The Carnival of Fano

The carnival is one of our traditions. It's a period between the "Epiphany" and "Lent". We don't know very much about the meaning of this word. Perhaps it comes from latin "Carnem levare" and refers to the abstention from meat (typical of the period of Lent).The term is used because it expresses the contrary of the Lent.The most important days are called "grassi" (fat) and are Thursday and Tuesday (which ends the period of Carnevale). It's characterized by a general delight in life's material, pleasures like food, drink and in particular entertaiment. It represents a human necessity to go out, to escape from the metodical way of life and to take shelter behind a mask (the famous carnival mask). The origins of Carneval are obscure. There are many hypotheses about the origin of this festivity. It came about from the ancient carnival rites (Roman and Greek) made on particular occasions, like the eve of harvest and other things. A chararacteristic of this period was the "interruption" of principle social rules. But these rites were always in the shade (also when they developed in Christian rites). There are two reasons: the development of this rites were among the poor classes and the esoteric charecter and their incommunicability. What happens during the period of Carnevale? The scheme of these manifistations is rather similar from region to region: there's the trial, the judgement and death of a character, identified as the "Carnevale". This character is a puppet. These stages are seen from an allergorical point of view and they became passings. In Fano the greatest expression of this period is the défilé famous "Carri Allegorici" (allegorical floats), which are very imposing structures representing a particular theme. In the float (moved by an electronic mechanism) there are the famous "PUPI DI CARNEVALE" ( puppets made of paper-pulp). On these floats there are many people in costumes, wearing masks who throw the "getto" of chocolates and sweets. The wagons wait until night and they go around again. It's an interesting show. At the end the best float receives a prize. At the end of the Carnevale (on Tuesday) the puppet (Carevales' symbol) is burned. Then it's the end of Carnevale and the beginning of Lent.

Some Carnival Recipes

Castagnole (to bake)

They are typical cakes of our region ( and in particular of our area).
Preparation:
First put the flower on the table and make a hole in the centre and then pour out the beaten eggs and Rum in this hole, knead everyrthing until it becomes a stift dough. Divide this mixture into small "balls" ( the shape is rather extended) and put them in a pan ( the pan is partly floured). Cook them fo 25/30 minutes at 230/240° in the oven. The sugar and the water are boiled together in a separate pot until the mixture is well combined. Finally pass the cooked balls through this final mixture. (The recipe may be modified. It depends on the different geographical areas.)

Castagnole (to fry)

These are the real "Castagnole" of our province. A popular stornello says: "when Carnevale ends, love ends and we have to stop eating Castagnole. I mention this only to underline the importance of " Castagnole" also among the poorest people.

Ingrediends:
1 kg flower, 6 eggs, 5 spoonfulls of sugar, 1 glass of milk, 1 spoonfull Rhum or Cognac, 5 or 6 spoonfulls of cooking oil, a grated peel of lemon, two small evelopes, one of yeast and one of vanilla and lard.
Preparation:
Knead that flower, eggs, sugar, milk, rhum and lemon.When the mixture is smooth, add the vanilla and yeast. You divide the mixture into irregular shapes. Cook everything in a frying pan, in the boiling lard. Castagnole are ready to eat when they become golden. Past them on a piece of kitchen papers to eliminate the grease. Scatter some castor sugar (or normal sugar) over them.