Welcome to this week’s segment of Wednesday Wines. Today we will be tasting the trendy wines of Campania and learning a little more about this dazzling region of southern Italy.

The ancient Romans had a keen nose for good wine. The name Campania is actually derived from Latin; as the Romans knew the region as the Campania Felix, which translates into English as “’Fruitful’ Countryside” due to its extremely fertile soil.

In modern times, alas, wine production in the southern regions of Italy suffered a momentary decline, when large portions of wine produced here were sold to France and Germany for local blends. That trend, fortunately, has changed (dramatically). Campania, above all other regions of the mezzogiorno, is at the center of southern Italy’s wine renaissance. This is home to the breathtaking Amalfi and Cilento Coasts, the gorgeous city of Naples, the lush islands of Capri and Ischia, the mighty Mount Vesuvius, and the mineral-rich, sunny, iodine-filled soil and air that blesses each of its natural wonders. These elements constitute the ideal conditions for the plentiful growth of all kinds of fruits and vegetables. And grapes are certainly no exception!

The province of Avellino in Campania has played such a vital role in regional wine production that the railway linking the cities of Avellino to Rocchetta Sant’Antonio is known as “The Wine Line.” Completely planted in vines, the Irpinia—as it is also known—features wines of international reputation, including the DOCG wines of Taurasi, Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino. But let’s take a closer and deeper look at the wines of Campania.

Taurasi is a robust, full-bodied red wine that requires aging, much like its northern cousins Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello. Full of ripe cherry fruit flavors, both earthy and seductive, Taurasi is made mostly of Aglianico grapes, and by law must age at least three years before being bottled, with one of those years spent in wood barrels. It is among the richest, most elegant red wines from the south of Italy.

Aglianico is also the principal grape of Aglianico del Taburno DOC and Falerno del Massico DOC. Deep ruby red color with a bold forward bouquet, whose smoothness lends a depth of rich flavors.

Piedirosso is a red grape grown mainly on the islands of Capri and Ischia. It produces a medium-weight wine, but often with a very distinct fruit-forward structure. Also known as Palummina or Per’ ’e Palummo, Piedirosso is an ancient vine, most probably the praised Colombina mentioned by Pliny The Elder in his Naturalis Historia.

Falerno is undoubtedly one of Italy’s gems. Highly regarded by the Romans who first cultivated it in the area, Falerno grapes rear full, complete and elegant reds, and refreshing, aromatic whites. This lovely wine is produced in Campania’s northern province of Caserta.

Fiano di Avellino, a delightful white wine, refers to the Latin Vitis Apiana. This was because the vine’s grapes were so sweet that they proved irresistible to bees (api). Fiano wines from this grape can be described as dewy and herbal, often with notes of almonds and pear. Fiano goes particularly well with fish, crustaceans and shellfish, especially oysters. And it is a quirky complement to the region’s famous pizza.

A key component in Falernum—treasured wine of the Roman Empire—is the Falanghina grape, one of Italy’s oldest. It takes its name from the ancient Puteulana technique of fixing each vine plant to a wooden pole (phalanx) to help it grow upwards. Falanghina hails from the Sannio area, the area now known as the province of Benevento, but is currently widespread throughout the entire region of Campania, where it is used for making the eponymous wine, and in many DOC wines, both in its pure form (such as the Campi Flegrei, Sant’Agata dei Goti and Taburno Falanghina wines), as well as blended together with other white grapes (such as, for example, islander Capri white wines, Costa d’Amalfi white and Falerno del Massico white). Falanghina wine has good acidity and fine, delicate, fruity notes, with hints of broom shrub. It is full-bodied, fresh and pleasant on the palate. Falanghina’s broad and enjoyably bitter aftertaste recalls the pomegranate. It can be enjoyed with grilled or fried fish, with pasta dressed with seafood or vegetable and tomato sauces; it happily accompanies the most traditional recipes from the Campania region, such as Scialatielli Areganati or Paccheri topped with a white fish sauce, among other traditional (and mouthwatering) pasta dishes.

A popular festa (festival) dedicated to Falanghina is held in the enchanting village of Sant’Agata dei Goti each year at the end of September during which the many wines produced in Campania with Falanghina grapes are showcased. A trip to this event is a definite must on any wine-lover’s wish list.

Greco di Tufo, both a grape and a wine, was introduced to Italy by the Pelasgian peoples of Thessaly, Greece in the 1st century B.C. This white wine is crisp, intensely fruity and aromatic. Straw-colored with a pleasant bouquet and a dry, well balanced and unique flavor, Greco di Tufo is suitable when paired with appetizers, in particular seafood, light salads and pasta, frittura mista, oysters and lobster.

Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio (literally: the tears of Christ at Vesuvius) is grown on the terraced slopes of Mount Vesuvius, the moody, now eerily quiet volcano that looms over the bay of Naples. The area’s rich volcanic soil produces very good red, white, and rosé wines. All three are designated “Lacryma Christi” only if the grapes have reached the stage where they spill “tears” of sweet sugary nectar. There is even a sparkling (spumante) version, but the pleasantly heady white, redolent of ripe quince, pineapple, banana and peach, make it a general favorite among wine-lovers.

Thanks to its soft palate and rich alcohol content, Lacryma Christi pairs well with sautéed clams, crustaceans, fish stews, seafood risotto, grilled vegetables and semi firm cheeses, and the tasty local mussel preparation called “Impepata di Cozze.”

Stop back next Wednesday when we will be exploring the wines of little-known but nonetheless enchanting region of Molise, Italy’s second smallest.

Salute!

Do you have roots in the provinces of Avellino, Benevento, Caserta, Napoli or Salerno and would like to find your “napoletani” family still living there? Contact us today and find out how italyMONDO! can help you research your Italian (and Campano!) family tree or create a vacation of a lifetime with a custom Heritage Tour or Excursion for you and your family!

Photo Courtesy of “payhere” at Flickr

Naples is a city of unexpected art forms. The Neapolitan pizza is perfection. The graceful and exuberant language of gestures is on display at every street market, restaurant and café. And anyone who has experienced the thrill and challenge of driving in this beautiful city knows that even driving is an art form. (Finding a parking spot can take a lifetime of practice!) But there’s another local art form you can’t miss when you’re walking through the lively and colorful streets of Naples – I Dolci (the desserts).

With a pasticceria or café located around just about every corner, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to experience the Neapolitan’s proudly prepared cakes, pastries and desserts. The problem, however, is knowing where to start! You simply must try the heavenly Sfogliatella. The pastry, with its crisp, flaky shell and sweet ricotta cheese filling, is undeniably a Neapolitan classic. But the sfogliatella isn’t the only Neapolitan sweet treat that you should try when you visit Napoli, though. Babà, a rum-soaked sponge cake with a funny name that you’ll find in all sorts of tempting shapes and sizes, is sure to be a delicious experience.

The origin of the babà takes us back to the 18th century when Naples was ruled by the Bourbon King Ferdinand IV and his wife Maria Carolina, the sister of Queen Marie Antoinette of France. The French influence on the regional cuisine of Naples—at least that of the elite and wealthy classes—was pronounced during this period as French chefs became de rigueur. One of the French-influenced desserts to show up on Neapolitan tables was the babà.

The French influence on the regional cuisine of Naples—at least that of the elite and wealthy classes—was pronounced during this period as French chefs became de rigueur. One of the French-influenced desserts to show up on Neapolitan tables was the babà.

However, the story of this little Neapolitan cake is not over yet. First we have to travel from Paris to the court of King Stanislaw Leszczyński of Poland, where the rum-soaked cake was supposedly born. According to Neapolitan tradition, the cake was created when the King poured some rum over the top of a Polish cake he found too dry. The King’s new cake became an immediate success in Paris when Stanislaw’s daughter, Marie, married King Louis XV of France. From there the dessert made its way to Naples where it received a few finishing touches and became the Babà Napoletano (or Babà alla Napoletana) that we know today.

…Phew – that’s a lot of traveling for one little cake!

Traditionally the babà is baked in a round tin similar to a bundt pan, and before being served is doused with a mixture of water, sugar and rum. This is also the easiest and most common way the babà is made at home. In a pasticceria, you’ll also find babà in their traditional mushroom or chef’s hat shape. These are baked in individual tins and are soaked in the rum mixture after they cool from the oven.

And just when you think it can’t get any better, the Neapolitans know how to improve on perfection. For those who find the light, traditional babà not quite rich enough, be sure to try the cream or chocolate filled variations. Sometimes the babà is even covered with an apricot glaze and garnished with fresh fruit or cream, so keep your eye out for one of these over-the-top babà variations!

Traditions keep developing here in Campania, and another variation of the babà dessert has developed on the island of Capri and on the Amalfi Coast, where it is now common to soak the babà in the strong and flavorful limoncello liqueur produced in the area. A good idea is always a good idea, and the babà al limoncello has quickly become popular throughout Campania and Italy.

Now that you have two pastries to taste on your “must eat” list for Naples, stop by next week as we sample the Zeppole di San Giuseppe – yet another traditional Neapolitan dessert.

Would you like to walk the ancient streets of Naples as your ancestors once did – and even have the chance to uncover living relatives in the process? Contact us and find out how italyMONDO! can help you research your Italian family tree or create a vacation of a lifetime for you and your family!

Photo Courtesy of “emiana” at Flickr

La dolce vita—the sweet life—often brings to mind images of relaxation and the quiet appreciation of life’s many beautiful moments. It is different for everyone, but for those who have experienced it in La Bell’Italia, it is hard to forget. Perhaps it was an evening stroll as the town church bells echoed through the hills, or the warm Mediterranean sun on your shoulders while enjoying a creamy gelato. In today’s chaotic and hectic world, who couldn’t use a little bit of that it their daily life? As the pace of life moves forward at an ever-quicker pace, more and more people are discovering those little secrets of enjoying moments of everyday life that the Italians have known for generations. La dolce vita comes from slowing down to savor good, fresh foods and sharing time with family and friends. In Italy, cooking is a fundamental (and delicious!) part of la dolce vita. But how can you bring that into your own home?

Personally, I know when I moved to the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy’s Campania region just how much of a challenge it can be learning to cook in another culture. Every day I learned about new recipes and ingredients, but trying to recreate them in my own home was often an adventure. Those beautiful home cooked sauces simmering on the stoves certainly don’t prepare themselves! Never mind the metric scale for measuring everything and the oven marked with Celsius temperatures, what presented the biggest challenge was learning all the new cooking traditions here in the Naples area.

What did I do? Well, after a bit of panicking, I discovered what quickly became my “secret weapon” in the kitchen, the wonderful cookbook Naples at Table: Cooking in Campania by Arthur Schwartz. There it was right in front of me, all the inside tips and tricks for preparing the local specialties. This wonderfully researched cookbook was also fun read, and it taught me about the culinary history here in the region that I now call home. It not only made me feel more comfortable cooking in another culture, but also improved my creativity and approach to cooking. Most importantly, it helped me learn how to bring la dolce vita into my own life and to my own table in Italy.

Living La Dolce Vita (v.)
1—To enjoy the moments of everyday life 2—To slow down to savor good, fresh foods 3—To share time with family and friends

A cookbook at its best is not just a written record of how to prepare dishes. It is also a place to record stories—both family and historical—and shows us that why we eat the way we do is often just as interesting as how it is made. With the increasing popularity of Italian food and the Italian lifestyle, there are now an abundance of books available on subject. From Rachel Ray to Giada De Laurentiis, the shelves of your local bookstore are lined with cookbooks to teach us about Italian cooking.

This is why we at italyMONDO! want to help you find the best and most inspiring cookbooks out there to help you learn more about Italy’s fascinating food culture, history, traditions and regional recipes. Every so often throughout the year, we will be presenting our favorite cookbooks—the ones that really wow us—that we know our readers will really enjoy. Each series will feature book reviews and interviews with the author, but also spotlights on some of our favorite recipes and other selections.

Stop back by next Friday as we begin our first cookbook series with Venerdì Sera – Friday Evening: Creating La Dolce Vita, One Bite at a Time by Michele Carbone. What a perfect way to remind ourselves, as this holiday season whirrs into high gear, about the importance of slowing down, enjoying time with our families and friends, to savor every bite, and, most of all, to remember to bring Italy’s la dolce vita into our lives!

Photo Courtesy of “jenniferrt66” at Flickr

Three days a year, the people of Naples anxiously hold their breath. Eyes fixed on the city’s Duomo—with prayers being recited and news cameras rolling—there is one question on everyone’s mind. Will the miracle of San Gennaro occur once again?

Among the most venerated relics held in the Duomo of Naples are two glass vials of the dried, century-old blood of San Gennaro, a martyr saint from the 3rd century who was born in southern Italy. Since 1389, their contents are said to liquefy each year – an occurrence that has yet to be explained. This miracle takes place three times a year; on the first Saturday of May to celebrate the anniversary of the translation of the relics of San Gennaro in the 15th century to their new home in the Duomo of Naples, on the 19th of September on the anniversary of the Saint’s death and his actual feast day, and on December 16th, the anniversary of a devastating eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 1631 – a disaster from which many Neapolitans believe their beloved city was spared, thanks to the intervention of their santo patrono.

For Neapolitans, the miracle of San Gennaro’s blood is an oracle for the city. When it occurs, all will be fine. The absence of the miracle, however, does not bode well for the city. In fact, terrible events have taken place in Naples and its surrounding area when the blood failed to liquefy in the past. These beliefs have been reinforced in recent memory by the 1944 eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and the 1980 earthquake that devastated much of southern Italy, killing nearly 3,000 people. In the case of both years, il sangue di San Gennaro remained stubbornly solid.

But who was this saint – and why is he considered the protector of Naples? While little is certain about the life of the santo, later Christian sources and legends that developed after his death tell us he was born either in Naples or nearby Benevento, and later became the bishop of Naples. However, in 305 during the Roman persecutions of the Christians, San Gennaro was condemned to death. He was sent to be torn to pieces by lions, but when the beasts miraculously spared him, the Romans threw him into a flaming furnace—only for him to exit unscathed once again. He was then successfully beheaded at the Solfatara crater near Pozzuoli. (Leading historians to believe that even the Romans thought the third time was a charm!) Over the centuries devotion for San Gennaro grew—spreading far beyond just the citizens of the Napule’.

While the exact details on the life of San Gennaro are the subject of legends, what is certain is that for many Neapolitans the prosperity and well being of their city is intimately connected to this saint and the thrice-yearly miracle with his blood. Each year for centuries, the ceremony has inspired both awe and disbelief—and still today seeing the miracle is a powerful experience. On Saturday, September 19th, an enormous crowd will fill the Duomo and surrounding streets hoping to catch a glimpse. The event is accompanied by processions and celebrations, including a jovial atmosphere after the miracle takes place, making it the perfect opportunity to experience the Neapolitan’s exuberant talent for festivities.

For Neapolitans, the miracle of San Gennaro’s blood is an oracle for the city. When it occurs, all will be fine. The absence of the miracle, however, does not bode well for the city.

The name of San Gennaro (”Saint Januarius” in English, but it just sounds better in Italian!) is just as familiar to many Italian Americans as it is to any Neapolitan. In America, his feast as we know it today was first celebrated in New York City on September 19, 1926. For the Italian population in Little Italy, many of whom came from the Naples area, it was only natural to celebrate their native patrono with processions and celebrations brought with them from the “Old Country.” Over the years, this developed into the annual San Gennaro Festival – today a popular event for Italians and non-Italians alike, with festivities reminiscent of the events taking place on the same day across the Atlantic.

Sitting in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius, with the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum serving as constant reminders of the devastating force of the volcano, it is no surprise that the devotion and faith in the protective powers of San Gennaro have remained so strong for the city of Naples over the centuries. Whether it’s with faith, superstition – or, as it often the case with Italians, a healthy dose of both – the entire city of Naples anxiously awaits Saturday’s upcoming miracle – including everyone here at italyMONDO! who are working from the Italian office - just five miles away from the volcano’s crater!

One of the most famous pastries of Naples, the sfogliatella is a delicacy celebrated by locals and visitors alike. As the old saying goes, “A Napoli tre cose sono belle: ’o mare, ’o vesuvio, e sfogliatelle” (In Naples there are three beautiful things: the sea, Mount Vesuvius, and sfogliatelle), and when you visit Naples and many cities in the region of Campania, you will quickly discover the passion and appreciation this small seashell-shaped pastry has garnered.

In cafés and pasticcerie, Italy’s tempting pastry shops, you will find sfogliatelle tempting you as the perfect snack or accompaniment for an espresso. The sfogliatella comes in two traditional varieties, both filled with a sweet, often cinnamon-infused, ricotta cheese mixed with candied fruit. The most popular are the riccia (curly), made with a puff pastry that when baked forms a crispy shell of paper-thin layers of delicate pastry. The classic riccia with accordion-like layers gave the sfogliatella its name, which means “little layers.” The frolla, often ordered simply as “pasta frolla,” is a softer, doughy version of the sfogliatella prepared with short crust pastry and often round in shape. Both are dusted with a powdered sugar that makes them a delight – and challenge to eat neatly as well!

After you decide if you prefer your sfogliatella “riccia or frolla,” you can set off on your next adventure – to uncover the origins of the sfogliatella. First you must track down a sfogliatella santarosa. Slightly larger than a traditional sfogliatella, it is filled instead with a crema pasticcera and garnished with a bit of crema di amarene (sour black cherry). This creamy pastry holds the key to how the sfogliatella as we know it today was born.

As it turns out, this luxurious and rich dessert was created in a monastery. If we go back to the 1600s, to the Monastery of Santa Rosa tucked high up in the mountains in the small village of Conca dei Marini on the Amalfi Coast, we find a story of a nun working away in the kitchen one day. By chance she created a pastry that became well-known in the surrounding community as la Santarosa, named after the monastery. The cloistered nuns retained this special recipe, and it wasn’t until the 1800s that a man by the name of Pasquale Pintauro in Naples got his hands on one of these pastries from Conca dei Marini. He created his own version filled with a rich fruit and cinnamon-infused ricotta mixture, and the sfogliatella as we know it today was born.

While undoubtedly a symbol of Naples, the sfogliatella has become a traditional pastry throughout the region of Campania, including the Sorrentine Peninsula and the Province of Salerno. For the people of Conca dei Marini on the Amalfi Coast, there remains a special connection with the sfogliatella. They celebrate their famous pastry and their city’s important role in its history during the annual Festa della Sfogliatella di Santa Rosa on the first Sunday in August. Much like other sagre, or food festivals, throughout Italy, this event is an excellent opportunity to enjoy a festive and fun taste of the Amalfi Coast and an excuse to sample some of the country’s best sfogliatelle.

Whether you prefer to order a sfogliatella riccia instead of a pasta frolla – or simply cannot resist the creamy sfogliatella santarosa – what is certain is that experiencing these Neapolitan delicacies you will return again and again to discover all the other gems that are awaiting you in the region of Campania.