Special Events: Ferragosto Lunch

Ferragosto is an annual holiday in Italy that centres around religion, summer vacation and food. Originating from Emperor Augustus who declared a period of much needed rest after weeks of hard work in agriculture. The Catholic Church moved the holiday to August 15, linking it to the Assumption of Mary. Mussolini introduced "holiday trains" which gave workers low cost tickets to travel to the seaside and major Italian cities. Food was not included, leading to the load of foods being taken with families for this vacation which could last three days. Most Italians, despite where they find themselves during the month of August, will celebrate Ferragosto in some way. At Fifth Ave Katoomba Retreat, our special event lunch was our way of bringing some of our customs to the Blue Mountains. We hosted two lucky groups of guests to home cooked meals, based on typical foods of this ancient festival. This includes fresh summer fruits, slow cooked chicken and a caponata to share. Of course, good wine and sparkly mineral waters are included, as is a refreshing dessert and the obligatory espresso coffee to finish off the day.