Roast Chestnuts at Aristo's

This weekend was held the first roast chestnut event of the season outside Aristo’s bar in Piazza Salvo Salvi – once again, a perfect example of the community in action, and another example of just why we are so lucky to be able to live here.

Seemingly out of nowhere, without a huge amount of  organisation, wood for the fire was brought into the piazza. The heavy metal tray in which the fire was built was transported in by some of the Comune workers.

A sack containing 25 kg of the finest local chestnuts, was opened up and people of all ages sitting outside the bar started to prepare the chestnuts ready for roasting. Three long handled chestnut roasting pans were brought in by various people, the fire was lit and roasting started in earnest.

[View with PicLens]

Musicians arrived, instruments were brought into the piazza, flasks of red wine were handed round, and the festa was off and running.

Incredible how these things happen, as there is no publicity, no posters informing people as to time and date, nobody really is in charge of organising, but somehow, almost organically, these festas take off.

As darkness descended on the piazza, the chestnuts were replaced by a grill and the smell of fragrant sausages gently cooking filled the piazza.

Somebody appeared with a large plate of castagnaccio, a local sweet delicacy made from chestnut flour (a recipe for castagnaccio can be found in forum) , somebody else arrived with a freshly baked cake and of course the musicians played on (and they kept on playing … a six and a half hour musical marathon, in fact)

Only at 11 o’clock in the evening after the piazza was swept clean, the tables rearranged and the glasses taken inside did the participants of today’s social event reluctantly, very reluctantly finally relinquish the piazza.

mErE497huoY

• 2nd annual castagnaccio contest
• Campaigning for chestnuts
• Mondine, music, sausages and Christmas decorations?
• San Frediano a Sommocolonia
• Tutti a Lupinaia per la Festa della Castagna