica (*VENICE*) a chess game is acted out by people as the pieces
and played by experts of the chess club. It has been held on the first Friday
to the second Sunday of the month on even-numbered years since 1923. The
legend is that a 15th century wise man, interested in his daughter's welfare,
warded off the many suitors asking for her hand. He disdained violence and
refused to have duals fought over her. He then decided that the winner of a
chess game should be the one to marry his daughter as the winner would, no
doubt, have to be clever, patient, and wise. The game is played fast and is
quite exciting and the entire square is made to look like a giant chessboard.
The famous *TOMATOES* of Italy are honored in a festival in Angri,
*CAMPANIA* during September. During this time all sorts of tomato dishes
are served and enjoyed.
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OCTOBER

In *TUSCANY*, on the fourth Sunday of October, a thrush festival dating to
the 14th century is held. The small birds gather in Tuscany for the juniper
berries that grow there and during the festival, costumed men form a
procession wearing medieval regalia and arms. The birds are then killed,
grilled, and served in a variety of ways. During September and October there
are many wine festivals from the elaborate ones of large cities to the small
festivals held in villages. The wine *FESTIVAL* in the mountain community
of *BISENTI* is highlighted with a parade and, of course, lots of food. It is
also the time to make *BAGNA* cauda. Traditionally, people would enjoy this
dish while standing over the large earthenware pot in which it was made.
Eggs are sometimes broken into the oil remaining at the bottom of the pot
and then scrambled. Truffle shavings might also be added for a special treat.
Truffles, of course, are abundant at this time as it is truffle season as well.
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NOVEMBER

To end the growing season, a very old celebration takes place in *EMILIA*
-romagna during the third weekend of the month in the city of Terra del
Sole. The fruits are blessed and bonfires are lit in the afternoon and feasting
goes on all day. Many special sweets are made as it is also the time of All
Saints'Day which marks the saint's entry, or ritual birth, into Heaven. There
are also many *CHESTNUT* festivals. They are roasted or sometimes
groundto make delicious breads. This is also the time of the olive harvest
and *MINESTRONE* is always made at this time in *TUSCANY*. The best olive
oil, from the first pressing, is drizzled on top of this delicious soup.
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DECEMBER

The festivities that lead up to Christmas  are wonderful events. Celebrations
throughout *SICILY*, in honor of Santa Lucia, are quite joyous as she is
thought to have saved the island from starvation during a terrible famine in
the 16th century by miraculously providing a boat load of grain. Today
Sicilians do not eat wheat-flour products on December 13 in honor of her
memory. Christmas is always celebrated with family and the baking begins
several weeks before. Everyone makes a special creche and figures are often
amassed through the years so that some of the displays are quite elaborate.
Christmas Eve is quite solemn. Special dishes like *PANETTONE*, pandoro,
and mostaccioli are served. Fish dishes are traditionally the centerpiece of
this two day holiday in order to purify the body. Eel is a favorite for
Christmas Eve. In *PIEDMONT*, *LASAGNE* is made. However, dishes such as
buccelatti, roast capon, cappelletti, and many kinds of sweets such as torrone
are eaten on Christmas in various regions.