Bugnara: Abruzzo Madonna Celebration

Like nearly every Italian religious holiday, la festa della Madonna (August 15th, the Assumption) brings Italian families together to feast over a pranzo – always far more than a “lunch” – that goes on for hours. Years ago when Italy struggled as an impoverished rural economy, a saint’s feast day was the opportunity to rest from farm fatigues – and to eat well (and more), all together. This year, no family lunch for us: Pino had to head to Bugnara (three-hours from Assisi), tiny Abruzzo hill town not far from Sulmona. to verify measurements on a 16th-century palazzo (his company is bidding to restore it).

16th-century Palazzo Alessi: restoration needed

Steep backstreets of tiny Bugnara

Pino took his measurements on Palazzo Alessi and surroundings, striding out along the building, counting paces silently to himself – and I followed taking photos for him.

Pino on the job, taking measurements at Palazzo Alessi

Task completed, we headed just below the town to a modern hotel – often site of weddngs, meetings – for a festa lunch. Countless locales all over Italy offer a fixed price for a multi-course banquet per “l’Assunta” (“the Madonna Assumed”): here at Ristorante Tre Archi, 30 Euro included multiple antipasto (could have been the entire lunch!), two pasta dishes, grilled lamb chops rosemary-sprinkled roasted potatoes, salad, a heaping plate of fresh fruit (we had hoped that THAT was dessert!), followed by cake, coffee – and spumante. (A “festa prezzo fisso” lunch always presents a dilemma: too much food).

An abundant antipasto: could have been the lunch!

Two pasta dishes were next:

Pino takes on the homemade pappardelle con zucchine e pancetta

After the pastas, grilled lamb and roasted potatoes

The dining room overflowed with large groups of jovial, loud families but we found a table for two – and right next to the only other table with just two. We soon made friends with abruzzesi Angelina and Bruno from a nearby town (all of their three children living in other areas of Italy). We all talked together about Abruzzo, their ties to life on the land as we nibbled slowly at the endless courses.