Carnival, period of masks and fried sweets

Carnival is one of those celebrations that brings everyone together: color, music, fried sweets and a pinch of madness. It is the time when, by tradition, rules are overturned: people wear masks and joke around. During Carnival, even adults play and have fun.

The mask

The mask is the perfect symbol of Carnival: it hides identity, erases social differences and allows people to say and do what they normally would not. In Venice, for example, the mask was a tool of true social freedom, not just a festive accessory, and this tradition still survives today, although mostly in a playful and costume-related form.

Each country experiences Carnival in its own way: in Rio de Janeiro, Carnival means samba, moving bodies and pure spectacle; in Ivrea, the famous Battle of the Oranges is a historical and highly physical reenactment; in many Italian cities, such as Viareggio, Cento and Acireale, Carnival is a riot of allegorical floats and confetti everywhere.

Where it comes from

Carnival has very ancient roots in the Roman festivals of the Saturnalia, although today it is linked to the Christian calendar and precedes Lent, a period of fasting and penance. Not by chance, the name is often traced back to “carnem levare”, meaning “to remove meat”. With the advent of Christianity, the Saturnalian festivities did not disappear but were simply shifted in the calendar, becoming Carnival before Lent.

What, then, were these Saturnalia? They were celebrations dedicated to Saturn, god of agriculture and of the Golden Age. They took place in December, starting on December 17th, and over time came to last up to a week.

The Saturnalia were celebrated mainly in Rome, but throughout the Roman world, because according to myth, under Saturn humanity had lived in a perfect age: no slavery, no hierarchy, abundance of food and minimal labor.

The Saturnalia served to symbolically recreate that Golden Age, even if only for a few days. During the Saturnalia, the unthinkable happened: slaves ate together with their masters, and sometimes masters served slaves at the table; it was allowed to joke, mock authority and speak freely; informal clothing or masks were worn.

This “controlled chaos” was not seen as dangerous, but as necessary: a social safety valve. Food played a central role, with large communal banquets, abundant wine, simple sweets made from flour, honey and fats, often fried, and shared food without labels or rigid rules.

Eating a lot and eating well was a symbolic act: celebrating life and abundance before the harshest part of winter.

Food

When talking about Carnival and food, what immediately comes to mind are sweet fried treats: symbols of celebration, sharing and that slightly transgressive pleasure enjoyed before the beginning of Lent.

The tradition of frying is no coincidence: in ancient times, sweets made with flour and honey were fried to celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of spring. From the Middle Ages onward, Carnival became the time when rich ingredients such as eggs, butter, milk and sugar were “used up”, ingredients that would soon be avoided during Lent.

Moreover, frying made it possible to use excess fats and lard from winter slaughtering before they spoiled.

The result? Crispy, golden sweets coated in sugar, perfect for the festive atmosphere of Carnival.

Classic Carnival fried sweets in Italy

Across the different Italian regions, the variety of fried Carnival sweets is extraordinarily rich, and all of them are true indulgences. Here we present the most widespread ones:

Chiacchiere / Frappe / Bugie / Cenci / Galani: thin strips of sweet dough, fried until crispy and dusted with powdered or granulated sugar. They are perhaps the most widespread Carnival sweet in Italy and change name from region to region, while remaining essentially the same crunchy pleasure.

Frittelle: soft dough balls prepared with a generous amount of eggs, lightly sweet, often hollow inside and then filled with custard, zabaglione or chocolate. The dough may also be enriched with raisins, pine nuts and citrus zest, or mixed with cooked rice (rice fritters).

Zeppole: a dough similar to fritters but shaped like ridged rings, usually filled on the outside with pastry cream.

Castagnole / Tortelli Milanesi / Favette di Carnevale: small golden spheres, sweet and crumbly, which easily break apart between the teeth. In some versions, they can be flavored with liqueur and lemon zest.

Our proposals

We could not miss the opportunity to offer our own excellent solutions for preparing these delicious fried Carnival treats. Here is an overview:

FRITTELLO, a balanced base mix for making fritters and zeppole. CLICK HERE

CHIACCHIERONE, a new balanced base mix for making “thin, crispy strips of sweet dough”, which many of us call chiacchiere, but they are known across Italy by many other names (cenci, bugie, frappe, galani, etc.). CLICK HERE

TORTELLO, a balanced base mix for making castagnole (also known as Milanese tortelli / favette). CLICK HERE