There are many dishes of our tradition born thanks to the encounter between different cultures. In fact, much of the Apulian gastronomic tradition is the result of these combinations, above all because our region has always had contacts with peoples of different origins who have left an imprint in our cuisine as well as in art, architecture and culture in general.
Speaking of cultures that meet and traditions that have endured over the centuries, we cannot fail to mention the "colva", an ancient dessert that is prepared throughout Puglia, from Gargano to Salento, on the occasion of the All Saints' feast preceding the commemoration. of the dead.
How come an anniversary, apparently sad as the commemoration of the dead, is celebrated with a sweet is soon said. Just take a look at its ingredients to understand it: boiled wheat and pomegranate grains are two of the main ingredients of colva, also called "wheat of the dead", both symbols par excellence of rebirth and life after death, in the most ancient, from the Greek to the Roman one.
Among the Romans, for example, boiled and blessed wheat was used in many religious rites; In Greek mythology, however, there are many references to the pomegranate: Venus would have given men this fruit, a symbol of marriage and fertility, which is why the goddess was often painted with a pomegranate in her right hand.
Symbol of life, therefore, and of rebirth, wheat and pomegranate have been used since the Romans to represent the promise of life after death, which is why over the centuries, with the addition of other ingredients such as dried fruit, dark chocolate and vincotto, this dessert ended up being associated with the anniversary of November 2nd.
The name, “colva”, probably of Byzantine origin, deserves a separate discussion. The term derives, in fact, from the Greek-Byzantine "Kolba", a contracted form of the Greek "Kòliba", testifying to how much the Greek-Byzantine culture has left deep traces in our Puglia. In some areas of Greece, even today, the tradition of consuming cooked wheat on the tomb of the dearly departed is still preserved.
The "wheat of the dead" is still prepared today in many Apulian cities; in Canosa di Puglia, for example, where the ancient custom survives of leaving the table set for the nocturnal visit of the souls of the deceased. A custom of pre-Christian origin borrowed, as often happens, from the Christian religion and handed down.
