It will kick off Tuesday September 13 Grand Gala of Bacalà, exclusive dinner by reservation, the Feast of Bacalà alla Vicentina which in the last two weeks of September will enliven the streets of Sandrigo which will dress up in the colors of the Norwegian flag for the occasion. The Festival, now in its 35th edition, pays homage to the community of Røst, a small island in the Norwegian archipelago of Lofoten where the cod used to prepare the dish is caught and dried. Over the years this festival has become a point of reference for the gastronomic tradition of Vicenza and has contributed to making known and appreciated the dish that now represents this area all over the world. For this the Pro Sandhurst made an agreement with the Torrfisk Fra Lofoten, an association of 23 producers who share a passion for the pursuit of quality: the stockfish used to prepare the dishes from this year will be only the PGI of the Consortium, which will also be a partner of the Festival.
Bacalà alla Vicentina festival 2022: the program
Also this year it announces itself with a rich programme: Tuesday 13 September the Grand Gala of Bacalà, the stands will then be active from 15 to 18 and from 22 to 26 September in the squares of the town where, in addition to the traditional dish, you can taste many other traditional and innovative recipes based on cod: bigoli, gnocchi, spaghettoni di durum wheat, pasticcio, gourmet pizza, tempura cod, risotto, sushi with cod and many other proposals. Paired with local wines from the Cantina Beato Bartolomeo da Breganze and IoMazzucato. Sunday 18 Bacco&Bacalà returns to Villa Mascotto: the tasting counter of Italian and foreign wines that can be paired with Bacalà. There will also be traditional accompaniments linked to the territory with vespaiolo and durello, which have always gone well with the typical Vicenza dish, but daring combinations will also be presented with a renowned selection of macerated wines (orange wine) and PIWI from resistant varieties. Among the producers present are the historic partners of Feast of the codfish, ioMazzucato and Cantina Beato Bartolomeo from Breganze, as well as companies from the various suitable areas of Veneto: Natalina Grandi and Fongaro from Lessini Durello, Fattori, Virgili and Begali Lorenzo from Valpolicella, Tenuta Amadio and Mionetto from Treviso. Alongside these, other great names in national winemaking such as Donnafugata, Ferrari, Hofstätter, Allegrini, Fornaser, Endrizzi, Cesarini Sforza, Borgo Savaian and Orsogna.
Sunday 25 at 10 instead the Brotherhood of the Bacalà will celebrate the investiture of the new Brothers in Piazza Garibaldi which will be anticipated by the Procession of the Doge with flag-wavers and extras. In the same square at 19.30 pm an abstract of the opera Querini will be staged by a Norwegian company, the most grandiose opera dedicated to the story of Pietro Querini and to the discovery of stockfish.
During the event, solidarity markets, flavors and traditions, workshops, exhibitions and concerts will complete the offer for the public.
A fish from pristine waters produced today with the same ancient methods
Since the time of the Vikings, the Norwegians have dried fish outdoors, thanks to the fresh wind from the sea, to obtain stockfish. It is a delicacy produced almost exclusively in northern Norway: in fact, for a quality stockfish, the best raw material is needed. Stockfish is mainly made from skrei, the best seasonal Arctic cod, or Arctic cod, caught above the Arctic Circle, where conditions are ideal for drying the fish.
Today, stockfish in Norway is produced using the same methods and the same secret ingredient as then: nature. From February to May, the fish hang along the coast, close to the sea, exposed to the elements of northern Norway. Temperatures around 0°C and the right balance of wind, sun and rain make this area perfect for drying. In this way, it is nature itself that transforms this incredible fish into a precious, special and delicious stockfish.
The drying method dates back thousands of years, and preserves the fish perfectly. Precisely for this reason stockfish was in great demand to feed sailors on ships, which made it known and appreciated all over the world.
A load of nature rich in protein, iron and vitamins D and B12.
The concentrated nutritional content of Norwegian stockfish makes it one of the highest protein foods on the market: it is in fact composed of 78,5% protein and is also rich in iron and vitamins D and B12. We can safely say that Norwegian stockfish is one of the most pristine and healthiest fish there is.
And it doesn't stop there: for food lovers discovering traditional ingredients in a modern light, stockfish is simply perfect. The characteristic taste and compact texture make it a unique product that deserves its place on the modern gastronomic scene.
Eleven thousand years ago, the first settlers landed on the Norwegian coast in search of a place to fish and here they found just what they were looking for: a sea teeming with life. Of the various species, however, cod was the most abundant and since then this fish has established itself as the most important resource for Norwegian fishermen.
In fact, the largest cod stock in the world lives in the waters of Norway, which for thousands of years has guaranteed the survival of the inhabitants of the coast, not only as a source of food, but also as a tradable good.
In 2022 the Festa del Bacalà was nominated for the prestigious international award FOOD TRAVEL AWARD 2022.
