For Defending the Gate 2026, the theme of the event was all things mercenary. With that in mind, the feast was centered around the battle of Marignano, in which the French, with the help of German landsknecht and Italian condottierri defeated the Swiss Confederacy, ending their invasion into northern Italy. In researching the history of Ticino, the canton conquered by the Swiss before this battle, Helena was excited to discover that none other than the famous Maestro Martino hailed from there! Thus was the genesis of this feast, with a variety of alpine Swiss and northern Italian delights, and a strong influence from Martino’s Libro de Arte Coquinaria.