October: Black Celery Festival
October 2005


A stalk of celery, a carrot, an onion, a handful of parsley are called odori (best to translate as "the flavorers"), those essential ingredients which season many an Umbrian recipe (see end of this article). Throughout Italy, odori are added to shopping bags ladened with fruits and vegetables if purchased from greengrocers or the outdoor markets. We just have to ask.

In the days we farmed here in Umbria, we planted the odori as our neighbours taught us: in a corner, generally near each other - so as to be nabbed quickly when needed. Near the end of September our farm neighbours - Peppe, Quinto, Checco, Pica - generally bound the celery bunches with brown paper (which they'd salvage from market goods) to lighten up the stalks, making them more tender for eating.

The celery-growers near Trevi do the same.

Because Trevi's celery is not just any celery, this tiny Umbrian hilltown dedicates its most important annual festival to the apium graveoleus, a dark celery variety cultivated in Italy only in the outskirts of Trevi. Cultivated here for centuries (and nowadays by fewer and fewer farmers), the so-called "black celery" has recently been designated one of 15 IGP products of Umbria (the black truffle of Norcia, the Cannara onions, the saffron of Cascia are among others). IGP - "Indicazione Geografica Protetta" - is a term which indicates that the product may be grown ONLY in a specifically restricted area. So limited is the black celery production that virtually all of the annual cultivation is sold in Trevi during the "Sagra del Sedano Nero" (see SAGRA ), the "celery festival". As very late autumn is traditionally the period of the pig slaughtering here in Umbria, this sagra is celebrated along with the "Sagra della Salsiccia" (or sausage festival).

A friend and I joined "the locals" last Sunday in the main square of charming Trevi for grilled sausage sandwiches, local vino rosso and tastes of all sorts of Umbrian delicacies, from varieties of pecorino (sheep's milk cheese) to wild boar salami to celery paté to sweets made with freshly-pressed grape juice. And of course we bought our traditional 3 bunches of celery (that number "3"!... so sacred in so many cultures and as I write, myriads of associations in Italian folklore and cultural traditions come to mind). We had hoped to eat in one of the medieval taverne (best translated "inn") but all 3 (one for each terziere or section of the town) were overflowing with jubilant groups of friends, dining on varieties of celery dishes and other autumn specialties in the stone-vaulted medieval cellars.

One night last week, my husband Pino and I were more successful: we had dinner in the taverna (vaulted ceilings, old brick floor and once an olive mill) of il Terziere Matigge and enjoyed the company as much as the food! Rina, the cook, shared her recipe of celery bruschetta, Sara who served us (like all, she is a volunteer and had worked all day in a local factory) made sure we had generous portions of the celery Parmesan (though by the time THAT arrived we were more than satiated - and more followed!) and another server, Simone, talked enthusiastically about his exhausting race in the Palio dei Terzieri (see below) which traditionally launches Trevi's annual October festivities early in the month.

Enthused with our "taverna" experience, I returned yet another evening with a group of 10 Americans, most of whom had toured with me here in Assisi. The torches here and there illuminated the narrow backstreets and pointed-arched Gothic doorways along our walk to the taverna. Jovial groups in the taverna were enjoying the feast as well as each other - as did we. Dr. Michelle Toohey (Pittsburgh, Pa) who joined in, put it aptly: "Only the Italians can make celery a such an incredible celebration of both taste and friendship. How very special to share this experience!"

Rob and Janina Cushman who have had a villa here in Umbria (near Todi) for many years write: "Anne often offers tours to our villa rental clients - as well as us! - opening our eyes to some of the hidden treasures of this wonderful area. When she calls or contacts us - we listen! Last week she suggested we join her group at the Black Celery festival in Trevi. The dinner was certainly unique: sitting at long tables in a vaulted room, with nothing but locals and being served the meal by shop owners and farmers (all volunteers for this festival)... a memorable experience." Rob and Janina Cushman (www.lemandorelle.com)

Next year:
*a new FESTAtour Oct 1, 2006 centered around Trevi's Palio dei Terzieri.
*a new IN-COMPAGNIA tour in mid-October 2006 will take in the Sagra del Sedano Nero.
(Do feel free to get in touch for details.)


A RECIPE WITH CELERY:

Umbrian Lentil Soup

Ingredients (for about 6 persons):
1 lb lentils
1 carrot, finely-chopped
1 medium-sized stalk of celery, finely-chopped
1 small white or yellow onion, finely-chopped
1 handful parsley, finely-chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil - to taste, as needed
Salt
Optional additions: hot red pepper, sprig of fresh rosemary

Soak the lentils overnight in cold water. (Try to buy small, tender lentils which do not require hours to cook. Here in Umbria, the lentils of Castelluccio are the best - cook very quickly and superb flavor. Sought after all over Italy. If you ever come to Umbria, be sure to pick some up!)

Rural version: my farm neighbors would start with a soffrito (or "gentle fry"), that is, by putting in saucepan olive oil, enough to cover the bottom. Procedure: heat olive oil but do not burn and put all vegetables in oil, stirring with wooden spoon (only! never use stainless steel with legumes, I am told... though not sure why!). Stir til vegetables are golden - add lentils and about 1 qt water. Simmer til lentils tender. Drizzle with olive oil when serving, if desired.

Anne's version: to avoid any sort of frying (even if minimal) of olive oil, I put all ingredients in pot together (except olive oil) and simmer. Simmer til lentils tender and drizzle olive oil on the soup before serving. (My version is probably better for the health - but the rural version is best for the palate!).

For both of above versions, small hot red pepper may be added during cooking - but watch out!. A sprig of fresh rosemary adds wonderful flavor to the soup.

Miscellaneous lore:
*The above soup is delicious if poured over hot bruschetta (bread toasted and rubbed with a garlic clove, then drizzled with olive oil).
*Here in Umbria, lentils are eaten New Year's Eve (along with many other dishes) as the more lentils you eat on New Year's Eve the more coins (ie, greater wealth) you will have in the New Year! On New Year's, the lentil soup is cooked with zampone (pig's feet), though the farmers often used their homemade sausages if zampone not available.
*Olive oil must be extra virgin and ideal if also cold-pressed. The best olive oil in the world (if you believe Europe's top chef, Alain Ducasse) is that of the Spello area, here in Umbria! (...and happy to tell you how to get hold of it).

© Annesitaly - Anne Robichaud