A Forty Course meal. Food Orgy, I think not

For many of my foodie friends this is a dream come true.  Not because of the amount of food or the many courses in the meal, but because of the food and the meaning of the meal. One thing that I have learned from many of my friends who really get into sampling dishes that titillate the taste buds is, it is not about quantity but quality.  Yes that is a cliché but really it happens to be true.  And one other thing that happens to be true is that they love to share their enjoyment with others.

A foodie friend of mine recently spent some time in Provence. One of the items on her itinerary was to spend a day with a local chef preparing their lunch.  As she described the experience, I thought to myself this is what experiencing other cultures is all about.  Going to their local markets, picking out local ingredients and coming back to the kitchen not just to prepare the food but to savor the moments spent learning techniques and getting insight into what makes a chef special because what I have learned is that no matter how good the ingredients if the person shows no passion while preparing the dish it is just a plate of food not a dining experience.   Lucky for us she shared one of the dishes she had learned to prepare and it was wonderful.  Wonderful does not even describe it I loved it so much and it was clear she loved making and sharing it with us. 

Anyway I was reading the Washington Post Food section and there was an article that totally caught my eye.  I have included the link below so that you can read it as well. There is this feast known as Panarda that consists of forty courses and lasts for hours.  When I heard that the meal had lasted nine hours I said YES!  No one wants to race through an experience like this rather one needs to savor and digest all the foods and all their flavors.

The festival coincides with what I call the dark days of winter.  I don't know about you all but every year I dread January and February.  It is cold, dark and the weather, not so good.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are over and everyone just hibernates so the thought of getting together with a group of people at communal tables and sharing a meal is such a great idea.  

Just for some background information on how this feast came about, this is from the article:

“The first documented Panarda, in 1657, took place in the town of Villavallelonga. According to legend, a young mother of a clan called Serafini left her infant in its crib while she went to the well for water. When she returned, the baby was clamped in the jaws of a wolf. She prayed to Saint Antonio Abate, protector of those who raise animals, and the wolf released the baby unharmed. The young woman vowed to hold a yearly feast in Saint Antonio’s honor. Every year since then, the Serafini family has had a hand in hosting Villavallelonga’s Panarda, which is held Jan. 17 to coincide with the saint’s feast day. “

 

Even if you don’t have a forty course meal, there is nothing better than sharing good food and maybe some wine with good friends.  Enjoy the article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/la-panarda-philadelphia-restaurant-hosts-an-agel-old-feast-thats-a-marathon-not-a-race/2013/12/27/2664a19c-6bf5-11e3-a523-fe73f0ff6b8d_story.html?tid=hpModule_d39b60e8-8691-11e2-9d71-f0feafdd1394&hpid=z12