Mar 072011
 
CARNEVALE!  Gnocchi Friday in Verona.

Carnevale, the gaudy week-long party that erupts in February all over Italy has its roots in the Roman festival that honored the pagan god Saturn. No effigies of saints or madonnas here: Carnevale is a farewell to winter and banishment of the dreary; a delirious celebration of spring and all things delicious, coveted, and forbidden.  Every indulgence is permitted and tradition calls for eating mountains of meat and sausages, rivers of wine, and sweets, sweets, sweets.  Each region, town, village, has its festival foods.  Naples is devoted to lasagne, Ivrea (Piemonte) to fagiolata (bean and pork stew). Tossignano (Emilia-Romagna) bakes […more…]