Italy

Serremaggio in Tuscany

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Last year I attended the Serremaggio festival held in Serre Di Rapolano, Tuscany with my friends Ann and Robin. This annual festival transports Serre back in time to its medieval roots.  Processions in historic costumes, a medieval marketplace, traditional food and falconry all set the stage as a 14th century recreation of village life. There are food stalls and entertainment in each neighborhood of the village, excellent dinners are held in historic structures and musicians blowing horns and beating drums into the night.

We attended the “Cena Povera” on the last night of the festival.  A delicious buffet of traditional food at more than reasonable prices, served in the Antico Granaio (antique grain storage warehouse) and we even got to keep the pottery dinner was served in.  While enjoying our candlelit meal in this unique setting, we were serenaded by the musicians as a procession literally circled the hall while we were eating.

Located in central Tuscany at the intersection of Siena, Chianti, Arezzo and Montepluciano, Serre di Rapolano is a small village full of charm and history.  While not as famous as its spa-town neighbor Terme di Rapolano, Serre is set on a hilltop with amazing views, basic necessities and can serve as a great home base for exploring the local area.

Serremaggio Event Information

Serre di Rapolano, Tuscany Map

Photo Credits: All Photos by Lisa M. Vogele

gelato! Gelato! GELATO!

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Gelato Cone
Two Cups of Gelato
Gelato Cup with Wafer

If you missed out on Rome’s big birthday bash yesterday, never fear, Gelato is here!  What a more perfect way to ring in spring than a stroll through Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence with a gelato in hand.  This weekend is the start of the traveling Gelato Festival.  Held at various locations throughout Italy and Europe, it’s a must-do for iced treat aficionados.  The festival kicks off this weekend in Florence and then has stops in: Parma, Rome, Naples, Turin, Milan, London, Berlin and Valencia before returning to Florence in September.

View from Piazzale Michelangelo at Sunset
Enjoying the View
Fun with Friends – Piazzale Michelangelo

Have you always wondered what the difference is between gelato and ice cream? In general, gelato is lower in fat, lower in calories and contains less air than ice cream. The reduction of air gives it a dense, creamy goodness that makes you think you’ve died and gone to heaven. The sugar content is higher than typical ice cream, one of the keys that keep it from freezing solid.  If you’re serious about gelato and would like to open your own shop, you can attend Gelato University at the Carpigiani Gelato University and museum in Bologna, Italy to get your basics down.  Serious about gelato, but not that serious, Carpigiani’s flagship store is located just outside their administrative offices and museum where you can sample a variety of flavors served up by students attending the Gelato University.  Carpigiani has also started offering week-long courses in the United States; check out the link below for their calendar and course offerings.

Can’t make it to Europe? You are in luck! A Gelato World Tour is coming to Chicago, Illinois Memorial Day Weekend.  Sixteen artisanal gelato competitors will be competing for the North American Gelato Title at Millenium Park May 27-May 29.  This is both an industry and public event where hands-on workshops will be offered.  Three finalists will also travel to Rimini in 2017 to compete for “Worlds Best Flavor”. There will also be a West Coast stop in September, location and dates are to be announced.  Follow the links below for information and logistics to attend these two tasty events.

Gelato Festival (Florence, Italy & Europe)

Carpigiani Gelato University

Carpigiani Gelato Museum

Gelato World Tour (including Chicago)

Photo Credits
Gelato with Wafer: Bekathwia via Foter.com / CC BY-SA
Two Cups of Gelato: B.Positive.2014 via Foter.com / CC BY-SA
Gelato Cone: erickgonzalez50 via Foter.com / CC BY-ND
 Piazzale Michelangelo Florence View Photos (all): Lisa M. Vogele
Carpigiani Gelato Musum, Tour & Flagship Store: Aidan M. Vogele, Mark R. Vogele & Lisa M. Vogele

Nine Days of Wild Boar!

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Pappardelle al Cinghiale
Pici with Wild Boar Ragu

Certaldo is the epicenter for all things wild boar this weekend and next.  Cinghiale, or wild boar, is a traditional meat used in Tuscan cooking when it is not running wild and destroying the beautiful yards of villages.  This is a traditional feast offered with four courses for a fixed price.  Typical cinghiale dishes on the menu inclide: appetizers with wild boar salame; first courses of polenta, pappardelle pasta and fresh tortelli with wild boar sauce; second courses with wild boar steak or a wild boar and black olives.  Other traditional and vegetarian items are available for selection if cinghiale or meat are not preferred.  Side dishes include beans, salad or French fries.  The meal is finished with a sweet choice of cantuccini or gelato and topped off with a glass of local wine.

Road to Palazzo Pretorio Certaldo
Palazzo Pretorio (close-up)
Palazzo Pretoria During Mercantia in July

Certaldo is set about 35 miles southwest of Florence in the Tuscan countryside of Italy and is on the regional train line.  There are two parts to Certaldo: medieval Certaldo Alto (high) and modern Certaldo Basso (low); connected by a funicular.  The Sagra del Cinghiale Certaldo takes place on Viale Matteotti in Certaldo basso.  It starts Lunch is served at 12 noon on the weekends and dinner is at 8 pm every night of the festival at Certaldo also has a famous street art festival called Mercantia in July each year.

Cinghiale Indiano
Cinghiale

Map Location Certaldo, Tuscany, Italy

Saga del Cinghiale Certaldo

Pro Loco Certaldo

Photo Credits:

Road to Palazzo Pretorio, Certaldo bongo vongo via Foter.com / CC BY-SA
Palazzo Pretorio (close-up) natureandevents via Foter.com / CC BY
Mercantia Celebration (July) Certaldo francesco sgroi via Foter.com / CC BY
Cinghiale Walter Saporiti via Foter.com / CC BY
Pici with Wild Boar Ragu Pug Girl via Foter.com / CC BY
Pappardelle al Cinghiale karen_neoh via Foter.com / CC BY

 

 

 

Fabulous Foodtruck Festival

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Last May, after a blitz tour of the beautiful Cinque Terre in the rain, I hopped on a train to Sarzana with my friends Ann and Robin to find the STREEAT food truck festival.  The festival highlights food from various regions of Italy and select foods from other countries.  It felt like a foodie tour of Italy, all wrapped up in a bow on Piazza Matteotti.  I’ve always loved the Ape microtrucks seen throughout Italy.  These “tricked out” Apes in the food truck festival are brilliantly designed to showcase their specialty food.  We took turns retrieving a different Italian dish or dessert from the trucks then sampling and critiquing it. Of course, we enjoyed everything, accompanied by some Italian Spritzes.

Sarzana is at the foot of the less touristy Lunigiana area of southern Liguria. Located between the famed Cinque Terre and Tuscany, the Lunigiana are hills filled with villages, thirty castles and of course, fine food.  It takes its name from Luni, an ancient Roman town that no longer exists except for a few remaining ruins.  One of the highlights in the city of Sarzana is the Fortezza Firmafede, referred to simply as La Cittadella.  Built in 1249, destroyed in the “War of Serrezzana” by Lorenzo de Medici and the Florentines in 1487 then re-built, it’s only a short walk from the train station and worth a visit if you are interested in historic fortifications.

Fortezza Firmafede, Sarzana, Italy
@travelwithlisa Lisa Vogele at Fortezza Firmafede, Sarzana, Italy

Today is the first day of the 2016 European food truck tour throughout Italy. It begins at Torre Quetta in Bari and will continue on to Langhirano, Mantua, Udine, Padua, Milan, Verona and Genoa on various dates in April – June. The remainder of the schedule, which will continue into fall, has not yet been announced.

#streeat #bari #foodtruck #festival #italy #italyfestivals #foodandfolklore

STREEAT Food Truck Festival Information

STREEAT Food Truck Festival on Facebook

Photo Credits: All Photos by Lisa Vogele at the STREEAT Food Truck Festival in Sarzana, Italy May 2015 @travelwithlisa ; Author of the forthcoming book: Food and Folklore: A Year of Italian Festivals, available Summer 2016.

500 Years of Florentine Fireworks

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Oxen Decorated with Flowers

Daytime fireworks, pageantry and excitement surround the centuries old Florentine tradition of Scoppio del Carro.  If you’re in Italy during “Holy Week” you will encounter Easter-related activities in progress in cities and small towns.  Of the many traditions that take place this weekend, the 500-year Florentine Scoppio del Carro is one of the most well-known.  “Scoppio del Carro” literally means explosion of the cart.  A 30-foot-tall antique cart called a Brindellone, also several hundred years old, is hauled by a team of oxen decorated with garlands of spring flowers.  150 people in 15th century dress escort the cart from Porta al Prato to Piazza del Duomo every Easter morning.

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Costumed Procession for Scoppio del Carro

Easter Mass is held inside the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence’s Duomo) and at 10:00 AM a fire is lit using three flints brought back from Jerusalem during the First Crusade.  While the ceremony continues inside, the Brindellone is loaded with fireworks and staged outside the door of the cathedral.  A wire from the altar inside is connected to the cart and at 11:00 AM the ceremony reaches its crescendo.  Gloria in Excelsis Deo is sung, a mechanical dove is lit on fire and then it flies down the wire into the cart, igniting the fireworks.  The fireworks display lasts approximately 20 minutes and a successful execution guarantees a good harvest and business in the coming year.

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Exploding the Cart in Front of Florence’s Duomo

Official Florence Tourism Website – Event Information

https://player.vimeo.com/video/124600802 <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/124600802">Scoppio del Carro</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user35087318">Storm Nylen</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>” target=”_blank”>Scoppio del Carro Video

Photo Credits:
Oxen Decorated with Flowers   www.to-tuscany.com via Foter.com / CC BY-ND
Exploding of the Cart in Front of Florence’s Duomo   moniko moniko via Foter.com / CC BY-SA
Costumed Procession for Scoppio del Carro   Erica Schoonmaker via Foter.com / CC BY-ND

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweets of San Giuseppe

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Fritelle and White Wine

La Festa di San Giuseppe (Feast of Saint Joseph) is celebrated throughout Italy on March 19th each year. Wherever you are, you’re sure to find some sort of celebration. Traditional dishes and desserts on this day honor the husband of the Virgin Mary.  In the Lombardy region it’s traditional to eat tortelli.  If you’re in the Molise region you’ll sit down to a 13-course meal.  In Apulia you’ll have a similar 13 course meal, but with a peppery twist. In Sicily platters of food are served alongside special breads. As tantalizing as the thought of these large Italian meals are, it’s the desserts that are my main attraction.

114848820_9539fa3e4c_oZeppole, Fritelle or Bigne di San Giuseppe, an Italian donut by any name and I’ll line up to buy some. What’s the difference? Depends on where in Italy you are. If you are in Rome, Tuscany, Umbria and points north, they are called fritelle, made with rice and filled with custard. Further South in Naples, Campania or Sicily, its zeppole you’re looking for. Each have a base of flour, egg, butter and sugar. Bigne di San Giuseppe are deep fried, filled with custard and then rolled in sugar. Zeppole are deep fried balls rolled in sugar or drizzled in honey.

Zeppole in a Cone
Zeppole in a Donut Shape
Making Zeppole

The variety of zeppole in Southern Italy vary even further by region. In Campania they are sprinkled with powdered sugar and use cherries in syrup for decoration. Near Lecce, they may have some grated lemon and are fried or baked. Sicilian zeppole are fried and dressed with orange honey and powdered sugar with cinnamon. In Reggio Calabria they are small cream puffs stuffed with ricotta. The bottom line is if you like sweets, you’ll find them at a Festa di San Giuseppe.  Mangiare dolci!

#zeppole #fritelle #sangiuseppe #19marzo #italianfestivals #italy #dolci

Photo Credits:
Fritelle with White Wine   Salvadonica, Chianti, Tuscany via Foter.com / CC BY
Zeppole with Cherries  Finizio via Foter.com / CC BY-ND
Zeppole in a Cone  arnold | inuyaki via Foter.com / CC BY
Zeppole in Donut Shape   Auntie Katkat via Foter.com / CC BY
Making Zeppole   emilydickinsonridesabmx via Foter.com / CC BY

 

For the Love of Cheese: 12th Festival del Formaggio

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Cheeses Ready for Sale

This weekend, the market town of Campo Tures is a haven for Turophiles, connoisseurs and lovers of cheese. Three days full of exhibitions, talks, live cooking demonstrations and cheese tastings. There are five DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) quality-controlled cheeses from this region: Asiago, Grana Padano, Provolone Valpadana, Spressa delle Giudicarie, and Stelvio/Stilfser; all are cheeses made with cow’s milk. 100 cheese exhibitors from the Alto Adige region, other parts of Italy and other countries will exhibit close to 1,000 types of cheeses. Though the festival is only three days, restaurants in town will feature cheese tasting menus throughout the next week.

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The Dolomites

Campo Tures lies amid the impressive landscapes of Italy’s Dolomite Mountains. Though the town is within Italy, it is primarily German-speaking. Located along the border with Austria, it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918 when the South Tyrol was promised to Italy as part of the Treaty of London. Campo Tures is also known as Sand in Taufers, the ancestral seat of the Lords of Taufers who died out in 1340. Castle Taufers stands high above the Ahr River, has been restored from disrepair and is open to tourists.

Castle Taufers
Ahr River
Courtyard at Castle Taufers

The Ahr River Valley and Campo Tures can be reached by car (best) or public transportation (connections/longer) and is about 43 miles northeast of Bolzano. It serves as a base for exploring the surrounding mountains on foot during the summer and snow showing and skiing in the Dolomites in the winter.

Festival del Formaggio Official Site

Sud Tirol (South Tyrol) Area Tourism Information

Google Maps – Campo Tures, Sud Tirol, Alto Adige, Italy

#campotures #formaggio #cheese festival #altoadige #sudtirol #southtyrol #kase

Photo Credits:
Cheeses Ready for Sale   Michela Simoncini via Foter.com / CC BY
The Dolomites   Erika Gilraen Loss via Foter.com / CC BY-ND
Castle Taufers in Campo Tures   Allie_Caulfield via Foter.com / CC BY
The Ahr River in Camp Tures   Allie_Caulfield via Foter.com / CC BY
Courtyard of Castle Taufers in Campo Tures   Allie_Caulfield via Foter.com / CC BY

 

 

Broccoletti on Lake Bracciano

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Anguillara Sabazia on the Shores of Lago di Bracciano in the Lazio Region

Rapini is a vegetable with multiple identities. It’s a green, leafy vegetable with buds that resemble broccoli, but aren’t broccoli. In the United States it’s on produce shelves as both rapini and broccoli rabe. In Italy it varies by area of the country. In Rome it’s broccoletti and in Naples friarelli. If it’s a favorite of yours and you are in Puglia ask for cime di rape (direct translation: ”turnip tops”).2050516289_1837d67b80_b

View of Lake Bracciano from Anguillara Sabazia

This Sunday is the 15th Broccoletti in Piazza at Anguillara Sabazia’s Piazza del Molo. A lakeside medieval town on Lago di Bracciano, Anguillara Sabazia is 19 miles northwest of Rome by car or 40 minutes by train. Named after the Anguillara family that ruled the area until 1488, the name was changed in 1872 to add Sabazia, after an ancient city located near current day Trevignano Romano.

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Broccoletti

The food stands will be serving broccoletti deliciously prepared by blanching then cooking in frying pans with some local sausage. Planted last fall, this feast is held on the first Sunday in March to capture the broccoletti at peak harvest time and promote it. Year-round agricultural production in the area includes: pumpkin, peppers, tomatoes, beans, peas and squash.

Anguillara Sabazia Walk Along Lake Bracciano
Anguillara Sabazia Street 1
Anguillara Sabazia Street 2

#broccoletti #anguillarasbazia #turismobracciano #lazioinfesta #anguillaraturismo #rapini

Broccoletti in Piazza Event Website

Anguillara Tourism Information

Bracciano Tourism Information Site

 

Photo Credits:
View of Anguillara Sabazia   Nick Peters1 via Foter.com / CC BY
View of Lake Bracciano from Anguillara Sabazia   sunshinecity via Foter.com / CC BY
Broccoletti   naotakem via Foter.com / CC BY
Anguillara Sabazia Walk on Lake Bracciano   Simone Tagliaferri via Foter.com / CC BY
Anguillara Sabazia Street 2   sunshinecity via Foter.com / CC BY
Anguillara Sabazia Street 1   sunshinecity via Foter.com / CC BY

Viareggio’s Carnevale by the Sea

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8689955524_8d87d508c3_bIf you didn’t make it to Mardi Gras in New Orleans to celebrate Fat Tuesday, hop over to the Tuscan Coast of Italy for one of four remaining carnival parades. Multiple carnival celebrations take place throughout Italy at this time each year. What makes the 143 year old #CarnevalediViareggio special is its size and artistic pageantry. Over 200,000 spectators attend the month-long series of events showcasing fabulous floats along 3 kilometers of the palm-tree lined promenade by the sea.

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Since 1873, when the parade began with decorated carriages along the Via Regia, this carnival parade entertains with effigies of (in)famous people, sports athletes and politicians who are sometimes in attendance to view the spectacle. There are a total of five masked parades; the next three Sundays and the first Saturday in March are the remaining dates in 2016. In addition to the parades filled with larger than life floats, there are daytime and nighttime festivities including parties and masked balls. On the final day judges award the best floats and cap off the event with a large fireworks display.


Preparing for this $5 million event involves a lot of planning and preparation. “La Cittadella” is a building and event complex housing 2 museums and 16 warehouses; the warehouses are utilized by masters of paper-mâché to create the gigantic floats. One museum displays the history and pageantry of the carnival celebration, the other, ”Carnevalotto”, displays a collection of valuable works of art.

Parade Spectators
Burlamacco: Symbol of the Carnevale

Viareggio is located north of Pisa on the Tyrhennian coast and is a relatively short train ride from Pisa, Lucca & Florence. Daily tickets are 18 Euros for 12 + over, 13 Euros for ages 7-12 and children under 7 are free. Reserved seating is available for an additional 10 Euro per person.

Carnevale di Viareggio Official Website

#CarnevalediViareggio #carnevale #viareggio #lisalovestotravel @travelwithlisa

Photo Credits:

Carnival Float Heads: alexandraalisa via Foter.com / CC BY
Carnival Float Clown: joolia. via Foter.com / CC BY
Carnival Float Pig: joolia. via Foter.com / CC BY
Carnival Float Faces: sfmission.com via Foter.com / CC BY
Carnival Float Dinosaur Skeleton: sfmission.com via Foter.com / CC BY
Carnival Float T-Rex: Lorenzo Bl via Foter.com / CC BY-ND
Carnevale Enthusiasts: Visit Tuscany via Foter.com / CC BY
Burlamacco: HHA124L via Foter.com / CC BY

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Italian Food Fight

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Battle Aftermath

Oranges are the ammunition of this battle royale in the northern Italian town of Ivrea. Referred to as the “largest food fight” in Italy, the Battle of the Oranges engages over 5,000 participants inflicting pain by hurling 60 tons of blood oranges at each other. Ivrea, north of Turin and west of Milan, imports an entire train full of oranges from Sicily each year for the event.

The Battle is based on stories of real people from the rebellion 900 years ago. At this period in time, the “right of the first night” or jus primae noctae allowed the local Lord to sleep with a bride the night before her wedding. As the story goes, the mugnaia (miller’s daughter), went to the castle the night before her wedding, wielded a knife, murdered the Lord and cut his head off. The locals then started a three day rebellion which is represented by the throwing of the oranges.

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Activities for this Carnival period celebration started in January and culminate in the coming week with historical parades, feasts and of course, the famous orange fight. Aranceri (orange handlers) on fifty carts battle the aranceri from the nine pedestrian teams. Spectators are strongly advised to purchase and wear at all times the beretto frigio; this red stocking cap identifies the innocent onlookers hoping to escape errant oranges. Nets are strung throughout the parade route with designated areas for spectators to gather beneath for protection. The orange throwing spectacle can be seen on Sunday and Monday nights before dinner, refer to the full program schedule below for parade map and times.

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Castello di Ivrea

Historical Carnival of Ivrea – Information

Historical Carnival of Ivrea – Full Program

#‎CarnevaleIvrea‬

Photo Credits:

Battle Aftermath – Sebastiano Rossi via Foter.com / CC BY-ND
Orange Throwers (Left) – Sebastiano Rossi via Foter.com / CC BY-ND
Orange Throwers (Right) – pigliapost via Foter.com / CC BY-SA
Sbandieratori (Flag Throwers)- Giò-S.p.o.t.s. via Foter.com / CC BY
Castello di Ivrea – Galli Luca via Foter.com / CC BY