San Zeno Brotherhood Promotes Montagna Chestnuts During Autumn Festival
They chose as their emblem the coat of arms of the ancient Montagna family, but replaced the three stars with three chestnuts. It could not have been otherwise for the «Compagnia de la castagna dei paladini di Ca’ Montagna», the Baldense brotherhood that will officially present itself tomorrow afternoon in San Zeno di Montagna. The society aims to promote the culture and gastronomy of Monte Baldo.
The choice of the date and the brotherhood’s goal
Establishing a brotherhood dedicated to the chestnut, a typical autumn fruit, at the beginning of summer may seem anachronistic or at least odd. But it is precisely between late June and early July that chestnut trees bloom. The start date for the Compagnia’s activities is therefore no coincidence: just as the chestnut flowers herald the delights of autumn fruits, the brotherhood now announces itself to meet in November, when it will be one of the main participants in the San Zeno chestnut festival.
The ceremony of the new society’s presentation will take place at 6 p.m. in the thirteenth-century Palazzo di Ca’ Montagna. Present will be the founding members, dressed in medieval-style attire (the creation was the result of serious research into archival sources that lasted several months), who will also attend the gala dinner later that evening at the restaurant La Casa degli Spiriti.
The protagonists and the historical context
But who are the main figures of this adventure? At the head is the Gran Paladino, a role embodied by a well-known Veronese professional, lawyer Marco Bisagno, who has chosen San Zeno di Montagna as his residence. The ceremonialist is another Veronese manager, Gino Abati, while poet Franco Ravazzin serves as a singer.
Among the «paladini» – as the members are called – are San Zeno di Montagna’s mayor, Cipriano Castellani, various local administrators, and some Verona entrepreneurs, including Fortunato Montagna, directly descended from the family that was once feudal lords of Montagna di Monte Baldo, now San Zeno.
There is a small historical mystery surrounding the name of the town, the Montagna family, and their palace. Once, San Zeno was called exactly that: Montagna di Monte Baldo. Later, the name was changed in honor of Verona’s patron saint.
The palace and the history of the name
Today, the most important monument in the area is Ca’ Montagna, a frescoed palace recently restored by the municipal administration: it was the residence of the Montagna family, a powerful family allied with the Scaligeri of Verona. The debate is lively: were the Montagna responsible for naming the town, or did the town get its name first? Historians support the latter theory: the locality was called Montagna already in ancient times, and the family took its name from the town.
There is no doubt, however, about the chestnuts of San Zeno: these belong to the highest-quality variety, the marroni. An application process for European recognition for the typical Marrone of San Zeno di Montagna is currently underway.
The chestnut cultivation and European recognition
Meanwhile, the castanicoltori association has been established: producers – many of whom are very young – select and sell Marroni under a specific trademark.
Angelo Peretti