Happy New Year! (Buon Anno!)
If you’re thinking that John and Joe must have lost their minds – or, at the very least, their calendars, you might be right. Yes, the calendar tells us that this is Labor Day weekend and that New Years’ Day is several months away. The Roman feast of Janus, the god of doorways and beginnings, occurred shortly after the winter solstice. The increasing amount of sunlight and the earth’s proximity to the sun at that time of the year caused the agricultural societies of Europe to continue that tradition. Psychologically, however, many of us associate the end of summer and the return to “normal” routines as the start of a new (school) year. Remember those clean, blank notebooks, newly sharpened pencils, and the vows to work hard, avoid procrastination, and go to bed earlier so as to be able to get up earlier? For those of you who still associate September with new beginnings, we here at Toscano’s are ready to help you celebrate.
Pork, a New Years’ tradition in many countries, will also be featured on our menu this weekend. Coming from well-nourished pigs, pork symbolizes wealth and prosperity. In Italy, cotechino con lenticchie (sausage with lentils) is a traditional dish that is served shortly after midnight. We are not going to stay open quite that late, but Toscano’s will be serving Italian sausage and lentil soup as another way of celebrating the (psychological) New Year. The seed like appearance of legumes, including lentils, is said to resemble coins and is thus also symbolic of wealth.
Figs are in! Toscano’s will be serving one of its most popular appetizers this weekend – grilled prosciutto-wrapped figs with Gorgonzola cheese. This is always a very popular item in September, so we invite you to come in and savor this combination of sweet and salty flavors.
Today, September 4, will also feature Lansdale’s monthly First Friday festivities. As many of you know, that means that Gary Carpenter and Tom Linker will be at Toscano’s to provide live celebratory and/or soothing background music for your enjoyment.