Its the feast of San Gennaro, NYC
Incredibly beautiful and lively vibes hit me the moment I got there
The street was bustling with wandering New Yorkers, passionate vendors, and occasionally, a cart of onions going in and out the middle of the street.
The sound of music, conversations, and sizzling meat all mingled and spread out in the air. From cannoli to zeppole, you can get all the traditional sweets here.
Don’t forget about the nougat.
(of course also the fried Oreos)
Don’t get distracted by the Italian sausage that are lying on iron griddles. They are all coiled up as if they are sleeping, but more like slowly getting charred on the outside while the meat juice just oozing out.
A mixed aroma of meat and Italian spices in the air.
And mountains of shaved onions on the grill. It’s beautiful.
They got all kinds of delicious, savory, and piping hot food here. Including what appears to be fried chunks of bacon and two gigantic spinning wheels made out of turkey legs.
It’s not a friendly place for vegans with God knows how many tons of meat was consumed at the feast.
That said, to enjoy the feast of San Gennaro, it’s good to know some background.
The feast was to honor Saint Gennaro, Bishop of Benevento, Italy, of his martyrdom in 305 AD. The Neapolitans honored him as “the city’s principal patron” and prayed to him “for protection from fires, earthquakes, plagues, droughts, and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius”.
Thus when Italian immigrants settled on Manhattan lower east side, Neapolitans settled on Mulberry St. The Neapolitans decided to continue their tradition in 1926 and till this day.
I am grateful that we get a chance to celebrate this tradition with them. (Check out more at: https://sangennaronyc.org/history/)
The night was destined to wrap up in a good pasta dish.
Pappardella alla Casalinga at La Nonna
It’s my officially my new hidden gem ;)
The more you smell it the more addictive it becomes. It is a mix of porcini mushroom’s earthy, mascarpone cheese’ milky, and prosciutto’s savory scent. Every component blends well together and layers of flavors building on top of each other. What I love the most is how well the ribbon pasta captured the delicious sauce. It’s a winner!
Not gonna forget to drop a picture of Ferris wheel with the marching band’s music dissipates in the background
(You don’t see a ferries wheel on manhattan streets that often)
There’s so much to do, to see, to eat, and to appreciate at the Feast of San Gennaro. So go and enjoy your life!
Location: 134 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013
