Posts tagged with "Epifania"

Gennaio

Posted by Serena 6 Comments
Jan 10 2011

Gennaio (January), the first month of the year, takes its name from Janus, the Roman god of gates and beginnings who is represented with two faces, one on the front and one on the back of his head.

Principali Festività (Main Festivals):

On the first of January we celebrate Capodanno (New Year’s Day).

On the sixth of January we celebrate l’Epifania (the Epiphany), which commemorates the arrival of i Tre Re Magi (the Three Wise Men) in Bethlehem, and this day marks the end of the festivals linked to Christmas. Before WWII and the new era of globalization, in which we adopted many traditions from America, Epifania was the day when Italian children received their presents from la Befana, an old woman dressed in rags. For more details see my article http://www.transparent.com/italian/viva-la-befana/

Tradizioni (Traditions):

The last three days in January are traditionally said to be the coldest days of the year and are called i Tre Giorni della Merla (the Three Days of the Female Blackbird). I’m not exactly sure where this comes from, but from what I know there are several versions of a Lombardy legend that tells the story of the hardships suffered by a family of blackbirds during this harsh period of the winter. One of these stories recounts that once upon a time blackbirds were white. A family of blackbirds desperately seeking shelter from the cold took up residence in the roof of a house. Food being in extremely short supply, il merlo (the male blackbird) set off on an expedition for provisions. He was gone for three days, and when he returned his wife was nowhere to be seen. During his absence la merla (the female blackbird), seeking warmth, had huddled inside il comignolo (the chimneypot), and was covered in fuliggine (soot), becoming the very first black blackbird! The husband eventually recognized his wife e vissero per sempre felici e contenti! (and they lived happily ever after!)

Detti (sayings):


Se i giorni della Merla sono freddi la primavera sarà bella, se sono caldi la primavera arriverà in ritardo. If the days of the blackbird are cold spring will be good, if they are warm spring will arrive late.
Epifania tutte le feste si porta via Epiphany brings an end to all the festivities
Gennaio nevoso, anno prosperoso Snowy January, prosperous year ahead
Chi vuole un buon agliaio lo ponga di gennaio Who wants a good garlic bed should plant it in January
Per San Sebastiano mezz’ora in più abbiamo For San Sebastian (20th of January) we have half an hour (of light) longer
Per Sant’Agnese mezzo fieno e mezze spese For Saint Agnes’ (21st of January) half hay and half expenses (we are half way through the storing period)
Se per San Paolo è sereno, abbondanza avremo If for saint Paul’s (25th of January) the weather is good, we’ll have abundance
Se gennaio non fa i suoi fatti, febbraio farà cose da pazzi If January doesn’t do what it should, February will do mad things

I Befanini

Posted by Serena 5 Comments
Jan 5 2010

Once upon a time in Italy children used to receive their Christmas presents on the Epifania (Epiphany – the 6th of January), instead of on Christmas day. On the eve of Epifania children would hang a stocking near their bed or next to the fireplace, where the mythical kindly old peasant woman known as la Befana would fill them with biscuits, oranges, dried fruit and a present. You can read more about this tradition in my blog from last year http://www.transparent.com/italian/viva-la-befana/

In a little recipe book entitled Torte e ciambelle dolci e frittelle by Elda Carlotti, a collection of traditional cake recipes from the area around Lucca, I found this nice recipe for Befanini, written in the form of a rhyme. Befanini are the traditional biscuits, shaped like angels, stars, and ‘befane’, which are put in the children’s stockings for Epifania.

 

Buona sera brava gente

Vi ho portato i Befanini

La ricetta abbiate in mente

Per rifarla ai bamborini*.

 

Dentro un chilo di farina

Burro e zucchero ci vuole (350 gr),

Poi due uova di gallina

E un arancio un* ci sta male.

 

Di limon una grattatina

Gli dà aroma e molto gusto,

Poi due lieviti in bustina …

Ecco pronto il vostro impasto.

 

Con formine e mattarello

Date vita ai Befanini

E per far tutto più bello,

Ci van messi anche i chicchini.

 

È ricetta molto antica

Della nostra Lucchesia

Non vi costano fatica

Se  li fate in allegria.

 

Translation:

Good evening gentle folk / I’ve brought you the Befanini / memorize the recipe / so that you can make it for your children.

In a kilo of flour / you need butter and sugar (350 gr), / then two hens’ eggs / and an orange wouldn’t be a bad idea.

A few gratings of lemon / gives it aroma and a lot of flavor, / then two sachets** of baking powder … / that’s your mixture ready.

With pastry cutters and rolling pin / bring the Befanini to life / and to make them more beautiful, / you should also add  hundreds and thousands (the little multicolored sugary grains used to decorate cakes and cookies).

It’s a very old recipe / from our Lucca region / they are no trouble to make / if you do it with cheerfulness.

** Here in Italy baking powder is sold in individual sachets of 16 grams each.

* Bamborini is Tuscan dialect for bambini (children); un is Tuscan for non (not).

 

Buona Befana a tutti!

Viva la Befana

Posted by Serena 3 Comments
Jan 6 2009

“Epifania, tutte le feste si porta via” (Epiphany brings an end to all the festivities).

Epifania, a Latin word with Greek origins, means “(festival of) the apparition” or “manifestation (of the divinity)”. In the Catholic church the Epifania celebrates the visit of the Re Magi (the Wise Kings) to Gesu’ Bambino (Baby Jesus) on the 6th of January. In common speech however Epifania has been transformed into the word befana.

The Story of La Befana

Legend has it that on their way to Bethlehem, the Re Magi met an old woman, la Befana, and invited her to go with them to visit Gesu’ Bambino. As it was a very cold night the old woman decided against travelling with the Re Magi but to follow on instead at daylight. The following morning la Befana prepared a basket with some presents to take to Gesu’ Bambino, but when she arrived at the stable she found it empty, the Holy Family having fled to Egypt to escape the wrath of King Herod. Every year thereafter la Befana, full of remorse, travels far and wide on the night between the 5th and the 6th of January to leave a present for every child in the hope that one of them may be Gesu’ Bambino.

“La Befana vien di notte con le scarpe tutte rotte” (the Befana comes in the night with her shoes all broken) and leaves presents in the calza (stocking) that children hang near the fireplace or at the bottom of the bed. La calza della Befana (the Befana’s stocking) usually contains some cioccolatini (chocolates), torrone (nougat), noci (nuts), mandarini (tangerines), and a little present sticking out at the top. But “se il bambino e’ stato cattivo” (if the child has been naughty) then he/she will find il carbone della Befana (the Befana’s charcoal, which is actually a black colored rock sugar) instead of a present. When my older brother was 5 years old he had been very naughty over the Christmas holiday, and my parents decided not to give him a present but, as we lived abroad, they couldn’t get hold of any carbone della Befana, so they got some real carbone instead. On the morning of the 6th of January when my brother looked in his calza he was shocked to find a lump of charcoal. After a few speechless moments he turned towards my father with a big grin and said: “Guarda papa’, la Befana ti ha portato il carbone per la griglia!” (Look dad, the Befana has brought you the charcoal for the barbeque!).

Traditionally Italian children used to get presents only from the Befana at the end of the Christmas holiday and not from Papa’ Natale (Father Christmas) or Gesu’ Bambino. When we were older my mother told us that as a child she used to get very upset about only receiving her presents on the day before going back to school, having spent the whole of the Christmas holidays playing with her old toys. When she grew up and found out about Papa’ Natale, she decided to adopt his tradition so that when she had children they could enjoy their presents for the whole of the holiday. I would imagine that something similar has happened in most Italian families because these days every child gets presents both on Christmas day and for Befana! But despite the arrival of Papa’ Natale and Gesu’ Bambino, la Befana is still a deeply rooted Italian tradition, and when some years ago the Italian government decide to delete this festivity from the school calendar because they believed it was redundant, most Italian families refused to send their children to school on that day. After a couple of years the government had to give in and reintroduce la Festa della Befana.

Viva la Befana!

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