Archive for February, 2009
What’s Cooking Wednesday: Chiacchiere per Carnevale
On Monday, I promised you Carnevale food today, so without further ado, today’s What’s Cooking Wednesday recipe for:
Chiacchiere!
The traditional pastry for Carnevale.
Known by a ridiculous number of names throughout Italy such as Cenci (rags/tatters), Bugie (lies), Guanti (gloves), Nastri delle suore (nuns’ ribbons), Fritelle, Crostoli, Frappe, and often called Lovers’ Knots in English, these fried, powdered-sugar-dusted treats are definitely one of my favorite parts of Carnevale.
Here in my corner of Calabria, they’re called “Chiacchiere,” which I like to think of as “chit chat”–these definitely make noises as you crunch into them (and you probably make some noises too as you shift wildly to avoid sprinkling your entire self with powdered sugar in the meantime).
A kind of Italian “snap crackle pop,” kinda sorta.
Some recipes call for rum, whiskey, brandy, grappa, anise, or the like, and many are tied in knots, but the ones I’ve seen around here are just strips, so those are the instructions below.
P’s mom doesn’t make these, so I borrowed this recipe from my dear friend Mary Amabile Palmer’s Cucina di Calabria: Treasured Recipes and Family Traditions from Southern Italy (a cookbook that I cannot recommend highly enough):
Chiacchiere per Carnevale
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, well beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 to 2 teaspoons milk
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Powdered sugar for dusting
1. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
3. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest and mix well.
4. Place mixture on lightly floured surface and knead for 6 to 8 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. If dough is hard, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk.
5. Form dough into ball, place in greased bowl, turn to coat, and then cover with towel and let stand for 10 minutes.
6. Roll out into sheets, 1/8 thick. (I’ve seen other recipes that recommend folding the dough over and doing this a few times, but you can use your judgment.)
7. Cut dough into 3 by 5 inch strips. Put a small slit in the center of each strip and twist slightly.
8. Deep fry strips of dough for 1 to 3 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain.
9. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
I don’t think I have to tell you that I think these are great with espresso, do I?
Buon appetito e Buon Carnevale!
Have you had these fried treats? What do you call them?
Living a Dog’s Life on Human Chairs
I don’t know what it is about human chairs, but my girls just love sitting in them– especially in the winter when I’ve warmed one up already.
This is Stella, caught keeping my seat warm:
Here the girls discuss whether House is devastatingly handsome, an arsehole, or perhaps both:
And this is just gratuitous Luna, because how cute is she?
Do your furry friends keep your seats warm too?
It’s Carnevale Time in Venice!
One of the most colorful, celebrated, famous festivals in Italy is happening right now until February 24 in Venice: Carnevale.
During Carnevale, aside from the usual romantic alleyways and gondola rides through the Grand Canal, Venezia offers something extra special throughout the period before Lent begins for Catholics. This year’s theme is “Sensation: 6 senses for 6 districts” and will highlight the various areas of the city.
I’ve written all about Carnevale in Venice over at Italy Magazine, so please do have a look to read about the history and traditions of Carnevale and see videos of past celebrations:
Now perhaps you want to know about what Italians eat during Carnevale? Well, hang tight! What’s Cooking Wednesday is only a couple days away….
But for now, tell me:
Have you celebrated Carnevale in Venice,
New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, or elsewhere?
Patron Saint of Singles: San Faustino
Ah, Valentine’s Day. As if you could escape knowledge of *that* little celebration in the middle of February, thankyouverymuch Hallmark et al.
Am I bah humbugging the day of San Valentino?
Well, maybe just a bit.
You *know* I’m all about the love (and, by the way, if you want to know why the heart symbolizes love, go here), but the commercialization of the holiday really irks me. I’m part of a couple now, but except for the past three Valentine’s Days, I wasn’t, and I remember those other 20-some February 14ths very well.
Sure, I always made it a point to celebrate and appreciate *all* kinds of love in my life on Valentine’s Day (and I hope you do too!), but every now and again, some of the commercialism of the holiday would seep into my subconscious, and I’d just want someone to buy me chocolates dammit.
Ahem.
So I’m here to tell you what you singles can do this Valentine’s Day:
First of all, go buy your own chocolates. They really do taste just as good.
Then save up your partying for February 15th–the feast day of San Faustino.
Several years ago, a group of Italian singles decided it was time to celebrate singles–and also to address issues that adversely affect singles from paying higher taxes to difficulties adopting children.
So they chose the day after Saint Valentine’s Day, the feast day of San Faustino, to celebrate single life.
Indeed, if you happen to be in Italy, be sure to check out VitadaSingle.net for what’s happening on February 15th near you; and if you can read Italian, at SanFaustino.info, you can find books, movies, music, recipes, and more–all for singles!
As for P and me this Valentine’s Day?
We’ll be having a quiet evening at home making homemade pizza. Plenty romantic for me even though I know some onions are going to be on those pizzas….
Will you celebrate San Faustino’s Day?
Love Thursday: Lovers’ Island
Thanks to faithful reader, Gil, here is a spectacular photo of what has been dubbed “Lovers’ Island” off the coast of Croatia:
Its amazing heart shape was discovered by viewers of Google Earth; even owner Vlado Juresko hadn’t realized before that his uninhabited island was such a perfect heart until people started requesting to stay there.
Speaking of romantic locations, if you’re looking for a nice spot to celebrate Valentine’s Day or any day, do check out two articles I recently published with the BootsnAll Travel Network:
Five Great Valentine’s Day Getaways in the USA
Six Romantic Getaways Around the World
(And feel free to give them thumbs-up, Stumble love, etc.).
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
Do you play around with Google Earth?
Michelle Fabio is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer living in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy and savoring simplicity one sip at a time.
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