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Carnival is always a much-awaited time for young and old who look forward to having fun and experiencing moments of goliardia amid sweets and traditional dishes. It is an ancient Christian moveable feast which takes place before the beginning of the Lenten season and usually involves celebrations and public events such as parades and float parades.
Typically, carnival falls between mid-February and early March and involves dances and parties in which people dress up as real or fictional characters amid confetti and streamers. Great protagonists are of course children, but adults often get carried away by the carnival spirit as well. For 2024, Mardi Gras will fall on the February 13.
Carnival among pranks, masks and sweets
Most of the carnival celebrations are concentrated between the Maundy Thursday and the Mardi Gras, that is, the last Thursday and the last Tuesday before the beginning of Lent. Especially Tuesday is the concluding day since in the Roman rite the Lenten period begins with Ash Wednesday.
According to the most popular interpretation, the word "carnival" comes from the Latin expression "carnem levare," meaning to eliminate meat, since it represented the final banquet of Mardi Gras, just before the beginning of the fasting and abstinence period of the Lent. So, in these days of revelry and revelry we indulged in drinking and eating in excess as an indulgence, producing large quantities of sweets, cakes and doughnuts.
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But as they say -- at carnival, every trick counts! In fact, at this time of year there is a custom of making jokes on the street, which are not always pleasant. For example, in Naples and province passersby happen to be targeted by rotten eggs, white foam or flour thrown by toddlers in the mood for play.
Thus, in Italy, carnival is still a cherished holiday, and over the centuries it has given rise to so many regional masks, born mainly from archaic customs, puppet theater and Commedia dell'Arte. Those best known and loved from north to south are Harlequin, Columbine, Balanzone, Brighella, Gianduia, Farinella and Pantalone. In Campania the best known masks are Pulcinella, Tartaglia, Scaramuccia and Coviello.
In the so-called "fat week," there can then be no shortage of desserts on the table that make these days even more special. In Naples and Campania to triumph are especially the fried preparations. How can we not mention the chatter (fried or baked), thin and fragrant pastry treats covered with lots of powdered sugar.
Neapolitan kitchens cannot miss then the legendary black pudding, a mouth-watering cream made from dark chocolate and cinnamon that is eaten with chiacchiere. It is widespread throughout central and southern Italy and its name comes from the fact that it was originally prepared with pig's blood.
Another carnival dessert par excellence in Naples is the migliaccio, a soft and fragrant semolina cake typical of peasant cuisine since the Middle Ages. Its name comes from the original recipe that included not semolina but millet, and it is still one of the carnival delicacies.
If you wish to immerse yourself in this dark and mysterious festival, don't miss the new experience of the Carnival Horror Tour that will take you on a fantastic itinerary through the heart of the historic center of Naples. An expert guide will reveal the most occult stories about the carnival, and at the conclusion of the tour there will also be a toast at a local venue. The appointment is for Sunday, Feb. 11, and Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. Come along and celebrate with us!
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