Special Occasions in Italy
ITALIAN SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Almost all of the people of Italy profess the Roman Catholic faith, and
according to many observers, the Church comes second only to the family in
daily importance. From early infancy, through education and social
services, festivities and special occasions, the Church plays a meaningful
and important role. Yet, like Italian foods, personalities, and
lifestyles, there is great variation throughout the country and
generalities are difficult. Each village - indeed, each family - have
special festive traditions. Together with the specialty foods, most
festive occasions begin with devotional prayers and end with singing,
dancing, wine-drinking, and feasting.
Natale - Christmas - is one of Italy's most important holidays. In many
regions the festivities begin with the setting up of miniature nativity
scenes in the homes. Carolers visit from house to house, and the zampognari are the shepherds who descend into cities and villages playing
ancient instruments such as flutes and ciarmeddi (bagpipes).
Traditionally a 24-hour fast precedes Christmas Day, which generally means
that no meats or meat products are eaten. Eels for Christmas Eve are a
great favorite, but in many areas tuna, clams, or squid with pasta form
the main dish or may be served as an accompaniment to capitone
(charcoal-grilled eels and bay leaves). Some may prefer frito misto di
verdure, an array of precooked batter-fried vegetables. The pre-Christmas
tradition of meatless meals is climaxed with a display of treasured
regional desserts, cookies, and sweets, many made only at Christmastime,
such as cullurelli, the sweet pastries from Calabria-Lucania made by
deep-frying small balls of dough then serving hot with sugar: the
traditional Neapolitan sweet called struffoli alla napolitana, made with tiny
drops of fried dough bound in a rich honey syrup and garnished with tiny
colored candies; the special Christmas treat prepared in Abruzzo-Molise
called calciuni di molise, actually a type of sweet ravioli filled with a
puree of chestnut and chocolate then fried and served with cinnamon sugar;
and Bologna's traditional Christmas cake, certosina, a rich dark honey
cake with bitter chocolate, fruits and nuts and the aroma of anise seeds
and cinnamon. The Ferrara region of Emilio-Romagna boasts a rich chocolaty
yeast cake delicately scented with lemon and almonds. It is eaten from
before Christmas to Twelfth Night and is called pampepato di cioccolato.
Christmas trees are not a usual part of Italian festivities, but the
treasured displays of the nativity scene are. Also typical almost
throughout Italy is the rich egg-yolk yeast bread dotted with chopped
candied fruits and slivered nuts called panettone which everyone enjoys
with cappuccino or espresso coffee throughout the holiday. Christmas is a
time for family and friends and the day begins with coffee and panettone
and often cups of zabaglione, the warm fluffy dessert made from whipped
eggs and Marsala. Dinner on Christmas Day, is often a feast of the best
the family can afford, sometimes following the traditional seven-course
menu of homemade family specialties of antipastos, pastas, vegetable
dishes, fish or seafood, with a traditional main course of stuffed roasted
capons to he followed by brandied fruits, nuts, cookies, cakes, and fine
liqueurs.
New Year's follows many local and familial traditions too. For Sicilians,
on Notte di Capo d'Anno, the doors are opened to sweep out the old year and
the windows are opened to let in the new year. In Southern Italy, the new
year is welcomed by the clatter of clay pots tossed from windows.
Hopefully, there are no serious injuries, just good fun. Plates of cut-up
herring are enjoyed as a symbol of luck, while lentils, a symbol of health and
wealth and also the traditional staple of the poor, are consumed.
Mistletoe is yet another symbol of luck. Money gifts (strenna) for the
children and flowers sent for friends and relatives add excitement to the
day The traditional dinner is stuffed pig's legs and lentils, zampone di
modena.
In some areas, children receive gifts at Christmas from the legendary
kana, the witch who travels on her broom in search of the Holy Child after
hearing about the birth of Christ from the zampognari (shepherds). In
other homes, children and family exchange gifts, and still others give
only money gifts at New Year's.
There are many other special days on the calendar but these vary from
region to region, as do the customs and foods. December 13 is
traditionally the Feast of Santa Lucia when cuccia, a mixture of wheat and
chickpeas (garbanzos), is eaten for each meal of the day. The Feast of St.
Agatha is bright with parades and everyone enjoys nibbling on snacks of
roasted seeds, nuts, beans, and cookies made with almonds and pistachios.
February 15 is the special day for celebrating almond blossoms;
sugar-coated almonds play an important role in many occasions such as
weddings, anniversaries, graduations, and baptisms, while chopped or
ground almonds and nougat and marzipan confections sweeten and flavor many
festive dessert plates.
Throughout Italy, March 19 is celebrated as the Feast of St. Joseph (San
Guiseppe), the patron saint of hearth and home. In consideration for the
poor, meatless feast tables are set up with fish and seafood, vegetable
and cheese dishes and breads and fresh fruits. Most homes share this
meatless day by serving appetizers of fruits, vegetables, and olives; for
example, orange slices, fennel, and black olives. The main meal of the day
may follow the appetizer with a soup then fish and vegetable dishes. Again
each area and family often prepares its own St. Joseph Day specialty dish.
Bigne de San Giuseppe, deep-fried beignets dusted with sugar join the list
of traditional sweets with fresh oranges and sweet yeast breads. Sicilians
prepare sfinge, crisp crullers with cheese filling.
Pasqua (Easter) once again ushers in the familiar pattern of devotional
prayers and gatherings of family and friends to feast together. Roasted
whole suckling lambs, spring salads, eggs, roasted artichokes, and fugazza
di pasqua, an egg-rich yeast bread lightly touched with orange, vanilla,
almond, or lemon replace maritozzi quaresmali, the light fruity buns eaten
throughout Lent.
Other festivals often retain more regional than national importance. For
example, Rome celebrates Midsummer Night or St. John's Eve with family
gatherings where the traditional feast includes garlic-simmered snails
garnished with fresh mint and tomato. May 9 and 10 are the special
Sicilian dates for eating marzipan fruits (made from ground almond paste)
and cuscusu, a dish patterned after the North African couscous but made
with coarsely ground semolina and fish. Many areas of Italy celebrate
July's summer weather with day- or week-long festivities that include
stewed snails and suckling roast pigs (porchetta). In Sicily the first two
weeks of August are known as Ferragosto, the Feast of the Madonna; streets
are brightened with religious floats and parades, and everywhere vendors
sell grilled sausages and peppers, pizzas and polpi (octopus). And in case
anyone still feels hungry, there are always seeds, candies, or nuts, or
delicious ice cream for cooling refreshment.
On November 2, most Italians celebrate All Souls' Day, a time of feasting
and a warm remembrance of dead loved ones. No one seems to know why
anymore, but beans have long been symbolic of death and the souls of the
departed, so it is not surprising that fave dolci (sweet almond cookies
shaped like fava beans) are eaten especially on All Souls' Day.