May is a busy month on the Italian Riviera. From 4-7 May 2007, the ancient port city of Genoa will host Slow Fish – a celebration of the seas, with activities, tastings and talks. And in an age when over-fishing is threatening stocks around the world, and protection of the maritime environment is becoming ever more important, this 4 day long event aims to educate people about how to use fish responsibly.
There’ll be a huge market hall, with a daily traditional fish auction and stalls selling all sorts of fresh and preserved fish. And nearby will be seafood osterias, serving Italian fish specialities, as well as a Bistro which will have separate areas where you can try everything from lagoon fish from the Veneto to raw fish dishes. You’ll also be able to try fishy pasta, Ligurian focaccia and traditional Genoese cakes and sweets.
A programme of Taste Workshops will show visitors how to prepare all sorts of fish and seafood, from oysters to dried fish (a favourite of Liguria). And there will also be cooking demonstrations from top chefs – with plenty of advice about how to recognise good quality fish, as well as how to prepare and cook it. Workshops will include tastings of oysters, smoked herring, mussels – and even raw prawns with cognac. Lovers of caviar can try different types of fish roe, to help them learn to recognize the genuine product. There will also be opportunities to meet people from fishing communities around the world, including fishermen from the Venice lagoon, and others from Lake Trasimeno – famed for its eel, pike and carp.
Slow Fish has been set up in collaboration with the Slow Food Movement – which encourages concern about the quality of the food we eat. During the Slow Fish festival there will be plenty of talks and workshops, designed to make visitors more aware of how their fish is produced or caught – and what they can do to ensure that precious marine ecosystems aren’t destroyed. Talks range from ‘What are Jellyfish Telling us?’ and how to recognise good quality fish - to discussions on fish farming, water contamination, and the responsible management of fish stocks.
Slow Fish will take place in Genoa, at the Fiera di Genova, Piazzale Kennedy, from Friday 4- Monday 7 May 2007. One day tickets cost 5 euros for adults, and a 4 day pass costs 15 euros. Tickets available at the Fiera ticket offices or through www.slowfood.com
Camogli, one of the prettiest villages on the Ligurian coast, also has a fish festival in May. The Sagra del pesce is held each year on the 2nd Sunday in May – the 13th May in 2007. It is held to celebrate the feast of St Fortunato, patron saint of fishermen. The high point of the festival is when giant frying pans are taken onto the streets round the harbour and fresh fish is cooked in the open air. The frying pans are enormous – 4 meters in diameter. The fried fish is then distributed free to everyone. Last year over 30,000 portions were handed out. The smell fills the air and crowds fill the streets. The festival is also a good chance to try another local speciality dish – camogliesi – choux pastry balls that are filled with a creamy custard mixture flavoured with rum. More information here
