Easy to entice Pino to the Balanzano (near Perugia) sagra: snails were the headliner second course dish at this Sagra dell’Ortolano (“Food festival of the vegetable gardener”).
Pino relished those snails (bruschetta miste, first, though!) while I enjoyed the vegetable-theme dishes – grilled vegetables and baked vegetables au gratin – and grilled lamb chops, too. Families and friends united at long plank tables in the huge white tent and smiling children in their Sagra dell’Ortolano T-shirts, carried trays – smaller ones paired up to carry the big trays – loaded with Umbrian goodness. And as at most sagras, elderly volunteers handle the clean-up.
Grilled lamb
Families and friends unite over Umbrian goodness in the food tent
Table service is up to the younger set at most sagras
Sometimes, two children join on carrying one tray to a table
Ballroom dancing after dining is always an integral part of any sagra – ten-day village food festivals taking place all over Umbrian from April to November – and each sagra features special highlights. At this one, children could practice climbing after dinner – right near the gelato stand where a group of young people shared the goodness – and good times.
Young ones learn to climb at this sagra
Gelatos tempt!
Che buono!
As we left, I heard rousing Gospel music and stopped in at the tent near the exit: young and old were enjoying the appassioned Gospel singing of a local group.
Gospel singing..with a perugino accent
We’ve been to many a sagra over the years – but this is the first one serving up not just Umbrian culinary goodness but Gospel (with a Perugino accent!)
Read about another sagra near Perugia
Read about a late-April sagra near Perugia
Click here to read about a fall sagra near Assisi
Read about another festival where la porchetta is a headliner
Click here to read about a January legume festival
Read about an April wild asparagus sagra
Read about a festival where wines star
Click here to read about a June cheeses festival
Click here to read about a pici pasta sagra
Read about an August chili peppers festival
Click here to read about an a local bean sagra in October
Click here for news on an October mushroom sagra
Click here for news on a November hazelnuts sagra
Click here for news on a November honey festival
Click here for news on an October saffron festival
Click here for news on a November chestnuts sagra
Click here for news on a November white truffles festival
Click here for news on a November chestnuts black truffles festival
Click here for the menu
Read about another winner of a sagra near Perugia
Click here to read about another June sagra – but near Assisi
Read about a favorite place to eat snails near Bevagna
Read about a sagra near Perugia starring peperoncino
My family came from Sicily. My Nana made “babaluci” which was snails in a red sugo with potatoes. It was delicious.