The First Week of Lent

Still revelling in the memory of the pastries there on offer during Martedi Grasso celebrations, I today went to my neighborhood pastry shop in pursuit of the usual morning cappuccino, wondering what the presumably more modest Lenten pastry selection would be.

Italy-wide, after the indulgent theme of Carnival pastries (zeppole, frappe, castagnole, frittelline, cenci, struffoli, pampuglie — we have counted at least 62 names and words), I expected more austere pastries. Dry, perhaps, smaller, possibly studded with pine nuts or a little candied fruit. Something a little ascetic.

We are now one week into Lent.

“Cosa mi offri ?”  I asked.  Elena pronged a 350 gram, cream-stuffed Bigne’ di San Giuseppe and handed it to me.  “Buon appetito” said she. All around me others were doing the same, tucking into equally voluptuous concoctions. No small pastries in sight. No raisin and nut-studded dry biscuits.

I wish that you had been with me.

Italy, Italy ! What a wonderful place.