Thirteenth Codeghin Festival Celebrates Cotechino in San Pietro Incariano
Perfect day for the thirteenth edition of the Codeghin Festival in San Pietro Incariano was Sunday. The sun, reappearing after several days of low clouds and heavy rain, helped make this edition of the event, organized by the Eletta Confraternita del Codeghin, a great success, drawing hundreds of lovers of the prince of cured meats to the town of Valpolicella once again this year.
Results and main players of the festival
An record-breaking edition, with 170 kilograms of cotechino (480 pieces) distributed to all attendees. The cotechino of the year was prepared by Giuseppe Ceradini, 35 years old, artisan, and son of tradition: he is married to Italo Zangrando, who passed away two years ago. Zangrando was a veteran of the event and one of the most awarded. “It’s about the sausage friend,” explains Ceradini, “then we get together with other friends for tastings and to choose the best.”
It’s a festival within a festival, that of the artisan, for whom the quality of a cotechino isn’t just about the mixture. “Cooking is very important too,” he assures, “and I learned the secrets from my father. Which ones? Secrets are meant to remain secrets.”
The judges and their preferences
If the King keeps his mouth shut, the second-place finisher, Silvano Donatelli, a retired man, is no less reserved. “To make a good sausage, everything must be natural,” he says, “the rest comes naturally.” The third place went to a couple, Flavio Zardini and Gigi Simeoni, who assure they prepare their product by hand, although upon closer inspection, some reasonable doubts remain.
Participants and comments
Among the guests at the Sunday morning Codeghin festival, as usual, were members of the Confraternita Enogastronomica di Botticino, the basketball player Roberto dalla Vecchia, a regular attendee, and the Papa del Gnoco. “Gnocchi and codeghin don’t go very well,” someone pointed out. “A nice plate of gnocchi, followed by a good cotechino,” replied the Veronese character, “are a joy for the palate.” It takes stomach. (g.r.)