Festa della Cucina Bianca

What is Cucina Bianca?

Cucina Bianca is the gastronomic tradition of the Maritime and Ligurian Alps, born from the pastoral civilization of transhumance around Monte Saccarello. It is called "white" because it is made up of light-coloured ingredients: dairy products, cereals, and vegetables such as potatoes, turnips, leeks, and garlic. In Mendatica, a municipality in the Province of Imperia nestled in the upper Arroscia Valley, this heritage has become a festival that attracts curious visitors and enthusiasts every summer.

An itinerary through the village courtyards

The event takes place on a late summer evening and takes the form of a gastronomic itinerary that winds through the streets, squares, and threshing floors of the historic centre. Each stop corresponds to a traditional dish, prepared by the individual families of the village: a sort of open-air museum of taste, where ancient recipes linked to the memory of transhumance are revived. The ticket for the complete itinerary can be purchased in Piazza della Chiesa; those who prefer can stop at the individual tasting points scattered throughout the village.

Music, markets, and mountain hospitality

Accompanying the evening, from 7 PM, there are live concerts with various groups (from folk to jazz, from rock to electronic), craft and hobby markets, and the possibility of free camping at Parco delle Canalette. Organized by the Pro Loco Mendatica with the support of the Liguria Region and the Ligurian Alps Regional Natural Park, the Festa della Cucina Bianca is one of the Authentic Ligurian Events and a way to boost the hinterland starting from its identity.