August 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.
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!
Tuccanese (too∙can∙NEH∙seh) is a rare grapevine grown almost exclusively in and around Orsara di Puglia, Provincia di Foggia. It was previously thought to be a clone of Sicilian Perricone brought to Orsara by a Sicilian noble family or that it was a clone of Piedirosso. A 2008 Italian DNA study found a close genetic relationship between Sangiovese, the well-known ‘Chianti’ grape and 10 other grapes including Tuccanese. Sangiovese has many ‘strains’ but the grapes and resulting wine are very different. The name Tuccanese is probably a corruption of ‘Toscanese’ or ‘Tuscanese’ meaning ‘from Toscana’. Tuccanese may have been brought from Toscana by the Majorca-Strozzi family from Firenze, who held a duchy near Avellino in the 1600’s. Small pockets of Tuccanese grapes grown for private family use are also found in Campania, in Calitri, Montecalvo Irpino and Bagnoli Irpino, the farthest being 80 km from Orsara.
Vigneto Tuccanese. Photo Leonardo Guidacci
Tuccanese was in danger of extinction but attention to local viniculture in the last 20 years has resurrected it. Now Tuccanese is an example of Artigianato vitivinicolo-artisan winemaking. The vines do well at Orsara’s 650m altitude and the high calcium and clay content of the soil. Tuccanese grapes are very resistant to environmental conditions, immune to illnesses, and mature late- in the first 2 weeks of October. Wines made with Tuccanese are a dark ruby red, dry, tannic and full bodied with a high alcohol content. They have notes of berry, plum, licorice and pepper. Tuccanese is definitely ‘un vitigno locale’, as it is really known only in and around Orsara, where several families grow it for their own table wine. Really good table wine. My Bisnonno grew Tuccanese on his land at La Cupa, although the vines are no longer there. Now the land has 81 beautiful olive trees.
Vigneto, La Cupa 1994
Tuccanese has not yet been discovered by the world, but there are 2 commercial producers, both in Orsara di Puglia. One is my amico, il cuoco-contadino Peppe Zullo and the other is my neighbour, architect Leonardo Guidacci! You won’t find these bottles at your local liquor store!
Peppe Zullo nel vigneto. Photo Nicola Tramonte
Peppe Zullo produces 20-25,000 bottles per year. His 2 wines are Ursaria and Aliuva. Aliuva is 80% Tuccanese 20% Uva di Troia (Nero di Troia) and Merlot. Ursaria is 80% Tuccanese, 20% Uva di Troia and Cabernet, and is aged for 5 years in wood barrels. Peppe’s vino is used in his restaurant and event facilities and the rest sold on site. Peppe’s wine cellar La Cantina del Paradiso, designed by Nicola Tramonte was featured in the architectural exhibit ‘Le Cattedrali del Vino’ at the Biennale di Venezia in 2010. It is built into the side of a hill, with a vineyard on top! As he likes to say it’s the only cantina where you have to climb up stairs! Stay tuned for a post about the cantina.
Leonardo Guidacci has been making wine since 1997. His cantina called ‘Il Tuccanese’ after the grape, produces 5,000 bottles per year. Leonardo’s 2 wines are Magliano and Sannoro. Magliano is 100% Tuccanese. It is named after the Contrada (district) of Magliano, where the grapes are grown. Sannoro is 80% Tuccanese 20% Aglianico. His showroom/tasting room/architectural office is in Piazza Municipio, around the corner from my house. You can go for wine tasting and also discuss plans for home renovation!
‘Architettura e Vino’, Leonardo Guidacci’s showroom and studio in Piazza Municipio.
Orsara di Puglia hosts the 29th annual Festa del Vino tonight-the last Saturday in June. Salute!
Today is la Festa dell’Epifania in Italia, celebrating the arrival of i Re Magi (the 3 Wise Men) Gasparre, Melchiorre & Baldassarre with their gifts of oro, incenso e mirra (gold, frankincense and myrrh) for newborn Bambino Gesù (baby Jesus).
The night between January 5th and 6th is also the 12th night between Christmas and the Epiphany, and marks the end of the Christmas holiday season. As the proverb says, ‘L’Epifania tutte le feste porta via’. What does this have to do with La Befana, the ‘Buona Strega’?
La Befana is the traditional ‘gift-bringer’ in Italian folklore. According to legend, which varies from region to region, she is an old woman who prides herself on being a good housekeeper. While she was sweeping, the 3 Wise Men stopped at her house to ask for directions to Bethlehem. She didn’t know the way…
L’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
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.
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!
A tutti i miei cari lettori, vi auguro un Buonissimo Natale, Cristina
December 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).
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
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
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.
Ciao Amici! Oggi facciamo ‘un po’ di festa’ perché è il primo ‘bloghiversario’ di Un po’ di pepe! Today is a bit of a celebration as it’s Un po’ di pepe’s 1 year ‘bloghiversary’! Exactly 1 year ago today I finally hit the blue ‘Publish’ button. The year has gone by so fast. It seems like just yesterday I was struggling to find a blog name that was available and also relevant and meaningful for me. I couldn’t believe that ‘Ciao Cristina’ and everything else I could think of was taken. Mannaggia! The frustration was worth it though, because ‘Un po’ di pepe’ is an awesome blog name.
What has this year been filled with? 27 blog posts, 94 subscribers, 2450 views, an average of 7 visitors per day, and lots and lots of ideas and inspiration. One of my blogging highlights was when my cugino Biagio told me that he used my 2nd post ‘Il Gigante-Michelangelo’s David’ to teach his class on Renaissance history. Isn’t that molto cool?
Thank you all so much for reading and for giving me an excuse to write about stuff I love and share my images. You know….’Devo fare ricerca per il blog'(I need to do research for my blog) is my new reason to do all the things I want to do! It has been a wonderful experience so far! Please leave a comment if you have suggestions for posts, or you just want to say ‘ciao’.
Un abbraccio, Cristina
Ciao Amici! Oggi facciamo un po’ di festa perché è il primo ‘bloghiversario’ di ‘Un po’ di pepe’! Non ci posso credere che sia passato già un anno da quando ho premuto ‘Publish’. Sembra solo ieri che mi preoccupavo di trovare un nome per il blog, perché ‘Ciao Cristina’ non era disponibile. Mannaggia! Trovare un nome alternativo è diventanto un vero grattacapo ma quella travagliata ricerca è valsa la pena perché, dopo tutto, trovo che ‘Un po’ di pepe’ sia un nome stupendo per il mio blog.
Di che cosa è stato fatto quest’anno? 27 post, 94 iscritti, 2450 viste, una media di 7 persone al giorno che guardano il blog, moltissime idee e tanta ispirazione. Uno dei momenti più esiliranti per me è stato quando mio cugino Biagio m’ha detto che aveva usato il mio primo post, ‘Il Gigante-Michelangelo’s David’, nell’insegnamento del suo corso di storia rinascimentale. Che figata!
Grazie a tutti per continuare a leggere e per avermi dato una scusa per usare le foto che ho scattato e per scrivere di cose che mi piacciono. Ormai posso usare la scusa ‘devo fare ricerca per il blog’ per tutto quello che voglio fare. Lasciatemi un messaggio se avete delle idee per un post o se volete semplicemente dire ‘ciao’.
March 19th is La Festa del Papà (Father’s Day) in Italia. In North America, Father’s Day is the 3rd Sunday in June, but in Italia it is always on March 19th. I think the reason why is kind of adorable. March 19th is la Festa di San Giuseppe (the feast day of St. Joseph) who was, of course, Jesus’ Papà! In honour of La Festa del Papà, I’m sharing my very favourite photo of me and my Papà. Cute-issimo, no?
Con il mio Papà, Orsara di Puglia
Auguri a tutti i Papà del mondo e Buon Onomastico a tutti i Giuseppe, Giuseppina, Peppe, Pina e Giusy!
Today is la Festa dell’Epifania in Italia, celebrating the arrival of i Re Magi (the 3 Wise Men) Gasparre, Melchiorre & Baldassarre with their gifts of oro, incenso e mirra (gold, frankincense and myrrh) for newborn Bambino Gesù (baby Jesus).
The night between January 5th and 6th is also the 12th night between Christmas and the Epiphany, and marks the end of the Christmas holiday season. As the proverb says, ‘L’Epifania tutte le feste porta via’. What does this have to do with La Befana, the ‘Buona Strega’?
La Befana is the traditional ‘gift-bringer’ in Italian folklore. According to legend, which varies from region to region, she is an old woman who prides herself on being a good housekeeper. While she was sweeping, the 3 Wise Men stopped at her house to ask for directions to Bethlehem. She didn’t know the way but they invited her to join them to greet the newborn king and bring him gifts. She was quite abrupt and told them she had housecleaning to do and could not possibly join them.
Once they had left, she realized she had made a very big mistake not going with them. Befana quickly gathered food and gifts for the newborn King into a sack and uno scialle (a shawl) in case she was cold and set off to join the Wise Men. She even brought her scopa (broom) so she could sweep the floor for Bambino Gesù. Befana searched and searched but could not catch up to the 3 kings. She did not know they had taken a different route home.
To make up for the opportunity she missed, every year on the eve of l’Epifania, Befana flies on her broom delivering small gifts to children, in the hope that one of them is Bambino Gesù. Traditionally she fills calze (socks) with ‘caramelle o carbone’ (candies or coal). She leaves dolcetti (sweets), fichi secchi, noci, mandarini, cioccolatine (dried figs, nuts, mandarine oranges, little chocolates) and torrone for children who have been nice and leaves carbone (coal), cenere (ashes), cipolle e aglio (onions and garlic) for cattivoni (naughty children). Christmas markets in Italia sell black candy that looks like lumps of coal! A glass of vino and mandarini or biscotti are left on the kitchen table for La Befana and she sweeps the floor before she leaves. La Befana and her broom also symbolize the old year that is ‘swept away’ after the Christmas festivities.
Her name comes from Epifania which turned into Befania in dialetto and eventually Befana. ‘Una Befana’ can also mean an ugly old hag. If someone calls you a Befana it is not a compliment-unless they are referring to your gift-giving generosity!
‘La Befana vien di notte
Con le scarpe tutte rotte
S’è scucito la sottana
Viva viva la Befana!
Porta cenere e carboni
Ai bambini cattivoni
Ai bambini belli e buoni
Porta chichi e tanti doni!’
In Italiano
Oggi è la festa dell’Epifania in Italia. Si ricorda la visita dei tre Re Magi a Betlemme con regali di oro, incenso e mirra per il neonato Bambino Gesù. La notte tra il 5 e il 6 gennaio è anche la dodicesima notte dopo il Natale e la fine delle feste Natalizie. Il proverbio dice ‘L’Epifania tutte le feste porta via’. Ma questo che c’entra con La Befana, la buona strega?
Si dice che La Befana era una vecchietta molto preoccupata con il lavoro di casa. Mentre scopava fuori, i Re Magi hanno chiesto se lei conosceva la strada per andare a Betlemme perchè là era nato il nuovo Re. La Befana non conosceva la strada. I Re Magi l’hanno invitata ad andare con loro a portare dei regali al Bambino, ma lei ha detto che aveva troppo lavoro da fare e non era possibile. Dopo che se n’erano andati, La Befana ha capito che aveva sbagliato e ha deciso di raggiungere i 3 Re per andare a trovare il Bambino Gesù. Con uno scialle e un sacco con dolcetti e regali sulle spalle se n’è andata. Ha portata anche la scopa, per pulire il pavimento per il Bambino Gesù. La Befana ha cercato dappertutto ma i Re Magi erano già troppo lontani. Allora, ogni anno, nella notte tra il 5 e 6 di gennaio, volando cavalcando la scopa, La Befana porta regali ai bambini nella speranza che uno di loro sia il Bambino Gesù. Lei reimpie le calze dei bambini con ‘caramelle o carbone’. Dolcetti per i bambini bravi e cenere e carbone per i cattivoni. Si lascia un bicchiere di vino e un mandarino o biscotti sul tavolo per La Befana e lei scopa il pavimento prima di andare via.
August 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!
Un po' di pepe 