Panevin and La Befana

Today, January 5, is Epiphany Eve. It's an important day for observing some old Italian traditions- Panevin also known as Pirola Parola, and La Befana.

Panevin is a  huge bonfire lit up on the night of January 5, in celebration of the winter solstice. On the top of the bonfire is a figure of an old woman, called Vecia or "old lady". She is supposedly guilty all the bad things that have happened during the past year, and because of that she is burned.

While the bonfire is burning, people near the fire read the smoke and sparks of flames as a prediction of the coming year's harvest. If the smoke and sparks are going to the south and west directions, this means a good harvest. Obviously, smoke going in the opposite directions, the north and east, bring a bad harvest.

Tonight, in areas around Venice, such as Jesolo and Malamocco on the Lido, the Panevin will take place.

(Photos courtesy VeneziaToday)

La Befana, derived from the word epifania, Italian for Epipany, is an Italian children's tradition based on an old legend.  There was an old widow, back in the time of the birth of Jesus, who is known for sweeping, cleaning and baking. One night she notices a bright light in the sky, and later, a group of wise men leading a caravan stop at her house. They invite her to join them on their journey to Bethlehem, but she declines their invitation. Later, she decides she should catch up with them, because she also wanted to visit the special child the wise men were headed to.  She places some baked goods in a bag as a gift for the child, grabbed her broom, and went off after the wise men.  Not long after, she got lost. Angels appearing from this bright light, the magic star, caused la Befana's broom to fly, sending her off into the night looking for Baby Jesus. La Befana still searches the night sky every January 5, dropping in at all the homes of children to see if they might be the child she is looking for, and leaves a gift for any good child.

All over Italy tonight, stockings will be hung for La Befana to fill with candies.  There is a traditional poem for La Befana children sing :

La Befana vien di notte

con le scarpe tutte rotte

col cappello alla romano

Viva, viva, la Befana!

Translation: 

The befana comes at night with her shoes all tattered and torn, she comes dressed in the Roman way, 

Long life to the Befana!

Tomorrow, here in Venice, La Befana is celebrated with a regatta down the Grand Canal, from Palazzo Bilbo  at San Toma to the Rialto Bridge. The race is sponsored by the Canotierri Bucintoro, one of the rowing clubs of Venice. Five of the club's male members over 55 yrs old dress up in La Befana costumes and row down the Grand Canal.  Hot chocolate and vin brule are served by the rowing club on the banks of Fondamenta del Vin. Tomorrow around 10:30 events will begin at Rialto, the race starting at 11. 

Per usual, I will be at my post near the traghetto stop at San Silvestro tomorrow morning, watching the Befana regatta. See you there!

More from today.... FRITELLE's

As I walked home from the Befana race, my route took me from the Rialto through San Polo. Because Venice was not particularly crowded today, I took a "main street", something I rarely do, but today, I was suitably rewarded... I spotted a sign on the window of Pasticceria Rizzardini announcing Fritelle Veneziana. Now, if you have ever been to Venice before and have found this heavenly spot, you know, as I do, that it is near impossible to resist going in here on a normal day. But today.... oh sweet Jesus, Fritelle have arrived! I was IN!!!


The topic of my blog today is Fritelle's, but I must give a shameless plug for Pasticceria Rizzardini. You can find them at Campiello dei Meloni, in San Polo. They've been there since 1742. Here's their front window today:


And this is their side window. See why I try to avoid walking by here most days???

But back to Fritelle's.....

Fritelle are, oh my, how do I begin to describe them?? Fluffy little pillows of the most wonderful taste you can imagine? They are sort of donut, sort of fry bread, very close to Zeppoli's. If you are an Italian kid who grew up in New Jersey, you know Zeppoli's. These little buggers are a few steps above Zeppoli's.

Sadly for me, Fritelle are a Venetian tradition that only make their appearance in the bakeries during Carnevale, or a little before it. And they disappear about a week after Carnevale is over. They are made plain, or stuffed with an assortment of fillings, along with raisins and pine nuts. In the photo above, from right to left, are Veneziana (no filling), Zabaigone, and Crema. My personal favorite, not available today, is Ricotta. What fillings are available depend upon which bakery you go to.

Here's a shot of the inside of my Zabagione filled one, just before being devoured. I have saved another for after dinner. Sweets are my weakness, always have been. I admit it. My friend Vicki has decided that what we really need is a dessert calendar, not a monthly calendar. Mine would be something like this ... Panettone (end of November to beginning of January), Fritelle (end of January to mid Feb), Columbina and Casata Siciliana (Easter season), and then gelato and scroppino from May to October.

Fritelle are out a little early this year, I wasn't expecting them until end of the month. Panettone are just about finished up for the season, in fact I was just lamenting that I probably had my last one this week. So....what a great surprise today!

Witches in Venice- photos from the race today

I'd been waiting all week for La Regatta delle Befane, and wouldn't you know it, I got up late today! I threw clothes on, and did a silent little prayer as I hobbled to P. Roma in the hopes of catching a vaporetto. My poor arthritic knees have been killing me for several days, there is no way I could have walked to the Rialto in time to catch anything of the race. On big race days, all boat traffic is stopped on the Grand Canal, but I figured this wouldn't be the case today. I figured right. I caught the #2 and got off at the Rialto stop, just across the canal from the "reviewing stand" for the race. Fortunately, I didn't miss it entirely, but I did miss the actual race in progress, I arrived just as it ended.




There was a small crowd gathered, and sure enough, there was a big stocking hung from the Rialto bridge, just as I had read about. I was sad there wasn't a huge crowd, but on the other hand, this is to be expected. Venice isn't only sinking, it's shrinking. With full time residents officially under 59,000 now, it's no wonder the attendance at many of these traditional events declines year by year. This is the 32nd annual Befana's regatta, and although it was small, it was exciting to me just the same.



This boat of lovely witches is carrying a cauldron of hot chocolate to the other side of the canal, and behind them, on the foot of the Rialto bridge, is a chorus singing traditional Venetian songs! I made my way up and over the bridge to find that hot chocolate!

When I got to the other side, I was close to the reviewing stand, and there were the Befana's! These two smiling gondoliers had just rowed the course, and were now getting ready to leave. I caught them and asked for "una fotografia, per favore". Cute, aren't they??




This boat is one used in the regatta, with the witches broom in the front. It's not a regular gondola. This boat is a sandola, with a more squared off front and back, however it is rowed in the traditional Venetian manner, standing up.




After the race, all of the Befana's took the stocking down from the Rialto bridge, and carried it back down the Fondamenta del Vin. This is great- one of the Befana's (see the guy on the right?) was taking a photo on his phone of the others!














They have the huge stocking loaded up onto a larger boat, and are preparing to take it back to storage, over to the Salt Warehouse on the Zattere.
















I love this one.... no more words needed.


Away they go, rowing down the Grand Canal. Ciao, Befana's... until next year!!!

La Regatta delle Befane, The Witches Race January 6, 2010

I got up this morning thinking this would be the perfect day to take down the Christmas decorations and get them all packed away. I still had my morning tea, and a few other miscellanous tasks to handle before I got started on that project though. And, wouldn't you know it, one of those little pesky tasks completely changed my thoughts about Christmas decorations. Here's how it all transpired....

In the back of my head I knew that the Befana regatta in Venice was supposed to be held on January 6 every year. I'd missed it somehow last year, but had no intention of missing it this year. With my morning tea in hand, I did a google search for La Befana.

La Befana is a witch. She has a long crooked nose, wears a tattered shawl with colorful patches on it, and rides a broomstick.

January 6, the 12th day of Christmas,is an important holiday in Italy. It's the day the wise men were supposed to have arrived at the manger bearing their gifts. This day, the Feast of the Epiphany, marks the end of the Christmas holiday season in Italy. There is a legend that says the Wise Men stopped at the home of an old woman to ask directions to the manger, they invited her along, but she declined. Later, she saw a great light in the sky and decided to go join the Wise Men. She got lost, and never arrived.

Children all over Italy hang their stockings and wait for La Befana on the 11th night, January 5th. She brings chocolates and little presents to all the children who have been good, and coal (carbone) to the bad ones. There is even a special song for the occassion-

La Befana Song

La Befana comes at night
with her shoes all tattered and torn
She comes dressed in the Roman way
Long live La Befana!

January 6th, Epiphany, also marks the end of the holiday season, meaning children go back to school and parents go back to work! Sales also start in all the stores.

In Venice, festivities on January 6 include a very special regatta, La Regatta delle Befane-- the Witches Race. This year is the 32nd annual regatta. Gondoliers dress up in costumes as La Befana and have a race on the Grand Canal. Large stockings are hung as decorations from the Rialto Bridge, and refreshments of chocolates, mulled wine, hot chocolate and tea are served to all before the race begins. At 9:30 am, the race crews will depart from the Salt Warehouse at the Bucintoro club on the Zattere for the Grand Canal. The race starts at 11 am at San Toma and finish at the Rialto bridge.

And how did this change my plans for taking down the Christmas decorations??? I discovered it's Italian tradition to leave Christmas trees up until after January 6. That works for me! I have plans to be at the Befana regatta on the 6th. My tree will just have to wait!







La Befana Song



La Befana comes at night

with her shoes all tattered and torn

She comes dressed in the Roman way

Long live the Befana!