Carnevale in Cicciano, Napoli

It’s just about Carnevale time in Italy, the fun days of celebration for Carnival leading up to the 40 days of fasting during Lent. Already the traditional coriandoli, or confetti, are being strewn about the old stone streets of small towns. Behind closed doors, excited voices can be overheard as the large, colorful floats that appear in the parades are receiving their final touches. Around the corner a group of locals are rehearsing the traditional music for the big celebration on homemade instruments. These are the winter days before Carnevale in southern Italy.

While Venezia is the reigning queen of Carnevale in Italy, with its famous masked characters, celebrations and masquerade balls, Carnevale is a holiday celebrated across the country. Even the smallest villages will have parades of carri, or floats, often featuring oversized figures made out of cartapesta (papier–mâché). Viareggio, located on the coast of Tuscany, may host one of the most famous Carnevale parades, but the carri and other festivities found in the mezzogiorno (Southern Italy) will not cease to amaze. Capua, one of the most storied cities in the region of Campania, offers an enchanting (and wild!) night of celebrations complete with scenes of world-class carri back-dropped by medieval monuments and buildings. Each region has its own unique traditions as well. In Sicily, where the warmer climate brings flowers earlier in the year, the local custom in many cities and towns is to decorate the traditional horse carts with brightly colored floral decorations.

Yet, like so many things in Italy, if you want to experience the true spirit of Carnevale, it is often easier and more intimate in the smaller towns and mountain villages located in southern Italy and Sicily. Even smaller towns, such as Cicciano in the province of Napoli, spare no expense when it comes to carri and other Carnevale festivities. So, while seeing the grand Italian celebrations for Carnevale in the cities of the north is quite an experience, to truly immerse yourself into la vera carnevale, skip the cities of the north and head south. While the coriandoli will still fly and the carri will circle around the piazza, you’ll also see children dressed up in cute costumes and maybe even catch a glimpse of the deep religious roots of this century-old holiday.

Carnevale, like many holidays in Italy, has ancient traditions and religious roots deeper than one might expect. Behind the parades and costumes is the reminder of the Roman Catholic traditions leading up to the Easter holiday. The period of Carnevale lasts two weeks and ends on Martedì Grasso, Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday, the final and biggest day of celebrating before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of la Quaresima (Lent). The 40 days of Lent before Easter commemorate the Passion of Jesus, and is a period traditionally associated with sacrifice and fasting in the Roman Catholic faith.

While the religious significance, elaborate floats, parades, confetti and candies are a thrill—especially for kids and kids at heart—what really defines Carnevale for many Italians is the food. In fact, one thing you can count on when celebrating a traditional Carnevale is a grand, Italian family meal. (As is so wonderfully the case in Italy, it always comes back to food)!

One thing you can count on when celebrating a traditional Carnevale is a grand, Italian family meal. (As is so wonderfully the case in Italy, it always comes back to food)!

The traditional Carnevale meal often begins with a rich lasagna made with salsiccia (sausage) and cheese, usually mozzarella and sometimes also with ricotta. After the lasagna, which is a meal-in-itself for most, the secondo (second course) often includes more salsiccia, more cheese and winter vegetables, such as broccoli rabe. As Carnevale is the last hurray before Lent, the Carnevale meal is often full of rich foods and sweet desserts.

The traditional connection between salsiccia and Carnevale tells an interesting story about rural life in much of Italy. Before refrigeration, which is some areas didn’t arrive until the 1970s, the cold winter months of January and February were the time of the pig slaughter, especially in southern Italy. Salsiccia, therefore, was only eaten during these cold winter months when it was possible to produce and store it for a short period of time. Fatty and rich, it was also needed to help survive the harsh mountain winters of the snowy regions such as the Abruzzo and Molise. Over time the tradition of serving salsiccia on Carnevale became the norm, and it continues despite the fact that sausage can now be bought any time of the year. While Martedì Grasso is the big feast before the fasting of Lent, you might be wise to do a bit of fasting in preparation for the Carnevale meal itself!

So get your costumes, coriandoli, and bombolette of silly string ready – Carnevale is almost here! But, of course, no Carnevale celebration would be complete without a few sweet treats. Stop by The italyMONDO! Blog next Friday to read about the traditional and special desserts of Carnevale in Italy.

Would you like to celebrate carnevale in the village where your ancestors came from in Italy? Contact us and found out how italyMONDO! can help create this vacation of a lifetime for you!

In Italy, the beginning of the autumn season is more than just a drop in temperatures, the changing colors of the landscape, or the reappearance of warm sweaters and scarves in our wardrobes. Here, where regional cooking is still very much connected to the land, the change of season is also evident in the markets and on the kitchen tables across Italy. Instructions on how to live La Dolce Vita can often be found within the words of Italian proverbs, and one enjoyable proverbio italiano reminds us that it’s always best to eat what is in season: “Uva o melone, ma ognuno alla sua stagione” – Grapes or melon, but each one in its own season. As we now bid farewell to summer, with its fresh melons and sweet fruits, the abundance of Italy’s autumn foods are just waiting to be discovered.

Autumn arrives across Italy with the grape harvest (la vendemmia), when the heavy clusters of grapes warmed in the summer sun are carefully cut from the vines and wineries burst to life. Along the rolling hills and terraces, the vines are already heralding the change of season with their many hues of yellows and reds. Wine will be made again this fall, and while this year’s vintage ages you can ponder Italy’s wine traditions while enjoying a few plump grapes from one of the clusters – called a grappolo d’uva – that appear in markets across Italy this time of year. (You can even stop on almost any country road and cut a grappolo or two, but you didn’t hear that from us!)

But ripening grapes aren’t the only treat one will find in Italy during the fall. October is also the month of castagne (chestnuts) in Italy, and nothing says autunno more than the warm scent of roasting chestnuts. Right now the chestnuts are maturing in their prickly burrs, and will soon coat Italy’s country roads, ready to be collected. However, chestnuts aren’t just for “roasting on the open fire,” and there is no better place to experience firsthand their wide use than by visiting one of the many sagre, or food festivals, dedicated to this humble nut. The little village of Cusano Mutri in Campania’s province of Benevento puts on one of the area’s biggest events of the autumn called the Sagra delle Castagne. Taking place from October 23rd to 26th, Cusano’s famous sagra is more than just chestnuts, it’s a weekend long celebration visited by tens of thousands of people from throughout southern Italy. Events include live music, open–air restaurants and pizzerie, cultural exhibits, artisan vendors – including Cusano’s noted ceramic artists – and, of course, roasted chestnuts! If you can’t make it to Cusano Mutri this year, you’ll find that many small towns across Italy, including Rossiglione in Liguria, Scala on Campania’s Amalfi Coast, and Soriano nel Cimino in Lazio, host chestnut festivals during the month.

An Italian Proverb…

Uva o melone, ma ognuno alla sua stagione

Starting in October, Italy’s many varieties of mushrooms also take the culinary spotlight. In the woods of the Molise and Abruzzo regions, trifolai (truffle hunters) head out during the cool days with their dogs in search of one of Italy’s gastronomic treasures – the white truffle. Called “white diamonds” due to their prized value, the white truffles found in these mountainous regions are only one of the varieties you will come across this time of year in Italy. Meanwhile, in the neighboring regions of Campania and Le Marche as well as many other regions, the search is on for wild porcini mushrooms. Dishes made with truffles and porcini are plentiful, especially in towns surrounded by chestnut forests where the mushrooms typically grow.

Fall is a heavenly time for food lovers to travel in Italy. Not only are the markets full of these autumn specialties, but from northern Italy to the tip of the boot you will discover countless sagre dedicated to every type of mushroom, nut and fresh autumn crop imaginable. There is no better way to experience regional Italian cuisine than with a good dose of culture and fun that you’ll enjoy at one of these sagre. As you turn your calendars over to October, throw on a sweater, wrap a scarf around your neck and head out to Italy’s markets and food festivals to find some of the delights of autumn.

As September draws to a close, the late summer sun and cool evening breeze are pleasant reminders that, throughout Italy, a change of season is upon us. L’autunno is arriving, and with it comes more than just a breath of fresh air to savor. While out exploring Italy’s markets this time of year, with stalls overflowing with fresh autumn fruits and vegetables, you might hear the word “settembrini” tossed about by vendors and locals alike.

The word settembrino (plural settembrini) is an adjective meaning “of (or from) September.” A word sadly lacking in English, it can be loosely translated as “Septemberish”—but it just sounds better in Italiano! For Italian Americans in Upstate New York, think crisp apples freshly picked from an orchard and you’ve got the idea. While the cool evening breeze and locally grown mele (apples) and pere (pears) can all be described as settembrini, there is one type of fresh fruit so sweet, so fine, that the word often refers only to them. These are the late maturing variety of white fichi, or figs, that appear in markets across Italy during the month of September. One of the highlights of autunno, these tree-ripened figs harvested in September are one of the sweetest treats of living or traveling in Italy in September.

How do you pick the best fichi settembrini? Figs are highly perishable and do not ripen after picking, so it’s important to select the best fruits available from local vendors. Look for figs that are plump and yield slightly to the touch without being mushy. Small cracks in the skin are fine, and bent stems are actually a good sign. As with all fruit, the scent is important as well. Fresh figs should have a light, sweet scent, and avoid buying any that have begun to smell slightly sour. The distinctive trait of settembrini is their smaller size, so when selecting them remember that bigger is not always better! Because they must be consumed quickly after being harvested, plan to eat fresh figs within a day or two after buying them. (If you can wait that long!) In Italy, the best place to find fresh figs is at the local farmers’ market, a truly pleasurable spot to visit during the harvest season. Or, better yet, since fig trees grow spontaneously across Italy – along the side of the road or out of rocky walls—why not stop and pick a few fresh figs for a quick roadside spuntino?

Italians have been eating figs for centuries. The trees grow well in the Mediterranean climate, with the strong sun in southern Italy producing exceptionally rich and luscious fruits. Intensely sweet, settembrini are delicious on their own and make a delightful desert in themselves. However, Italians have made an art form of combining figs in a multitude of mouthwatering combinations as well. A classic Italian combination pairs these fruits with prosciutto as an antipasto, the sweet and savory flavors blending masterfully into one divine gastronomic experience. In addition to countless dolce recipes, during the harvest season fichi also make an appearance in primi and secondi. Looking for a distinctly September dish while traveling in Italy? Try a pizza bianca with prosciutto and ripe settembrini figs for an unforgettable mix of flavors. Another typical autumn dish is pasta with fichi, cipolla e pancetta, a perfect balance of sweet and rich tastes.

Although September is quickly passing, the warm late summer sun and crisp night air make fall a favorite season for Italians and visitors alike. It’s not too late to experience the delightful treats this time of year brings—especially the fichi settembrini. What better way to enjoy and reflect upon the change of seasons – the cool breeze, the changing light, the warm shades of the countryside—than while enjoying a few (or more!) of these satisfyingly sweet gifts of nature?