I Survived A 10-Hour, 40-Course Italian Feast. Twice.

Since 2011, the proprietors of the rustic Italian restaurant Le Virtu in Philadelphia have hosted an extravagant day-long feast called La Panarda. We’re talking over 40 different courses, from salumi and cheeses to meatballs and pastas to offal and grilled meats, plus desserts. The whole thing lasts about 8 to 10 hours. Two years ago, I attended the feast for the first time and it nearly killed me. This year, I went back for seconds (times 40 or so). This time around, there’s a new chef at the helm and a whole bunch of new dishes. Take a look:

We’re underway in Philly… salumi and formaggi and so much more to come

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Meatless meatballs #panarda

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On to the crudi! #panarda

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Bay scallop – Callabrese Chile and mustard oil #panarda

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Tuna – porcini powder, celery root, pomegranate #panarda

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Peppercorn crusted venison carpaccio – arugula, grana, lemon #panarda

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Charred wagyu- sunchoke, black garlic, caper #panarda

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And now for a musical interlude…. #Panarda

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Antipasto time! Duck liver mousse, amarena cherry, fennel purée #panarda

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Grilled baby octopus- Umbrian chickpeas, chickory #panarda

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These dudes came prepared #tracksuits #panarda

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Crispelle – sheep milk ricotta, artichoke ragu #Panarda

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More pasta! Lamb ragu, pecorino #panarda

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Even MORE pasta! Hand-pulled noodles called mugnaia #panarda

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A look at things to come #panarda

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We’ve reached the offal stage – honeycomb tripe, polenta, parmigiana #panarda

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Fermented baby eels, bitches

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“This is the final hurtle”

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50-day dry-aged aaargh #panarda

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