Lumignano
The precious bisi of Lumignano
Hello friends, today I am going to tell you the story of the bisi of Lumignano, a variety of peas highly appreciated in Venetian cuisine. The bisi are cultivated in the surroundings of Lumignano, a fraction of the municipality of Longare in the province of Vicenza and are included in the list of Traditional Italian Agri-food Products of the Veneto Region.
History
The cultivation of bisi di Lumignano dates back to the Middle Ages, when Benedictine monks first cultivated them between the 10th and 11th centuries. Thanks to the mild climate and good exposure to the sun, the cultivation took root and spread rapidly throughout the area, giving rise to a particularly precious local variety called Bisi Verdoni. The plants of this variety are low and do not require support, they withstand well the winter cold but are sensitive to spring frost, so they are harvested in April and May, being a rather early variety. Since the 1960s, new varieties have been introduced to meet market demands.
Consumption
The most typical dish of Venetian cuisine that involves the use of bisi di Lumignano is ''Risi e bisi'', a soup of rice and fresh peas that is prepared in spring. This dish was so appreciated that the Doges of Venice consumed it on April 25th, in honor of St. Mark. A more typically Vicenza variation involves the presence of small pieces of goose flavored in the legume. Another traditional first course consists of ''tajadele coi bisi'', homemade pasta seasoned with only sautéed peas with onion and white wine, so as to appreciate the flavor of the fresh product.
External links
To delve deeper into the topic of bisi di Lumignano, I recommend consulting the following links:
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070311214850/http://www2.regione.veneto.it/videoinf/rurale/prodotti/piselli.htm
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070928175852/http://www.vicenzagrifood.it/a_36_IT_77_1.html
- http://www.sagradilumignano.it
Here is the story of the delicious bisi di Lumignano, a unique and precious product of Venetian cuisine that I recommend trying at least once in a lifetime!
