Typical Foods of Cilento

olive oil lentils chickpeas truffles artichokes figs bread wine and mozzarella

Olive Oil the Phoenicians planted the first olive trees around the XVI century BC, first on the island of Cyprus then in Asia Minor. Its greatest success was achieved in Greece where the myth was that the goddess Athena, in competition with the other gods, was declared the winner of a contest by Zeus by creating the olive tree. Historians have determined that the first olive tree “Plato's Olive Tree” was planted near Athens some 2500 years ago.

Olive Oil is Cultivated Everywhere in Italy with 23 DOP and 1 IGP Denominations

In Cilento, it is cultivated on the hills and by the sea, blending harmoniously with other species in the territory. As one of the pillars of the Mediterranean Diet, extra-virgin olive oil is present in virtually all the dishes of this area. Among its benefits is the lack of physical and chemical manipulations as it is simply extracted by pressing the olives. It is the only oil produced by a fruit as opposed to a seed.

Legumes were introduced only from the 10^th Century, thereby making a gradual contribution to the welfare of the population, increasing resistance to disease and thereby aiding in the repopulation of Europe. Later, with the discovery of the Americas and the importation of agricultural products, beans emerged as a basic staple without which the population could not have doubled in size in just a few centuries.

In Italy, beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas and fava beans are the most common staples. Some are canned and are therefore available off season and in areas where they are not cultivated. Both fresh and dry, they are a key component of Italian cuisine and especially the cucina povera.

Lentils were among the first foods to be cultivated and consumed by man; traces have been found in Turkey in ruins dating back to 5500 BC as well as in Egyptian tombs from 2500 BC.

Cickpeas originally from the Orient, the name derives from the Latin word aries which refers to the shape of the seed. A major staple in the Middle East and in India, they are cooked with pasta, as soup and as a side dish.

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The Black Truffle has found a perfect habitat in the beech woods in harmony with oak trees, birch, hazel trees and black pine. It can be found in different areas of central and southern Italy, including the Picentini mountains that cut across Avellino and Salerno provinces. It has had its place for nearly two thousand years in the more culturally sophisticated gastronomy, appreciated for its unique aroma. It has been found in sizes approaching that of a grapefruit and acts as an environmental guard as it refuses to grow in polluted terrain.

Artichokes the Paestum plain is famous for its abundant and quality production of fruits and vegetables. Aside from tomatoes, lettuce, fennel and zucchini, artichokes are very important. Originally a plant of the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa, artichokes have become economically important in the Cilento region from the 1920s following major land reclamation.

The White Fig its Cilentano origins precede the 6^th Century BC but its roots are from Southern Arabia. This fruit started as the poor man's bread but today it is considered a delicacy. Dry figs are also stuffed with chocolate, fennel seeds, almonds, chestnuts and other ingredients available in Cilento.

The History of Bread begins with that of man with barley and millet the preferred ingredients as they were ideal from a nutritional standpoint; they were eventually replaced by cereal. The invention of bread can be attributed to the Egyptians nearly 3000 years ago. They also developed the first ovens.

The Greeks Developed 72 varieties of Bread whereas the Romans Improved on Windmills

Wine is by its very nature the opposite of an industrial product that never varies; it is different from area to area and is subject to climactic conditions. It also evolves, matures and declines over time.

There is no Such Thing as Biological Wine Only Biological Grapes

Mozzarella the domestic water buffalo originated from India and Persia. It arrived in Italy in the year 596 during the reign of the Longobard king Aginulfo. It thrives in warm, swampy areas rich in water such as the Nile Delta. In Europe, it has found fertile ground in Puglia, Campania and the low lands along the Danube river. In Cilento, mozzarella was received with great pleasure by the nobility while on the Grand Tour to Pompeii and Paestum. They were served the provatura of the buffalo cheese, a test to verify the salt content. The word mozzarella comes from mozzata or cutting.

Mozzarella di Bufala is Recognized with a DOC Label in Italy and a DOP Label in Europe

Mozzarella is produced exclusively with buffalo milk, mostly in Campania and Southern Lazio, in four distinct phases: acidification of the milk; maturation; preparation and conservation.

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Dante in the Marche Region: Poetry Food Wine and Eroticism

Dante Alighieri was a statesman, poet and father of the modern Italian language. May 29^th2015 was the 750^th anniversary of his birth in Florence. As a literary figure, Dante is placed alongside Homer and Shakespeare, creators of larger than life characters.

The Divine Comedy, his defining work, is, among other things, a first for the Italian language and a representation of the spiritual, personal and political circumstances of his time. The latter led Dante into exile from Florence, including in Marche, where he provided profound inspiration to the local culture.

Urbino is remembered by Dante in the 27^th canto of the Inferno in a dialogue with Guido of Montefeltro, the local lord. Fiorenzuola di Focara owes its notoriety for having hosted Dante Alighieri in a baker's house where the poet experienced the emotion of strong wind gusts lashing the promontory on which stands a castle by the sea creating the most incredible and dangerous currents.

The Gradara Castle and rocks live in the hearts of lovers all over the world; here, the love story between Paolo de Malatesta and Francesca da Polenta - better known as Francesca da Rimini – blossomed, came to a tragic end and was eternalized by Dante in the V canto of the Inferno. You can view the altarpiece by Giovanni Santi, father of Raffaello Sanzio - Raphael.  

Pesaro is not directly cited however it maintains strong connotations to Dante because Gianciotto de’ Malatesti, nicknamed the Cripple, was mayor of this seaside town and is buried here. Dante consigned him to Hell.

Fonte Avellana Dante spent much of his life in the footsteps of Pier Damiani, to whom he dedicated the 21^st canto of Paradise in the Divine Comedy. He also visited Mount Catria in search of a peace and tranquility denied him in his native Florence.

Dante and the Gastronomical Traditions of Marche

There is a rich presence of food in the Divine Comedy and his other works, including lentil soup laced with wine, figs, apples, honey and vin santo; in all, 14 courses are cited in the Convivio. Also well-known are the cantos dedicated to the gluttons in both Hell and Purgatory that accompany his constant hunger; he even coined the neologism scuffare - to eat avidly and noisily. There is a rapport between diet and eroticism: the gluttons come right after the lustful in Inferno’s 6^th canto and, in Purgatory, those that fall to temptations of the senses are presented in the last of the seven frames.

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Some Dishes inspired by Dante

Tartare of Madonna Bellaccoglienza these are the classic waffles from Abruzzo wrapped with aged cheese, making them into cannoli. Madonna Bellaccoglienza is the sensual protagonist of the novel in verse The Flower which Dante wrote translating from the French Roman de la rose.

Glauco Omelette a cheese omelette, served hot and in wedges, with algae or herbs that make it gently magical. Glauco, the legendary fisherman of Boeotia, places his catch on a bed of herbs, then sees them take heart and jump back into the sea. He ate the algae, turned into a fish and became a marine deity.

Suppa alla Beatrice a barley soup of barley with tricolor vegetables sprinkled with grated aged cheese.
Beatrice, dressed in white, red and green, announces that God’s righteousness is not afraid soup, referring to the curious Florentine custom of forgiving even the most serious crimes if the perpetrator could eat a soup dish at least 7 times at the crime’s site without getting arrested. ("Paradise" 33^rd).

Mense alla Virgilio the Piadina of Romagna. Virgil, acting as a guide to Dante in the Divine Comedy,

tells him from the Aeneid that the Trojans acquired the custom of eating piadine with their food during

a stopover in Africa; a culinary tradition they introduce in Rome and later in Romagna (Inferno 1^st).

Salse alla Ciacco a spicy Bolognese mustard. Ciacco is a Florentine character know for the

prodigious appetite, and placed among the gluttons in Hell by Dante. The colors of the sauce – white,

red and green – symbolize the Christian Faith, Hope and Charity.

Anguille alla Vernaccia the famous eels from Bolsena and Cornacchio are marinated in Sardinian or

Ligurian vernaccia and roasted over olive wood coals. For Dante, a condemnation of Pope Martino

IV to Purgatory (24^th) who spent more time on food and less as St Peter’s Vicar.

Honey and Fossa Cheese from Monte Diana a classic accompaniment and an aphrodisiac which in

theological terms unite knowledge (milk) and justice (honey). The reference to Diana – goddess

of the moon and of night – is the ancient etymology of Mondaino, a town now famous for its fossa

cheese (Paradise 18^th).

Torta di Frutti Misti a pie made of apples, pears, figs and plums, present in all religions.

Vini dei Colli di Romagna famous area wines – sangiovese, albana, rebola, vini di sabbia.

Acqua Lete available commercially today. When Dante reached Earthly Paradise, he was

immersed by a beautiful woman named Matelda in the Lete River, so named because capable of

removing one’s sins – a baptism. Emerging from these waters, one could continue the journey to

Celestial Paradise (Purgatory 28^th).