Category Archives: Culture

Festival di Sanremo

30 Sunday Jan 2022

Posted by in Culture, Feste, Italian life

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February is almost here, and so is the Festival di Sanremo, an annual 5 day song competition held in the Ligurian seaside town of Sanremo.  The full name is Festa della Canzone Italiana di Sanremo, and it is the longest running national televised music competition in the world.

In 1950. Piero Bussetti of the Sanremo Casino and Giulio Razzi, conductor of the RAI orchestra decided to launch a competition for previously unreleased songs to boost the local economy.  The first edition was broadcast live on RAI radio in January 1951 with 3 participants performing 20 songs.  Since 1955 it has been broadcast live on television.

From 1951-1977 it was held at the Sanremo Casino.  Since 1977 it has been at the iconic Teatro Ariston. The Festival di Sanremo is a huge media event in Italia and has launched many careers, including Domenico Modugno, Mina, Zucchero, Andrea Bocelli, Il Volo, Giorgia, Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti, Mahmood and most recently Måneskin. I love to watch Sanremo every year with mamma!  The winner has the first option to represent Italia at the annual Eurovision Song Contest.  Eurovision is huge in Europe with 39 countries participating, but hardly known at all in North America.  Last year’s Sanremo winners, Måneskin also won Eurovision with their brilliant song ‘Zitti e Buoni’.  As the reigning country, Italia hosts Eurovision in 2022- May 10-14 in Torino.

The 72nd edition of the Festival di Sanremo is February 1-5, 2022, broadcast live on RAI (RAI International for the rest of us).  It will be hosted for the third time by Amedeus, with different cohosts. There will be performances by former winners, Italian, international guest artists and the hilarious comic Fiorello.  Superospite (superguests) include Mäneskin February 1 and Golden Globe winner/Oscar nominee Laura Pausini February 2! The rest are a surprise! It is not confirmed yet, but there will likely be a decreased capacity audience.

The award goes to the winning song, although in most cases the performers are also the songwriters and/ or composers.  This year, there are 25 contestants, including  the top 3 winners from the junior contest, ‘Sanremo Giovani’.  Judging is complex and contestants perform with the backing of the full RAI orchestra-complete with maestro.

Here is a summary of what happens each night:

Night #1 and #2 February 1 and 2 -12-13 of the contestants perform each night and there are no eliminations.  Voting is 33% TV and print media jury, 33% web media jury and 33% radio jury.

Night #3 February 3 – All 25 contestants perform, no eliminations.  Voting is 50% demoscopic jury* and 50% televoting.

Night #4 February 4 ‘Covers night’.  Each artist/group performs a song from the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s.  They can perform solo or invite an acclaimed Italian or international artist as a guest.  Voting is 33% televoting, 33% press jury and 33% demoscopic jury.

Final night #5 February 5.  There are 2 rounds the final night.  In round 1 all 25 acts perform.  Voting is 100% from televoting.  The top 3 proceed to round 2, the Superfinale.  Voting is reset and all 3 superfinalists perform again.  The winner is decided by 33% televoting, 33% press jury and 33% demoscopic jury.

*Demoscopic jury=made up of a sample of the population.  Jurors are selected by statistical criteria to represent the country at large.

The lineup of contestants includes 3 icons, 7 former winners and many former contestants, 6 who have represented Italia at Eurovision and a few debut acts.  Here is a list of the 25 performers, the song titles and a few other details to help you watch and enjoy the festival:

  • Achille Lauro – ‘Domenica’. Achille gave 4 stunning ‘shock glam’ performances as a guest last year.  This is his 3rd time as a participant. He will be teaming up with Loredana Bertè for covers night.
  • Aka7even – ‘Perfetta cosi’ Luca Marzano won Best Italian act at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2021. He released his first album in May.
  • Ana Mena – ‘Duecentomila ore’. Ana is a Spanish singer and actress and was a guest for cover night in 2020.
  • Dargen D’Amico – ‘Dove si balla’
  • Elisa – ‘O forse sei tu’. 2001 Sanremo winner for ‘Luce’ and 4 guest appearances. She performed at the closing ceremonies of the Torino Olympics.
  • Emma – ‘Ogni volta è cosi’. Emma Marrone is the 2012 Sanremo winner for ‘Non è l’inferno’. She has made guest appearances, co-hosted, and is now back performing 10 years later. Emma represented Italia at Eurovision 2014. For covers night, she is performing Britney Spears’ ‘Baby hit me one more time’ with Francesca Michielin.
  • Fabrizio Moro – ‘Sei tu’. 2018 Sanremo winner with Ermal Meta for ‘Non mi avete fatto niente’ and represented Italia at Eurovision.  This is Fabrizio’s 6th time performing. He also won the Giovani category in 2007.
  • Gianni Morandi – ‘Apri tutte le porte’. An Italian legend, 77 year old Gianni is a former host, 5 time participant and 1987 winner with Enrico Ruggeri and Umberto Tozzi for ‘Si puo dare di più’.  He represented Italia at Eurovision in 1970.
  • Giovanni Truppi – ‘Tuo padre, mia madre, Lucia’
  • Giusy Ferreri – ‘Miele’. Giusy placed 2nd in the 1st edition of X Factor Italia in 2008.  She is the most successful Italian artist to emerge from a talent show. This is her 4th time at Sanremo.
  • Highsnob & Hu – ‘Abbi cura di te’
  • Irama – ‘Ovunque sarai’ Irama was not able to perform live last year due one of his staff testing COVID positive. He placed 5th based on his pre-recorded rehearsal performance!
  • Iva Zanicchi – ‘Voglio amarti’. The 82 year old singer and politician won Sanremo 3 times (1967, 1969, 1974) during her 60 year career and has been a guest and juror. She represented Italia at Eurovision in 1969.
  • La Rappresentante di Lista (LRDL) – ‘Ciao Ciao’. This is duo Veronica Lucchesi and Dario Mangiaracina’s second time at Sanremo, including a cover night guest performance.
  • Le Vibrazioni – ‘Tantissimo’ This is the group’s 4th time at Sanremo.
  • Mahmood e Blanco – ‘Brividi’. Mahmood (Alessandro Mahmoud) is the 2019 Sanremo winner and 2ndplace Eurovision winner with the catchy ‘Soldi’. He was a guest performer the past 2 years and wrote or cowrote several of the competing songs in 2021. He is performing with 18 year old Blanco Fabbriconi who recently released his first album.
  • Massimo Ranieri – ‘Lettera al di là del mare’. 1988 Sanremo winner for ‘Perdere l’amore’. This is his 6th time participating as well as guest appearances and judging Sanremo Giovani in 2016. Massimo represented Italia at Eurovision in 1971 and 1973. For Covers night, he will be performing a Pino Daniele song with Nek!
  • Matteo Romano – ‘Virale’ (Sanremo Giovani 3rd place)
  • Michele Bravi – ‘Inverno dei Fiori’. Michele is the winner of the 7th edition of X Factor Italia in 2013. This is his 2nd time at Sanremo.
  • Noemi – ‘Ti amo non lo so dire’. 4th time in competition. Noemi was on X Factor in 2009 and a judge for The Voice of Italy 2013-15.
  • Rettore e Ditonellapiaga – ‘Chimica’ Donatella Rettore is an 80’s icon best known for ‘Kobra’. This is her 5th time at Sanremo and she was a guest last year on Covers night. She is performing with first timer Ditonellapiaga.
  • Rkomi – ‘Insuperabile’ The successful Italian rapper makes his Sanremo debut.
  • Sangiovanni – ‘Farfalle’. Making his Sanremo debut, the 18 year old released his first album in May.  His song ‘Malibu’ had the most listens on Spotify Italy in 2021.
  • Tananai – ‘Sesso occasionale’ (Sanremo Giovani 2nd place)
  • Yuman – ‘Ora e qui’ (Sanremo Giovani winner)

Read the contestants’ full bios on the Festival di Sanremo website.  RAI International usually airs the shows twice-once live at 1900 Italian time, and a replay later.  Check the local listings for your country.  The RaiPlay app is another way to watch -and it will not be Geoblocked this year!

If you have not seen the winning performance of ‘Zitti e Buoni‘ and the awards presentation from Sanremo 2021 here is the video.  Zitti e buoni literally means ‘quiet and good’, but in this context means ‘shut up and behave’.  The lyrics are brilliant.  They are about being yourself and not conforming or worrying about gossip.  Read more about the lyrics here.

Will you be watching the Festival di Sanremo?  Let me know which performances you are looking forward to or which ones were your favourites!

Ciao, Cristina

Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Roma

16 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by in Art, Culture, Italia, Roma, Travel

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giardinovillaliviaOne of the best museums in Roma is nascosto in piena vista. Hidden in plain sight near Stazione Termini, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme contains one of the most important collections of classical art.  It is right across the street from Stazione Termini, visible from the bus loop on the way to Piazza dei Cinquecento. The first time I visited Palazzo Massimo was in 2006 when my friend who lives in Roma recommended it. There were only about 10 other people in the building!palazzomassimo

When I was in Roma this summer, it was too hot to be out in the afternoon, so I decided to visit the museum. This turned out to be a great idea, since the top floor with the mosaics and detached frescos is downright cold!  Brrrr!  It was so refreshing! There were more than 10 people in the museum this time, but I still felt like I almost had the place to myself.

Built by Principe Massimiliano Massimo for the Jesuit Collegio Romano, the Palazzo became the first Liceo (high school) in Roma in 1871. Except for a brief period as a WWII military hospital,l the Liceo was open until 1960.  In the 1980’s, in a state of neglect, it was purchased for the Museo Nazionale Romano.  Renovations were completed in 1998.  Palazzo Massimo is now 4 stories of classical amazingness.  700 years (200 BC to 500 AD) of Ancient Roman history, myths, artistic culture and everyday life are on display in the form of sculpture, fresco, mosaic, jewellery and coins.

Central Courtyard, Palazzo Massimo

Central Courtyard, Palazzo Massimo

What is extra cool about the artifacts in Palazzo Massimo is how they got to be there. Previous to the museum opening, most of this priceless stuff was in storage in the Roma city works yard!  In a city as old as Roma, anywhere you break dirt, something will be found.  During construction of the Metro, new roads, or any municipal work involving digging, artifacts were found, tagged and stored. Every piece in the museum has a sign with a written description in Italian and English.  In between the two is stated (in Italiano only) precisely where and when it was found, and in some cases by whom.  For example ‘Roma, Piazza Venezia, Construction of National Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II’, or ‘Subiaco, recovered by the Guardia di Finanza (revenue or tax police, involved in recovery of stolen artifacts)’.  Reading these signs is exciting because you may have walked over that very spot the day before!  Ok, maybe you won’t be as excited as me, but I am a total archeology geek so I find this fascinating!

The ground floor of Palazzo Massimo displays Greek originals discovered in Roma, such as The Dying Niobid, and the magnificent Pugile in riposo, the 2nd Century BC bronze Boxer at Rest, wearing leather hand wraps.  He is so realistic with his broken nose, cuts and deformed ears, you can feel the emotion in his face.

'Pugile a Riposo' Found in 1885 on the Quirinale Hill, where the Baths of Constantine once were.

‘Pugile a Riposo’ Found in 1885 on the Quirinale Hill, where the Baths of Constantine once were.

This floor also has a Roman calendar, portraiture from the Republican and Imperial ages, and sarcophagi, such as the sarcophagus of Portonacci with battle scenes carved in relief.statuarypalazzomassimo

The first floor (2nd floor to North Americans) has masterpieces of statuary, including the Maiden of Antium, Il Discobolo, a Crouching Aphrodite after Diodalses found at Villa Adriana in Tivoli in 1920, and the Sleeping Hermaphrodite.  There are also all the surviving bronze sculptures, fittings and a head of Medusa that decorated Caligula’s floating palaces, the Nemi ships.  These vessels were recovered in the 1920’s by draining Lago di Nemi, only to be destroyed by enemy fire in 1944.

Il Discobolo and a Crouching Aphrodite from Villa Adriana in Tivoli. Both are Roman reproductions of Greek originals

Il Discobolo and a Crouching Aphrodite from Villa Adriana in Tivoli. Both are Roman reproductions of Greek originals

The top floor takes us on an intimate tour of the domestic decor inside Roman homes. An amazing discovery was made right across the street in 1947, during the renovations to Termini and construction of Metro line B. It was a complex from 130-140 AD built in a grid system of private homes, public baths, warehouses, and apartments with shops at street level.  There was pavement and a functioning drainage system. It was all destroyed to make way for quick construction of the new buildings! Aaaahhh!  Luckily the site was well-documented so that the 270 m² of wall frescos and pavement mosaics that were preserved could be reassembled. Part of it is displayed here where 3 rooms of a Domus (Roman house) have been reconstructed to their original size.  Ironically, these rooms face a window looking out at where they used to be.

The 1948 photo from Palazzo Massimo of the site across the street. You can see that the mosaic is the same one that is now in the museum

The 1948 photo from Palazzo Massimo of the site across the street. You can see that the mosaic is the same one that is now in the museum

The Augustan Villa of the Farnesina was discovered in Trastevere in 1879 during work along the river.  The site has since been destroyed, but the vibrantly coloured frescoes were detached and stored for 120 years before being installed in Palazzo Massimo, in accurately reconstructed rooms of their original dimensions.  There is a portico, dining room and 2 Vermillion coloured cubicola (bedrooms) with mythological and erotic paintings, and several hallways.  The rooms are reassembled how they were, so it is like walking through a Roman villa.  Decorating the walls of upper class houses with paintings of mythological or literary subjects was supposed to stimulate cultured conversation. In this villa, there are many references to the Egyptian world in the decorations, celebrating the conquest of Egypt. The owner is thought to have been General Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus, who defeated Marc Anthony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC.villafarnesinacollage

The final treasure is the 1st Century BC frescoes from Villa Livia, discovered on Via Flaminia in 1863.  The villa belonged to Livia Drusilla, wife of Emperor Augustus.  The paintings of a lush green garden with birds, pomegranate and lemon trees, roses, irises and other plants decorated a vaulted room that was half underground. The large room is recreated here.  It was probably a cool triclinium, a living and dining room for  the summer. villaliviaThe basement has the history of the Roman Empire in coins. It has been converted into a vault for the Medagliere, the coin cabinet and jewellery.

Palazzo Massimo is one of 4 musei that make up the Museo Nazionale Romano. Tickets are €7 for adults, valid for 3 days for all 4 sites.  The other sites are:  Terme di Diocleziano, Palazzo Altemps and Crypta Balbi. Open Tues to Sunday 0900-1945. If you love antiquities, don’t miss it! Ciao, Cristina

Italian Street Food Cookbook

05 Saturday Nov 2016

Posted by in Amici e Famiglia, Culture, Libri, Mangiamo!

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Italian Street Food by Paola BacchiaItalian Street Food: Recipes from Italy’s Bars and Hidden Laneways is finally available, and I just received my copy!  Some of you may remember in February I had the pleasure of being a ‘recipe tester’ for Paola Bacchia of Italy on my Mind for this book. I tested the recipe for Fiadoni Abbruzzesi which were squisito.  I have made them several times now and can’t wait to try more of the recipes.Fiadoni Abruzzesi

A country’s street food is usually reflective of its ‘real’ food…what people actually eat.  Paola draws on her own experiences growing up in an Italian family, and also her frequent ‘on site’ experiences travelling the back streets of Italian cities.  Many of the recipes are similar to things I grew up eating too.  Besides the yummy and genuine recipes, the book is visually stunning.  Most of the photos were taken by Paola.  The cover is not a teaser-the inside is just as beautiful.  Each recipe also comes with a story about the history of the food and Paola’s personal experience with where she tasted it. I know some of you are drooling and jealous reading this, but you can order your own copy from Amazon.

Paola is Italoaustraliana, living in Melbourne and her roots are in the Veneto and Istria.  She teaches cooking classes in Melbourne and is a guest instructor at the  Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School in Sicilia.  Her blog was voted best food blog twice in the ITALY magazine blog awards.  Cool fact-Paola was also a contestant on Masterchef Australia! Buon Appetito, Cristina

Muscitaglia

01 Tuesday Nov 2016

Posted by in Culture, Feste, Italian Folklore, Orsara di Puglia, Puglia

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muscitaglia2016

Muscitaglia (moo•shee•TAH•lyah) is a traditional dish served on November 1st in Orsara di Puglia. It probably dates back from the ancient Greeks and Byzantines. Muscitaglia, in both Greek and Latin is made up of the words mosto (wine must) and talia (grain). The ingredients include boiled grain and vino cotto, which is actually mosto cotto- boiled down grape must which becomes a thick, sweet liquid. Pomegranate seeds and walnut pieces are also added when available. These  ingredients are simple and symbolic of fertility and abundance, but also of honour and respect for the dead.

November 1st is the night of Tutti i Santi (All Saints), a night which provides the opportunity to reconnect and pay respects to deceased loved ones.  My post on the ancient festival Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje which takes place in Orsara di Puglia has more information on the traditions and festivities.

Muscitaglia

Muscitaglia

Watch the video ‘#quinonèhalloween’ featuring recently deceased Zi’ Gaetan talking about Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje and its significance.   I’m sure a few homes in Orsara will put out a chair tonight for Zi’ Gaetan so he can rest on his way to Paradiso.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W5RD0-9H-A

Read about tonight’s festa (in Italiano) on the Comune di Orsara di Puglia website.  For more about Orsara di Puglia, check out ‘Benvenuti ad Orsara di Puglia’.  Ci vediamo alla festa!  Cristinamuscitaglia3

La Madonna della Neve

05 Friday Aug 2016

Posted by in Culture, Feste, Italia, Italian life, Orsara di Puglia, Puglia

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MadonnanevechiesaAugust 5th is the feast day of La Madonna della Neve (the Madonna of the Snow).  She is one of the Patron Saints of Orsara di Puglia and there is a big festa.  She is carried through Orsara in a procession and returned to her usual spot in the main church. In the evening there is a Mass, then music and fireworks in her honour.  La Madonna della Neve is the protectoress and Patron Saint of many paesi montani or mountain villages because, of course, it snows!

La Madonna della Neve is tied to the origins of the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Roma.  According to legend, in the year 352, the night between August 4th and 5th, the Madonna appeared in a dream to a wealthy couple who wanted to build a church.  She asked them to build a church where snow had fallen during the night.  They went to tell Pope Liberio and it turns out he had the exact same dream during the night!

In the middle of a hot Roman summer, snow had fallen on L’Esquilino, the Esquiline Hill.  The perimeter of the snowed on area was where the church of Santa Maria ‘Ad Nives’ (of the snow) was built. The church is usually known as Santa Maria Maggiore.Madonnaneve06

Orsara’s Madonna della Neve statue was carved out of a single piece of quercia (oak) by Napoletano sculptor Aniello Stallato in 1624. I have been familiar with this beautiful sculpture since I was 11, but I had no idea she was almost 400 years old! Here are some photos of the processione!Madonnaneve10

Madonnaneve2MadonnanevestradadirittaMadonnanevearco

Ciao, Cristina

Il Presepio

23 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Culture, Feste, Italian life

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presepio2014L’Immacolata is the feast of the conception of the Virgin Mary on December 8th.  It is a national holiday in Italia and also the official beginning of the Feste Natalizie.  Italiani usually put up l’albero di Natale (the Christmas tree) and il Presepio (the Nativity scene) on this day.

San Francesco d’Assisi created the first Presepio in 1223 in a cave in Greccio.  He had been to the birthplace of Gesù (Jesus) in Bethlehem and was inspired to recreate the scene.  This was his attempt to return the emphasis of Christmas on the birth of Christ rather than gift-giving.  I find it interesting that the ‘commercialization’ of Christmas is not a new concept at all.  Searching for ‘the true meaning of Christmas’ did not start with Charlie Brown but in the 13th Century!

San Francesco’s was a ‘Presepio Vivente’, with real people and animals.  The live figures were eventually replaced by statues, and Presepi also started to be set up in homes.  The Presepio includes the Holy Family-although Bambino Gesù is not placed in the manger until after midnight Christmas Eve-angels, shepherds, animals, and the Re Magi (3 Wise Men).  The 3 Wise Men are at a distance, since they arrive on January 6th.  I also have my Befana figurine trailing behind them!  Several hundred years ago, Presepi also started to include scenes from village life.  Of course before Google Earth, Wikipedia, or even photography, no one actually knew what 1st Century Bethlehem looked like, so the village scenes resembled the local areas.  The tradition of the Presepio is popular throughout Italia, with most families having one. My Mamma gets very detailed and creative with her Presepio, even baking tiny bread, pizze and Panini.

Particolari del Presepio di Mamma-Details of Mamma's Presepio

Particolari del Presepio di Mamma-Details of Mamma’s Presepio

Via San Gregorio Armeno in Napoli is lined with artigiani (artisans) making presepio figurines and accessories all year round. The attention to detail is incredible! I must go and get myself a zampognaro (zam·poh·NYAH·roh) for my presepio.  This is a traditional Abruzzese bagpiping shepherd! The 2 photos below of San Gregorio Armeno artigiani were taken by my amica Anna.

san gregorio armeno 2san gregorio armeno 1

Many villages, including Orsara di Puglia, have a Presepe Vivente in December.  Like the original one, this features the live Nativity and also artisans in traditional costume working on trades and making traditional local dishes. I’d love to hear what you have in your Presepio!

Gloria2

A tutti i miei cari lettori, vi auguro un Buonissimo Natale, Cristina

San Nicola

10 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by in Culture, Feste

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San NikolaosDecember 6th is the festa di San Nicola (Nee·KOHL·ah).  San Nicola-or St Nicolas, was Nikolaos of Myra, a 4th Century bishop in Greek Anatolia, which is now Turkey. He was the only child of wealthy parents who died when he was young.  He gave away all of his inheritance to help the poor and the sick and became known for his generosity, love of children, and the sea. Nicola is both a popular Christian and Orthodox Saint.  Many European and Eastern Orthodox countries celebrate his feast day with gifts for children, who leave their shoes out on the night of December 5th.  He is the Patron Saint of children, sailors, archers, pharmacists, harbours, the falsely accused, Amsterdam, Moscow, Russia, Galway and Greece!

San Nicola had a reputation for secret gift-giving and his legends grew after he died. In one of the most famous, he helped a poor man who could not afford dowries for his 3 daughters. Without dowries, they were unlikely to be able to marry, and would be assumed to be prostitutes or end up being sold into slavery. Nicola helped the family, but did not want to cause the father the humiliation of accepting charity.  Over a period of 3 nights he went to the house. On the first 2 nights, he threw a purse filled with gold coins in through the window.  The purses landed in stockings the daughters had hung by the chimney to dry.  On the third night, the father had closed the window and waited by the door, so he could find out who the gift-giver was.  Instead of going in through the door, Nicola dropped the bag down the chimney and it landed in the shoes drying by the fire.

San Nicola’s tomb in Anatolia became a popular place of pilgrimage. It seems things haven’t changed a lot since the 4th Century in that part of the world.  Due to wars in the area, there was concern for the safety of pilgrims and access to the tomb. In 1087, sailors from Bari took the bones from the tomb home and the Basilica of San Nicola di Bari was built over his crypt.  San Nicola di Bari was one of medieval Europe’s most famous places of pilgrimage. The Barese sailors must have been in a hurry because they left a few bones in the grave.  These fragments were taken to Venezia where the church of San Nicolò al Lido was built.  In the Middle Ages, people went crazy for relics-parts of holy persons’ bodies.  They were revered and thought to have magical powers. Scientific investigations proved that the bones in Bari and Venezia do belong to the same skeleton!

In a blending of folklore, legend and religion, San Nicola is the model for Santa Claus, whose name comes from phonetic derivation of ‘San Nikolaos’.  If you are ever in Bari, visit the tomb of San Nicola.  The traditional Italian gift-bearer is La Befana, who arrives on the 6th of January, but now there is also ‘Babbo Natale’ (Father Christmas).San Nicola

Buon Natale!

Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje

01 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by in Culture, Feste, Italian Folklore, Orsara di Puglia, Puglia

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Piazza San Pietro. Photo courtesy of International Photo Correspondent Donato Narducci

Piazza San Pietro. Photo courtesy of International Photo Correspondent Donato Narducci

Tonight is a big festa in Orsara di Puglia, so I am reposting this from last year.

Fucacoste e cocce priatorje is dialetto Orsarese for ‘Falò e teste del Purgatorio’.  This translates to ‘Bonfires and heads from purgatory’. It is an ancient festival unique to Orsara di Puglia celebrated on November 1st, the night of ‘Tutti i Santi’ (All Saints Day).  All Saints Day was created in the 9th century when the Pope superimposed a Christian feast day onto existing rituals, so this festa has been around for a very long time.  It is a night where people have the opportunity to honour, reconnect and pay respect to the spirits of their loved ones.  Carabinieri estimate that the town of 3,000 had 40,000 visitors attend the festa tonight, with 9,000 cars parked up to 3 km away!

2014 poster for Fucacoste e cocce priatorje

2014 poster for Fucacoste e cocce priatorje

It is believed that the souls of the dead return among the living to visit their relatives and their former homes before moving on to Paradiso.  The bonfires are lit with wood and branches of ginestra (broom). The light of the fires and the crackling and sparks of the ginestra attract the spirits to reunite the living with those who continue to live only in their memories.  The souls of the dead loved ones collect ashes from the fires. The gleam of light inside ‘cocce priatorje’, pumpkins carved to look like heads-light their way to find their former home.

Preparation for the  festa involves gathering firewood and ginestra, preparing food and carving zucche (pumpkins).  There is even a BYOZ (bring your own zucca) pumpkin carving workshop.  Later in the evening zucche are exhibited and there is a contest for ‘la zucca più bella’-the best zucca.

In honour of the dead, simple but symbolic foods are prepared.  These include potatoes, onions, salsicce (sausages) and castagne (chestnuts) cooked in open fire. Muscitaglia is a traditional dish served on November 1st which probably dates back from the ancient Greeks and Byzantines. Muscitaglia (moo•shee•tah•lyah) in both Greek and Latin is made up of the words mosto (wine must) and talia (grain). The ingredients include boiled grain and vino cotto (literally cooked wine-also called mosto cotto). Pomegranate seeds and walnut pieces are sometimes added. These ingredients are symbols of fertility and abundance, but also of honour and respect for the dead.

Muscitaglia

Muscitaglia

When the campanile (church bell tower) strikes 1900 hours (7 pm), Orsara di Puglia ‘catches fire’. Over 100 bonfires are simultaneously lit in every street and piazza and remain lit through the night.  The fires, pumpkin lanterns, music and people in the streets create a magical, enchanted atmosphere.

Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje has often been confused with Hallowe’en, but it is a very different event.  Besides the fact that the date is different, dressing up in costume is not part of the custom, there is nothing scary about it and there are no evil spirits to chase away. It has more similarities with the Mexican Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead.  This is an event about being together in community to celebrate the bond between the living and those who we remember in our hearts, and to remind us that our time on earth is precious.

Watch the video ‘#quinonèhalloween’ featuring 94 year old Z’Gaetan talking about the festa and its significance  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W5RD0-9H-A

Read about tonight’s festa (in Italiano) on the Comune di Orsara di Puglia website.  For more about Orsara di Puglia read the post ‘Benvenuti ad Orsara di Puglia’.  Ci vediamo alla festa!

Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje, Fontana Sant'Angelo, Orsara di Puglia 2014. Photo courtesy of Donato Narducci

Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje, Fontana Sant’Angelo, Orsara di Puglia 2014. Photo courtesy of Donato Narducci

The Miracle Players, Roma

15 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by in Culture, Italia, Roma, Travel tips

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Miracle PlayersIf Monty Python meets the history of the Roman Empire sounds appealing, you will love the Miracle Players.  They are an English speaking theater group in Roma made up of expats from around the world.  They perform hysterically historical original comic works at the Foro Romano (Roman Forum) each summer.

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Miracle Players performances feature volunteer swordfighters and high tech special effects!

Miracle Players performances feature volunteer swordfighters and high tech special effects!

I have been to 3 of their performances; ‘Caesar-More than just a Salad’, ‘The Life of Michelangelo’, and ‘The Seven Kings of Rome’.  This year they are performing the rhyming ‘Rome in a Nutshell’.

Miracle Players4

If you will be in Roma on a Friday between June 26 and July 31, check out the performance at 7:30pm sharp.  It is free and no reservation required. Get there early to sit on the stairs of the church facing the action-Chiesa dei Santi Luca e Martina. Bring something to sit on if your culetto doesn’t like hard stairs or pavement.

The production crew takes a break

The production crew takes a break

The performance is across from the Carcere Mamertino (Mamertine Prison) at the Roman Forum.  This is below the Campidoglio and behind Il Vittoriano.  The location is easy to get to.  Take the Metro B blue line to Colosseo and walk down Via dei Fori Imperiali.  There is a map on The Miracle Players website. The stage backdrop is the Roman Forum itself-how can you top that!  ForoRomano

Grano Arso

12 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by in Amici e Famiglia, Culture, Mangiamo!, Puglia

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farinagranoarsoorecchietteGrano arso literally means burnt wheat.  Flour made with it is ‘farina di grano arso’ and has a history going back many centuries as part of the gastronomic tradition of ‘cucina povera’ in Northern Puglia. Farina di grano arso was traditionally made from the bits of wheat left in the field after the harvest.  The stubble, called stoppie (STOHP•pyeh) or la ristoccia (rees•TOCH•chya) that was left in the fields was burned, then plowed back into the soil.  This was done as a quick and cheap way of clearing the fields.  It was also thought to aerate and fertilize the soil and kill weeds and pests.

Bruciatura della ristoccia 1990

Bruciatura della ristoccia 1990

Ristoccia90In the short span of time between the burning and the plowing, poor farm workers (contadini) gathered burnt bits of wheat that were still usable and ground them by hand into farina di grano arso.  It was mixed with white flour, making pasta and bread more affordable, or traded to buy other foods.  ‘Pane nero’ (PAN•eh NEH•roh) or ‘pasta nera’ were considered the lowest quality of food and became a symbol of poverty-‘la miseria’ (mees•EH•ryah). ‘Pasta Nera’, an award-winning documentary that is not about grano arso, uses the title to accentuate the poverty in Southern Italia during and after the war.orecchiettepanoramo

We know that food is more than just nutrition.  The traditions and customs around food and its preparation are an integral part of a culture and teach us about the history of people and places at points in time.  Cucina povera (coo•CHEE•nah poh•VEH•rah)and cibo dei poveri (CHEE•boh dei poh•VEH•ree) literally translate to poor cooking and food of the poor, but what is meant is ‘peasant cooking’.  Farina di grano arso is important in a historical and cultural context as it really symbolizes the resilience and instinct to survive of our contadini ancestors.farinadigranoarso

Grano arso was nowhere to be found for many years, but today many Pugliese chefs, including mio amico, il ‘cuoco contadino’ Peppe Zullo use farina di grano arso.  It is used to make fresh traditional Pugliese pasta- orecchiette, cavatelli, fusilli, and sometimes bread and focacce. Peppe is representing Puglia for the month of May in the Italian Pavilion at Expo2015 Milano. The theme is ‘Nutrire il Pianeta; Energia per la Vita’/ ‘Feeding the Planet; Energy for Life’.   Appropriately, his feature dish for this event is cavatelli di grano arso e punti di asparagi verde.

Peppe Zullo's 'Cavatelli di grano arso con punti di asparagi verde' for Expo 2015

Peppe Zullo’s ‘Cavatelli di grano arso con punti di asparagi verde’ for Expo 2015

Bruciatura della ristoccia (broo∙chya•TOO•rah DEL•la rees•TOCH•chya), the burning of the stubble in the fields is now illegal due to carcinogenic concerns, destruction of soil nutrients, pollution and risk of forest fire. Today farina di grano arso is not completely burnt, it is commercially toasted.  The flavor, colour, texture and smell of pasta or bread made with farina di grano arso are really intense and unique. The flour is slightly grainy and the colour is grey like ashes- grigio cenere (gree•GEE•oh cheh•NEH•reh).  Pasta can range from grey to brown in colour depending on the percentage of farina grano arso used.  The smoked, nutty flavor reminds me a bit of toasted hazelnuts and the smell can be compared to lightly charred brick oven pizza crust. Most of the gluten is burnt off, so farina di grano arso can’t be used alone.  It absorbs more water than other flours and will become a sticky mess that doesn’t hold together. Mixing 10% to maximum 25% with other flours that contain gluten produces the best results.  Many people find pasta di grano arso easier to digest.

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Not everyone is embracing the return of grano arso to the kitchen.  It disappeared because it is ‘un ricordo della miseria’-a reminder of poverty and there was vergogna (ver•GOH•nyah) or shame associated with having to eat pasta nera.  This is something that most Italians who lived through the war don’t want to be reminded of.  When I made the bread to photograph for this post, I brought it to my parents’ house for dinner.  Papà made a sour face and said ‘Solo che vedo questo pane mi viene la paura!’ (Just looking at this bread puts fear in me!)  He was kidding…sort of…I think?  Well he did eat 2 pieces anyways!

Making orecchiette di grano arso with my Mamma

Making orecchiette di grano arso with my Mamma

Farina di grano arso is available in Foggia and Andria.  Pietro Zito in Andria sells 1 kg bags online for 6 €, as well as pasta di grano arso. Even if it was possible to send to North America though, the cost would be astronomic.  Can you imagine Poste Italiane sending a bag of flour in the mail?  You could try toasting durum wheat semola yourself on a baking tray in the oven, but it will probably result in a visit from i pompieri (pohm∙•pee•EH•ree) -the fire department- when the smoke detector goes off.  I have a better idea- take a trip to Puglia and try pasta di grano arso in its natural environment! Buon Appetito!

Orecchiette di grano arso al sugo, Ristorante Peppe Zullo Orsara di Puglia

Orecchiette di grano arso al sugo, Ristorante Peppe Zullo Orsara di Puglia