Traditions Traditions and cookies and cookies

for St. Martin dayfor St. Martin day

St. Martin in Venice St. Martin in Venice (North Italy)(North Italy)

Venetian children Venetian children run through the run through the city, banging pots city, banging pots and pans with and pans with wooden spoons. It wooden spoons. It is traditional to is traditional to reward the children reward the children by giving them a by giving them a few coins.few coins.

These are some of the verses These are some of the verses sung by children on St Martin’s sung by children on St Martin’s day in Venice ( they are day in Venice ( they are in the in the local dialect (Venetian).local dialect (Venetian).

Questa xe la sera bela,Questa xe la sera bela,Che se sta in canton del Che se sta in canton del fogo,fogo,Coi maroni atorno, atorno,Coi maroni atorno, atorno,E con un bon bozzon de vin,E con un bon bozzon de vin,Farghe viva a San Martin.Farghe viva a San Martin.

This is the lovely night,This is the lovely night,When we sit beside the When we sit beside the fire,fire,With the chestnuts all With the chestnuts all around,around,And a good bottle of And a good bottle of wine,wine,To celebrate St MartinTo celebrate St Martin

Children used to go around shops Children used to go around shops asking for treats, singing the asking for treats, singing the following:following:

Oh che odori de pignata!Oh che odori de pignata!Se magnè bon pro ve fazza,Se magnè bon pro ve fazza,Se ne de del bon vinSe ne de del bon vincantaremo San Martincantaremo San MartinS.Martin n'à manda quaS.Martin n'à manda quaPerché ne fe la caritàPerché ne fe la caritàAnca lu, co'l ghe n'avevaAnca lu, co'l ghe n'avevaCarità ghe ne faceva.Carità ghe ne faceva.Fe atenzzion che semo tantiFe atenzzion che semo tantiE fame gavemo tuti quantiE fame gavemo tuti quantiStè atenti a no darne pocoStè atenti a no darne pocoPerché se no stemo qua un Perché se no stemo qua un toco! toco!

Oh what smell from the pots!Oh what smell from the pots!If you eat, good health to you,If you eat, good health to you,If you give us some good If you give us some good winewineWe will sing St Martin.We will sing St Martin.St Martin sent us hereSt Martin sent us hereFor you to be charitableFor you to be charitableHe too, when he hadHe too, when he hadHe was charitable.He was charitable.Beware, ’cause there are Beware, ’cause there are many of usmany of usAnd we’re all hungryAnd we’re all hungryBeware of not giving us too Beware of not giving us too little,little,Otherwise we’ll be here for a Otherwise we’ll be here for a long while!long while!

There were two endings to this There were two endings to this song. If they received what they song. If they received what they thought was sufficient, they would thought was sufficient, they would end up singing:end up singing:

E con questo la E con questo la ringraziemoringraziemoDel bon animo e del bon Del bon animo e del bon cuorcuorUn altro ano ritornaremoUn altro ano ritornaremoSe ghe piase al bon Se ghe piase al bon SignorSignorE col nostro sachetinE col nostro sachetinViva, viva S. Martin. Viva, viva S. Martin.

With this we thank youWith this we thank youFor your generosity and For your generosity and good heartgood heartWe’ll come back another We’ll come back another yearyearThe good Lord’s willingThe good Lord’s willingAnd now with our little And now with our little bagbagLong live St Martin.Long live St Martin.

If they didn’t get what they hoped If they didn’t get what they hoped for, they would conclude the song for, they would conclude the song this way:this way:

Tanti ciodi gh'è in sta Tanti ciodi gh'è in sta portaportaTanti diavoli che ve Tanti diavoli che ve portaportaTanti ciodi gh'è in sto Tanti ciodi gh'è in sto muromuroTanti bruschi ve Tanti bruschi ve vegna sul culo. vegna sul culo.

As many nails are in As many nails are in your dooryour doorSo many devils may So many devils may take youtake youAs many nails there As many nails there are in this wallare in this wallMay you get boils on May you get boils on your ass.your ass.

Unfortunately, such custom has Unfortunately, such custom has nearly disappeared.nearly disappeared.

Remains the Remains the tradition on the day tradition on the day to have pastries in to have pastries in the shape of St the shape of St Martin on his horse Martin on his horse either made of either made of shortcrust pastry shortcrust pastry covered with covered with chocolate.chocolate.

Others special cakes depicting St Martin Others special cakes depicting St Martin are baked in celebration are baked in celebration (Venice)(Venice)

St.Martin in Sicily St.Martin in Sicily (South Italy)(South Italy)

In the area around Palermo, Sicily, the In the area around Palermo, Sicily, the phrase phrase "Pan' e vino, San "Pan' e vino, San Martino"Martino"—"Bread and wine, St. Martin"——"Bread and wine, St. Martin"—is often heard at this time, in reference to is often heard at this time, in reference to biscotti di San Martino, hard, anise-seed biscotti di San Martino, hard, anise-seed flavored biscuits made in the saint's flavored biscuits made in the saint's honor, which are customarily eaten by honor, which are customarily eaten by dipping them into sweet wine. dipping them into sweet wine.

In Sicily there were two In Sicily there were two celebrationscelebrations

Rich people celebrated Rich people celebrated St. Martin on the 11 th of St. Martin on the 11 th of november.november.

Poor people have to wait Poor people have to wait for the first Sunday after for the first Sunday after the feast; many years the feast; many years ago weekly wage was on ago weekly wage was on saturdaysaturday

Poor people celebrated Poor people celebrated St. Martin with a St. Martin with a particular use.particular use. the St. Martin biscuit the St. Martin biscuit

““abbagnatu nn'u abbagnatu nn'u muscatumuscatu”. A typical ”. A typical biscuit called biscuit called sammartinello sammartinello was was drenched in a sweet drenched in a sweet wine. The poor wine. The poor biscuit was called biscuit was called also also tricotto, tricotto, the rich the rich one one rasco.rasco.

The The sammartinelli of rich people sammartinelli of rich people were very different: cream, ricotta, were very different: cream, ricotta, icing sugar and a chocolate on the icing sugar and a chocolate on the top.top.

Tricotto Rasco

Traditions Traditions and cookies and cookies

for St. Martin dayfor St. Martin day

St. Martin in Venice St. Martin in Venice (North Italy)(North Italy)

Venetian children Venetian children run through the run through the city, banging pots city, banging pots and pans with and pans with wooden spoons. It wooden spoons. It is traditional to is traditional to reward the children reward the children by giving them a by giving them a few coins.few coins.

These are some of the verses These are some of the verses sung by children on St Martin’s sung by children on St Martin’s day in Venice ( they are day in Venice ( they are in the in the local dialect (Venetian).local dialect (Venetian).

Questa xe la sera bela,Questa xe la sera bela,Che se sta in canton del Che se sta in canton del fogo,fogo,Coi maroni atorno, atorno,Coi maroni atorno, atorno,E con un bon bozzon de vin,E con un bon bozzon de vin,Farghe viva a San Martin.Farghe viva a San Martin.

This is the lovely night,This is the lovely night,When we sit beside the When we sit beside the fire,fire,With the chestnuts all With the chestnuts all around,around,And a good bottle of And a good bottle of wine,wine,To celebrate St MartinTo celebrate St Martin

Children used to go around shops Children used to go around shops asking for treats, singing the asking for treats, singing the following:following:

Oh che odori de pignata!Oh che odori de pignata!Se magnè bon pro ve fazza,Se magnè bon pro ve fazza,Se ne de del bon vinSe ne de del bon vincantaremo San Martincantaremo San MartinS.Martin n'à manda quaS.Martin n'à manda quaPerché ne fe la caritàPerché ne fe la caritàAnca lu, co'l ghe n'avevaAnca lu, co'l ghe n'avevaCarità ghe ne faceva.Carità ghe ne faceva.Fe atenzzion che semo tantiFe atenzzion che semo tantiE fame gavemo tuti quantiE fame gavemo tuti quantiStè atenti a no darne pocoStè atenti a no darne pocoPerché se no stemo qua un Perché se no stemo qua un toco! toco!

Oh what smell from the pots!Oh what smell from the pots!If you eat, good health to If you eat, good health to you,you,If you give us some good If you give us some good winewineWe will sing St Martin.We will sing St Martin.St Martin sent us hereSt Martin sent us hereFor you to be charitableFor you to be charitableHe too, when he hadHe too, when he hadHe was charitable.He was charitable.Beware, ’cause there are Beware, ’cause there are many of usmany of usAnd we’re all hungryAnd we’re all hungryBeware of not giving us too Beware of not giving us too little,little,Otherwise we’ll be here for a Otherwise we’ll be here for a long while!long while!

There were two endings to this There were two endings to this song. If they received what they song. If they received what they thought was sufficient, they would thought was sufficient, they would end up singing:end up singing: E con questo la E con questo la

ringraziemoringraziemoDel bon animo e del Del bon animo e del bon cuorbon cuorUn altro ano Un altro ano ritornaremoritornaremoSe ghe piase al bon Se ghe piase al bon SignorSignorE col nostro sachetinE col nostro sachetinViva, viva S. Martin. Viva, viva S. Martin.

With this we thank youWith this we thank youFor your generosity and For your generosity and good heartgood heartWe’ll come back We’ll come back another yearanother yearThe good Lord’s willingThe good Lord’s willingAnd now with our little And now with our little bagbagLong live St Martin.Long live St Martin.

If they didn’t get what they hoped If they didn’t get what they hoped for, they would conclude the song for, they would conclude the song this way:this way: Tanti ciodi gh'è in Tanti ciodi gh'è in

sta portasta portaTanti diavoli che ve Tanti diavoli che ve portaportaTanti ciodi gh'è in Tanti ciodi gh'è in sto murosto muroTanti bruschi ve Tanti bruschi ve vegna sul culo. vegna sul culo.

As many nails are in As many nails are in your dooryour doorSo many devils may So many devils may take youtake youAs many nails there As many nails there are in this wallare in this wallMay you get boils on May you get boils on your ass.your ass.

Unfortunately, such custom has Unfortunately, such custom has nearly disappeared.nearly disappeared.

Remains the Remains the tradition on the tradition on the day to have day to have pastries in the pastries in the shape of St Martin shape of St Martin on his horse either on his horse either made of shortcrust made of shortcrust pastry covered pastry covered with chocolate.with chocolate.

Others special cakes depicting St Others special cakes depicting St Martin are baked in celebration Martin are baked in celebration (Venice)(Venice)

St.Martin in Sicily St.Martin in Sicily (South Italy)(South Italy)

In the area around Palermo, Sicily, the In the area around Palermo, Sicily, the phrase phrase "Pan' e vino, San "Pan' e vino, San Martino"Martino"—"Bread and wine, St. Martin"——"Bread and wine, St. Martin"—is often heard at this time, in reference to is often heard at this time, in reference to biscotti di San Martino, hard, anise-seed biscotti di San Martino, hard, anise-seed flavored biscuits made in the saint's flavored biscuits made in the saint's honor, which are customarily eaten by honor, which are customarily eaten by dipping them into sweet wine. dipping them into sweet wine.

In Sicily there were two In Sicily there were two celebrationscelebrations

Rich people celebrated Rich people celebrated St. Martin on the 11 th St. Martin on the 11 th of november.of november.

Poor people have to Poor people have to wait for the first Sunday wait for the first Sunday after the feast; many after the feast; many years ago weekly wage years ago weekly wage was on saturdaywas on saturday

Poor people celebrated Poor people celebrated St. Martin with a St. Martin with a particular use.particular use. the St. Martin biscuit the St. Martin biscuit

““abbagnatu nn'u abbagnatu nn'u muscatumuscatu”. A typical ”. A typical biscuit called biscuit called sammartinello sammartinello was was drenched in a sweet drenched in a sweet wine. The poor biscuit wine. The poor biscuit was called also was called also tricotto, tricotto, the rich one the rich one rasco.rasco.

The The sammartinelli of rich people sammartinelli of rich people were very different: cream, ricotta, were very different: cream, ricotta, icing sugar and a chocolate on the icing sugar and a chocolate on the top.top.

Tricotto Rasco