Harvest, Pilgrimage: The Mountain Celery and a Tradition in Search of a Future

THE STORY ↓
IN THE KITCHEN: BEYOND THE SALAD↓
WHERE TO EAT IT ↓
SUPPORT THE TRADITION: WANT TO HELP KEEP THE SAGRA ALIVE? ↓ ↓
 

Sedano di Rubbio: The High-Altitude Harvest
Cultivated at 1,057 meters, the Sedano di Rubbio follows a meticulous seasonal rhythm. Late in the cycle, growers hill the alpine earth directly around the stalks, completely shielding them from sunlight. This traditional blanching (imbianchimento) process is precisely what preserves their pale color, tenderness, and crisp texture. The Veneto regional agricultural atlas highlights another specific historical practice: irrigation relied strictly on rainwater left to warm in the sun during the day, distributed only after sunset to prevent any thermal shock to the root systems. Today, it remains a strictly localized niche crop, difficult to find outside its native plateau. It holds official protection as a Prodotto Agroalimentare Tradizionale (PAT) of the Veneto region and carries the local Denominazione Comunale (De.Co.) registry, a municipal certification that legally binds its identity to these specific geographic boundaries and traditional production standards.

The Gerle and The Down-Valley Journey  
The geographical expansion of the crop relies on a compelling historical narrative. Historically, men and women from Rubbio would descend the mountain slopes on foot toward the lowland markets of Bassano, Marostica, Thiene, and Vicenza, carrying heavy, woven back-baskets (gerle) loaded with the freshly harvested stalks.
On September 8th, coinciding with the religious pilgrimage to Vicenza for the feast of the Madonna di Monte Berico, known locally as the Madona dei Oto growers were traveling for the religious event began bringing baskets of celery along to sell to the gathering crowds. According to the Veneto historical atlas, that specific annual journey served as the primary vehicle for introducing the mountain vegetable to urban palates far outside the isolated village.

The Mountain Microclimate
The distinct character of the crop is inseparable from Rubbio itself, a small hamlet of just 300 residents clinging to the edge of the plateau. Here, the agricultural landscape benefits from a unique mountain microclimate: dry, breezy summer afternoons followed by heavy nightly dew. This natural elevation and air circulation significantly reduce pest pressure compared to the humid Venetian plains below, allowing the stalks to mature slowly and naturally.

In the Kitchen: Beyond the Salad
In the local kitchen, the Sedano di Rubbio bypasses the standard raw salad bowl entirely. Instead, it is treated as a core ingredient for hearty, slow-cooked comfort food:
• Zuppa di sedano e salsiccia: A rustic mountain soup pairing the blanched celery with savory local sausage.
• Lumache con sedano: The ultimate local pairing—land snails stewed slow with celery, served over a bed of steaming, soft polenta.
• Riso e sedano: A classic Veneto rice dish where the celery acts as the aromatic anchor.
• Sedano in umido or gratinato: Stalks gently braised or baked under a golden crust of local Alpine cheese.

WHERE TO EAT
Ristorante Milleluci
Address: Contrà Rossi, 17 – Rubbio (Lusiana Conco, VI)
Contact: +39 333 2621925
Chef Elvis Pilati features the vegetable prominently on his seasonal autumn menu. Verified by the Ristoratori di Vicenza association, the kitchen weaves the Sedano di Rubbio into a menu dedicated to the raw flavours of the plateau, alongside Conco dandelion greens, Lusiana truffles, and local wild game.

A HERITAGE AT RISK: HOW TO SUPPORT THE HARVEST. The logistical challenge of keeping this community tradition alive became clear in September 2026, when the annual Sagra del Sedano was canceled because of a shortage of volunteers, a lack of generational turnover, and the increasing organizational burden of staging the event. Yet, the core agricultural tradition continued: on September 8th, local growers were still invited to gather for the traditional exhibition, competition, and award ceremony for the year’s best stalks. Rather than a closed chapter, this shift shows how dependent the public celebration of the Sedano di Rubbio remains on local volunteers and community associations. If you want to do more than visit, here below who to contact in Rubbio: the organisers are openly hoping for new people willing to help continue the tradition.

Pro Loco di Lusiana Conco APS
Phone +39 347 6419259 / Email prolocolusianaconco@gmail.com
Local tourism and cultural association supporting traditional products and community events.

Gruppo Alpini Rubbio
Email tabarin.g@libero.it/ Helped keep the September 2026 celery exhibition and competition alive when the public sagra was cancelled.

Insieme per Rubbio
Email insiemeperrubbio@libero.it / Community group historically involved in organising the Sagra del Sedano and promoting Rubbio.