Italian Carnevale is the period of revelry before the pre-Easter period of Lenten fasting. It is most famously celebrated in cities like Venice and Viareggio, but even small countryside towns will have their own little share of parades and floats, mostly as an excuse for the young children to dress up in costume and romp around, eating sweets and throwing fistfuls of confetti at the grownups and at each other. There are a number of seasonal desserts that pop up right around this time and that can usually be found not only at the various fair stands, but also in all the local bakeries. They come out with a clockwork precision that saves you the trouble of checking your calendar for the beginning date of this period of festivities, which is calculated based on what day Easter falls each year. In Tuscany, typical desserts include the delicious fritelle di riso and cenci, both not to be missed.
The thing about going to the Carnivale is that you will often find very little to eat for the gluten-free, and one can easily feel left out of the finger-licking deliciousness. It is, of course, always worth a visit just to gaze at the spectacular floats and colorful costumes and to take the opportunity to venture out on the first sunny days after winter. But as I was meandering through these sights at the local countryside Carnivale that is celebrating its fiftieth year in the nearby town of Dicomano (in the Florentine Mugello) this past Sunday – devoid of anything I could eat – I was reminded that it is always especially rewarding when there is something for the gluten-free palate to nibble on as well.
The good news is that the Italian Celiac Association (AIC) thinks so too, and so in various towns, you will often find volunteers selling homemade gluten-free versions of typical Carnivale food. The best is that the proceeds usually go to support the Association, so you can feel good about your indulging. For all you gluten-free travel bugs that find yourselves vacationing or studying abroad right now, here are some details on two of the major Carnivale spots where you will find AIC-sponsored gluten-free stands in Tuscany this year:
Feb 9th, 16th, 23rd, Mar 2nd: Porcari (Province of Lucca)
Feb 16th, 23rd, Mar 2nd, 4th, 9th: Viareggio (Province of Lucca)