"The virtues." A rich soup which, legend has it, took seven maidens each using seven different ingredients seven days, coming to 49 different ingredients, to concoct. It is traditionally made on 1st May each year in Teramo. With the arrival of spring and as the new harvests approach, the cupboards are all cleared of their ingredients, so in go all the remaining dried beans and flours from last year and boiled pork and the first spring vegetables and herbs, whatever is available. It is made in huge quantites to be consumed over the following days.
