Delica pumpkin, gourmet sweetness from the earth.

The history of the Delica pumpkin dates back centuries and represents one of the most bizarre fruits of the earth, simultaneously full of mystery. Colors, shapes, bulges of the skin, curves, and stripes. Pumpkins for eating and pumpkins to beautify the home in autumn. The Delica pumpkin remains one of the quintessential autumn foods and its growth is especially awaited in the lands of the Venetian and Lombard plains.

The Romans were fond of it, and the poet Martial (40 – 104 AD) wrote a funny epigram about a host named Cecilius, who loved to use pumpkin in all his recipes, from appetizers to desserts: “...Cecilius cuts the pumpkins into a thousand little pieces. You eat them as an appetizer, he gives them to you in soup, he serves them as a dish, he puts them in the side.” Moreover, Roman scholars recommended it as a remedy for various health issues. Pliny the Elder defined it in his Naturalis Historia as “the refreshment of human life, the balm of troubles.”

The Benedictine monk and herbalist Wilfrido Strabone spoke of the pumpkin, saying that “it serves excellently on the table, after being harvested, better if during a certain time of the year, at the beginning of autumn, before the hidden moisture of its depths begins to dissipate: now it is still tender, even though the outer skin is well dry, and possesses a special consistency that absorbs the fatty grease of well-heated pans and, when sliced, enriches second courses with a sweet taste.”

Yes, sweetness is one of the typical characteristics, particularly of certain types of pumpkins. The Delica, also known as Venetian or Mantuan, is the most compact and least fibrous, making it the most suitable for creating creams and mousses of particular consistency and elegance.

Mantua and its lands produce extraordinary pumpkins that preserve very well over time. In fact, there are those of the “reserve” type, marked by a red wax coating on the stem. They remain to mature on wooden boards in cellars for over a year.

The Delica pumpkin is the fundamental element for the legendary pumpkin tortelli that in Mantua are part of the ancient and noble cuisine of the Gonzagas. Indeed, it is worth taking a trip to Mantua during this autumn period to taste the delights of tortelli with fresh pumpkin.

And then we come to the Anglo-Saxon trick or treat? Because the pumpkin is the symbol of All Saints' Day and, in particular, of the eve, the night of Halloween, on October 31. The name itself indeed derives from AllHallowEven (the eve of All Saints).

The pumpkin is a precious good for any kitchen and its versatility is such that it could feed entire families without spending money but by simply living off the fruits of the land and nearby gardens.

The Delica pumpkin is one of those preferred by gourmets and chefs for its compactness and the possibility of consuming it in many forms. Moreover, the pumpkin has different uses in cooking, always depending on the local culture and tradition. From the risottos of the Lombard-Piedmontese lands to Mantuan and Emilian pumpkin tortelli to the fried pumpkin of Sicily and Campania.

Bernardo Pasquali

S&M