The Greek colonists were the first to bring the grapes from Thessaly, Vesuvius added the fertility of the soil and the great wines of these lands are the result.
The falanghina, the Coda di volpe (Fox’s tail), the crapettone wine, the Verdeca among the white wines; and, among the reds, the Scascinoso, the Aglianico and the Piedirosso remain the most famous vines to which the Catalanesca is added (table grape) which, as the name suggests, owes its settlement thanks to the Spaniards. Abroad, everybody knows Lacryma Christi, which comes from the mix of all the varieties mentioned, and gives prestige to the DOC Vesuvio.
However, not only wine. The artichoke from Schito, in the surroundings of Castellammare, is an eloquent example of the quality reached from the excellences of the territory. Remaining in the area, here there re the typical biscuits from Castellammare, with an elongated shape in their characteristic glossy blue paper and the aniseed biscuits, fragrant, historically combined with Acqua della Madonna.
Apricots, the fruits of gold in the shadows of Vesuvius
Favoured by soils of volcanic nature, rich oinminerals and potassium, apricot is a typical production of the Vesuvian area. Already in the age of Nero, this fruit appeared with the Latin name of armeniacum in De agrìcultura by Cocumella. Since 1583 the testimony of its presence in Campania is clear and the first to select the different types was Gian Battista Della Porta who distinguished two types: the “bericocche” and the “crisomele” (“fruits of gold”). In the middle of the nineteenth century, the apricot was widespread with different varieties. Today, the denomination “Vesuvian apricot” indicates over forty biotypes which are differentiated for their dimensions, scent and flavour. The particularity of the names is poetic to say the least. Boccuccia liscia, Boccuccia spinosa, Cafona, Ceccona, Fracasso, Palummella, Portici, San Castrese, Vitillo and Pellecchiella. The latter two are the most famous: the first for the sweetness of its pulp and the second for its slightly bitter taste. The fruits ripen from the end of May to the end of July.
THE RECIPE
Bread with tomato
A real ritual is linked to the preparation of one of the tastiest dishes of the history of food of the recent centuries: bread with tomato. Perfect and quick snack, with the colours of vital energy, sun and scent of the natural quality. Mothers detached the cherry tomatoes from the “piennolo” (a bunch of hanging cherry tomatoes), they lightly crushed them and rubbled them on the bread and seasoned them with a pinch of salt and a little olive oil, adding sometimes some oregano. The now very famous stored “pomodorino vesuviano” (Vesuvian cherry tomato) is called “del piennolo” (of the hanging bunch) or of the “spongillo” (Spunzillo tomato), because at the end of the harvest, between July and August with fruits not fully ripe, the cherry tomatoes are collected in a bunch and hung in well-aired places in country houses.
