Where did Carnevale start & sweet treats....

On my short trip to Venice,besides being overcome by all the beauty..I could not help but wonder what came first Halloween, Mardi Gras, or Carnevale.
Whatever came first..the most important thing-besides the beauty and colors of Carnevale is the food. I have been posting recipes and sightseeing tips and here are more..http://marialiberati.com/blog2/?p=486
Also check out this post at http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2
If you can't visit Venice bring Venice to your kitchen table..

For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Tastes of Venice & Carnevale

A short trip to Venezia (Venice, Italy) and one can't help but look in amazement at the beauty that surrounds...and then there is Carnevale.
Carnevale is the Venetian version of Mardi Gras. But what is so memorable about Carnevale are the masks and the costumes- so colorful and beautiful..the traditon of wearing the masks and costumes came from the idea that no on knew your true identity when you wore a mask and costume in the sense that everyone was treated equally because no on understood if you were rich or poor from nobility or not
The signs of Carnevale are everywhere this time of the year although most things like masks and costumes can be found any time of the year..it is the most popular festivals of venice and if you can't be there this time of the year, you can at least take a souvenir of it anytime of the year.
After a trip there I am always inspired by some of the tradtional tastes I found, and needless to say this week's cooking in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Kitchen here in Italy will be all about the traditional dishes of Venice.
From Baicoli to Rise e Bisi to Ciccheti
Bring a taste of Venice to your home kitchen without having to go there and cook along with us at http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2 for all the recipe and sightseeing tips.
For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com
Mangia Bene Vivi Bene
Maria

Carnevale.... Approaching

Here in Italy we have finished with many Holidays and getting reaady for another round that will begin in February with Carnevale. Here are some special treats we have been working on at The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Kitchen in Italy:
http://www.marialberati.com/blog2

http://www.notecook.com/Desserts/Ultra-Delicious-Treats-of-Venice-for-Carnevale.280755
For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene
Maria

Today's souvenir I am sendng to you,while here in Italy, is not a recipe but is a town-Sora.

It is one of my favorite towns to take an aftenroon 'passegiata'. It happens to be the birthplace of a talent synonymous with Italian cinema-when it was the real Italian cinema-Vittorio De Sica and also made famous by an award winning film with Sophia Loren- known in Italian as La Ciociaria- which in dialect means the women of Sora. (By the way when you are there you will notice how many coffee bars and establishments are called "La Ciociara"). I still love to just walk up and down the streets and enjoy the scenery where some of the film was made. At that time Sora was just mainly fields and not much around.

But today we enjoyed a stroll incenter of town and in the piazza where the children were throwing colorful paper confetti in their costume for Carnevale. A quick stop at the only coffee bar open in town for a shot of espresso to go with freshly made 'bugie' ( a fried pastry traditional for Carnevale).

Enjoy..

Ciao for now..

Maria

http://www.marialiberati.com