Zafferiamo, Città della Pieve celebrates its most prized spice

The event has reached its 20th edition and offers pure saffron threads in all its facets.

October is the month in which the harvest of saffron flowers begins, an ancient and fascinating spice that has found its ideal habitat in Città della Pieve, which every autumn celebrates its flagship product with a dedicated event: Zafferiamo.

The event, promoted by the Consortium Il Croco di Pietro Perugino – Zafferano di Città della Pieve ”A.Viganò and the Municipal Administration, has reached its 20th edition this year and offers pure saffron threads from Città della Pieve in all its facets.
In the historic center of the city there will be tastings with saffron aromas at the Spazio Food in Piazza Matteotti organized by the Consorzio Produttori; the market exhibition of the local production excellence, where the producers of the Consortium will lead the discovery and rediscovery of this precious spice and all the declinations of the products made with it. There will also be the presence of local wines and extra virgin olive oil that can be tasted in the dedicated space.

During the weekend of 25-26-27 October in Città della Pieve there will be all this and much more: there will be demonstrations of weaving fabrics and yarns dyed with saffron, exhibition of lace and embroidery made with the particular Punto Perugino technique, intensive Punto Perugino embroidery workshops, creative and painting workshops using saffron.

Discovering Saffron

On Saturday and Sunday mornings, visitors will be accompanied on a journey to discover the medieval urban layout of the city up to the new urban saffron field, created by the Consortium in the ancient Seminary Garden, then experiencing the harvesting, brushing and drying of saffron with expert producers who will explain the characteristics and production techniques. New this year for trekking lovers: Exploring around Saffron. On Sunday 27 October, starting at 8:30 from the intersection of SS 71 and the Posasso local road, a visit to the Saffron Field of the Podere della Quercia Company – Loc. Corgiolano – Città della Pieve will be organised by Geaenergy Trekking in collaboration with the Il Riccio Ecologist Group of Città della Pieve. A new route through nature and the Pievese territory.

Friday 25 October saffron meets the students of the schools of Città della Pieve in collaboration with the Comprehensive Institute “Pietro Vannucci” of Città della Pieve, where a painting workshop will be held for the students of the first classes of the Secondary School of First Grade and a guided tour with the same classes to the Zafferaneto Urbano.

Also on Friday 25 October at the Piano Nobile of Palazzo Corgna at 4:00 pm there will be a meeting on the theme Saffron and the secret of resilience presented by Prof. Silvia Bisti, former Full Professor of Physiology and Dean of the Faculty of Biotechnology at the University of L’Aquila – current Scientific Director of Bio Aurum Start Up which leads basic research and the development of treatments with saffron for a series of neurodegenerative diseases. At the end of the meeting, a guided tour of the Museum of Natural History and Territory.

On Saturday 26 October at the Rocca di Città della Pieve, in collaboration with the Ecologist Group “Il Riccio” of Città della Pieve, a meeting will be held entitled: Saffron between yesterday, today and tomorrow – history, gastronomy and recipes by Dr. Tiziano Berlingieri, historian of gastronomy.

During the three days of the event at the Spazio Kossuth you can also admire the works created by Maestro Kossuth with saffron and on the Piano Nobile of Palazzo Della Corgna you can visit the exhibition of the artist Laure Hassel Paesaggi riparati – onore a Pippa Bacca.