April 1st, 2021 is a day full of meanings.
In other times, it would be only the April Fool’s Day, perfect time to joke.
The tradition was born in France, after the reform of the Gregorian Calendar, that anticipated the beginning of New Year, till then fallen between March 25 and April 1. To remind in a joke way this old celebration day, it started the tradition to give empty gift boxes.
The origin of the April Fool’s Day could also remind the Myth of Proserpina, kidnapped by Pluto, as well as the ancient Roman celebration day dedicated to Venus, on April 1st: Veneralia.
This year, April 1st is more than this, is a very special day, the Holy Thursday.
It is the Thursday before Easter when the Mass is celebrated in Cena Domini, the beginning of the Easter Rituals.
After this celebration, it will be silence time, no bells will ring until Resurrection Sunday.
In some parts of Southern Italy, when there are no restrictions for the pandemic emergency like now, during the evening, people go around and visit seven or at least three Sepulchres in the Churches, decorated with pots of wheat, sown on the first Friday of Lent and left to germinate in the dark, so it takes on a whitish color.
However, each celebration is also characterized by traditional foods.
Easter time is a triumph of pizzas, with seasonal products of gardens and wild vegetables, as well as of breads stuffed in many ways.
Recipes handed down by generations help to express the value of family celebrations.
Among the traditional recipes from Naples, there is a recipe, typical of the Holy Thrusday.
We are talking about of the mussels soup, that dates back to the age of Ferdinand I of Bourbon.
The king liked to fish at Posillipo bay as well as good food, seafood and, especially, mussels. He had, however, promised to a Dominican monk to keep a frugal style, during Holy Week, but, at the same time, he didn’t want to give up his tasty mussels, so he ordered to cook them in a simple way, with tomato sauce and hot pepper.
The perfect pairing to the mussel soup is the Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco Doc wine. It is produced by Caprettone and other native vines, on the slopes of the Vesuvius, the famous volcano that characterizes the skyline of Naples city.
The elegant and intense aromas of ripe fruit, pineapple, white peach, broom on the nose, the balance and good structure on the palate matches well with this food tasty, even if cooked in a simple way.
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