Assazzende & Buffende – Food and Wine Festival

The Assazzende&Buffende food and wine festival will take place in Ossi on 11th April 2015. This year, the festival will host a group of professional chefs from several top class hotels on the Costa Smeralda, who will prepare dishes and perform practical demonstrations together with their students.
Although the festival is contained in terms of numbers, this small, yet precious, food and wine event is interesting to report, as it is an example of the promotion and development of a special territory through its products. Culinary and gastronomic traditions give a place its true identity, and the festival is an excellent occasion to come into contact with and explore this fascinating world. Ossi is a small town in the province of Sassari, and sole producer of the red wine called Cagnulari, with its hint of geranium and spicy aromas.
Assazzende&Buffende is the result of the efforts of a non-profit organisation called Pastinum, which groups the best local wine producers and collaborates with the Buttegas de Ossi shopping centre and town council. Its aim is to consolidate the enological, historical, cultural and environmental development of the territory with a view of continuous qualitative improvement. In fact, Pastinum has a broad range of support from collaborators, among which researchers from the University of Sassari Department of Agriculture, with whom training courses and workshops are organised. One such example was a practical demonstration of pruning a vineyard.
The festival takes place twice a year, in two different periods during wine production:

– One event in spring, usually March or April, when wines are young and not yet complete, but already show distinctive characteristics;
– One in summer, when wines such as “Cagnulari” and “Cannonau” are mature and their bouquet can be better appreciated

The spring festival takes place in the historic town centre, whilst in summer the event is held just outside of town at the ancient rural chuch of Santa Vittoria, dating back to 1300. The intention is to show guests various scenarios and enjoy the atmosphere of different locations.
What makes the Assazzende&Buffende food and drink festival so special is the staging, which combines ancient traditions with the modern methods typical of “slow food”. Visitors move around the various stands of local producers, tasting wine and products such as cold meats, cheeses and breads. Traditional breads in the area are baked in a wood oven, and include “su Poddine” and “sa Fresa”. Another typical local product is “sa Mazza Frissa”, a cream produced with the same method as ancient times. It is used as a sauce, and is delicious when served on pasta.
When visitors arrive, they are given a wine glass, for the price of 10 euros, which guarantees unlimited tasting of wine and food. Guests are given a map of the various tasting points.
To further enhance the atmosphere, choirs from the area take part in the festival: “Boghes Noas”, “Su Coro de Piaghe” and the folk group “Santa Ithoria”. There are also art exhibitions curated by Sardinian artists and the Ethnographic Museum, guardian of Ossi’s history and traditions. Pastinum also provides a shuttle bus service from Alghero and Sassari, as well as a children’s play area and a car parking area.
As in previous years, proceeds from the festival will in part be donated to families and children in need.