Sagra dell Fritello at Roccantica
The Sagra dell Fritello, or fritter festival, is held every year in Roccantica on the sunday following the Saints day of San Guiseppe (19th of March), in 2016 that should be 20th March.
The fritelle are cauliflower florets, dipped in batter and rapidly fried in enormous vats of oil set up in the piazza.
It’s a very popular local festival, and with good reason, the fritelle are absolutely delicious! You might not think fried cauliflower sounds too appealing but believe me they are, especially eaten straight from the pan on a sunny afternoon in early spring (accordions optional).
As well as the food the Sagra normally features local craft and food stalls and performances by the local medieval drumming group.
Villa degli Armeni – private rental villa near Rome
Carnevalone and Carnevalone Liberato – the two carnivals of Poggio Mirteto
The last few days have seen the celebration of carnival all over Italy, and while the Venice Carnival is justifiably famous the world over, there are many other Italian towns and cities with a long tradition of celebrating carnival.
Poggio Mirteto, the neighbouring town to Poggio Catino, has a long carnival tradition. In fact it is unusual, perhaps even unique, in having two carnivals.
The first is the Carnevalone, which this year celebrates its 154th edition. Many local groups and businesses get together and build floats and make costumes around their chosen theme, which is often a political one. As you can see from the video it’s a colourful and noisy affair! This year Carnevalone is celebrated on Sunday 7th february, the main parade takes place at 14.30, if you want a good view be sure to get there early!
Poggio Mirteto’s second carnival is the Carnevalone Liberato, which traditionally, and very unusually, takes place after the beginning of Lent. It’s a reflection of anti-clerical feeling dating from the unification of Italy, before which Poggio Mirteto and the rest of the Sabina was controlled by the Papal States. The people of Poggio Mirteto at the time strongly supported Garibaldi and his army, and resented the rule of the Papal states, from which they liberated themselves in 1861.
It’s even more raucous and lively than the standard carnival, so much so that the organizers, in the hope of calming the whole affair down a little, have decided this year, 2016, to cancel the main events and instead hold a series of exhibitions and debates on the theme of satire. Let’s hope the irreverent Carnevalone Liberato will be back next year in all its glory!
Villa degli Armeni – private rental villa near Rome
Roccantica and the Festa of Sant’Antonio Abate
The 17th of January in Italy marks the Saint’s day of St Antonio Abate, protector of domestic animals. It’s a popular festival, especially in rural areas like the Sabina, when local priests will bless animals, and, in many places, agricultural machinery and cars too!
I headed up to the neighbouring village of Roccantica, where locals were gathering with their animals to be blessed. Roccantica is an extraordinarily well preserved medieval village, nestled on the mountainside among forests. More about Roccantica in a later blog post!
It was a beautiful bright january morning, and the main piazza of Roccantica was full of animals and their owners. Unfortunately I missed the actual blessing with the priest, but the piazza was still full of people chatting and admiring the animals, and tucking into some delicious fava bean stew being served up by the local ladies.
There were mostly horses and dogs, but also a pen of sheep and a very fine looking cow
The horses were all beautifully groomed and dressed up in their finery. There are a number of riding stables locally, but horses and mules are also still used on the steep mountain slopes for transporting firewood.
Up in the winding streets of the village, the cats were staying aloof from the whole affair, and taking advantage of the winter sun!
Villa degli Armeni – private rental villa near Rome
