August 23 is a big day in the Veneto, when many of the small towns celebrate the feast of San Bartolomeo, and even extend it to three days!
The weather was perfect this year, and we enjoyed watching performances on the outdoor stage and sampling many different kinds of street food: not just Italian, although there were several porchetta stalls, one called Mr. Pig! I was surprised to see a Brazilian food stall, as well as an Irish pub, Croatian food, Swiss cheeses, Argentinian, Polish, and Serbian hot dishes, all served on many tables which appeared from nowhere, filling the streets. There was a fun fair (oddly called a Luna Park in Italian) with traditional rides and shooting competitions, and fireworks reflected in the old canal at midnight.
It was fun wandering around inspecting other stalls of local crafts (made from leather, olive wood, pottery, and more) as well as local honeys and preserves, wines, cheeses, biscuits and sweets, with plenty of free samples to nibble on. A stall from Naples was doing a roaring trade in little round cakes which translated as “Nuns’ Breasts”. (See the poster.)
I have never seen my village so busy, but I still managed to bump into many people I know. This is Italy at its best. Great atmosphere, great food, friendly and traditional.
Dining and Cooking