L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 9 CHIARA ASSI When December rolls around a n d w e s t a r t t o t h i n k a b o u t Christmas the first things and places that come to mind are Nordic traditions, white capped mountains and quaint chalets in the Alps. Yet, there is a special place that, every year, turns into an incredible winter wonderland and its location might surprise many: the beautiful region of M o n t e f e l t r o , o n t h e b o r d e r between Emilia Romagna and t h e M a r c h e , h a s a n a m a z i n g Christmas atmosphere and is not yet as popular and crowded a s o t h e r E u r o p e a n t o w n s famous for their holiday mar- kets. I n t h e v e r y h e a r t o f t h i s region sits the quaint village of Sant'Agata Feltria, a small town t h a t e v e r y y e a r t u r n s i n t o a "Paese del Natale" (Christmas village) offering visitors the ideal atmosphere to shop for handmade presents, enjoy the culinary specialties of the area and rediscover the magic of this holiday. T h e v i l l a g e , w i t h i t s medieval buildings and narrow alleys, oozes charm and, in the past few years, has given its more Nordic counterparts a run for their money: less crowded and with milder temperatures, it i s t h e i d e a l s p o t t o s p e n d a December weekend. The real shining stars of the Sant'Agata Feltria Christmas market are local manufactures a n d a r t i s a n s w h o s e l l t h e i r amazing creations at the various stands that dot the historical town center: there visitors can discover the finest handcrafted t r e e a n d h o u s e o r n a m e n t s , nativity statues and homemade m a r m a l a d e s , j a m s a n d o t h e r local favorites. But there will be other pro- tagonists: kids and adults alike will be amazed at the sight of sculptors using chocolate to cre- ate their masterpieces, while the music of the zampogne fills the air. Santa Clause's reindeers will participate to the festivities and will surely be a hit with lit- tle ones, while the presepe, the traditional nativity scene, is fea- tured in an incredible exhibition showcasing the 70 best ones from all around the world. What makes this exhibit even more unique is its location: it is host- ed inside the imposing Rocca Fregoso, once the town fortress and today a museum, perched o n t h e s t e e p s i d e o f M o n t e E r c o l e a n d o v e r l o o k i n g t h e whole town. The region is also famous for its mouthwatering culinary spe- cialties and especially this time of the year, it offers unforget- table dishes, the "piatti del- l ' a v v e n t o " ( A d v e n t m e a l s ) : r e c i p e s b a s e d o n t h e a r e a ' s ancient traditions that show it is possible to prepare a feast start- ing from very humble yet gen- uine ingredients. Chestnuts are roasted on the open fire, then peeled, and mixed with beans cooked in a special terracotta pot; stockfish is prepared with r a i s i n s a n d o n i o n s , w h i l e spaghetti are seasoned with a very peculiar mix of sugar and walnuts. Everything is accom- panied by a special variety of b r e a d , p r e p a r e d f o l l o w i n g a recipe that has almost been for- gotten that uses corn meal, flour and boiled potatoes. Dessert, too, is made using chestnuts: the castagnaccio is prepared in most Italian regions, and here, t o o , i s o f f e r e d i n a s p e c i a l regional variation. Of course many of these holiday special- ties can be savored at the food stalls around town, but for those who want to enjoy a meal sitting at a restaurant, Ristorante Il Palazzo (http://www.ristoran- teilpalazzo.com/) offers a spe- cial Christmas time menu offer- ing local favorites including black truffle ravioli and juicy v e a l s h a n k i n a s i m p l e b u t friendly setting. As the village of Sant'Agata i s r a t h e r s m a l l , t h e r e a r e n ' t many options as far as accom- modation: luckily the surround- ing area offers plenty of beauti- ful and historical agriturismi, ancient farm houses now turned into luxury rural hotels. Check out the Residenza d'Epoca San G i r o l a m o i n F r o n t i n o /http://www.sangirolamo.com/e ng/index.html) a beautifully ren- ovated property featuring also a culinary school and a renowned Hostaria. T h e e a s i e s t w a y t o r e a c h Sant'Agata Feltria is by car, tak- i n g t h e A 1 4 h i g h w a y e x i t Cesena Nord and then following the E45 road to Sarsina Nord. T h e c l o s e s t a i r p o r t s a r e A e r e o p o r t o I n t e r n a z i o n a l e F e d e r i c o F e l l i n i i n R i m i n i ( a b o u t 3 0 m i l e s ) a n d t h e A e r o p o r t o I n t e r n a z i o n a l e Guglielmo Marconi in Bologna (about 80 miles), while the clos- est railway stations are Rimini and Cesena (both about 30 miles away). The quaint village of Sant'Agata Feltria turns into a "Paese del Natale" ( Christmas village) every year Pure Christmas cheer in Sant'Agata Feltria The music of the zampogne fills the air The real shining stars of the Sant'Agata Christmas market are local manufacturers and artisans

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