A wonderful holiday in Piedmont
CIN: IT006048C2ZHUJ9J4I
From Casa Mumu · Piedmont · Italy
A village of barely a hundred residents, and still at least three festivals a year — today we joined the Pranzo della Polenta.
A tiny village with a big heart
Castelletto d'Erro has barely a hundred residents — and still the village organises at least three festivals every year. The two big ones, run by the local Pro Loco, are the Sagra delle Fragole (Strawberry Festival), at the end of May, usually the last Sunday of the month, with local produce, music and dishes built around strawberries. And the Festa Patronale di Sant'Anna, the village's patron saint festival, on the third Sunday of July, with an evening market, traditional Piedmontese dishes such as ravioli al plin, and live music.
On top of that, there's a smaller event in autumn — and that's the one we joined this year: the Pranzo della Polenta, the polenta festival.
A tradition from northern Italy
Polenta is truly a product of northern Italy. It used to be daily fare for farming families in these hills; now it's more of a specialty that an entire village turns into a celebration. At the Polenta Festival it's still made the traditional way: in a large copper kettle, over an open fire, stirred with long wooden paddles until it becomes a smooth, golden mass.
Twelve o'clock sharp
Lunch began at exactly 12.00, in a large village hall by the church. Three kinds of polenta were on the menu: fried polenta with wild boar and cabbage, creamy polenta with mushrooms, and polenta with gorgonzola. For dessert there was chocolate and a panna cotta with raspberry jam — and bread, wine and coffee were, of course, included.
By and for the village
Nothing about this festival is outsourced. Local people cook the polenta, cut and plate the portions, carry the dishes to the long tables, and make sure everyone has wine, bread and coffee. Pure volunteer work, just to celebrate together — and you can see how many hands roll up their sleeves for it.
At the table with the whole village
People come from the whole surrounding area to eat together. You're given a fixed spot at one of the long tables, which means you naturally get talking to your neighbours — about the weather, the harvest, the latest village news. That's exactly what makes a festival like this special: a moment to strengthen the sense of togetherness, to connect, and to thoroughly enjoy good food together.
So close, so genuine
Festivals like this happen just around the corner from Casa Mumu — not a tourist attraction, but the everyday life of Castelletto d'Erro. Exactly the kind of moment we live here for, and one we love pointing guests to when they ask what there is to experience nearby.
Feel free to ask about local festivals during your stay — who knows, you might soon be sitting at a long table in Castelletto d'Erro yourself.
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