L’ANTICO CENONE DI SAN SILVESTRO
Nelle famiglie si preparava il cenone prevalentemente con carne di “porcu” perché, come si credeva da vivo , spingendo in avanti la terra che muove, porta fortuna al contrario del pollo che ruspando manda indietro ciò che “sgarruzza .Sovente le scarse disponibilità economiche non permettevano l’acquisto di carne pregiata sicchè si ripiegava su quella di coniglio , di agnello o di pecora considerate di scarso pregio. Sotto la “ ronza” del camino e nei forni si cuocevano le “rape rosce”. Si consumavano le ultime “appese di strutto” per preparare” ji fritteji” ripieni di fichi secchi, cotognata , marmellata. I fritti venivano apparecchiati nelle zuppiere di coccio , ma prima erano stesi nei “capisteri” per dolcificarli col miele e spolverati con lo zucchero. Contorno prelibato erano “i cavoli strascinati” ripassati con l’uvetta secca passita . La frutta era costituita da spicchi di mela seccati al sole chiamati “spaccarelle di sorbe” , spicchi di mela seccati al sole e qualche “portugallo” . Un’altra portata era “la cicerchia” ma su tutte le mense non mancavano mai “le lenticchie colla salsiccia o ju zamponu” poiché si diceva “ Se te magni le lenticchie a Capodannu, conti ji sordi tuttu jannu” . I fagioli “la carne dei poveri “ , cucinati in bianco e insieme ai ceci venivano serviti con il baccalà in umido o fritto.

 

 

LE ANTICHE USANZE E CREDENZE POPOLARI

Dopo il cenone si usciva fuori al fresco a fumare il sigaro toscano o la sigaretta fatta con il trinciato”forte” che ammazzava sette spiriti e si usava orinare sull’anno vecchio , non si spazzava la casa sino al 2 gennaio per non scacciare le anime benedette tornate in spirito a festeggiare, ma soprattutto per non scacciare “sgarrire” la fortuna. In cucina intanto si riattizzava il fuoco con la legna stagionata di acero dal cui scintillio si traevano auspici : se salivano dritte nel camino era “bona ventura” , se scoppiettavano verso l’interno “difficoltà” se il legno “soffiava” erano le malelingue che bruciavano. Alla mezzanotte le vecchiette rigiravano il fuoco negli “scallini” per dire che avevano ancora calore e tutti brindavano con bicchieri colmi di vino e rosicchiavano ceci “abbruscati” e fichi secchi. Poi prima di coricarsi si spazzava dalla neve la soglia dell’uscio perché il nuovo anno entrasse benvenuto in casa. Gli auguri di Capodanno erano dati da frotte di ragazzi vispi e saltellanti che la mattina del primo dell’anno bussavano rumorosamente più volte agitando i battenti dei portoni, chiedendo un omaggio di leccornie : la cosiddetta “ sandalivecchia”: un miscuglio fatto con grasso di ventresca , lenticchie simboleggianti la prosperità, i ceci la laboriosità e le castagne l’abbondanza. I ragazzi in cantilena così cantavano:

“Se me dà la la Sandalivecchia

Ddio te remerita e sé fa festa
Ma se nò la vvu ddà
Que te se pozza fracidà”

 

Il pomeriggio del giorno di Capodanno si organizzavano “ricreazioni” nelle stallette dove si offriva una pizza nella cui pasta era stata introdotta una monetina che avrebbe portato fortuna a chi l’avrebbe trovata. Le ragazze su di un vassoio distribuivano insieme a pezzi di torrone, ferratelle e amaretti consumati insieme al vinello.

Poi la coppia più anziana apriva il ballo e volteggiava nel cerchio dei presenti, nessuno , se richiesto , poteva negare un giro di danza agli intervenuti. Tutti saltellavano al suono della fisarmonica accompagnata dal tamburello.

 

Le ragazze danzavano nelle lunghe gonne danzavano dritte come fusi con i corpetti di raso tenuti rigidi dalle stecche d’osso di balena. I visi erano chiusi nei fazzoletti ricamati a fiorellini gialli e rossi che si annodavano dietro la nuca da cui uscivano i “tuppi” dei capelli fermati con le forcine e i pettinini luccicanti di brillantini di vetro colorato . Ballavano a turno anche i ragazzi in pantaloncini corti e scarponcini lucidati con lo strutto. Per accomiatarsi dal vecchio anno, che se ne andava al di là dei monti ,si festeggiava con rumorosità e tutti salutavano col bicchiere di vino in mano il neonato nuovo anno che, emanando i primi vagiti , suscitava anche apprensione per il futuro.

 

 

Ricostruzione storiografica di Elisabetta Mancinelli email : mancinellielisabetta@gmail.com

 

 

 The new year of the past in Abruzzo.

In the Abruzzo Country,  until a few decades ago a mixture of Christian and pagan traditions: pastoral, bagpipes, bagpipes, various cakes and dishes, were the frame that gave suggestion and mystery to the period between Christmas and New Year.
In these magical days breathed air of celebration in the villages placed on the summits of the mountains and quiet that guarded customs and beliefs that are unfortunately largely disappeared. Once in the L’Aquila country to go out the day the animals traveling along the placid snowy roads. while for the pigs began ruthless extermination.They were the last moments of the year who died: the New Year's Eve in the parish church by the congregations, come up the singing of the "Te Deum".  In the families was preparing the dinner with meat pig because, as it was believed to be alive, pushing forward the earth that moves, good luck, unlike the chicken that scraping  sends back what carries. A little 'everywhere in the region but especially in the L’Aquila country, the evening of the last day of the year festive brigades guys were going to sing greetings under the houses in return for gifts, and if they were rejected, greetings turned into jokey curses. In Pescocostanzo, the morning of the first day of friends risers went to wake the lazy asking them a tip: existed the belief that 'what if it's a New Year if it all the year to put it in the dialect of L’ Aquila; so on that day had to avoid what is evil: cry, quarrel, angry and do as many things as possible. Always on the occasion of New Year's daughters married and far returned to his mother's home because "at New Year every daughter returns to Mom." The girls came down with the basin to draw water drinking fountains, accepted a little 'picky gifts of defaulters, rings, nougat, returning with scarves handmade” Canestrelle”of bitter, to say that love is "fizzy", sweet but also bitter.

 

THE OLD NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER

In families was preparing the dinner mainly with meat pig because, as it was believed to be alive, pushing forward the earth that moves, good luck as opposed to chicken that scraping sends back what carries. Often, scarce financial resources not allowed the purchase of quality meat so that folded in on the rabbit, lamb or sheep considered of little value. Under the "buzz" of the fireplace and were baked in the ovens of the "Turnips Rosce". Wore out the latest "hanging lard" to prepare pancakes stuffed with dried figs, quince jelly, jam. The fried were lay in earthenware bowls, but before they were laid out in the "capisteri" for to sweeten with honey and dusted with sugar. Contour were delicious "cabbage strascinati" retouched with raisins dried.The fruit consisted of apple slices dried in the sun called "slices of sorbe", apple slices dried in the sun and some "Portugal orange". Another course was "cicerchia" but on all the tables were always "lentils glue sausage or the trotter because it was said "If you eat the lentils in new year, accounts the money all the year".  Beans, "the meat of the poor", cooked and white along with chickpeas were served with the cod stewed or fried.

THE ANCIENT CUSTOMS AND POPULAR BELIEFS

After dinner we went out to cool to smoke the Tuscan cigar or cigarette made with shredded "strong" that killed seven spirits, and they used to pissing on the year old, not swept the house until 2 January for not chase away the souls blessed back in spirit to celebrate, but especially not to drive out the luck: :in the kitchen, meanwhile to rekindle fire with seasoned wood maple from which you drew auspices twinkle if climbed straight into the chimney was "good luck," if crackled inward, "difficulty", if the wood "blew" were the gossips that burned. At midnight the old ladies turned about the fire in to say that they still had heat and all toasting with glasses full of wine and nibbled chickpeas burned and figs. Then before bed is swept by the snow because the threshold input welcome the new year came in the house. The New Year wishes were given to groups of boys lively and leaping on the morning of New Year knocked loudly several times by shaking the doors of the gates, demanding a tribute of treats: the so-called "sandalivecchia": a mixture made with fat belly , lentils symbolize prosperity, chickpeas industriousness and chestnuts abundance. The boys in singsong so sang:

"Se me dà la Sandalivecchia

Dio Te Remerita e se fa festa

Ma se nò la vvu ddà

Che Te Se Pozza fracidà”

 
On the afternoon of New Year's Day were organized "recreations" in the stables where he offered a pizza dough which had been introduced in a coin that would bring luck to those who would find her. The girls on a tray along with handing out pieces of nougat, “ferratelle” and bitters consumed along with light wine.
Then the older couple opened the dance and hovered in the circle of those present, nobody, if required, could deny a lap dance to the participants. All hopped to the sound of the accordion accompanied by tambourine. The girls danced in long skirts danced straight as fused with satin bodices kept rigid splints from whalebone. The faces were closed in handkerchiefs embroidered yellow flowers and red knotted behind his head out of which came the braids hair stopped with hairpins and combs shimmering glitter of colored glass.They danced in turn even the guys in shorts and boots polished with lard. To bid farewell to the old year, which would go beyond the mountains, was celebrated with noise and all greeted with a glass of wine in hand the baby new year, issuing the first stirrings, also aroused apprehension for the future.

Giancarlo Amitrano