Sagra della castagna

Food

16 October 2019

Food

Sagra della castagna

Now going on its 3rd of 4 weekends, the 39th edition of the Sagra della Castagna, held near the city of Polcenigo (PN), in the town of Mezzomonte, a small, quaint, quite but unique and charming village that takes great pride in this annual event. I knew I had to attend when I got word this festival was all about this Italian fall staple food.
I first tried them in November 2007 during my 2-week trip in Sicily where street vendors would be roasting them every day from morning to night. You could smell them before you saw them and their smell is unmistakable! Smokey, woody, nutty, just wonderful! In USA we call these chestnuts, and many have no idea what they really look like, where they come from, what they taste like or how to eat them. I felt it was my duty to attend this event to help share the facts with all my fellow American friends here in Italy to learn more about these delicious seasonal morsels you simply must go try!

This event is going on every weekend in October on Saturday evenings starting at 18.00 and all day Sundays starting at 10.00. It began 5 October and will continue each weekend until 27 October. So there is still plenty of time to go and check things out! Hot roasted castagna (‘caldarroste’) are available all day long for 3 euro a small (300g bag) or 5 euro for a large (500g bag). On Sundays an open market is also available to anyone who attends. And do not forget that during the day up till sundown, you always have spectacular panoramic views of the city below and beyond!

I loved being able to see the traditional act of chestnuts being roasted over a fire of oak out back behind the tent area where people were sitting, eating, drinking and having a good time before the live music of the evening began. The night I went, Saturday 12 October, was busy. All tables full with families and people of all ages ready to enjoy in the festivities and eat some deliciously roasted castagna! John-Carlo and Andrea were the two ‘roast-masters’ who let me get the close-up pictures of the magic happening. They sure love what they do!

In the images shown, make note that you first must peel the outer shell off which is pretty easy after they are roasted as they crack and split open making it easy to just get to the fleshy pit of the castagna. They may look burnt at first but then you can see in my other photo, the inside is perfectly roasted, warm and delicious as you pop every bite size piece in your mouth.

I was attending this alone so I got lucky to find a table corner open up and then mingle with some fellow Italians also enjoying their food and drinks. Other menu items were also available for purchase by cash at the stand outside. Items like porchetta, prosciutto, speck, polenta, beans with mushrooms, and castagna gnocchi were available. Other drinks like wine, hot mulled wine, prosecco and even a seasonal castagna beer!

I am not a big fan of beer at all but tried it anyway to see if I would like it. Can’t say I enjoyed it much but hey, as long as some red wine is available, I’m always happy! I was only here for the castagna so that’s what I got along with my beer and wine. Savoring my food and the vibes of this longstanding local Sagra was enjoyable and fun. I love how communities of people come together in shared pride of these kinds of events with their own unique theme and origin.

This is a very family friendly event that everyone can enjoy. If you like good local affordable food, beer, wine and wish to try for the first time or the 100th time, a perfectly roasted batch of castagna’s, this is the event to attend!

I also want to make an important note for all to know.
The castagna (chestnut) when roasted and shelled, is a very nutritious food item. According to the USDA, a 100g serving has a few key vitamins and minerals in them as well as having a good source of complex carbohydrates. About 53 grams per serving. They are soft, chewy and slightly nutty in flavor with an almost dry potato like texture to them. A truly unique food item in their own right which can only be experienced by tasting them yourself. Buon Appetito amici miei!

24% of European crop production of the castagna (castanea sativa) ranks Italy as the #2 producer in Europe behind only Turkey.

Castagna have been cultivated for about 3000 years in the Mediterranean region largely of early Italian lands.

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Joshua Hockett

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Ciao, I am an American living in Aviano, PN. I have been here 9 months and will stay here for 3 years. During that time, I want to explore all the amazing and unique food and wine of the region. The many traditional, local foods and wines here are amazing in history, flavor and production methods. I wish to find them, try them, learn about them and share them all with other Americans living or travelling in this great region. You can follow me on my blog AvianoFoodie.com