Each year, CEA hosts a Renaissance Dinner (just in case the students aren’t sick of the Renaissance yet through Art History and Literature). Since this year celebrates the 150th year of Italy becoming united, CEA decided to make thing a tad more patriotic! Thus the Risorgimento Celebratory Dinner established. Here was our menu:
Risorgimento Celebratory Dinner
Wednesday 28 September
7:00 - 9:00 PM
CEA GlobalCampus
MENÙ:
Farfalle alla Anita Garibaldi – Farfalle, basil, chopped tomato, mozzarella, garlic, chilli peppers, oil.
Too few women gained notoriety in the Risorgimento, but among them was Anita Garibaldi, the wife of the great general who created the short-lived Rome Republic in 1849.
Penne alla Giuseppe Mazzini – Penne, pesto sauce, pacchino tomatoes, shredded pecorino cheese.
The father of the Italian nation, and of modern European nationalism, was Giuseppe Mazzini. He hailed from Liguria, the home of pesto sauce which is here used to celebrate his memory.
Arista alla Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour - Roast pork, arugula, and Vesuvius tomatoes.
Cavour was a major European statesman, and a native of Piedmont, the state which took leadership in the unification effort. It is also one of the capitals of Italian culinary excellence.
Caprese alla Carlo Pisacane – Tomatoes, mozzarella, basil.
Although the most famous figures of the Italian Risorgimento come from the north, Carlo Pisacane was one of the heroes from the south. He was a graduate of the famous Neapolitan military academy called the Nunziatella, from whose windows one can see the Island of Capri in the distance.
Dolci alla Contessa di Castiglione – mixed pastries.
The Countess of Castiglione played a pivotal role in forging an alliance between Piedmont and France, an alliance which allowed the Italians to oust Austria from northern Italy and thus begin the process of Italian Unification.
Wines
Tor Severa (white) – a wine from the geographical center of Italy (Umbria)
Lambrusco (red) - the Italian tricolor flag (green, white and red) was invented in Reggio Emilia,
the area where this wine is produced.
We got all gussied up (I even decided to brave the cobblestone in my high heels) and walked over to campus. The kids from New Haven were also there, making the tiny building nice and cozy. After waiting for some time outside in the cool(er) air, we were invited downstairs for the meal. Campus was adorably decorated with red, white, and green balloons and banners. The meal was delicious, and Andrea (housing director) and Mario (my language professor) kept the wine flowing and the desert coming. It was a blast!
Once our bellies were full, the party moved upstairs where a very talent soprano graced us with five songs. I was mildly impressed at first (I mean high notes are kind of cool- but I am a soprano) but it was the second to last song that did it for me. Holy cow could that woman sing runs! I was never very good at runs (Jumping around on lots of notes with one breath and vowel), and this lady KILLED IT! Between her third and fourth number, a pair of young ladies came and did an Italian folk dance. It was all pretty interesting. I wish the lights hadn’t been so harsh, I felt a little blinded, but all in all it was a splendid evening of good food and unique taste of Italian culture!
Once our bellies were full, the party moved upstairs where a very talent soprano graced us with five songs. I was mildly impressed at first (I mean high notes are kind of cool- but I am a soprano) but it was the second to last song that did it for me. Holy cow could that woman sing runs! I was never very good at runs (Jumping around on lots of notes with one breath and vowel), and this lady KILLED IT! Between her third and fourth number, a pair of young ladies came and did an Italian folk dance. It was all pretty interesting. I wish the lights hadn’t been so harsh, I felt a little blinded, but all in all it was a splendid evening of good food and unique taste of Italian culture!
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| The Labyrinth girls before dinner: Erin, Me, Ashley, Jesika, Missy, Michelle, and Kate |
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