Italy’s Festival of Forgotten Fruit
October 6, 2006 by Mary Jo Manzanares
Filed under European Travel, Events, Food & Beverage, Things to See & Do
As I wrote about last month, there’s some pretty great looking fall fruit out there right now.
I’ve been stopping by one of my local farmers markets and picking up pears, apples, peaches, nectarines, and a variety of berries. Mmmmmmmmm, lots of good eating.
That’s probably why a friend thought to send me information about The Festival of Forgotten Fruits, being held in Casola Valsenio, Italy (about 40 miles from Bologna), the weekend of October 14-15th. The festival was design to bring attention to local farmers, and the little-known varieties of fruit that grow locally.
Some of the fruits featured include: pomegranates (I LOVE pomegranates), vulpine pears, rose apples, jujubes (not candy, but a type of date), quince apples, sorb apples, cornelian cherries, some unusual type of berries, and medlars. Okay, quick test here ““ how many on that list did you recognize?
Local farmers also sell a variety of products made with the fruit (jams, syrups, liquors, etc.), and restaurants will showcase the fruit in featured menu items.
In addition to the forgotten fruit, Casola Valsenio also has a botanical garden with over 450 different types of herbs. You’ll see these herbs being used in a variety of other local products, as well as used in the restaurants.
Oh, to be in Italy this fall!
