L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 28 L'Italo-Americano zuola or wooden mallet, and the bolaga, a large, distinc- tive bulb-shaped container made out of woven grasses used to collect and store the eels. Its circular lid, also made of woven materials, k e p t t h e f i s h f r o m s w i m - ming back out again. Stacks of vintage metal cans used for shipping are distinctive with their color- f u l l a b e l s ; p h o t o s a n d videos that depict the hard- scrabble life of Comacchio a r e a l s o o n v i e w . A 1 9 4 2 black-and-white documen- tary by Fernando Cerchio, f i l m e d i n C o m a c c h i o , graphically illustrates the grueling life of the eelers a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s . T h e f o o t a g e s h o w s t h e m e n going out to sea at night, fighting rain and wind, and the townspeople awaiting t h e i r r e t u r n . W h e n t h e catch comes in, there are frantic hours of processing hundreds of eels – sorting the fish by size, beheading them, threading them onto large metal skewers, roast- i n g a n d t h e n m a r i n a t i n g them. V i s i t o r s c a n p u r c h a s e canned eels in the museum gift shop or in many of the fascinating: a picturesque covered walkway, the Log- giato dei Cappuccini, said to be the longest in Italy. T h e M a n i f a t t u r a i s a working museum. In addi- tion to the displays, it oper- ates as a small production facility, keeping alive the traditional recipes and tech- niques associated with eel p r e p a r a t i o n . I n t h e F i r e Room, visitors can view the 1 2 m a s s i v e b r i c k o v e n s where the eels are slowly roasted on metal spits. Once c o o k e d , t h e y a r e c o o l e d , then cut into pieces. In the Vinegar Room, they go into huge vats of water, salt and white vinegar to marinate. A century ago, eel pro- cessing in Comacchio was carried out on a grand scale. The endeavor involved the entire town – men, women and children – and every- one had a job to do. The fish – initially packed in barrels, which were replaced by tin cans in the 1920s – were shipped throughout Europe and as far away as North America. T h e m u s e u m d i s p l a y s s o m e o f t h e t o o l s o f t h e trade: several small boats, reed floor mats, the maz- s h o p s i n t o w n . T o l e a r n even more about eels, visit C o m a c c h i o d u r i n g t h e Sagra dell'Anguilla, or Eel Festival, which takes place each fall for several weeks, u s u a l l y b e g i n n i n g i n l a t e September. A n o t h e r w a y t o g e t a taste of the life of the eelers is to take a boat trip around the lagoon, where you'll see flamingos, cormorants, fal- c o n s a n d o t h e r w a t e r species in a timeless and beautifully preserved estu- ary environment. With our tour group, we visited a tra- ditional fishing hut used by the eelers during the har- vest season. In the 1600s, these "casoni" were made of r e e d s a n d m a r s h p l a n t s ; later, they were constructed of brick. The hut showcased modest living and sleeping quarters, and some sparse furnishings. And of course, if you are in Comacchio for lunch or dinner, be sure to order the eel. We had it served two w a y s : o v e r p o l e n t a a n d g r i l l e d o n a s k e w e r . A s someone who shivered with horror at the thought of eat- ing eel, I must admit: It was delicious! water and saltwater meet, actually led to the solution: Comacchio turned to fish- ing for its survival, much of it revolving around eels. The eel season only lasts a few months, from October t o D e c e m b e r . T h e f i s h would, of course, be eaten f r e s h , b u t t h e l o c a l s a l s o needed a way to preserve their catch for year-round u s e . I n t h e M i d d l e A g e s , people began to marinate the eels to preserve them. The process has changed little over the centuries. Eels are pretty incredible creatures. They can move e a s i l y f r o m s a l t w a t e r t o fresh water, produce their own electric current to hunt t h e i r p r e y , a n d l i v e l o n g l i v e s – u p t o 8 0 y e a r s i n captivity. They are also very tasty. T o u n d e r s t a n d t h e importance of the eel trade to Comacchio, spend time in the recently renovated Manifattura dei Marinati. Built in 1905 as a fish-can- ning factory, this heritage museum, which opened in 2004, offers an inside look at the town's history and k e y e n t e r p r i s e . E v e n t h e approach to the museum is M o s t p e o - ple would n o t p u t S o p h i a L o r e n and pickled eels in the same sentence. Yet in 1954, the beautiful actress, who had just begun her career a few years earli- er at the age of 16, played a w o r k e r i n a n e e l f a c t o r y . Called La Donna del Fiume ( " T h e W o m a n o f t h e River"), the film was set in the small town of Comac- chio, located on a lagoon in the Po River delta, about halfway between Venice and Bologna. Once a main rival for the s a l t t r a d e w i t h V e n i c e , Comacchio is a charming town off the beaten path. Built on 13 little islands, it's crisscrossed by bridges that span canals and inlets, the streets lined with colorful houses. It's easy to see why it's often called the Little V e n i c e o f E m i l i a - Romagna. Included within the town limits are the Trepponti, a 17 th -century bridge com- bining five elegant staircas- e s ; P e s c h e r i a , a n a n c i e n t f i s h m a r k e t s t i l l i n u s e t o d a y ; a n d t h e B r i d g e o f Jails (Ponte delle Carceri). The Ospedale degli Infermi ( I n v a l i d s ' H o s p i t a l ) h a s been repurposed, housing a new museum with a collec- tion spanning pre-history to the Middle Ages. The 8 th - century Duomo and its bell tower are also worth a visit. A s w i t h m a n y s m a l l t o w n s , t h e r e i s a n a c t i v e s t r e e t s c e n e . O l d e r m e n gather in small groups to converse in the local dialect, keeping the old language alive, and both young and old take advantage of the flat terrain, perfect for bike- r i d i n g o r s t r o l l i n g a l o n g cobblestone streets. For centuries, life was a struggle for the inhabitants of Comacchio. They were surrounded by water, prone to flooding, and with little arable land. But this unusu- al geography, where fresh Sophia Loren and the eels of Comacchio RITA CIPALLA ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES Colorful houses along the canals of Comacchio (Photo: Claudio Giovanni Colombo/Dreamstime); bottom right, an old poster displaying an enthusiastic Sophia Loren in the movie "La Donna del Fiume," is on display in Comacchio's fish-canning facility-turned-museum (Photo: Rita Cipalla)

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