The Gioeubia

Busto Arsizio is an Italian town in the province of Varese. More tenaciously than other localities in the area it maintains faith in an ancient tradition, that of the Gioeubia festival. In ancient times it was the women's festival, perhaps in memory of the matriarchal society typical of the Ligurian people from which the busts descend, it was a good omen for fertility both for women and the land in the coming spring, in fact it is celebrated on the last Thursday of January. The Gioeubia is nothing more than a puppet made with old clothes and filled with paper and straw, placed on a stage to which it is set on fire, it takes on the appearance of everything that the winter brought about as bad as dry soils and diseases, which are chased away to welcome spring. After the bonfire has finished burning, warm up with Risotto alla Luganega (sausage) or with Polenta and Bruscitt. The Bruscitt are small pieces of beef that are first fried with butter and then stewed and dried for two / three hours with fennel seeds and finally served with a side of Polenta.