Among the various celebrations that take place throughout Carnival, we would like to recommend the traditional “Festa della Renga” (The herring fete), which will take place in Parona di Valpolicella on Wednesday, March 5, starting from 2.30 p.m.
This fete is devoted to one of the most typical dishes of our region, namely polenta with herring, which is traditionally eaten to mark the end of Carnival and the beginning of Lent. Since the early Seventies, this fete has always been held on Ash Wednesday. And one of the protagonists of the day will be Turri’s extra virgin olive oil, a key ingredient of this dish.
But what are its origins? In ancient times, the bargemen navigating from Trentino down the river Adige would often decide to stop over in Parona, thanks to its favourable geographic position, and would eat and sleep there in exchange for crates of herrings.
The innkeepers thus started to serve these tasty herrings with grilled polenta, to the delight of all the locals.
If you want to try your hand at this mouth-watering dish, check out the “Recipes” section of our website!
