February 2021 | gianna1.com

Venice at Carnivale

February Newsletter

February is a popular month for, what else? food.

Forty days before Easter, lent is being observed by Christians all over the world. In Italy it is called Carnivale. Carnivale is celebrated with food, music and partying.

When I was a young girl, my parents would take us to an Italian Carnivale called "Ta Ta". Lots of music, food and song.

Before lent, traditions call for eating certain foods like pork belly, lentils, sliced porketta, variations of pasta and lots of desserts.

Pork belly

Sauteed polenta

Here is my husband looking very debonair.

Here I am disguised as a silver bird...

No relation.....Venice residents take Carnivale seriously.

Ravioli

Pork belly and lentils....

Here's the menu....

Gluttany at it's best

The whole idea of Fat Tuesday and Carnivale is to eat till you can't eat anymore because once Lent comes around, you give up your favorite food. So.....eat up and fill your belly (no pun intended).

Opera singers were part of the festivities. Real live opera singers who walked through the aisles of tables, singing to you while you're enjoying the delicacies....and sometimes some of us would sing along...if you dare.

I am paying homage to Tommaso since he passed away this year. He has done such a great job in providing us with not only the food, but the great traditions of our heritage and religion.

The over-the-top Carnevale menu at Tommaso's is rooted in that tradition and includes many of the same specialties that his mother—a first-generation Neapolitan American—used to make during his childhood.

Here are the 2 opera singers doing a duet.

Comments

30.01.2021 22:27

idalia

Lovely

30.01.2021 23:28

Jan

Thank you 😌

Let's get baking!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1 whole thin skinned orange, remove the stem and cut in quarters. Keep the skin on the oranges.

In a clean large food processor, add the orange quarters, 1 1/4 cups of sugar, three large eggs, 1 tsp of vanilla, 1 tsp of orange extract, 1 tbsp of Triple Sec liqueur, optional, 2/3 cup vegetable oil.

Pulse all ingredients in the processor and then puree until mixture becomes a batter with specs of orange peel.

Add to the processor:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Process all dry ingredients until they are entirely incorporated into the batter.

Bake in a greased and floured spring pan, using a parchment paper circle on top of the greased bottom.*

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place in the center rack of the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven.

Remove from your oven and let it cool down completely. Dust with powdered sugar or make a drizzle of 1/4 cup powdered sugar and fresh squeezed orange until thick and smooth. Pour onto the cooled fresh orange cake.

Cooking with Love

with Gianna Conte (Jan)