Today is the last day of Carnival (Carnevale =can be translated as “meat go away”) and tomorrow in the small town of Gradoli on Lake Bolsena the traditional Pranzo del Purgatorio will be held, as it has been, with the same menu for about 700 years. Here is a snippet of a piece I wrote for the New York Times several years ago. Also some photos of the local Carnival parade shenanigans here in Vetralla, 68 km north of Rome.
Dessert for lunch today, the ricotta filling is flavored with pink alkermes liquor
On Ash Wednesday in the tiny town of Gradoli on the Lake of Bolsena in Northern Lazio, members of the fraternity “del Purgatorio” serve a seated luncheon for more than 2000 people, as they have been doing for the past 700 years.
Bundled up against the cold, diners find their numbered places at the long trestle tables that stretch the length of the unheated wine warehouse. Crockery, glass, fork and knife are carried from home as are the many bottles of wine that are shared with others at the table…homey hospitality is one of the main ingredients of the festa.
Old and young members of the confraternity (70 strong) become cooks and waiters for the day preparing the Pranzo del Purgatorio for no women are allowed in the camp kitchens.
The young waiters zip among the tables carrying huge platters emblazoned with the confraternity’s coat-of-arms while older members toil over gigantic copper cauldrons bubbling over open fires. It is their task to make sure the closely guarded recipes are prepared according to tradition.
The menu, of strict Lenten fasting, has remained unchanged through the centuries and includes beans, fish broth with rice, fried whiting, pike and baccalà and for desert- an apple.
the noise level rises as the wine bottles are shared
Archaic music, stornelli and serenades break out as the ruddy-faced guests finish the last courses and the empty bottles multiply. The noise level rises to a pitch as the confraternity’s drummer and standard bearer march around the hall soliciting cheers and offerings that will be used for local charities throughout the next year
Carnevale means anything goes… “ogni scherzo vale”
a crowd of merrymakers dance down in the street near the City Hall
Beautiful article. Loved the descriptions and pictures. One year I will be there in person.