The small medieval village of Breme was known as the vegetable garden of Lomellina up until the 1950s. In the 10th-century monastery the Benedictine monks of Novalesa taught the people of Breme how to cultivate vegetables like the red onion, which is still grown traditionally. The fertility of the soil, the microclimate from the nearby confluence of the Po and Sesia rivers and the reclaimed marshland all contributed to the popularity of Breme’s vegetables, particularly its red and white onions, peppers and cabbages. As rice cultivation grew, the fields were transformed into rice paddies and now the few remaining market gardeners grow only what they need for their families. The exception is the red Breme onion; after a period of abandonment in the 1980s it has seen a revival, thanks to the interest of local chefs and producers, particularly some young people who are working to promote the variety.
Production Area
Breme, Pavia province, Lombardy
